McCarthy Building Companies Completes Construction of Methodist Hospital’s New Patient Tower in Arcadia, CA

           

ARCADIA, CA and NEWPORT BEACH, CA, Dec. 19, 2011—McCarthy Building Companies Inc., one of Southern California’s preeminent healthcare builders, recently completed construction of a 154,486-square-foot patient tower at Methodist Hospital of Southern California in Arcadia. (top left and lower right photos)

 The North Tower is the latest addition to the 122-acre Methodist Hospital campus, which originally opened in 1957 and has undergone building additions and renovations over the years.

 The $140 million project included construction of the Hollfelder Emergency Care Center on the first floor; a 20-bed ICU and pharmacy on the second floor; 40 medical/surgical beds each on the third, fourth and fifth floors; support services on the basement level; and a new entry structure to include a covered drop-off area at the building’s main entrance.

McCarthy also constructed a 90-foot-long underground tunnel at the basement level to connect the existing Hoefflin Building to the new North Tower. Because of its size and location, the eight-foot-wide by eight-foot-high tunnel posed an interesting challenge to the project team.

“We needed to construct 60 feet of the passageway below the foundations and floor slab of the existing building, where extensive underpinning was required to support the existing structure prior to tunneling activities,” said Andy Liu, McCarthy’s senior project manager.

Liu said construction of the tunnel was complicated because the work was performed immediately beneath the existing ER, which remained operational during construction. “Extra precaution had to be taken to ensure no disruption to the ER, and also to maintain safe conditions for the workers below,” said Liu. The tunnel work took about three months to complete from start to finish.

 More information about the company is available online at http://www.mccarthy.com/ .

 For more information please call (626) 898-8000 or visit www.methodisthospital.org.

Contacts: 

Laura Mickelson (LM Communications)

(949) 453-0851

Susan Garritano (McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.)

(314) 968-3300

Annaly Capital Management, Inc. Announces 4th Quarter 2011 Dividend of $0.57 per Share

     

 NEW YORK, NY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Board of Directors of Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE: NLY) declared the fourth quarter 2011 common stock cash dividend of $0.57 per common share.

This dividend is payable January 26, 2012 to common shareholders of record on December 29, 2011. The ex-dividend date is December 27, 2011.

The Company distributes its fourth quarter dividend based on its current estimate of taxable earnings per common share for the year, not GAAP earnings. Taxable and GAAP earnings will typically differ due to items such as unrealized and realized gains and losses, differences in premium amortization and discount accretion, and non-deductible general and administrative expenses.

Dividends may be reinvested through the Company's Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan. Plan information may be obtained from the Plan Administrator, Mellon Investor Services at 1-866-353-7849, at www.annaly.com, or by contacting the Company.

Annaly manages assets on behalf of institutional and individual investors worldwide. The Company’s principal business objective is to generate net income for distribution to investors from its investment securities and from dividends it receives from its subsidiaries. Annaly is a Maryland corporation that has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”).

Contact:

Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

Investor Relations, 1-888-8Annaly

www.annaly.com

Voit Completes Two Industrial Owner/User Sales Encompassing 48,000 SF in Greater Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, CA  (Dec. 19, 2011) – Voit Real Estate Services’ Anaheim office has completed two industrial property sales encompassing 47,620 square feet for a total consideration of $4.8 million in Greater Los Angeles. 

 Transaction #1

Cameron Driscoll and Luke McDaniel, both Senior Vice Presidents in Voit’s Anaheim office, completed the $2.7 million sale of a 28,300 square-foot, free-standing industrial building located at 16000 Phoebe Avenue (top left photo) in La Mirada, Calif. Voit’s Driscoll and McDaniel represented the seller, InSite Realty Advisors.

“This property was originally listed for lease, however, the Voit team knew there was stronger activity in the sale market, so we advised our client to shift the focus to buyers in the region,” said Driscoll.  “As a result, we were successful in achieving a sale price at the higher end of the market on behalf of the seller.”

The buyer, Evergreen Packaging, acquired the space to expand its operations, while adding additional machinery.  Evergreen Packaging was represented Grubb & Ellis in the transaction.

Transaction #2

Voit’s Anaheim office also completed the $2.1 million sale of a 19,320 square-foot, free-standing, single occupant industrial building located at 9046 Sorensen Ave. (lower right photo) in Santa Fe Springs, Calif.  Voit’s Cameron Driscoll and Luke McDaniel represented the seller, Kearny Real Estate Company.

“In this REO sale, Voit was able to quickly identify a qualified buyer that closed the deal in a timely manner, and without any re-trades,” stated Driscoll.

The buyer, Steven Label, is a printing company that plans to use the space as its headquarters.  Steven Label was represented by Lee and Associates.

Further information is available at http://www.voitco.com./

Contact: 

Judith Brower

Brower, Miller & Cole

949) 955-7940

JBrower@browermillercole.com

http://www.browermillercole.com/

Voit Real Estate Services Appoints Susan Doris to Grow Its Asset Management Portfolio in Northern California and Nevada

  

SACRAMENTO, CA (Dec. 19, 2011) –Voit Real Estate Services has hired Susan Doris (top right photo) as an Asset Manager in its Sacramento office to increase the company’s Asset Services business in Northern California and Reno, according to Kevin Sheehan (middle left photo), Managing Director of Voit’s Sacramento office.  Doris brings more than 25 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry to Voit.

