Monday, March 30, 2009

Thomas D. Wood Brokers $5M in 2 New Loans

Pompano Merchandise Mart Receives $3M

MIAMI, FL, Mar. 30, 2009— Thomas D. Wood and Company, a Strategic Alliance Mortgage LLC member, secured financing on March 25, 2009, in the amount of $3,000,000 for the Pompano Merchandise Mart (top right photo) in Pompano Beach, Florida.

Marshall Smith, (middle left photo) Company Executive Vice President, financed the Pompano Merchandise Mart through Thomas D. Wood and Company’s correspondent relationship with Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company.


The non-recourse loan is a full cash-out refinance with an interest rate of 6.5% and a five-year term, based on a 25-year amortization. The loan to value is 38%. The three-building, 118,217 square-foot industrial project is located at 2099 and 2101 West Atlantic Boulevard, Pompano Beach, Florida.

Contacts:

Marshall Smith, (305) 447-7820, msmith@tdwood.com

Jessica Gurtowski, (407) 937-0470, jgurtowski@tdwood.com



Metro Office Building in Lake Worth, FL Obtains $2M

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL—Mar. 30, 2009— Thomas D. Wood and Company, a Strategic Alliance Mortgage LLC member, secured financing on March 27, 2009, in the amount of $2,000,000 for the Metro Office Building in Lake Worth, Florida.


Patrick Madore, (bottom right photo) Company Vice President, financed the Metro Office Building through Thomas D. Wood and Company’s relationship with a local bank.

The loan has an interest rate of Prime + 1% and a five-year term, based on a 25-year amortization. The loan-to-value and loan-to-cost is 50%.


The 12,000 square-foot office building was built in 1977 and is located at 1000 N. Dixie Highway, Lake Worth, Florida.


Contacts:

Patrick Madore, (954) 233-6024, pmadore@tdwood.com

Jessica Gurtowski, (407) 937-0470, jgurtowski@tdwood.com

Arbor Closes $3,520,000 Fannie Mae DUS® MBS Loan on Ballantyne Apartments in Syracuse, NY


UNIONDALE, NY (Mar. 30, 2009--Arbor Commercial Funding, LLC (“Arbor”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Arbor Commercial Mortgage, LLC, announced the recent funding of a $3,520,000 loan under the Fannie Mae DUS® MBS product line to finance the 138-unit complex known as Ballantyne Apartments in Syracuse, NY.

The 10-year loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule and carries a note rate of 6.25 percent.

The loan was originated by Peter Margolin, (top right photo) Director, in Arbor’s full-service Deerfield, IL lending office. “Arbor assisted the borrower with the acquisition of this property by maximizing proceeds and offering a highly competitive rate,” said Margolin.
Contact: Ingrid Principe, IPrincipe@arbor.com

Tilt-Con Starts Lakeside Medical Center in Belle Glade, FL

ORLANDO, FL – Altamonte Springs-based Tilt-Con Corporation is under way on the Health Care District of Palm Beach County’s new Lakeside Medical Center, a technologically-advanced, multimillion-dollar hospital now under construction on a 50-acre site at US 441 and State Road 80 in Belle Glade, FL, under its contract with Skanska USA Building, Inc., Tampa, FL.

Designed by Gresham, Smith and Partners, Hollywood, FL, the 168,646-square-foot facility will replace Glades General Hospital, Palm Beach County’s only public hospital, when opened later this year.
Ranked as the nation’s largest tilt-up concrete constructor by Engineering News-Record magazine, Tilt-Con utilizes its economical multi-story system for tilt-up concrete walls. Tilt-Con’s scope of work includes foundations, slab-on-grade, tilt-up concrete wall panels and mezzanines.

Contact: Kenneth H. Cristol, 407-774-2515

Wyndham Hotels Honored for Green Innovations Including Eco-Friendly Uniforms

PARSIPPANY, N.J. (Mar. 30, 2009) – Unique “green” programs introduced by Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, including ecologically-friendly uniforms made with recycled plastics, have been recognized by Lodging Hospitality magazine with a Chain Leadership Award, which honors the best in innovation, creativity and business-building in the U.S. hotel industry.

