LandMark Retail Group Partners with Accubranch

  

Woodland Hills, CA (Sept. 19, 2011) – LandMark Retail Group (LRG), a subsidiary of NewMark Merrill Companies, has partnered with Accubranch, a premier strategic planning and market research group that specializes in providing expert real estate advice to the regional banking industry.

Accubranch offers banking and financial service clients fully integrated, expert solutions for managing their investment in real estate based on the individual needs of each bank by utilizing demographic and state-of-the-art location research, analytical data, field site analysis, as well as applied research of market areas to identify the best sites for new branches, consolidations, and relocations of existing branches.

“Our partnership with Accubranch expands LandMark Retail Group’s services, providing in depth analytical data and market research utilized by national retailers together with industry specific data to local regional and community banks that may not otherwise have these essential tools” said Jeremy Just (top right photo), Principal, Chief Executive Officer, LandMark Retail Group, LLC.

  "The sophisticated research provided by Accubranch combined with LandMark’s market knowledge and experience acquiring and delivering high traffic sites in densely populated markets allows us to provide complete real estate strategy and growth solutions to our clients."

For more details, visit: www.landmarkretailgroup.com.

Contact: David Ebeling, Ebeling Communications, (p) 949.861.8351

(c) 949.278.7851, david@ebelingcomm.com

Jones Lang LaSalle Names Josh Wrobel as Managing Director in Los Angeles

 LOS ANGELES, CA,  Sept. 19, 2011 — Jones Lang LaSalle has hired 17-year industry veteran Josh Wrobel (top right photo) as Managing Director in the firm’s Tenant Representation group in Downtown Los Angeles.

“Josh’s experience in working on the principal side of commercial real estate will be invaluable to Jones Lang LaSalle clients,” said Jan Pope (middle left photo), Jones Lang LaSalle’s Southwest Region Market Director.  “Downtown Los Angeles is important for our firm as we continue to expand in this market.”

Wrobel comes to Jones Lang LaSalle with a wealth of experience in commercial real estate leasing.  Prior to joining Jones Lang LaSalle, he was a vice president at one of the largest owners and operators of office properties in Los Angeles where he was responsible for the leasing of a 10-million-square-foot portfolio.

 In the past few years, Wrobel has secured deals with several high profile clients including Southern California Gas Company (375,000 square feet), Latham & Watkins (290,000 square feet), Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (160,000 square feet), Oaktree Capital Management (155,000 square feet), Bank of the West (95,000 square feet), Reed Smith (81,000 square feet) and Morgan Lewis & Bockius (76,000 square feet).

He has also had a history of completing large scale campus developments transactions including Southern California headquarters campuses for Electronic Arts (195,000 square feet) and Western Asset Management (180,000 square feet).

Wrobel earned a Juris Doctorate degree from University of Michigan Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Claremont McKenna College. He has been actively involved with the Central City Association, Ketchum YMCA on Bunker Hill and the Los Angeles Business Improvement District.

 

For further information, please visit our website, www.joneslanglasalle.com.

Contact: David Ebeling, Ebeling Communications, (p) 949.861.8351

(c) 949.278.7851, david@ebelingcomm.com

Hotel Industry Showing Signs of a Strong Comeback

  

 ATLANTA, GA (Sept. 19, 2011) – After a tough 2008 and a brutal 2009, the hotel industry is in the midst of a solid overall comeback, and the sector once again is providing good purchase opportunities for commercial real estate investors.

 That’s the view of guests of this week’s “Commercial Real Estate Show,” which provides an inside look at the recent performance of the hotel and lodging industry.

For year to date through the end of July, the national hotel occupancy rate was above 60 percent and the average room rate was more than$100, said Steve Hennis (top right photo), director of STR Analytics. At the height of the recession, the occupancy rate was 55 percent and the average room rate around $98, he added.

“You can see that we’re gaining a lot of ground but it’s mostly on the occupancy side and not necessarily all that much on the rate yet,” Hennis said.

 R. Mark Woodworth (top left photo), president of Colliers PKF Hospitality Research, seconded Hennis’ positive assessment. “If there’s anything that’s really surprising about where we are today, quite frankly its how quickly demand has been growing,” he said. “We feel very good about the state of the industry.”