In her new role, Doris will be responsible for business development and the implementation of strategies to maximize value and minimize risk for Voit’s clients.  She will liaise with lenders such as banks, insurance companies, special servicers and public-sector entities that are controlling under-performing or distressed assets in order to provide strategic counsel as part of Voit’s asset services platform.

 “Through her 25 years of service in commercial real estate, Susan has built a reputation for success and integrity in the industry,” said Sheehan. “Susan will provide service and value to our clients by contributing to the integrated solutions for which Voit is known.”

Prior to joining Voit, Doris served as Managing Director of National Leasing at Equity Office Properties where she launched a national strategic broker program that integrated the company’s national broker accounts. 

She was successful in coordinating broker relationships and office transactions with local leasing managers across a 125 million square-foot portfolio.

 As Director of Leasing for Equity Office Properties and Cornerstone Properties, she was responsible for overseeing the marketing and leasing for the company’s properties in Sacramento, the East Bay, and Seattle, Washington.

 At Equity Office Properties, Doris specialized in broker relations; lease negotiations; management of third party brokers; financial review and credit negotiations; construction; and legal team management. 

Doris was on the development team at William Wilson & Associates, and for nine years as Marketing Manager she executed all leasing and marketing for a premier 30-story, Class A high rise in Sacramento. In this position, Doris opened the company’s Sacramento office and handled all leasing for the building, successfully achieving a premier tenant roster.

Doris began her career in commercial real estate as a Coldwell Banker broker in both San Jose and Sacramento. There Doris represented both the landlord/seller and tenant/buyer side for office, R&D, land and industrial properties in those markets.

Doris earned her degree in Economics from the University of California Davis, and is on the Board of Directors for River City Food Bank.

Further information is available at http://www.voitco.com/.

Contact: 

Judith Brower

Brower, Miller & Cole

949) 955-7940

JBrower@browermillercole.com

http://www.browermillercole.com/

Terri Echarte of Atlantic | Pacific Companies Appointed Secretary of CREW-MIAMI Board of Directors

  

MIAMI, FL, (Dec. 19, 2011) – Atlantic | Pacific Companies (A | P) is pleased to announce that its Managing Director, Terri Echarte (top right photo), has been elected Secretary of the 2012 Board of Directors for Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW-Miami).

 The installation of CREW-Miami’s 2012 Board of Directors took place at the organization’s December 14 luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel on Brickell Avenue.  The installation, performed by Katherine Fernandez-Rundle (lower left photo), the State Attorney for Miami-Dade County, introduced a new leadership comprised of some of the industry’s most experienced professionals.

Prior to joining A | P, Terri opened a Miami office for the Douglas Wilson Companies, a national firm specializing in real estate receiverships.  Previously, Terri was a Managing Director for Holliday Fenoglio Fowler (HFF) where she arranged debt financing on all types of commercial real estate.  She also served as Senior Vice President with Bank of America for nearly ten years.

 For more information, please contact Randy Weisburd at rweisburd@apmanagement.net.

 Contact:

Jessica Wade Pfeffer / Jessica Wade Inc.

essica@jessicawadeinc.com

305.804.8424

www.apmanagement.net.

Social Media is Good for Business, Brokers Tell Commercial Real Estate Show Audience in Atlanta

ATLANTA, GA  (Dec. 19, 2011) – Social media can enhance a company’s branding and industry visibility – and it can also lead directly to transactions.

 Guests on this week’s “Commercial Real Estate Show” shared social-media best practices for businesses. Topics included the benefits of social media and the various mediums available for companies.

Shama Kabani (top right photo) author of The Zen of Social Media Marketing and CEO of The Marketing Zen Group, emphasized the importance of determining a social media strategy before embracing the various mediums.

“What are you trying to accomplish? … Is it so you can keep in touch with prospects? Is it so you can attract more people to your business? Is it that you want to build credibility for yourself online?” Kabani said.

“These are the sorts of questions that it is very important to answer. Then I feel like the social media piece follows very naturally because you say, ‘OK, what tool fits my needs?’ rather than ‘What need do I need to create for this tool?’”

 Businesses often don’t have the resources to plan and carry out a social media strategy, Kabani noted. In those instances, they should consider hiring a third-party firm to manager their online presence; such consultants are able to stay on top of the quickly changing social-media landscape, she added.

  

Broker Coy Davidson (top left photo), a senior vice president for Colliers International in Houston, said he has closed five “transactions that were originally initiated directly through social media.”

 Broker Duke Long (middle right photo), owner of Duke Long Agency in Indianapolis, also said he has closed “several” deals “because of social media, without a doubt.”

 In the end, though, “social media isn’t really about direct sales,” Davidson noted. “It’s a personal branding initiative.”

 Both Davidson and Long discussed their prolific use of Twitter and emphasized that business users of the medium should engage in conversations and not constantly promote themselves or their companies. Also, think of social media as a way to provide any kind of information that affects the businesses of potential clients, they said.

