Wednesday, February 6, 2019

A Joint Venture between CIGNA Investment Management and The Muller Company Acquires Century Plaza in San Jose, CA for $63.4 Million


Century Plaza, 550 South Winchester by Santana Row
San Jose, CA

IRVINE, CA -- The Muller Company, a full-service real estate company specializing in the investment, development and management of commercial real estate in the western United States, announced today the acquisition of Century Plaza, a 103,622-square-foot, six-story office building located at 550 South Winchester by Santana Row in San Jose, California.

Jon M. Muller

The new ownership is a joint venture between CIGNA Investment Management and The Muller Company. The seller was New York Life Real Estate Investors. The purchase price was $63.4 million. The property was 82 percent leased at the time of the sale. 


Eric Fox
“We saw an opportunity to acquire a well-located property that would allow us to add value by executing a strategic business plan to reposition the asset as a first-class office destination,” said Jon M. Muller, a principal with The Muller Company.

“The ownership plans to rebrand the property and invest approximately $4.1 million to upgrade the façade, landscaping, lobby, restrooms and corridors in order to maximize rents and create a modern Class A office building in the heart of Silicon Valley and steps away from Santana Row, San Jose’s renowned outdoor lifestyle and retail destination.”

Nick Lazzarini


Both the buyer and seller of the property were represented by Cushman & Wakefield. Those involved in the sale included Eric Fox, executive managing director, and Nick Lazzarini, managing director, in the San Jose office, along with Steve Hermann, Seth Siegel and Adam Lasoff in the firm’s San Francisco office.




Steve Hermann
The Muller Company has been in the Santana Row market for close to 20 years and is excited about the continued growth and area amenities, which includes Westfield Mall’s Westfield Valley Fair, a $1.2 billion retail investment and Federal Realty’s continued commitment to Class ’A‘ office product with over 550,000 SF in Santana Row,” Muller added.  

The Muller Company is an opportunistic real-estate investment, development and management firm with a proven track record in acquiring and repositioning commercial properties.

 Since its inception in 1979, The Muller Company team, with a combined 150 years of experience, has acquired, developed and/or operated, alongside first-class institutional partners, over 30 million square feet of office, industrial and retail space across Northern and Southern California, Arizona and Utah.

Seth Siegel



CONTACTS:

Anne Monaghan
MONAGHAN COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
anne@MonaghanPR.com
830.997.0963

Melissa Cooper
The Muller Company
949.465.0177



Lincoln Property Company Promotes Two to Vice President, Desert West Region



John Orsak
PHOENIX, AZ,  Feb. 6, 2019 – Lincoln Property Company (LPC) has promoted industry veterans John Orsak and Doug Klocke to the position of Vice President, expanding the role of each individual within the LPC Desert West Region of Arizona, Nevada, Utah and New Mexico, and encompassing current LPC development projects such as Lincoln Logistics 40, Union, the 1.8 million-square-foot office portion of The Grand at Papago Park Center and Lincoln Logistics 303.

A 21-year industry veteran and LPC employee since 2005, Klocke becomes Vice President of Development and Construction Management.

Since joining LPC, Klocke has developed and constructed nearly 5 million square feet of Class A office and industrial projects.

 In his new role, he serves as the primary customer contact and manager for all current LPC real estate projects and tenant improvements.

This includes construction costs, schedules and quality control from project conception to completion at the company’s pipeline of more than 5 million square feet of announced or under-construction commercial developments.

As Vice President of Real Estate Development, Orsak is responsible for all LPC leasing, acquisitions, dispositions and property management.

This includes an almost 10 million-square-foot property management portfolio, strategic renovations at high-profile projects such as 3131/3133 Camelback and Luhrs City Center, and the ongoing development and leasing at Lincoln Logistics 40, The Grand at Papago Park Center, Lincoln Logistics 303 and Union.
 
Doug Klocke
 Orsak joined LPC in 2016, bringing with him 15 years of real estate experience. Since then, he has been involved with more than 1.5 million square feet of lease executions with a total lease consideration of more than $250 million.

Klocke holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Arizona State University, is a LEED Accredited Professional and holds an EIT in Civil Engineering. He is a member of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and is a Certified Youth Sports Coach in soccer and baseball.

