The Autograph Collection Announces Addition of The Carlton Hotel in New York City to Its Distinguished Portfolio

NEW YORK, NY /PRNewswire/ -- The Autograph Collection announced today that The Carlton Hotel in New York City, an iconic property in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, has officially become part of its distinctive portfolio, comprised of equally upscale and independent hotels, each with a unique personality.

Erected over a century ago a few steps from Madison Square Park, The Carlton Hotel is a time-honored centerpiece with 317 well-appointed, deluxe  guest rooms that include rich, vintage decor with a contemporary twist.

As the second New York City hotel to join the Autograph Collection, The Carlton Hotel is the 27th property to join this growing collection of hotels that unites exceptional, independent hotels, selected accordingly for their distinctive style and ability to provide exclusive experiences to its guests.

 "The Carlton Hotel is an ideal addition to our portfolio, as it is effortlessly aligned with the Autograph Collection's mission to provide original and unparalleled travel experiences," said Kip Vreeland (top right photo), vice president for the Autograph Collection.

"We are thrilled to be in the company of some of the world's most unique hotels through our affiliation with  the Autograph Collection," said Jeff McIntyre (middle left photo), Partner of Gemstone Hotels & Resorts.

Initially opened in 1904 as the Hotel Seville, The Carlton Hotel was originally designed and completed by Harry Allen Jacobs in Beaux-Arts style architecture with interiors graced by vintage decoration and furnishings heavily inspired by the Art Nouveau movement.

The hotel was one of the originating structures at the turn of the century that spurred the neighborhood's transformation into a fashionable area now lined with various high-rises. In 2010, the hotel completed a multi-million dollar redesign, led by world-renowned architect David Rockwell (lower right photo) which incorporated modern elements that enhanced its original design while still preserving the hotel's historic old-world charm.

"With our rich New York history and reputation for exceptional service and commitment to our guests, we are confident this will be a successful partnership," said Victor Freeman (lower left photo), General Manager of The Carlton Hotel.

The Carlton Hotel, managed by Gemstone Hotels & Resorts, is located on Madison Avenue and 29th Street in the heart of Manhattan. The property features one of the city's most beautiful hotel lobbies and serves as a historic reminder of New York's elegant past. T

he 317-room luxury property boasts over 6,000 square feet of meeting space and seven unique meeting rooms ideal for everything from intimate business affairs to large-scale corporate and social events. 

For more information please visit http://www.autographhotels.com/.

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

.Additional information about the company may be found at www.gemstoneresorts.com and www.carltonhotelny.com.

Contact:

 Catherine Leitner, Autograph Collection, +1-301-380-4220, Catherine.leitner@marriott.com;

Jessica Milton, JMilton@hs-pr.com, or

Sandra Pinto, SPinto@hs-pr.com, both of  Harrison & Shriftman, +1-305-534-0008

Web Site: http://www.marriott.com

More than One Million SF Leased in Miramar Park of Commerce in Florida in 2011

 MIRAMAR, Fla. – More than one million square feet has been leased in 2011 in the Miramar Park of Commerce (top left photo) with 60 percent of new tenants coming from healthcare related companies.

The Park had a slightly positive absorption rate. The vacancy rate in the Park closed out the year at 5 percent.

 “In 2011, we were fortunate to retain tenants as well as sign several healthcare and biotech companies, adding to the Park’s well established healthcare hub,” said Andrew Ansin (lower right photo), vice president of Sunbeam Properties, developer of the Miramar Park of Commerce. “Companies moving to the Park capitalized on the fact that our rates were among the lowest in the market.”

 The healthcare and biotech company surge in the Park was led by OPKO Health, Inc. (NYSE Amex:OPK) which opened a 17,000 square-foot office and lab in the Park.

 In Miramar, OPKO will continue in the research of molecular diagnostics and use breakthrough technology to develop an innovative approach to various diseases.  In addition to OPKO, healthcare companies Dr. Diabetic, WeCare Health Plans, Surpass Medical, CarePoint Partners, Hero Medical and IMED Health Products all moved to Miramar Park of Commerce in 2011.

The surge was bolstered by renewals or expansions of existing tenants Altor BioScience, HCA, Univita, Neoptx, Aveva and Apria Healthcare. Other existing healthcare companies in the Park include GE Healthcare, Quest Diagnostics, Vitas Healthcare, CAPS, a division of BBraun, and Memorial Hospital.

