Monday, September 12, 2016

Waterton Appoints Mark Jeffery as General Manager of Sheraton Needham Hotel in Suburban Boston

  

Mark Jeffery
BOSTON, MA,  Sept. 12, 2016 – Waterton, a U.S. real estate investor and operator, today announced it has appointed Mark Jeffery as general manager of the Sheraton Needham Hotel in Needham, Mass. 

A 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry, Jeffery will be responsible for overall operations of the 247-key hotel, leading a team of 110 on-site associates.

"Mark’s extensive experience both in the U.S. and overseas made him uniquely qualified to lead the team at the Sheraton Needham,” said Patrick Hansen, senior vice president of hospitality operations at Waterton. 

“Over the years, Mark has done it all, from spearheading the launch of new hotels to finding creative ways to further increase the visibility, and profitability, of existing properties that find themselves in a constant state of reinvention in today’s highly competitive market.”

Jeffery most recently spent five years as general manager of the Boston Newton Marriott, repositioning the property through effective management practices and a strategic budget and capital plan that boosted all major financial performance metrics.

 He previously served as general manager of the Renaissance Boston at Patriot Place Hotel & Spa, leading the award-winning opening of the hotel in 2009. Prior to that, he held various positions with Marriott International Inc., one of which included auditing hotels in the United Kingdom, dating back to 1999. 

As senior director of operations for Marriott’s Eastern region, his most recent role with the company, he oversaw a portfolio of 43 hotels located between Pennsylvania and Maine, achieving the highest-ever guest satisfaction rating for the area.

For more information, call (781) 444-1110 or visit www.sheratonneedham.com.


For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Abe Tekippe, atekippe@taylorjohnson.com, (312) 267-4528
Kim Manning, kmanning@taylorjohnson.com, (312) 267-4527




NAI Realvest negotiates Three leases totaling 36,630 square feet at Airport Commerce Center off Orange Avenue. and McCoy Road in Orlando, FL


 
Patty Nolff
ORLANDO, FL – NAI Realvest recently negotiated three lease agreements for a total of 36,630 rentable square feet of industrial space representing the landlord Ohio-based Parkline Properties, LLC at Airport Commerce Center, 8350 Parkline Blvd. off Orange Ave. and McCoy Road in South Orlando. 

Michael Heidrich, a principal at NAI Realvest and Associate Patty Nolff, negotiated a lease for 12,000 square feet for Xponet, an internet service provider.   The new tenant was represented by Wilson McDowell of Cite Partners.      

Heidrich negotiated an expansion and renewal agreement with 1st Class Moving Storage Inc. who relocated from Units 16 and 17 with 8,160 square feet, into Units 18, 19 and 20 with 12,320 square feet. 

  In addition, National Certified Testing Laboratories, Inc. renewed their lease of 12,310 square feet. Andrei Savitski of Coughlin Commercial represented the tenant.


For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications (407) 644-4142, lvershelco@aol.com



Berkadia Negotiates Multi Million Dollar Portfolio Transaction with Acquisition of 11 Apartment Communities in Four States


David Oakley
BIRMINGHAM, AL --- Berkadia, one of the nation’s largest and most active multifamily investment banking and research companies, recently negotiated the sale of the 2,826-unit Star Portfolio consisting of 11 separate apartment communities with an average age of 29 years located in four states – Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and South Carolina.  The purchase price for these assets was $316 million.  

Berkadia’s Senior Managing Directors David Oakley and Scott Melnick negotiated the transaction on behalf of the buyer, Morgan Properties JV an affiliate of Morgan Properties, one of the nation’s largest multi-family owners.   Deutsche Bank represented the seller.  

The Star Portfolio includes two apartment communities in Raleigh, N.C., one each in Lexington and Rock Hill, S.C., one in York Pennsylvania; and six in suburban areas of Maryland. 

All of the properties are located in very desirable, high-barrier submarkets in close proximity to major development hubs and public transit.  

