Thursday, January 17, 2013

Avison Young acquires Houston-based Mason Partners



Mark E. Rose
 TORONTO, CANADA /PRNewswire/ - Mark E. Rose, Chair and CEO of Avison Young, Canada's largest independently-owned commercial real estate services
company, announced it has acquired the assets of Mason Partners, a Houston-based commercial real estate brokerage company.

The acquisition will further expand Avison Young's market and business-line coverage in Texas. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

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

 Media Relations:
Sherry Quan         
(604) 647-5098 or
(604) 726-0959 cell

Hotel Equity & Lender Perspectives (HELP) Conference Announces Speakers for Two-Day Event April 8-9 at Seaport Boston Hotel

 
Mark Woodworth
BOSTON, MA—Officials of the Hotel Equity and Lender Perspectives (HELP) Conference set for April 8-9 at the Seaport Boston Hotel announced key topics and speakers for the two-day event, including: 

·         Perspectives from 30,000 Feet—Kicking off the conference will be an insightful outlook for hotel equity and debt featuring Scott Berman, principal and industry leader, PriceWaterhouseCoopers; Anne Lloyd-Jones, managing director, HVS International; Mark Woodworth, president, PKF Hospitality Research, LLC; and moderator, Jeff Higley, VP, Digital Media & Communications, HotelNewsNow.com/STR.

Anne Lloyd-Jones
·         At Last, Financing for Hotels Over $25 Million—One of a number of panels expected to attract significant interest, this topic will be dissected by Israel Lopez, senior vice president, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Joe O’Loughlin, vice president, Wells Fargo Bank, among others; and moderated by Tom McConnell, executive managing director, Cushman & Wakefield Sonnenblick Goldman.

Registration for HELP is $695 during the early registration period through February 1st, after which it increases to $795.

 More information about the Hotel Equity & Lender Perspectives Conference, including sponsorship details, is available at www.helpconference.com or by calling (978) 777-4100.              

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

Jerry Daly, Chris Daly
Daly Gray, Inc.
703-435-6293

Gemstone Hotels & Resorts Acquires Hotel Durant in Berkeley, CA


  
Thomas Prins
BERKELEY, CA and PARK CITY, UT—Gemstone Hotels & Resorts, a full-service hotel management company that specializes in owning and operating luxury and upscale urban hotels and resorts, today announced the company has acquired the Hotel Durant in Berkeley Calif.

 The 144-room boutique hotel  is adjacent to the University of California Berkeley campus. 

“Hotel Durant is an outstanding addition to Gemstone’s growing collection of ‘one-of-a-kind’ hotels in top destination markets with high barriers to new entry,” said  Thomas Prins, Gemstone principal. 

Hotel Durant interior, Berkeley, CA
“A boutique hotel set amidst a vibrant university campus meshes perfectly with the rest of our portfolio and allows us to meet the needs of our guests for an intimate, luxury experience in the greater San Francisco area.”

Gemstone’s portfolio of major market boutique hotels also includes Maison 140 in Beverly Hills, the Mosaic in Los Angeles, the Copley Square Hotel in Boston and The Carlton in New York.

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

Chris Daly,
Lauralee Dobbins
media
(703) 435-6293


First Green Bank Celebrates 4th Anniversary in February; Ends 2012 with 25 Percent Increase in Assets and Loan Volume



First Green Bank Headquarters, Mount Dora, FL
 Mount Dora, FL. – First Green Bank celebrates its 4th Anniversary in February, and they have even more to celebrate with its 2012 record of 25 percent increase in assets and 25 percent increase in loan volume.

 That’s the word from Kenneth LaRoe, chairman and CEO of First Green Bank headquartered in Mount Dora, with branches in Clermont, Ormond Beach, downtown Orlando and soon in Winter Park.

Kenneth E. LaRoe
 “We recently found a Winter Park site and we will be there by the end of this year,” LaRoe said.  “All in all it has been a profitable year for us,” LaRoe emphasized.  

 First Green Bank’s assets for the year reached just over $200 million and loan volume was $151 million.  “Not bad for less than four years in operation,” LaRoe commented. 

