Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Newmark Grubb Knight Frank Named Exclusive Brokers in Sale of Intracoastal Development Site on Halifax River in South Daytona, FL


  
South Daytona, FL --- Newmark Grubb Knight Frank has been named exclusive broker in the sale of a unique 6.2-acre commercial development site on the Halifax River in South Daytona.

Mark Eilers, Managing Director at Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, said the riverfront site could be perfect for a luxury condominium, hotel or mixed-use development and the timing is equally good: impact fees for development of the site are discounted 75 percent for the next two years.

Mark Eilers
The site offers 603 feet of Halifax River frontage and PUD zoning that allows development of 372 units, or 60 units per acre. The site’s Mixed Use 1 designation in the City of South Daytona permits residential, commercial, office, lodging or public uses.

“There’s also the potential to develop a marina with direct access to the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean,” Eilers said.

Eilers and Associate Jason Archer of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank are leading the marketing assignment for the property.

Media contacts:

Mark Eilers, Managing Director, Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, 813-505-0066 meilers@ngkf.com
 Jason Archer, Associate Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, 404-926-1115 jarcher@ngkf.com
 Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications Inc. 407 644 4142 Lvershelco@aol.com



The Hotel Spa Recovery Begins


Andrea Foster
Boston, MA– After lagging behind other hotel revenue sources, hotel spas began to see their sales recover in 2011, and this trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. 

According to PKF Consulting USA, LLC’s (PKFC) recently released Trends® in the Hotel Spa Industry report, hotel spas enjoyed an 8.3 percent increase in department revenue in 2011, after suffering declines the three previous years.  

For comparison purposes, rooms and food and beverage revenue began to climb out of the industry recession and post revenue growth starting in 2010.

“If we look to Maslow and his hierarchy of needs, we understand that basic needs include food and shelter, but do not include perceived ‘luxuries’ such as spa and wellness treatments,” said Andrea Foster, vice president and national director of spa and wellness consulting for PKFC.

 “In a recession and in the initial recovery that follows, consumers are hesitant to spend on products and services that are beyond basic necessities.  We are pleased to begin seeing the loosening of purse strings for purchases that help support a healthier lifestyle.”


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

Andrea Foster                                                  Chris Daly
PKF Consulting USA, LLC.                            Daly Gray Public Relations
Tel: 617 330 8189                                          Tel: 703 435 6293
Email: andrea.foster@pkfc.com                         Email: chris@dalygray.com
www.pkfc.com                                                  www.dalygray.com





ZipRealty’s Lanny Baker Named One of the Most Influential Real Estate Leaders by Inman News


Lanny Baker
 EMERYVILLE, CA– Lanny Baker of ZipRealty, Inc. (http://www.ziprealty.com) (NASDAQ: ZIPR), the leading online technology-enabled residential real estate brokerage company, has been named to the Inman 100, an annual list of the Most Influential Real Estate Leaders.

The honor recognizes real estate professionals “who embody leadership, ingenuity, strength, conviction, power, persistence, perseverance and progress – their voices and actions can move the industry toward change,” according to a press release issued by Inman News on Jan. 18. 

Media Contact:

Stacey Corso
510.735.2667

Spence Hill Associates Arranges $2 Million of Permanent Financing for Woodbridge, VA Shopping Center


  
 FALLS CHURCH, VA – Jan. 23, 2013 – Spence Hill Associates announced today that it has arranged $2,006,000 of permanent financing for Delaney Plaza, a 9,775 square-foot shopping center located at 4800-4812 Dale Boulevard, Woodbridge, Virginia.

 Michael H. Trauberman, Managing Director of Spence Hill Associates, arranged and negotiated the financing on behalf of Woodbridge Village, LLC of Alexandria, Virginia.  The 10-year loan was placed with a Virginia-based bank, and features an initial five-year, fixed interest rate of 3.40%.

Mr. Trauberman commented:  “Only 31 days passed from execution of the lender’s term sheet until settlement – and that includes holidays.  This was significant since the success of the transaction was dependent upon closing in a highly compressed timeframe.”