Scott Melnick





The Star Portfolio properties include suburban Maryland apartment communities of Silver Spring Station, Westerlee, The Willows, St. Mary’s, Taylor Park and Willowood; in Pennsylvania, The Geens at Westgate; in South Carolina, The Waterway and Forest Oaks; and in Raleigh, N.C., Falls Creek and Heather Park.

Buyer Morgan Properties will execute an extensive, multimillion dollar value-add repositioning plan in aggregate to enhance the value of each property, and their renovation strategy will include premium kitchen and bath renovations and top-of-the-line amenity upgrades.

Berkadia is one of the nation’s largest and most active multifamily investment banking and research companies.

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications (407) 644-4142, lvershelco@aol.com



Bijou Bay Harbor Weekly Farmer’s Market—Now In Business on Bay Harbor Islands, FL

  
 
Liza Hernandez
 BAY HARBOR ISLANDS, FL  (Sept. 12, 2016) – Bijou Bay Harbor, a boutique-style waterfront condominium, has launched its weekly Farmer’s Market which will take place every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the development’s garden-like sales center.

The grand opening of the Farmer’s Market was a huge success with a myriad of food options, great music and picturesque waterfront backdrop.

More than 70 people came out for the grand opening including members of the Bay Harbor Islands Town Council and Hon. Linda Zilber, the former mayor of Bay Harbor Islands.

 Many people took advantage of the walkability of the community to enjoy an afternoon of sunshine. Other guests arrived by boat or on paddleboards and kayaks using Bijou Bay Harbor’s bay access. 

“Opening up a farmer’s market was a great opportunity for guests to mingle with their neighbors and for potential buyers to see what type of community they’d be living in,” said Liza Hernandez, Bijou Bay Harbor’s director of sales.

“There is a need for this in the area for people who like to walk or cycle around their neighborhood on the weekends. 

"We thought Bijou Bay Harbor would be the perfect place for the community to enjoy the water and delicious food from local businesses.”

Adriana Hoyos
Bijou Bay Harbor is located at 9521 E. Bay Harbor Drive, Bay Harbor Islands, FL 33154. For sales information, visit www.bijoubayharbor.com or contact Director of Sales Liza Hernandez at (305) 864-2220 or Liza@bijoubayharbor.com.

 Bijou Bay Harbor is a boutique condominium project in the fashionable Bay Harbor Islands and will feature private residences ranging from 900 to just over 2,000 square feet.

Boasting nine stories and 41 private residences, the waterfront retreat was designed by architects Luis Revuelta and Charles H. Benson, with interior designs by renowned designer Adriana Hoyos.

Bijou Bay Harbor is the first South Florida development project from Ability by Acierto. The venture is a partnership between Conexo Inmobiliario, led by Andres Arias, and Acierto Inmobiliario, Colombia’s second largest developer.

Headed by Juan Carlos Gonzalez, Acierto Inmobiliario has developed dozens of premier residential and commercial projects and millions of square feet of space across Colombia.

Two marquee Medellín developments include Access Point, an exclusive four-tower office project, and Milla De Oro, an exclusive mixed-use project with offices, retailers and restaurants featuring the first Starbucks and Krispy Kreme in Medellín.
  
Linda Zilber



Participating vendors brought fresh produce, acai bowls, local honey, orchids and plants, Indian food, fresh-made ceviche, fresh-baked goods, handmade soaps, artisanal made-to-order brick oven pizza, olive oils and more.
  
With 60 percent of its available units sold, construction of the luxurious Bay Harbor Islands condominium is expected to start later this year. At that point, the Weekly Farmer’s Market will move to a different location, still in Bay Harbor Islands.

Bijou Bay Harbor, which is being developed by Ability by Acierto, will feature 41 private residences, including five penthouses with open and light layouts. Floorplans range from 900 to just over 2,000 square feet. Prices begin in mid-$600,000s and rise to $2 million for the penthouses.
  