Orsak holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Sam Houston State University. He sits on the NAIOP Board of Directors and is the founder of Santa’s Sak, a non-profit organization that supports state-sponsored group homes and puts Christmas gifts into the hands of needy children.
  
CONTACT:

Stacey Hershauer
480.600.0195


HFF announces $10.3 million financing for development of New York-area self storage facility


CubeSmart Self Storage Facility
Rochelle Park, NJ
FLORHAM PARK, NJ – Feb. 6, 2019 Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P. (HFF) announces the $10.3 million construction financing for the development of an 829-unit, Class A CubeSmart self storage facility in the Bergen County community of Rochelle Park, New Jersey.

Michael Klein
The HFF team worked on behalf of the borrower, Tulfra Real Estate, to place the four-year, fixed-rate loan with First Bank.  CubeSmart will manage daily operations.

The 112,980-square-foot facility will house 829 climate-controlled storage units ranging from 25 to 300 square feet along with office space. 

The four-story building will be situated on two acres at 120 West Passaic Street approximately 0.2 miles from the intersection of Passaic Street and Rochelle Avenue, 1.1 miles from the Garden State Parkway and 2.6 miles from Interstate 80.  

The property is in Rochelle Park, a community approximately 16 miles from Manhattan.  Surrounded by a densely populated residential neighborhood, there are an estimated 17,816, 197,040 and 627,292 people respectively across 6,741, 74,461 and 217,344 households within a one-, three- and five-mile radius of the property, respectively.

Jon Mikula
The HFF debt placement team representing the borrower included managing director Michael Klein and senior managing director Jon Mikula.

“HFF is pleased to have represented Tulfra Real Estate once again and continue to help them grow their expanding self-storage portfolio,” Klein said. 

 “First Bank provided the borrower with attractive deal terms, the flexibility that they were seeking and was able to move quickly in order to close within a condensed time frame.”










CONTACTS:

MICHAEL KLEIN
HFF Managing Director
(973) 549-2000

KIMBERLY STEELE
HFF Digital Content/Public Relations Specialist
(713) 852-3420



JLL report shows Phoenix Airport office submarket on the rise


Mark Gustin

 PHOENIX, AZ – Phoenix’s Airport office submarket is quickly filling with new and expanding tenants, pushing vacancy rates down 9.3 percent year-over-year and inching rental rates up, according to data from JLL’s Q4 Phoenix Office Market Report.

According to JLL, overall vacancy in the Airport submarket in 2018 fell from 32.7 percent to 23.4 percent. During the same time period, submarket rents climbed from $19.63 to $21.95 per-square-foot.

“The Airport submarket is a very attractive alternative for tenants to consider when locating their operations,” said JLL Managing Director Mark Gustin. “It has a central location that is close to the amenities of downtown Tempe and Phoenix, and is crisscrossed by three major freeways that connect tenants to a large base of prospective employees – over 2.6 million people within a 30-minute commute.”

Phoenix, AZ Airport, also known as Sky Harbor Airport

In 2018, this helped to attract major new tenant commitments to the Airport submarket, the largest of which include: 

• McKesson Drug Company, subleasing 177,639 square feet at 2900 S. Sunland Dr., at the I-10 and US 60 in Tempe.
• Lennar Homes, leasing 91,452 square feet at 1665 W. Alameda Dr., also along the I-10 just north of the US 60 in Tempe.
• EPIQ, leasing 51,323 square feet at 3255 E. Elwood St., at the I-10 and University Drive, south of the Airport.
• Ancora Education, leasing 43,013 square feet at 8181 S. 48th St., just west of I-10 and south of Baseline Road.
 Aspen University, leasing 38,014 square feet at 4615 E. Elwood St. also at the I-10 and University Drive.



Gustin says the increased lease activity has helped to transform a number of Airport-area office developments. This includes Quattro, a four-building, 264,994-square-foot office project that was recently rebranded within the Cotton Center business park.

Since securing the Quattro leasing assignment about 16 months ago, JLL has completed 188,584 square feet of leases at the project, including a 42,433-square-foot expansion and renewal by Freeport McMoran and a full-building, 57,108-square-foot lease by Konica Minolta.