 Both Hennis and Woodworth noted the sector’s recovery hasn’t been distributed evenly. The luxury hotel segment has performed particularly well during the past year, while the budget segment has continued to lag, they noted.

The hotel industry is not producing much in the way of new supply, which is helping occupancy rates, Hennis said. New supply is up just 0.8 percent this year, which is well below the long-term average of 1.9 percent a year, he noted.

 Other guests included Andrew Pace (middle right photo), director of development for Hotel Equities, and commercial real estate attorney Dan Weede (bottom left photo), who is the president of the Atlanta Hospitality Alliance. 

The show is available for download here. The show airs Saturday in Atlanta on Biz 1190 at 10am ET and on Talk 920 Sunday at 9am ET.

The next “Commercial Real Estate Show” airs September 24 and will provide an overview of the pressing legal issues facing the commercialreal estate sector, such as foreclosure and bankruptcy, deed in lieu, loan restructures and note sales.

Contacts:

Christin Clay

Wilbert News Strategies

1720 Peachtree St, Suite 1040

Atlanta, GA 30309

p 404-965-5025 | m 404-405-2354

cclay@wilbertnewsstrategies.com

Twitter: @christinclay10

Tony Wilbert, Wilbert News Strategies, 404.965.5022

twilbert@wilbertnewsstrategies.com

http://www.creshow.com/

Essex Realty Group brokers Sale of 32-Unit, Multi-Family Apartment Building in Chicago

CHICAGO, IL – Sept. 19, 2011.   Essex Realty Group, Inc. is pleased to announce the sale of a 32 unit vintage courtyard apartment building in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. 7381-89 N. Damen (top left photo) is located two blocks south of Chicago’s border with Evanston and two blocks from the  Howard Street CTA station, less than one mile from Lake Michigan.

The property consists of 25 one-bedroom, 4 two-bedroom and 3 three-bedroom units.

Doug Imber and Doug Fisher of Essex were the brokers on the transaction. The price was approximately $1,610,000.

Essex Realty Group, Inc. specializes in the sale of investment real estate throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.

Essex Brokers Sale of Vintage Multi-Apartment Property at 3039 N. Lincoln in Chicago

 CHICAGO, IL - Sept. 19, 2011.   Essex Realty Group, Inc. is pleased to announce the sale of a vintage mixed-use building located in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. The apartments at 3039 N. Lincoln (middle right photo) were recently rehabbed with granite countertops and new wood cabinetry in the kitchens, and updated bathrooms.

 Doug Fisher, Jason Fishleder and Matt Welke of Essex were the brokers in the transaction. The price was approximately $650,000.

Retail Building in Evanston, IL Sold for $405,000

CHICAGO, IL,  Sept. 19, 2011. Essex Realty Group, Inc. is pleased to announce the sale 1307-09 Chicago Avenue (bottom right photo), Evanston, Illinois.

The property is situated at the hightraffic intersection of Chicago Avenue and Dempster Street in Evanston. The property consists of a one-story building containing three commercial spaces of 564 SF each, situated on a 9,500 SF lot with approximately 20 parking spaces.

Doug Fisher and Jason Fishleder of Essex were the sole brokers in the transaction. The price was approximately $405,000.

Essex Realty Group, Inc. specializes in the sale of investment real estate throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.

If you would like more information on any of the transactions, please call Doug Imber at 773.305.4902 or e-mail him at dougimber@essexrealtygroup.com.

Essex Realty Group, Inc.

2211 N. Elston Avenue, Suite 302

Chicago, Illinois 60614

773.305.4900

Lincoln Leases 1200 Edgewater Drive in Orlando, FL

ORLANDO, FL (Sept. 19, 2011) – With demand high for quality medical office space, Lincoln Property Company successfully leased an entire building to Vascular Vein Centers of Orlando.

 Vascular Vein Centers of Orlando signed a 10-year lease for the 9,008 square foot building at 1200 Edgewater Drive (top left photo) and will use the space for a clinic and executive offices. 