 New speculative warehouse space is scheduled for 2012. For more information, contact Maridee Bell, Ryan Goggins or Andrew Ansin at 10212 USA Today Way, Miramar, FL 33025 or call 954-450-7900.

 Media Contact:

Maria Pierson

954-776-1999, ext. 222

Atlanta’s CRE Show Guests Predict U.S. Office Market is on the Mend

 ATLANTA, GA (Jan. 16, 2012) – After struggling for several years, the U.S. office market finally began to recover in 2011, and the sector is poised for further modest improvement in the year ahead.

 Guests on the most recent episode of the “Commercial Real Estate Show” shared those observations and others in a wide-ranging update on the office market. Topics included key statistics, the performance of different property types, future demand trends and the potential effects of the upcoming presidential election.

 Last year, the national office vacancy rate declined by about 30 basis points when compared to 2010, said Ryan Severino (top right photo) senior economist for REIS. Asking rents rose by 1.6 percent and effective rents by 1.9 percent, the first increases in those statistics on an annual basis since 2008, Severino added.

 “While this was not a spectacular recovery, it largely mirrors the performances of the overall economy and the labor market in 2011,” Severino said. “Both of those mounted a rather tepid recovery, and the performance in the office market was more orless congruous with that.”

 Severino projects continued improvement for office fundamentals but added, “I don’t expect 2012 to be what I would consider a strong year for the office sector just because I don’t foresee a strong rebound in hiring.”

 Class A office outperformed B and C properties in 2011 and should do so again in the near future, guests said. “It will probably take at least another year and some real rent increases to move people into Class B and the lower quality product,” said John Davidson (top left photo), a principal of Parmenter Realty Partners.

Fear, uncertainty and doubt about the economy – what he called “the FUD Factor” – are fueling companies’ reticence to lease more space, noted Ken Ashley (middle right photo), a senior director in the Atlanta office of Cushman & Wakefield. Another factor is tenants’ emphasis on the efficient use of floor space, a trend called “density with dignity,” he added.

 In the future, the energy, healthcare, technology and education sectors will produce the most demand for office space, the guests predicted.

 The improving market also means a reduction in lease incentives, guests said. “We certainly have seen and would anticipate to continue to see moderation of the insane levels of incentives that were going on for tenants through 2009, 2010,” said David Tennery (lower left photo), principal of Regent Partners’ Office Properties and Development Group.

“2011 seemed to have a real shift in the paradigm to more reasonable tenant-improvement allowances and more reasonable free-rent packages.”

The next “Commercial Real Estate Show” will be available Jan. 18 and will provide an update on the U.S. retail market.

To learn more about the U.S. office market, listen to the entire show, which is available for download at http://www.commercialrealestateshow.com/usoffice11812.html.

Contact:

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

www.CREshow.com

Trent Walker and Sam Olmstead of Voit’s Irvine, CA Office Completed the Largest Industrial Sale in Orange County, CA in 2011 at a Sale Price of $47 Million

  

Irvine, CA (Jan. 16, 2012) – Trent Walker and Sam Olmstead (lower  right photo) of Voit Real Estate Services’ Irvine office directed the industrial sale with the largest consideration of 2011 in Orange County, according to CoStar data.

Walker represented the seller and, both Walker and Olmstead the buyer in the $47 million sale of the Irvine Crossings project (top left photo), a 420,000 square-foot industrial warehouse and data center situated on 21.7 acres at 17871 Von Karman and 17836 Gillette in Irvine, Calif.

Voit represented Irvine Crossings LLC as the seller and Menlo Equities as the buyer in the transaction.

“The Voit team was tasked with identifying a buyer who was in the market for a high-quality investment property,” said Walker.  “Irvine Crossings was a value-add deal in a great location.  The in-place industrial rents were low, and there is the ability to expand the data center, making this a stable investment with upside potential.”

The buyer, Menlo Equities, is a commercial real estate company that specializes in the acquisition and development of high-profile office, R&D, and engineering commercial real estate, according to its website.  The company’s portfolio includes more than 30 commercial properties in Northern and Southern California.

The building is currently 100 percent occupied by Savvis, a data center, and 3PL, a third-party logistics company. 

Contact: 

Judith Brower

Brower, Miller & Cole

(949) 955-7940

JBrower@browermillercole.com