 Delaney Plaza is a neighborhood convenience center situated at the signalized intersection of Dale Boulevard and Delaney Road.  The center is on the “commute home” side of Dale Boulevard, and provides residents and commuters with quick options for food and services.  Traffic counts are in excess of 25,000 cars per day.  The center features a mix of national, regional, and local tenants including Papa Johns and Tire Zone.

 Spence Hill Associates, a real estate investment banking firm founded in 1993, arranges the financing and sale of commercial real estate, and provides financial advisory services to real estate owners, developers, and institutions throughout the United States.  Spence Hill Associates is headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia.

 For additional information, please contact:

Michael H. Trauberman
Spence Hill Associates
571-641-3050

Plaza Advisors Announces Sale of Woodlake Plaza in Greenacres, FL


  
Jim Michalak
 TAMPA, FL -- Plaza Advisors is pleased to announce the sale of a grocery anchored shopping center named Woodlake Plaza in Greenacres (Palm Beach County) Florida.

The asset is situated at the intersection of Lake Worth Road and Sherwood Forrest Boulevard and totals 131,210 square feet of gross leasable area.

The major tenants include Monterrey Market, Dollar General, Goodwill, Phoenix Theatres, and Medical Institute of Palm Beach. The property also contains shadow freestanding outparcels: TD Bank, ABC Liquors, Olive Garden and Tire Kingdom. The asset was constructed in 1988 and was 97.6% leased at the time of sale.

Paul Bores
Jim Michalak and Paul Bores of Plaza Advisors represented the seller in the transaction. The seller and buyer were JBH Woodlake Plaza LLC and a south Florida private equity investor, respectively. 

Plaza Advisors is a real estate brokerage firm that specializes in the disposition of retail properties throughout the State of Florida. Plaza Advisors’ clients include private equity investors, developers, and major institutions including fund advisors, servicing agents, life insurance companies, REITs, and money center banks.

 Plaza Advisors has closed over 100 shopping center transactions, with a combined GLA exceeding 13 million square feet with an aggregate sales volume in excess of $1.5 billion.

Contact:

Jim Michalak
Managing Partner

3412 Bay To Bay Boulevard
Tampa, FL 33629
813.837.1300 Ext. 101
Fax 831.2627




Monday, January 21, 2013

SL Capital Arranges $34 Million CMBS Loan for Acquisition of Class A Student Housing Portfolio



Constantine Scurtis
 MIAMI, FLI – (Jan. 21, 2013) —SL Capital, an exclusive correspondent of Cantor Commercial Real Estate (CCRE), has provided financing that accelerated the purchase of a four-property, Class A student housing portfolio located in four separate states.

 A $33.5 million collateralized mortgage-backed security (CMBS) loan for the properties has a fixed rate, 10-year term, amortizes over 25 years and has 24 months of interest-only payments. The purchase price was $46.5 million.

 The buyer, Campus Evolutions, had initially sought financing from Freddie Mac. However, lender requirements stalled the buyer from closing on time. SL Capital stepped in and provided the financing needed to help the sale go through.

 “SL Capital can be more flexible and close faster than a government agency. We can be competitive with all lenders on this and other types of properties,” said SL Capital co-chairman and CEO Constantine Scurtis. 

The properties serve college students in Murray, KY, Ruston, LA, Warrensburg, MO, and Spartanburg, SC. All four student housing complexes were built in 2008 by the same developer and are all located within one mile from main campus. Almost all leases are based on a 12-month academic calendar.

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

 Media Contact:

Todd Templin
Boardroom Communications
954-370-8999 or 954-290-0810



Marcus & Millichap Announces Sale of 71,000-SF Self-Storage Facility in Fort Myers, FL



71,229-SF Self-Storage Facility, Fort Myers, FL
FORT MYERS, FL,Jan. 21, 2013 – Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services, the nation’s largest real estate investment services firm, has announced the sale of a 71,229 square foot self-storage facility located in Fort Myers, Florida, according to Richard D. Matricaria, regional manager of the firm’s Tampa office.

Charles “Chico” LeClaire, a senior vice president investments in Marcus & Millichap’s Denver office and Michael A. Mele, a first vice president investments in the firm’s Tampa office, had the exclusive listing to market the property on behalf of the seller, a limited liability company based in California. 

