Berger Commercial Realty Arranges Lease for New Youfit Health Club to Open at Lauderdale Marketplace in Lauderdale Lakes, FL

Joseph Byrnes

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (June 23, 2014)- Berger Commercial Realty Vice President Joseph Byrnes recently represented  Lauderdale Marketplace Investments in five new retail leases at its office and retail complex in Lauderdale Lakes, including a 10-year, 14,285-square-foot lease to Youfit Health Clubs, a rapidly expanding chain of health centers nationwide.

 The St. Petersburg, Fla.-headquartered company will offer low-cost, month-to-month memberships at its newest facility, located at 3708 W. Oakland Park Blvd. 

In addition to several other South Florida locations, Youfit also has facilities across the state and in Georgia, Arizona and California.

 Other leases included:

2,900 square-feet of space at 3674 and 3676 W. Oakland Park Blvd. to Chinaman Photo;

1,737 square-feet of space at 3784 W. Oakland Park Blvd. to Moon 64, Inc.;

1,400 square-feet of space at 3762  W. Oakland Park Blvd. to TriStar Marketing Associates, LLC;

and 1,200 square-feet of space at 3684 W. Oakland Park Blvd. to  World Famous, Inc.

For more information about leasing and custom build-outs at Lauderdale Marketplace, contact Berger Commercial Realty at 954-358-0900.

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

Marielle Sologuren

Pierson Grant Public Relations

msologuren@piersongrant.com

(954) 776-1999, ext. 226

NAI Realvest negotiates $600,000 acquisition of Winter Springs, FL Development site for new Primrose School

Matt Cichocki

Maitland, FL – NAI Realvest recently negotiated the purchase of a site on SR. 434 and Heritage Park Street for development of a Primrose School and daycare facility. 

 NAI Realvest principals Matt Cichocki and Kevin O’Connor negotiated the transaction representing the buyer, Elsis Land Holdings, LLC of Orlando.  The local seller was HSP 1001, LLC.  

 The buyer paid $600,000 for the 73,181 square foot parcel of land for the Primrose School. 

This is the third site that the NAI Realvest retail team has located for Primrose Schools in the Central Florida market.

NAI Realvest negotiates Two new office leases totaling over 8,000 Square Feet in Downtown Orlando and Casselberry, FL

Jeff Bloom

ORLANDO, FL--- NAI Realvest recently negotiated two new office lease agreements in Casselberry off U.S. 17-92 and in downtown Orlando totaling 8,043 square feet.

  

Jeff Bloom, senior director at NAI Realvest, negotiated the lease of 6,693 square feet at One South Orange Ave. in downtown Orlando representing the landlord One South Orange Ltd. by its GM MarKay Management, Inc.   The tenant, Catalyst Workspace Partners I was represented by Mark Montgomery of CNL.  

 At 101 Sunnytown Rd. in Casselberry, Bloom represented the tenant International FOP Association, a non-profit organization supporting medical research, in the lease of 1,350 square feet of office space.   The landlord is VIG Leasing Corporation. 

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

Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142 lvershelco@aol.com

Annaly Capital Management, Inc. Announces 2nd Quarter 2014 Dividend of 30 cents per Share

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Board of Directors of Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE: NLY) declared the second quarter 2014 common stock cash dividend of $0.30 per common share. 

This dividend is payable July 31, 2014, to common shareholders of record on July 1, 2014. The ex-dividend date is June 27, 2014.

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

Annaly’s principal business objective is to generate net income for distribution to its shareholders from its investments. Annaly is a Maryland corporation that has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”). Annaly is managed and advised by Annaly Management Company LLC.

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

Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

Investor Relations, 1-888-8Annaly

www.annaly.com

Anantara Kihavah Villas in the Maldives’ Baa Atoll Island Introduces Resident Marine Biologist Joseph Lassus

Joseph Lassus

MALDIVES, Indian Ocean -- With its prime location in the Maldives’ Baa Atoll island archipelago, Anantara Kihavah Villas is the perfect place from which to enjoy the underwater world of the Indian Ocean itself.

Snorkel some of the world’s most treasured reefs, explore uninhabited deserted islands or cruise in solitude into a tapestry of unimaginable colours.

 Recovering from the 1998 El Nino event that destroyed most of the country’s shallow reef coral, in June 2011 UNESCO declared the Baa Atoll a Biosphere Reserve and Anantara Kihavah Villas has been dedicated to supporting its recovery since opening in 2012. Here dolphins, turtles and mantas can be seen today thriving in their natural habitats.

With the recent arrival of marine biologist Joseph Lassus to Anantara Kihavah, guests can draw on his expert knowledge as they descend into the ocean’s dazzling depths and discover the magical underwater world that lies below.