For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Ashley Fierman/ Sandra Reichman, BoardroomPR
afierman@boardroompr.com/sreichman@boardroompr.com
(954) 370-8999


RAF Pacifica Group Acquires Class A Carlsbad Asset While Securing 12-Year Full-Building Lease in One Weekend

  
Carlsbad Research Center, 1812 Aston Avenue, Carlsbad, CA

 
Adam Robinson
SAN DIEGO, CA  (Sept. 12, 2016) – RAF Pacifica Group had a busy weekend.  The owner and developer of Creative Industrial™ product throughout Southern California acquired a 65,310 square-foot Class A corporate headquarters building in the Carlsbad Research Center and simultaneously secured a 12-year lease for 100 percent of the property - all in one weekend.

            “This acquisition is a testament to our ability to move extremely quickly while making deals that make sense,” says Adam Robinson, Principal of RAF Pacifica Group.

“Our brokers, Aric Starck and Dennis Visser of Cushman & Wakefield, brought us this opportunity with their tenant Ostendo Technologies because of our track record of being able to move quickly.

“Our team worked closely with the Cushman brokers, and together we were able to execute a 12-year lease with Ostendo Technologies, complete due diligence, and fund a non-refundable deposit within two days.  This has to be a record.”

The seller, Blackmore Company, a Carlsbad-based commercial real estate developer of industrial, R&D, and office properties, was represented by Roger Carlson and Adam Molnar of CBRE. in the $10 million deal.


Lori Wendel



 James Ruiz and Lori Wendel  of Keystone Mortgage arranged acquisition financing for the transaction.

The property is located at 1812 Aston Avenue in Carlsbad, California, near the I-5 at College Blvd. and Palomar Airport Road.

The asset, a high-quality office and R&D property, encompasses 23,908 square feet of  office space and 41,402 square feet of warehouse space in the Carlsbad Research Center. 

The tenant that will occupy the building is Ostendo Technologies, a San Diego-based manufacturing company.

            “We are bullish on Carlsbad because of the tremendous growth in the tech and biotech industries,” explains Robinson. “Recognized by Google as the digital capital of California, Carlsbad boasts one of the largest and fastest-growing tech clusters in the nation, and is truly the epicenter of technological innovation. 

"This asset serves as the perfect corporate headquarters building for a tech company, and is designed with a mix of office and industrial space to accommodate a variety of business operations.”

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Katie Kea / Jenn Quader
Brower, Miller & Cole
(949) 955-7940

Wyndham Hotel Group Appoints Philippe Bijaoui to Lead Development Across Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa


Philippe Bijaoui
LONDON, UK (Sept. 12, 2016) –Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company with nearly 8,000 hotels across a portfolio of 16 iconic brands, today announced the appointment of Philippe Bijaoui to the role of Chief Development Officer for Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa (EMEA).

In this role Bijaoui will oversee the Company’s rapid expansion across the region, introducing additional brands to established markets and building on the 73 countries where Wyndham Hotel Group hotels can already be found.

Bijaoui has more than 20 years of hotel real estate and development experience in markets across EMEA and most recently served as Vice President Development Europe for InterContinental Hotel Group, where he defined and implemented the development strategy for the region.

He has also previously held senior development roles with Rezidor, Club Med, HVS International, City Hotels S.A. and Groupe Immobilière Hôtelière. Bijaoui has a Master of Business Administration with a focus on hotel and catering management from I.M.H.I. Cornell, and speaks multiple European languages.

 “Philippe has a stellar reputation in the EMEA development community, and I am confident he is the best person to lead our aggressive expansion plans for the region,” said Daniel Ruff, President and Managing Director EMEA for Wyndham Hotel Group.

Daniel Ruff

“I am very much looking forward to accelerating Wyndham Hotel Group’s growth in EMEA. Destinations across the region are in need of an international standard of hotel accommodation for growing inbound and domestic visitor numbers, and Wyndham Hotel Group has only begun to tap the potential in these markets,” said Bijaoui.

This year Wyndham Hotel Group has reached important development milestones in EMEA, including introducing the Super 8 brand to Europe, opening the 50th hotel in Turkey, expanding into Greece with the Wyndham Grand Athens and announcing new hotels in emergent destinations such as Oman, Iraq and Ethiopia.


For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Haley Borisoff
Director, PR & Communications
Wyndham Hotel Group
+44 (0) 7940 168774.