Charles LeClaire
The Florida-based buyer was also secured and represented by LeClaire and Mele.

This self-storage facility was built in 2007 and is situated on approximately 4.8 acres of land. This investment has 537 self-storage units, of which 351 are climate controlled units, 116 are non-climate controlled units and 70 are RV/boat parking spaces.  Storage units range from 20 to 480 square feet. 

  The facility consists of one two-story building and three one-story buildings of concrete block with stucco finishing, garage-style, roll-up doors and steel seam roofs. 

Michael A. Mele
Amenities are top-of-the-line and include climate controlled units, drive-up units, security cameras, computerized gate entrance, roll-up doors, a manager’s office and a manager’s apartment above the front office.

“We were inundated with sellers demanding to close by year end to avoid the raise in capital gains tax in 2013,” says Mele.  “This self-storage transaction is a direct result of that push.”

  
Press Contact:

Richard D. Matricaria
Regional Manager, Tampa
(813) 387-4700



Marcus & Millichap Brokers Sale of Robinswood Apartments in Orlando, FL



Robinswood Apartments, Orlando, FL
ORLANDO, FL, Jan. 21, 2013 – Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services, the nation’s largest real estate investment services firm, has announced the sale of Robinswood Apartments, a 33-unit garden-style community located in Orlando, Florida, according to Richard D. Matricaria, regional manager of the firm’s Tampa office.

The asset commanded a sales price of $713,000 or $21,606 per unit.

Michael Donaldson, a senior associate and multifamily specialist in Marcus & Millichap’s Tampa office, had the exclusive listing to market the property on behalf of the seller, a limited liability company and also represented the buyer.

Robinswood Apartments is located at 800 North Hastings Street.  Built in 1966 and 1969, the property consists of a two-story apartment building with 25 units and four duplexes. 

“The Robinswood Apartments was a classic value add sale that was unique because it included a 25-unit building and four duplexes, which were separately parceled,” says Donaldson.

“A seasoned foreign private investor purchased the property intending to stabilize the occupancy level and further capitalize on the desirable location just off West Colonial Drive and situated next to a recently renovated YMCA,” adds Donaldson.

Press Contact:

Richard D. Matricaria
Regional Manager, Tampa
(813) 387-4700



Julian Villas in Leesburg, FL Sold by Marcus & Millichap for $772,200


   
Julian Villas, Leesburg, FL
 LEESBURG, FL, Jan. 21, 2013 – Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services, the nation’s largest real estate investment services firm, has announced the sale of Julian Villas, a 35-unit multifamily community located in Leesburg, Florida, according to Richard D. Matricaria, regional manager of the firm’s Tampa office.

The asset commanded a sales price of $772,200 or $22,062 per unit.

Michael Donaldson, a senior associate in Marcus & Millichap’s Tampa office, had the exclusive listing to market the property on behalf of the Florida-based seller and buyer, both limited liability companies.

Michael Donaldson
Julian Villas was built in 1984 and is located at 1103 Bentley Road.  The property has a unit mix of one, two and three bedroom units and is situated on 4.19 acres tangent to US-441, Leesburg’s main thoroughfare.

“Julian Villas received a large amount of interest from the investment community due to the 1980s construction, desirable unit mix and the fact that it was being offered well below replacement cost” says Donaldson.

“Even with the high number of offers generated, getting a buyer to the closing table proved to be a challenge due to the fact that there were two mortgage holders involved, both of whom were required to approve the short sale.

“Ultimately, we ended up closing with a very patient non-profit buyer with intentions of performing an extensive capital infusion upon takeover, that would provide future residents with a truly desirable place to call home,” concludes Donaldson.    

Press Contact:

Richard D. Matricaria
Regional Manager, Tampa
(813) 387-4700



Sunday, January 20, 2013

$57 Million, Two-Property Multifamily Sale Arranged by Marcus & Millichap


  
Plantation Key Apartments, Brandon, FL
 BRANDON, FL – Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services, the nation’s largest real estate investment services firm, has arranged the sale of two Tampa Bay Area multifamily communities totaling 982 units.