For more information about this press release, contact:  

Kenneth E. LaRoe, CEO and Chairman, First GREEN Bank, 352-483-9100, ken@firstgreenbank.com
Paul Rountree, President, First GREEN Bank, 352-483-9100, paul@firstgreenbank.com
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142 or 407-461-3780, lvershelco@aol.com   



NAI Realvest Negotiates Expansion/Renewal Lease at Goldenrod CommerCenter in Orlando, FL


  
Goldenrod CommerCenter, East Orlando, FL
 ORLANDO, FL – NAI Realvest recently negotiated an expansion lease for 2,206 square feet of industrial space and a lease renewal for 2,206 square feet at Goldenrod CommerCenter, 1468 N. Goldenrod Rd. in east Orlando. 

Michael Heidrich, principal at NAI Realvest brokered the transactions representing the landlord, COP-Goldenrod, LLC of Maitland. 

 The tenant in the Goldenrod CommerCenter who renewed Suite 220 and expanded into adjacent Suite 230 bringing total occupancy to 4,412 square feet is Black Forge, LLC.  

For more information, please contact

Michael Heidrich, Principal, NAI Realvest 407-875-9989 or mheidrich@realvest.com
Patrick Mahoney, President, NAI Realvest 407-875-9989 pmahoney@realvest.com
Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142 lvershelco@aol.com


NAI Realvest Negotiates Sale of Former Sears Service Center in Daytona Beach, FL to National Distributor




Paul Partyka
 MAITLAND, FL  -- NAI Realvest recently negotiated the sale of the former Sears Service Center located at 840 Bill France Blvd. in Daytona Beach for $630,000.

 Paul P. Partyka, managing partner at NAI Realvest, who represented the seller Warmack-Muskogee, LP of Texarkana, Texas, said the property was purchased by Airgas USA.

 The 12,200 square foot facility built in 1991 and its 2.22+ acre site was purchased by Airgas to expand from its current nearby location.   The buyer is a distributor of industrial, medical and specialty gases and related equipment and services based in Kennesaw, Ga.

For more information, contact

 Paul P. Partyka, Managing Partner, NAI Realvest, 407-875-9989 ppartyka@realvest.com;
 Patrick Mahoney, President, NAI Realvest, 407-875-9989 pmahoney@realvest.com;
 Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142 lvershelco@aol.com


Emerson International Reports Expansion Leases totaling more than 6,000 SF at CenterPointe in Altamonte Springs, FL and Sanlando Center in Longwood, FL


Kenneth Koch
 Altamonte Springs, FL. --- Emerson International recently negotiated expansion leases for two of its tenants – one in Longwood, and one in Altamonte Springs totaling more than 6,000 square feet. 

Kenneth Koch, director of leasing for Emerson International, Inc., said Freedom Mortgage Company expanded its occupancy by 4,901 square feet in the Sanlando Center at 2180 W. SR 434 in Longwood.   Freedom Mortgage now leases a total of 15,905 square feet from Emerson International at the Sanlando Center.

Sanlando Center, Longwood, FL
At CenterPointe II, 220 E. Central Parkway in Altamonte Springs, Koch said Maguire Insurance renewed its existing lease and expanded with another 1,112 square feet for a total of 7,920 square feet.  

Paul Kelly, senior associate at Coughlin Commercial represented Maguire in the expansion lease agreement at CenterPointe II.

Koch represented Landlord Emerson International in negotiations for the leases at both locations.

For more information, contact

Kenneth Koch, Director of Leasing, Emerson International, Inc. 407-834-9560;
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142 lvershelco@aol.com.



Berger Commercial Realty Brokers Joseph Byrnes and Greg Milopolous Negotiate 10-Year Lease at 2005 Vista Parkway in West Palm Beach, FL



Joseph Byrnes
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - Berger Commercial Realty Vice President Joseph Byrnes and Broker Associate Greg Milopolous recently represented Black Oak Partners, LLC in leasing more than 10,000-square-feet of office space, located in a two-story suburban office building at 2005 Vista Parkway in West Palm Beach, to GLV Insurance Agency, Inc.

 Black Oak Partners purchased the building for $3.725 million from Design Arts of Palm Beach LLC on July 31.

Greg Milopoulos
 Black Oak Partners assigned the exclusive lease listings for the building to Byrnes, who represented the company in the purchase, and hired Berger Commercial Realty Vice President of Property Management Tim Hackett to manage it. Since then, the building has had a 10 percent rise in its occupancy level.