The award, announced in the magazine’s current issue, singled out Wyndham Hotels and Resorts as the leader in the category of Environmental Action.


Lodging Hospitality editors annually solicit reader nominations, then select the “best of the best programs and strategies employed in the previous year.”

Wyndham President Jeff Wagoner (bottom right photo) thanked Lodging Hospitality for the award saying, “We are honored to be recognized for programs that demonstrate leadership in the hospitality industry, add value to our properties and underscore operational excellence.”

(Brown suit uniform, bottom left photo; blue uniform, top right photo)

Fabric for the eco-friendly Wyndham hotel staff uniforms is manufactured using polyester fibers spun from post–consumer products, including recycled plastic beverage bottles, which are woven into very soft fabrics.

By using recycled materials, the hotel chain helps to keep plastics out of landfills. Moreover, the uniforms, which do not require professional laundering, minimize the use of chemicals during cleaning and provide a cost savings to hotel operators.

“These trendy garments can be modified and mixed and matched for a more personal, fashionable suit that is cost–effective and extremely comfortable,” said Faith Taylor, (top left photo) Wyndham Worldwide vice president of sustainability and innovation.

“Sustainability has morphed from a ‘nice have to a must have,’ and we are committed to finding opportunities that drive innovation and deliver value to our guests and franchisees.”

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts is the first national upscale lodging chain to implement the eco–friendly uniform initiative.

Cincinnati–based Cintas Corporation was contracted to design and manufacture the uniforms and continue to introduce new eco–friendly fabrics for the Wyndham apparel program.

In addition to its ecologically-friendly uniforms, the Wyndham chain’s green initiatives include installation of energy–efficient compact fluorescent lighting; low–flow water practices; an Earth Smart guest linen reuse program; and numerous recycling efforts.

In another major innovation, the chain launched the Wyndham ClearAirsm initiative last year, becoming the first national upscale lodging chain to feature allergy–friendly rooms.

Following a system designed by New York-based PURE Solutions NA, Wyndham ClearAir rooms are designed to improve air quality following a multistep cleaning process to remove up to 98 percent of allergens.

For a list of Wyndham locations that offer this amenity, see www.wyndham.com/ClearAir. For more information on sustainability initiatives at Wyndham Worldwide, visit http://www.wyndham-green.com/.

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), offers upscale hotel and resort accommodations throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. All hotels are either franchised or managed by Wyndham Hotels and Resorts or an affiliate. For additional information or to make a reservation, go to http://www.wyndham.com/.

CONTACT:
Evy Apostolatos, Director, Media Relations, Wyndham Hotel Group, 1 Sylvan WayParsippany, NJ 07054. (973) 753–6590. evy.apostolatos@wyndhamworldwide.com

CBRE's Jay Ninah Earns LEED Accreditation in Orlando, FL


ORLANDO, FL - Mar. 30, 2009 - The Orlando office of CB Richard Ellis announces LEED Accreditation for Jay Ninah, (top right photo) Senior Project Manager.

An experienced Engineer and Project Manager with over 18 years working at several Fortune 500 companies including Gap Inc., Sports Authority, Loblaws Supermarkets and Scholastic.

Jay joined the CBRE Orlando City Project Management office last June after leading the CBRE Project Management, construction team at Home Depot Supply/Hughes Supply managing new build to suits and renovations for the 900+ warehouse style supply stores for three years.

His current projects include a new Head Office and Production Facility for a Medical Company, a 100K ground up warehouse construction, a retail/office center TI first generation buildout for a financial institution and analyzing a potential solar roof application.

With proven success in delivering construction, warehousing and process improvements projects; Jay broadens the skill set of our local project management team.

Areas of applicable expertise include: new shell construction, warehouse design and automation, conveyors and racking design and installations; managing tenant improvement projects - offices/retail and industrial engineering applications.
CBRE has taken a proactive role in guiding landlords and tenants through the LEED New Construction (NC), Existing Building (EB) program and Commercial Interiors (CI) programs as applicable.

Contact: Angelique Greven, 407.839.3158, angelique.greven@cbre.com