 The assets, Plantation Key and Providence Park, are located directly across the street from one another in Brandon. Their combined selling price is $57 million.

Jeffrey Meyer, a vice president investments, and Michael Donaldson, a senior associate, both in Marcus & Millichap’s Tampa office, represented the sellers, two private partnerships, and the buyer, a private Tampa-based real estate investment group.

Providence Park Apartments
Brandon, FL
 “These 1990-built properties required an investor with both a strong vision of the Brandon market and a proven ability to reposition a property within it,” says Meyer. “Our buyer has a history of successfully leveraging Tampa’s job growth and other favorable market conditions to achieve significant rent increases through common area and in-unit amenity upgrades.”

“Plantation Key and Providence Park’s superior location, in close proximity to a number of major employment centers and northeast Tampa’s desirable university area, supported the investor’s view that it was an excellent value-add candidate,” Meyer adds.

Jeffrey Meyer
“Typical buyers might have shied away from this property because of its large size and heavy unit concentration, which typically would have resulted in a management-intensive situation,” Donaldson concludes, “but thanks to his intimate market knowledge, this investor saw the upside potential in the location and the area’s job growth, and is even now planning a major entryway upgrade.”

The two Brandon properties are located at 1918 Plantation Key Circle and 401 Providence Road. They were built on 60.8 acres and total 871,380 square feet. The properties’ 15 distinct floor plans include 534 one-bedroom/one-bath units, 376 two-bedroom/two-bath units, and 72 three-bedroom/two-bath units.

Westfield Brandon Mall, Brandon, FL
Plantation Key and Providence Park are conveniently located less than half a mile from the intersections of State Road 60, the Crosstown Expressway and Interstate 75. Interstate 75’s office employment centers and the Tampa downtown business district’s own employment opportunities are both close by. 

Retail opportunities are highlighted by the Westfield Brandon shopping mall, a 1.2 million-square foot regional indoor shopping destination situated walking distance from the property.

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

Public Relations
(925) 953-1716

$6.8 Million Refinancing Arranged by Marcus & Millichap Capital Corp.



Glenn Gioseffi
KENMORE, WA – Marcus & Millichap Capital Corporation (MMCC) has arranged $6.8 million in new debt for a multifamily community in Kenmore, WA.

            Glenn Gioseffi, a director in MMCC’s Seattle office, arranged the loan.

            “The challenge in this transaction was to find comparables that supported the level of debt needed,” says Gioseffi. “As a result of paying off the existing loan early, the borrower needed higher leverage to offset a 2 percent prepayment penalty in addition to costs associated with the new loan. Comparables supporting our loan request were hard to come by,” adds Gioseffi.

Larry Corkins
            “Larry Corkins, a senior associate in the Seattle office of Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services, introduced us to the borrower, whom he had represented during the purchase of the property,” continues Gioseffi. “We turned to Mr. Corkins for comparables research, and he successfully located a number of sales that supported our appraisal.”

            “By providing appropriate comparables with Mr. Corkins’ help, we were able to raise the appraisal value by $400,000, which in turn added $300,000 to our loan amount for a more significant cash-out sum,” Gioseffi concludes.

            The 30-year loan amortizes over 30 years at 4.13 percent. The loan-to-value is 75 percent.

Press Contact:

Marcus & Millichap Capital Corporation
(925) 953-1716




CBRE Orlando Closes 558-Unit Lakeside Community in Orlando, FL



Carlton Arms South Apartments, Orlando, FL
ORLANDO, FL -- CBRE is pleased to announce that it has completed the sale of Carlton Arms South apartments for $15,300,000.

Shelton Granade, Luke Wickham, and Justin Basquill of CBRE’s Orlando office exclusively represented the seller in the transaction.

Built in 1972, Carlton Arms South offers studio, 1, 2, and 3 bedroom floor plans averaging 721 SF. The community features two pools, a large clubhouse, and a fitness center, and was 90% occupied at closing.The closing was a market leading 33rd multi-housing transaction locally in 2012 for CBRE.