 The 41,899-square-foot building sits on four acres of land and was built in two phases during 2003 and 2006.

Tim Hackett
Byrnes represents more than 800,000 square feet of office, industrial and retail space. He is a retail real estate specialist in the capacity of landlord and tenant representation.

Milopoulos handles industrial and office space and has more than four years of real estate experience. He is a licensed real estate broker, licensed general contractor, and licensed mortgage broker.

Hackett oversees the management of more than 4 million square feet of commercial properties in South Florida.

Contact:

Marielle Sologuren
Pierson Grant Public Relations
(954) 776-1999, ext. 226

$84.5 million sale of Long Island City, NY office building closed by HFF



Long Island City, NY Train Station
NEW YORK, NY – HFF announced it has closed the sale (December 31, 2012) of The Center Building, a 450,000-square-foot, multi-tenant office building in Long Island City, in the borough of Queens, New York. 

                HFF marketed the property on behalf of the seller, Hampshire Properties. 

  A venture formed by affiliates of Madison Marquette and certain funds within the Perella Weinberg Partners’ Asset-Based Value strategy purchased The Center Building for $84.5 million.

 The purchaser plans to build upon the asset’s existing strong tenancy and cash flow, and to add value to both the office and retail components. The Center Building is located at 33-00 Northern Boulevard.
  
For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Kristen M. Murphy
Associate Director
HFF | 9 Greenway Plaza, Suite 700 | Houston, TX 77046
tel 713.852.3500 | cel 617.543.4873 | fax 713.527.8725 | www.hfflp.com

HFF arranges $19.1 million financing for sale-leaseback of a Greenwich, CT office property



Michael Tepedino
NEW YORK, NY – HFF announced it has arranged $19.1 million in acquisition financing for a 32,000-square-foot office property in Greenwich, Connecticut.

                Working on behalf of the borrower, Win Properties, HFF placed the 10-year fixed-rate loan with Cantor Commercial Real Estate.  The loan proceeds were used to acquire the property in a sale-leaseback transaction. 

                The property is located less than one mile north of Interstate 95 in downtown Greenwich, approximately 25 miles north of Midtown Manhattan.  The property is 100 percent net leased to the national headquarters of an institutional equity trading corporation.

The HFF team representing Win Properties was led by senior managing director Michael Tepedino with real estate analyst David Fowler.

Win Properties, Inc. was incorporated in 1986.  It is a 60 plus year old privately owned enterprise that invests, develops, leases, and manages its portfolio of properties in 35 states plus Canada.  The properties are predominately retail and are either downtown Main Street, freestanding, or community strip shopping centers.  Additionally Win owns residential rental apartment units in New York City.


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

Kristen M. Murphy
Associate Director
HFF | 9 Greenway Plaza, Suite 700 | Houston, TX 77046
tel 713.852.3500 | cel 617.543.4873 | fax 713.527.8725 | www.hfflp.com

HFF arranges $7.17 million in first lien financing for Hulen Fashion Center in Fort Worth, TX



John Brownlee
DALLAS, TX – HFF announced today that it has arranged $7.17 million in first lien financing for the acquisition of Hulen Fashion Center, a 181,099-square-foot retail strip center in Fort Worth, Texas.

                Working on behalf of a group of investors represented by Venture Commercial and E&B Investment Trust, HFF placed the three-year floating-rate loan with Bank of Texas, N.A. 

The HFF team representing the borrower was led by senior managing director John Brownlee and associate director Campbell Roche

Hulen Fashion Center, Fort Worth, TX
Bryan Cornelius, Easley Waggoner and John Zikos of Venture Commercial represented the buyer in the transaction.  Brandon Beeson of EDGE Realty Partners represented the seller.  Bank of Texas was represented by Mack Haisten.

                Hulen Fashion Center is situated on a 12.9-acre site at 5200 South Hulen Street, one block south of the Hulen Mall in Fort Worth.  The property is subject to a master ground lease with 47 years remaining on the lease term.  Hulen Fashion Center is 89 percent leased to major tenants including Jo Ann Stores, Chili’s Restaurant and Men’s Wearhouse. 