Cotton Center Business Park, Phoenix, AZ
“Metro Phoenix is on a 22-quarter run of net positive office space absorption, so in some ways the Airport submarket reflects what’s happening on a macro scale across the Valley,” said Gustin. “Based on the numbers, it is just much more pronounced in the Airport area.”

According to JLL, Phoenix’s positive net absorption streak is expected to extend into the first half of 2019 and feasibly further, with more than 1.4 million square feet of signed leases ready to occupy in 2019 and activity an interest in the local office market continuing on an upward trend.

To access JLL research for Phoenix and across the U.S., please visit the company’s research page at https://www.us.jll.com/en/trends-and-insights#research.

 For more news, videos and research resources on JLL, please visit www.jll.com.

Contact:

Stacey Hershauer
Phone: +1 480 600 0195


Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Alpha Partners Names Fabio Nogueira as Head of Charlotte, NC Office


Fabio Nogueira

NEW YORK, NY – Alpha Partners, a commercial real estate company that develops, invests and operates multifamily and select retail opportunities, announced today that Fabio Nogueira has been named Director, leading its Charlotte, NC office. Mr. Nogueira reports to Managing Partner, Avi Abroms.

In this role, Mr. Nogueira will lead the company’s efforts to make strategic commercial real estate investments focused on multifamily properties in the region, while Mr. Abroms will take the lead on other opportunistic investments.

With 15 years’ experience in the real estate industry, Mr. Nogueira, previously based in Brazil, served as GND Construções’ Managing Director, Quartzo Incorporadora’s CEO, and Construtora Modelo’s Director of Acquisition and Finance

GND and Quartzo were spun off from Construtora Modelo as separate construction and development companies, respectively, and Mr. Nogueira was active in establishing both.

Avi Abroms

“We are extremely fortunate to have Fabio head our Charlotte office as we look to achieve $100 million in acquisitions during the next two years,” said Avi Abroms, Managing Partner, Alpha Partners. 

“His years of experience managing a variety of real estate transactions and construction projects, coupled with extensive financial skills in private equity, loan originations, budgeting and asset management, positions us extremely well as we scale and build a platform that will enable us to build a portfolio of multifamily assets in the region.”

“I look forward to taking on this role at Alpha Partners and using my skills and experience to help move the company forward,” added Mr. Nogueira.

Mr. Nogueira holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Ibmec Business School in Brazil, a master’s degree in Real Estate Development from Columbia University, and two Executive Certificates in management and technology/operations from MIT.

Alpha Partners’ Charlotte, NC office is at 615 South College Street.

Alpha Partners is a commercial real estate owner and operator that delivers above-market, risk-adjusted returns for investors and strategic partners through proactive acquisitions and development. Alpha concentrates across the equity and debt/credit spectrum with investments in retail, office and multifamily. 

Alpha's opportunistic approach and entrepreneurial spirit, coupled with extensive local market relationships and knowledge, enables the firm to focus on small to mid-sized deals in niche markets, often overlooked by institutional players. 

CONTACT:

Laura Schooler
Public Relations
Alpha Partners Group
917-446-5717


BKM Capital Partners Confirms its Position as the Most Active Buyer of Light Multi-Tenant Industrial Portfolios in the Western U.S.


Brian Malliet
  
NEWPORT BEACH, CA BKM Capital Partners, an institutional fund manager with a niche focus on value-add, light industrial multi-tenant investments, has closed its strongest year yet with the acquisition of three multi-tenant industrial portfolios, bringing the firm’s total portfolio acquisitions in the past year to over $319 million spanning 2,000,000 square feet.

Just this week, the firm acquired a two-property portfolio consisting of four buildings totaling 99,187 square feet in San Diego, California.

“BKM is dominating the light multi-tenant industrial market, and we are widely recognized as the most active buyer of light multi-tenant industrial portfolios in the Western U.S.,” says Brian Malliet, Co-Founder and CEO of BKM Capital Partners.

Brett Turner

 “By acquiring assets that have already been assembled into portfolios, we are able to achieve geographic diversification and scale in markets where we continue to see opportunity for value creation on behalf of our investors.”