Contact:

Shelton D. Granade, Jr., Executive Vice President
CBRE | Investment Properties - Multihousing
189 S. Orange Avenue, Suite 1900 | Orlando, FL 32801
T 407 839 3103 F 407 404 5001

Beech Street Capital Once Again Doubles Volume, Reaching $4 Billion in 2012



Grace Huebscher
BETHESDA, MD – Beech Street Capital, LLC, announced it has maintained its remarkable growth trajectory through its third year.  

It provided $4.0 billion in multifamily financing in 2012, achieving a 100 percent annual growth rate for the last two years. 

“We were determined this year to demonstrate that we could maintain our momentum,” says Grace Huebscher, Beech Street’s president and CEO.  “Thanks to our growing relationships with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA, the support of our customers, and the determination of our team to deliver on every single transaction, we succeeded.” 

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

 Courtney Lewis at 240-507-1948 or
Jenifer Bernardi at 240-507-1946.


Final Push: 850 New Condos Unsold In Greater Downtown Miami As Of 2012



Peter Zalewski
Some six years after the South Florida condo crash first began in 2007, about 850 new units created in Greater Downtown Miami during the last real estate boom remain under the control of the original developers as of the fourth quarter of 2012, according to a new report from CondoVultures.com.

New condo sales in Greater Downtown Miami transacted at a pace of about 67 units per month between January and December of 2012 compared to about 145 units per month in the same period in 2011, according to the report based on the Condo Vultures® Official Condo Buyers Guide To Miami™. 

Even with the slower pace, buyers purchased more than 800 new units in Greater Downtown Miami for nearly $345 million - an average price of about $375 per square foot - between January and December of 2012, according to an analysis based on Miami-Dade County Clerk of the Court records.

A contributing factor in the reduced new condo sales pace is the weakening foreign currencies of some key countries from which international buyers are active in South Florida, including Argentina (-12%) and Brazil (-9%) on a year-over-year basis as of Dec. 31, 2012, according to the currency exchange website OANDA.com. 

"Greater Downtown Miami's new condo oversupply is on pace to sell out by the first quarter of 2014," said Peter Zalewski, a principal with the Greater Downtown Miami-based real estate consultancy Condo Vultures® LLC.

"Credit for the turnaround in Greater Downtown Miami's condo market should be given primarily to foreign buyers who have flooded into South Florida to purchase condo units at discounted prices.

“Several additional factors have also contributed to foreign investment in Greater Downtown Miami condos including the desire for wealth preservation, strong exchange rates, and strengthening rental rates."

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

Condo Vultures® LLC  at 800-750-0517.











HFF arranges $18.5 million financing for mixed-use property in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood



Chelsea Muse Apartments
West Chelsea, New York City
NEW YORK, NY HFF announced today that it has arranged $18.5 million in acquisition financing for the Chelsea Muse, a 28-unit, Class A multi-housing rental building with substantial retail in Manhattan’s West  Chelsea submarket.
                HFF worked on behalf of the borrower, Tavros Capital Partners USA, LP, to secure the five-year, fixed-rate loan.  The loan proceeds were used to acquire the property.
                The Chelsea Muse is located at 537 West 27th Street adjacent to the High Line Elevated Park in West Chelsea.  

Steven Klein
Tavros plans to re-brand the building through a focused marketing campaign.  Built in 2011, the residences were fully leased within five weeks of completion.  

The 18,000-square-foot retail component of the property is 100 percent occupied and consists of Pinch Food Design and a large below-grade event space leased upon closing to Skylight Group.
                The HFF team representing Tavros Capital Partners was led by managing director Steven Klein.
“Tavros Capital Partners had the vision and the foresight to purchase the property with the retail component vacant and was immediately able to add value to the property by signing a lease with the property’s largest retail tenant.  Through this acquisition, Tavros increases their footprint in Manhattan and in the West Chelsea submarket,” said Klein.
                Tavros Capital Partners is a privately-owned real estate investment management firm with offices in the U.S. and Europe.  Tavros owns or is developing five assets in New York City, totaling approximately 340,000 square feet, including: 560 West 24th Street, 180 Avenue of the Americas, and 448-452 Broome Street.

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
krmurphy@hfflp.com