 Jay Dixon (bottom right photo) from Lincoln represented the landlord Edgewater Drive Properties, LLC. Lou Payas with Payas Commercial Real Estate represented the tenant.

 Vascular Vein Centers of Orlando is a leader in varicose vein diagnosis and treatment. This will be the practice’s sixth location in the greater Orlando area with a seventh planned in Lake Mary, Fla.

“Good medical office space is in high demand in Orlando and around the country,” said Dixon. “The building’s excellent exposure on Edgewater Drive and large parking lot attracted the tenant to the space.”

Contact:

Laura Dudebout

O: 404.965.5023

C: 678.642.4301

ldudebout@wilbertnewsstrategies.com

Interstate Hotels & Resorts Enters JV with Netherlands-based TVHG Budget Group Beheer BV

 ARLINGTON, VA., Sept. 19, 2011—Interstate Hotels & Resorts, the United States’ largest independent hotel management company, today announced that the company has entered into a joint venture with TVHG Budget Group Beheer BV (“TVHG”), through its subsidiary TVHG Budget Group Netherlands trading under the name Dutch Hotel Partners, to invest in a portfolio of nine hotels located across the Netherlands. 

Of the nine hotels, one was recently opened, the 112-room Holiday Inn Express Schiphol Airport (top left photo) in Amsterdam, and the remaining eight, anticipated to be open by the end of 2012, will be converted from existing buildings to Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express or Hampton Inn brands.  All nine hotels, comprising approximately 1,800 rooms, will be managed under long-term contracts by Interstate.

“This joint venture marks our entry into the Netherlands and significantly increases our European presence to more than 25 hotels open or in the pipeline,” said Thomas F. Hewitt (middle right photo), Interstate’s chairman and chief executive officer.  “This new alliance illustrates our commitment to aggressive growth in Europe.  We have the infrastructure and an experienced management team in place to oversee our growing portfolio there.”  

 “TVHG is an experienced, highly regarded hotel developer with an impressive record of hotel development and transactions in the Netherlands and elsewhere,” said Jim Abrahamson (lower  left photo), Interstate’s president and COO. 

“For the past few years, they have focused on taking advantage of opportunities in the real estate sector by identifying well located, vacant office buildings that represent attractive hotel conversion opportunities to internationally recognized brands.  Nine of those hotels form the basis of this partnership, and the addition of Interstate’s established management platform to this unique joint venture will help fulfill the promise of that plan.” 

Abrahamson noted the strength of Interstate’s international platform comes from the company’s long and positive relationships with top-quality brands. “This is our first deal with TVHG and we look forward to building on our relationship as we expand in Europe.”

 “Interstate has pioneered the concept of independent hotel management in some of the world’s fastest growing economies and has successfully transplanted that business model to Europe,” said Bart van de Kamp, founder and CEO of TVHG.  “The capabilities they bring, combined with their long, strong track record of superior performance, give us a high degree of confidence in their ability to operate these hotels to their full potential and maximize our returns. With Interstate’s platform and their relationships with top tier brands, we hope to continue our partnership beyond this initial phase in the Netherlands into other markets.”

Several hotels will be located in the Amsterdam area and others in major cities in the Netherlands.  All of the hotels will be situated close to railway stations, airports or along main highways.

 “This transaction marks our renewed emphasis on establishing a major presence in Europe.  We are dedicated to both investment and management in key markets throughout Europe,” said Leslie Ng, Interstate’s chief investment officer.  “With the addition of these nine hotels, we have significantly expanded our footprint in Western Europe and are rapidly moving our international growth strategy forward.  Our global pipeline remains active, and we continue to explore additional opportunities worldwide. We look forward to growing our presence with TVHG as a partner.” 

 For additional information,  contact Interstate’s Senior Vice President, Development-Europe, Aaron Greenman, aaron.greenman@ihrco.com or +32 498127973, or visit the company’s website:  www.ihrco.com.

Contact:

Jerry Daly, Carol McCune, Media, Daly Gray, Inc., (703) 435-6293, jerry@dalygray.com                                                                                      

Carrie McIntyre, SVP, Treasurer, Interstate Hotels & Resorts, (703) 387-3320

carrie.mcintyre@ihrco.com