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

Kristen M. Murphy
Associate Director
HFF | 9 Greenway Plaza, Suite 700 | Houston, TX 77046
tel 713.852.3500 | cel 617.543.4873 | fax 713.527.8725 | www.hfflp.com

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Arbor Funds $114.1 Million in New York Tri-State Area Multifamily Deals


Stephen York
UNIONDALE, NY (Jan. 16, 2013) - Arbor Commercial Funding, LLC (“Arbor”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Arbor Commercial Mortgage, LLC and a national, direct commercial real estate lender, announced the recent funding of 18 loans totaling $114,103,700 across the New York tri-state area under the Fannie Mae Delegated Underwriting & Servicing (DUS®) Loan, Fannie Mae DUS® Small Loan and Arbor Bridge Loan product lines.


These loans include:

424 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
·         424 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY – This 66-unit multifamily property received $26,900,000 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Loan product line. The 10-year refinance loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule.

·         12-18 Meserole Street, Brooklyn, NY – This 28-unit multifamily property received $11,800,000 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Loan product line. The 10-year refinance loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule.

·         27th Avenue Apartments, Astoria, NY – This 52-unit multifamily property received $11,000,000 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Loan product line. The 20-year refinance loan amortizes on a 25-year schedule.

·         Grande Apartments, Roselle Park, NJ – This 119-unit property received $9,392,300 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Loan product line. The 10-year refinance loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule.

27th Avenue Apartments, Astoria, NY
·         Meserole and Montrose Apartments, Brooklyn, NY – This 44-unit multifamily property received $9,007,000 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Loan product line. The 10-year refinance loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule.

·         Bridge Portfolio, Hartford, CT – This 496-unit multifamily portfolio received a 24-month acquisition loan for $9,000,000 funded under the Arbor Bridge Loan program.

·         Kingsley Arms Apartments, Asbury Park, NJ – This 97-unit multifamily property received $5,520,000 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Loan product line. The 10-year acquisition loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule.

Grande Apartments, Roselle Park, NJ
·         361 Park Avenue, Orange, NJ – This 96-unit multifamily property received $5,000,000 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Small Loan product line. The seven-year refinance loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule.

·         513-517 West 171st Street Apartment, Lake Success, NY – This 50-unit multifamily property received $4,313,400 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Loan product line. The 10-year refinance loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule.

·         Audubon Avenue, New York, NY – This 49-unit multifamily property received $3,973,300 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Loan product line. The 10-year refinance loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule.

·         Sherman Avenue, New York, NY – This 45-unit multifamily property received $3,226,700 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Loan product line. The 10-year refinance loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule.
  
·         233-235 Montrose Avenue Apartments, Brooklyn, NY – This 16-unit multifamily property received $3,036,900 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Loan product line. The 10-year refinance loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule.
  
·         Palmetto Villas, Brooklyn, NY – This 15-unit multifamily property received $2,500,000 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Small Loan product line. The 10-year refinance loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule.
  
·         10-16 Lawrence Street Apartments, Yonkers, NY – This 33-unit multifamily property received $2,200,000 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Small Loan product line. The 10-year acquisition loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule.
  
·         204 Cleveland, Orange, NJ – This 40-unit multifamily property received $1,900,000 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Small Loan product line. The seven-year refinance loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule.

·         275 South Harrison, East Orange, NJ – This 33-unit multifamily property received $1,874,000 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Small Loan product line. The seven-year refinance loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule. 

·         1120 Bergen Street Apartments, Brooklyn, NY – This 33-unit multifamily property received $1,832,400 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Small Loan product line. The 10-year refinance loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule.

·         507-509 West 171st Street Apartments, Lake Success, NY – This 31-unit multifamily property received $1,627,000 funded under the Fannie Mae DUS® Small Loan product line. The 10-year refinance loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule.
  
All of the loans were originated by Stephen York, Vice President in Arbor’s New York City office.

“As the leading commercial real estate market, the New York tri-state area represents a tremendous opportunity to continually grow Arbor’s business,” York said.

“With headquarters on Long Island and two offices in New York City, Arbor is clearly a leading presence in the market and we are happy to provide our clients with the customized financial solutions they seek as their long-term lending partner.”