Most recently, the firm acquired three light industrial multi-tenant portfolios encompassing more than 769,411 square feet for a combined total of $138.7 million. Each of these acquisitions was acquired through BKM Industrial Value Fund II, L.P.

“We continue to focus on rapidly acquiring well-positioned properties in strong growth markets, while simultaneously ensuring that each acquisition is a precise fit with our niche investment strategy,” says Malliet.

“Through that strategy, we enhance value through extensive exterior capital improvements, strategic interior unit sizing and cosmetic improvements, and deliver an overall higher-end light industrial product for today’s new high-end manufacturing and warehousing users.”



The firm’s three newly acquired portfolios include:

$16.6 MILLION SAN DIEGO PORTFOLIO

BKM Capital Partners has acquired a two-property portfolio consisting of four buildings totaling 99,187 square feet in San Diego, California.

“We were able to acquire this portfolio below replacement cost and will be able to quickly drive down operating costs by leveraging the economies of scale created by our existing presence in the region,” says Turner who notes that BKM now owns 854,440 square feet throughout San Diego.

The portfolio is currently 96 percent occupied with rents that range from 20 percent to 39 percent below market rate.

“The near-full occupancy in this portfolio provides immediate cash flow while also giving our team an opportunity to bring rents up to market,” says Turner.

BKM plans to update both assets with creative exterior façades, new paint, modern landscaping, and upgraded tenant and monument signage, among other upgrades.



The properties are located at:

Del Abeto Commerce Center, 6352 and 6354 Corte del Abeto, Carlsbad, California
Waples Industrial Centre, 9540 and 9550 Waples Street, Sorrento Mesa, California

Mark Avilla at Cushman & Wakefield represented the seller, 3G Properties. BKM represented itself in the transaction.

$49 MILLION SOUTH BAY INDUSTRIAL PORTFOLIO

            BKM has also acquired the South Bay Portfolio, which consists of five light industrial multi-tenant buildings totaling 221,651 square feet in Fremont, California.

            Strategically located off Interstate 880, the assets provide excellent access to East Bay markets to the north, San Jose to the south, and Palo Alto over the Dumbarton Bridge to the west, according to Turner.

“Fremont has quickly emerged as the manufacturing hub of the Bay Area, which will drive long-term demand for these properties,” says Turner.


 “Tenants are migrating to the region to take advantage of comparatively lower rates while maintaining a strong connection to the Silicon Valley and East Bay. This portfolio will benefit from the ongoing migration and evolution of traditional manufacturing facilities.

"As technological advances make the next wave of manufacturing more efficient, tenants are requiring less space, therefore, driving demand for smaller, light industrial multi-tenant assets.”

The property is currently 94 percent occupied by a diverse range of 13 different tenants with unit sizes ranging from 4,800 to 42,500 square feet.


Mark Avilla
“The diversification of tenants allows us to limit rollover exposure as no single tenant accounts for more than 20 percent of the property,” says Turner.

 “Rents across this portfolio are also currently 20 percent below market value. We will be able to quickly bring rents up to market as 50 percent of the leasable space expires within the first three years.

"We will also be able to capitalize on the increased rent growth throughout the region as more than 9.0 million square feet of industrial has or is currently being purchased and demolished by the tech giants such as Facebook, Apple, Google, and Amazon, which are building campuses in the place of existing industrial product.

Mark Detmer

" As a result, vacancy throughout Fremont continues to tighten and there is very limited new light industrial multi-tenant development planned over the next decade because of the shortage of land.”

According to Turner, BKM plans to implement new paint, landscape, signage and spec tenant improvements to modernize the property, while also addressing deferred maintenance.

The properties are located at 48430- 48490 Lakeview Blvd., 48500-48560 Fremont Blvd., 48400 Fremont Blvd., 47745-47787 Fremont Blvd., and 47703-47737 Fremont Blvd. in Fremont, California. 

Eastdil Secured represented the seller, Stockbridge. BKM represented itself in the transaction.

Bo Mills

$73 MILLION WEST COAST INFILL PORTFOLIO

            BKM has acquired a portfolio of four properties totaling 27 buildings and 448,573 square feet across California and Arizona.
           