 Twitter is “about the conversation,” show host Michael Bull added. “It’s about listening instead of just yakking and throwing out your wares.”

 “Don’t waste your time tweeting your listings,” Davidson said. “People are not going to Twitter to look for commercial real estate … If you’re promoting yourself all the time, people are just going to tune you out.”

 Avoid too many tweets about personal topics such as “your weight and children,” Long recommended. “Nothing wrong with a little personality but if it’s consistent, it just turns [people] off.”

 The next “Commercial Real Estate Show” airs Dec. 24 and will examine commercial real estate training.

 America’s “Commercial Real Estate Show” is a national talk radio show about commercial real estate. New shows are available every Thursday at the show website, http://www.creshow.com./

Shows are also broadcast on AM stations, including Atlanta stations Biz 1190 on Saturday at 10 a.m. andTalk 920 on Sunday at 9 a.m. Show podcasts are available on-demand on iTunes and the show website.

 The show host is 30-year commercial real estate veteran Michael Bull (lower left photo), CCIM. Michael is the founder of Bull Realty, Inc, a regional commercial brokerage firm with three offices headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Contact:

Stephen Ursery, Wilbert News Strategies, sursery@wnspr.com

Halpern Enterprises Makes First Move to Expand Beyond Georgia with Purchase of Retail Center in St. Petersburg, FL

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - Halpern Enterprises, Inc., an Atlanta-based company that owns and manages 33 retail centers around Georgia, has made its first move to expand to other states, buying The Shoppes at The Royale (top left photo), a well-located retail center in St. Petersburg.

 The center, which will be renamed The Village at Tyrone, was purchased from Tyrone Crossings Investors, LLC for $7.55 million.

With a 45,000-square-foot, separately owned Publix grocery store as a shadow anchor, the 46,020-square-foot center has a number of other quality tenants, such as Jimmy John’s, Chipotle, Pei Wei (a division of P.F. Chang’s), 5 Guys Burgers & Fries, Massage Envy, Smoothie King, Verizon Wireless, and Rib City.

For Halpern, a leader in the shopping center industry for more than 40 years, the time is right for expansion beyond Georgia, with so many attractive buying opportunities available. 

“As a privately held business, we’re able to respond quickly to new opportunities,” said Halpern president Bill Brown (middle right photo). “That’s been a key for us as we’ve increased the size and quality of our holdings through the years.’’

 Halpern’s newest center, The Village at Tyrone, is well positioned to serve a denselypopulated area in St. Petersburg’s Tyrone submarket, at 1400 66th Street N, at the intersection of 66th Street and 18th Avenue N.  There is a total of 21,282 square feet of available space.

 “We are confident we can increase occupancy at The Village at Tyrone,” Brown said. "It’s a quality center in an excellent location. We have extensive retail contacts that will help in recruiting tenants, and we have the capital to customize space, something many tenants expect in this market.”

 Michael Milano (lower right photo), CCIM, MAI, and Cynthia Shelton (lower left photo), CCIM, CRE, of Colliers International Tampa Bay, Central & Southwest Florida represented the seller, while Halpern represented itself.

 “We were extremely pleased to attract Halpern as the buyer,” Milano said. “The company has a long record of retail success, along with the capital to do quality build-out as the center gets more tenants.”

 The center is being leased and managed locally by Colliers, with Ben McLeish handling leasing, and Juniper Duffin and Cathy McCann in charge of management.  Halpern’s representatives for The Village at Tyrone are Daniel Gagne for leasing and Glenn Caracappa for management.

More information is available at www.halpern-online.com.

Contact:

Stephen Ursery, Wilbert News Strategies, sursery@wnspr.com

Chatham Lodging Announces Fourth Quarter Dividend

                                                   

 PALM BEACH, FL—Chatham Lodging Trust (NYSE: CLDT), a hotel real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on investing in upscale extended-stay hotels and premium branded select-service hotels, announced that its board of trustees has declared a common share dividend of $0.175 for the 2011 fourth quarter.

Based on the company’s common share closing price of $10.03 at the close of business on December 14, the annualized dividend represents a yield of approximately 6.5 percent.  The common dividend is payable January 27, 2012, to shareholders of record on December 30, 2011.

Chatham Lodging Trust is a self-advised REIT that was organized to invest in upscale extended-stay hotels and premium-branded, select-service hotels.  The company currently owns 18 hotels with an aggregate of 2,414 rooms/suites in 10 states and the District of Columbia and holds a minority investment in a joint venture that owns 64 hotels with 8,329 rooms/suites. 

Additional information about Chatham may be found at http://www.chathamlodgingtrust.com/.

Contact:

 Jerry Daly, Carol McCune, Daly Gray Public Relations, (Media)

 (703) 435-6293, jerry@dalygray.com                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 Dennis Craven, Chief Financial Officer, (Company, (561) 227-1386, dcraven@cl-trust.com  

Patrick Daly

Account Supervisor

Daly Gray, Inc.

patrick@dalygray.com

Office:  (703) 435-6293

Cell:  (703) 300-8289