Contact:

Chris Ostrowski
Arbor Realty Trust, Inc.
Tel: (516) 506-4255
333 Earle Ovington Blvd, Suite 900

HFF advises 4990 Fairmont LLC, on capitalization for The Fairmont, a planned 70-unit condominium in Bethesda, MD



Sue Carras
 WASHINGTON, D.C. – HFF announced today that it has closed the capitalization of Phase I of the Fairmont, a planned 70-unit condominium project at the corner of Old Georgetown Road and Fairmont Avenue, on behalf of the developer, and arranged acquisition financing for the joint venture that now owns the site.

                HFF advised the developer, a joint venture between Tim Eden and Tom Albert.

Walter Coker
HFF also arranged a $6.5 million, acquisition and pre-development loan through Bank of Georgetown on behalf of the new joint venture.  The Bank of Georgetown team was led by Rich Bernardi and Martin McCarthy.

The Fairmont will consist of 17 levels of condominiums.
The HFF debt and equity team representing the developer was led by senior managing director Sue Carras, managing director Walter Coker and director Brian Crivella.

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

Kristen M. Murphy
Associate Director
HFF | 9 Greenway Plaza, Suite 700 | Houston, TX 77046
tel 713.852.3500 | cel 617.543.4873 | fax 713.527.8725 | www.hfflp.com



Zilbert International Realty Announces Record-Breaking $27 Million Miami Beach Condominium Sale



Setai Resort, Miami Beach, FL
MIAMI BEACH, FL  /PRNewswire/ --Zilbert International Realty, the premiere Miami-based luxury real estate brokerage firm, announced it has sold one of the coveted penthouse residences atop Miami Beach's famed Setai Resort for $27 million, setting a record for the most expensive condominium ever sold in South Florida.

Encompassing the entire 40th  floor, the sprawling residence overlooking South Beach and the Atlantic Ocean features over 7,100 square feet of living space with floor-to-ceiling windows, including 4 bedrooms, 4 and a half bathrooms, and a spectacular outdoor rooftop terrace with private pool and hot tub.

Mark Zilbert
The home's gourmet kitchen is fully-equipped with SubZero and Gagenau appliances. Designer bathrooms feature marble flooring, Duravit sink vanities and Dorenbracht fixtures.

"The Setai residences are among the most luxurious in Miami Beach," noted Mark Zilbert, President and CEO of Zilbert International Realty. "Homeowners are able to benefit from world-class, five-star amenities and services provided to them from the Setai Hotel and Resort."

Jeff Miller
Jeff Miller of Zilbert International Realty, one of the firm's top producing agents, brokered the deal and represented the buyer, who has chosen to remain anonymous. Miller also set the prior sales record at The Setai, when he brokered the sale of another penthouse for $21.5 million in December, 2011.

Located at 101 20th Street, The Setai Residences feature 163 residences, ranging in size from 767 to 7,100 square feet.

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

Rubenstein Associates,
 Gigi Bouraad,
+1-212-843-9218, or

 Kristen Kenney,
+1-212-843-9343





Laura Wolinsky Joins Hunter Hotel Advisors as Vice President, Capital Markets



Laura Wolinsky

WASHINGTON, D.C. and ATLANTA, GA, Jan. 16, 2013—Hunter Hotel Advisors today announced that Laura Wolinsky has joined the firm’s Capital Markets division as vice president adding significant depth to its capital markets capabilities.

“Hotel projects and financing are more complex than at any time in the past generation,” said Teague Hunter, president.   “Developer/owners can no longer simply call up the local bank and get a loan.  There are numerous hotel debt and equity instruments/structures, and those are constantly changing.  The right structure can play a major role in whether or not a deal ‘pencils out.’

Teague Hunter
“Capital sourcing for the hotel industry remains difficult and is far from stabilized in the current economic climate” he added.   “Laura is highly qualified and her breadth of lending and consulting experience gives Hunter significant expertise and depth to provide our clients with thoughtful, resourceful and pragmatic solutions to fulfill their financing needs.”

Wolinsky will work closely with Angelo Stambules, head of Hunter’s Capital Markets team, to source, underwrite and place hotel real estate debt and equity.  She will be in the company’s Washington, D.C. office, serving Hunter Hotel Advisors’ clients nationwide.

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

Patrick Daly or Jerry Daly (media)
(703) 435-6293