 “This was a rare opportunity to acquire a highly functional, geographically diverse portfolio of scale well below replacement cost and strategically positioned to perform over the next several years,” explains Brett Turner, Managing Director of Acquisitions at BKM Capital Partners.

 “All assets in this portfolio are located in top-performing industrial infill submarkets and alongside key transportation corridors, making them attractive for last-mile delivery options and supporting long-term tenant demand.”

The portfolio is currently 87 percent occupied with in-place rents 15 percent below market value. BKM plans to implement a series of exterior and interior cosmetic improvements to the properties including the addition of multi-tone paint, the modernization of monument and tenant signage and landscaping, and addressing any structural deferred maintenance.

“We will be able to quickly stabilize the property by leasing remaining vacant space, as well as bringing rents up to market,” says Turner. “By implementing a comprehensive capital improvement plan, we will also be able to enhance the long-term value of the assets and further attract high-quality tenants.”

In addition to these benefits, BKM will also be able to increase cash flow by amassing economies of scale, according to Turner.
          
  “Each property is located approximately five minutes from a BKM property management office, which allows us to scale resources, ultimately driving down operating costs, increasing NOI across the portfolio, and maximizing returns to our investors,” he explains.

Ryan Sitov

The four properties are located at:

Fullerton Business Center, 4010-4080 North Palm Street in Fullerton, California. 
Ramona Business Center, 12901-13177 Ramona Boulevard in Irwindale, California.
Mowry Business Center, 39975-38995 Cherry Street in Newark, California.
Baseline Business Center, 230-245 Baseline Road in Tempe, Arizona.

Mark Detmer, Bo Mills, and Ryan Sitov at JLL represented the seller, Global Logistics Properties (GLP). BKM represented itself in the transaction.

Nima Taghavi
BKM Capital Partners, currently raising their second institutional fund, was founded in 2013 by Brian Malliet and Nima Taghavi.

Headquartered in Newport Beach, California, BKM Capital Partners is a fund manager specializing in the acquisition and improvement of value-add light industrial multi-tenant properties in metro areas across the Western U.S. 

 Additional information is available at www.bkmcapitalpartners.com

Contacts:

Alex Caswell/Lexi Astfalk
Brower Group
(949) 955-7940


HFF announces $36.6 million acquisition financing for Class A warehouse facility near Columbus, OH


Innovation Campus Within New Albany Business Park,
 New Albany, OH
COLUMBUS, OH, Feb. 5, 2019 – Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P. (HFF) announces the $36.6 million acquisition financing for a state-of-the-art, two-building, Class A bulk warehouse portfolio totaling approximately 720,000 square feet within New Albany Business Park in the Columbus-area community of New Albany, Ohio.

Eric Tupler
The HFF team worked on behalf of PAULS Corp. and the borrower, Dream Industrial US Holdings Inc., to place the 10-year, 4.57-percent, fixed-rate loan including one-year of interest only with a national bank.  The borrower purchased the assets in September 2018.

The two buildings are equipped with ample parking and docking, large floor-plates, wide column spacing and clear heights from 28 to 32 feet. 

The portfolio is home to multiple tenants that provide manufacturing, packaging and distribution of retail products to national retailers, including the international retailer, L Brands.  L Brands is the parent company to Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works and many other retail stores. 

L Brand’s has called the Columbus area its global headquarters since 1963 and has invested a considerable amount into New Albany as its primary distribution hub. 

Kristian Lichtenfels
Situated on 39.06 acres at 8860 Smith’s Mill Road, the portfolio is located along eight miles of freeway and is adjacent to Ohio State Highway 161, which is accessible from five separate highway interchanges. 

 Furthermore, the portfolio is 14.3 miles from John Glenn Columbus International Airport and 25.5 miles from Rickenbacker International Port Authority, one of the world’s only cargo dedicated airports.

The HFF debt placement team representing the borrower included director Kristian Lichtenfels and senior managing director Eric Tupler.


CONTACTS:

KRISTIAN LICHTENFELS
HFF Director
(303) 515-8000

ERIC TUPLER
HFF Senior Managing Director
(303) 515-8000

KIMBERLY STEELE
HFF Digital Content/Public Relations Specialist
(713) 852-3420