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

Hwee Peng Yeo

Vice President, Asia Markets

Glodow Nead Communications

San Francisco • New York • Singapore • Shanghai

Level 21, Centennial Tower, 3 Temasek Avenue • Singapore 039190

1700 Montgomery Street, Suite 203 • San Francisco, CA • 94111

Asia: 65.9768.6087  US:415.394.6500 • E: hweepeng@glodownead.com

www.GlodowNead.com

FedEx Freight Facility in Northborough, MA Sells for $16.7 Million

Laurie Ann Drinkwater

NORTHBOROUGH, MA – Marcus & Millichap (NYSE: MMI), a leading commercial real estate investment services firm with offices throughout the United States and Canada, announced the sale of a 31,551-square-foot FedEx freight facility in Northborough, Mass. The $16.7 million sales price equates to $531 per square foot.

            Laurie Ann “L.A.” Drinkwater, CCIM, in Marcus & Millichap’s Boston office, and Seth Richard, in the firm’s Manhattan office, represented the buyer, a regional private investor.

            “The property is located 40 minutes from downtown Boston and four miles from interstates 90, 290 and 495,” says Drinkwater. “This location is ideal for FedEx operations and bodes well for long-term tenancy.”

           “FedEx made a major capital investment in the property, ultimately combining two other facilities into this one due to the strategic location,” adds Richard. “The improvements, coupled with attractive increases in the rental stream, contributed to making this an excellent investment for our client.”

The facility was built in 2013 on 24 acres at 300 Bartlett St. in Northborough, Mass. 

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

Gina Relva

Public Relations Manager

(925) 953-1716

Lease Renewals Announced at Miramar Park of Commerce in Miramar, FL

Maridee Bell

MIRAMAR, FL – Miramar Park of Commerce, the largest locally owned and managed Business Park in South Florida, has announced the following lease renewals: 

 Alfred Publishing, the world’s largest educational music publisher, producing educational, reference, pop and performance materials for teachers, students, professionals and hobbyists spanning every musical instrument, style and difficulty level, has renewed its regional branch office lease for 6,518 total sq. ft. of space in MPC-1, 10214 USA Today Way.

Alfred Publishing has been a tenant at the Miramar Park of Commerce for seven years. Representing the Park in the transaction were Maridee Bell, vice president of Sunbeam Properties, developer of the Miramar Park of Commerce, and Ryan Goggins of Sunbeam Properties,

Ryan Goggins

Acosta Sales & Marketing, the leading outsourced sales and marketing agency serving consumer packaged goods companies and retailers across the United States and Canada, has renewed its lease for 5,897 sq. ft. of office and warehouse space for its South Florida facility in MPC-11A, 2941 N. Commerce Parkway. 

Acosta Sales & Marketing has been a tenant in the Park for 11 years. Goggins represented the Miramar Park of Commerce in the transaction.

 “We are very focused on retaining our tenants and work closely with them to accommodate their needs,” said Bell. “It is a testament to the Park’s environment and location that our tenants continually renew their leases.”  

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

Jenna Leon

Pierson Grant Public Relations

954-776-1999, ext. 242

Marcus & Millichap Arranges Sale of 152-Room Quality Inn in Ocala, FL for $3.5 million

Jonathan
Gerszberg

OCALA, FL, June 20, 2014 – Marcus & Millichap (NYSE: MMI), a leading commercial real estate investment services firm with offices throughout the United States and Canada, today announced the sale of Quality Inn, a 152-room hospitality property located in Ocala, FL. The asset sold for $3,500,000.

Jonathan Gerszberg, a senior associate, Ahmed Kabani, a senior associate, and Dominic Vito, an associate, in Marcus & Millichap’s Miami office, had the exclusive listing to market the property on behalf of the seller, a limited liability company from Miami.

Ahmed Kabani

The buyer, a private investor from Fort Lauderdale, was secured and represented by David M. Greenberg, a vice president investments, in Marcus & Millichap’s Fort Lauderdale office.   Last year, the same agents listed and sold a Hampton Inn in Ocala, making this the second hotel sale in as many years for Marcus & Millichap.

“Last year,” says Kabani, “we had great interest in the Hampton Inn we sold, with more than 10 offers.  Investors see Ocala as a growing market because it is central for tourists and business travelers.” 

David M. Greenberg

Vito notes that, “The seller of the Quality Inn did a fantastic job repositioning a distressed asset, and felt that the market was right for them to capitalize on the value they had created.   We generated six offers and ultimately selected a buyer who saw additional value in the property.” 

The buyer was a first-time hotel investor, with prior experience in apartment buildings. “The purchaser had been interested in the returns generated by hotels, but had no prior experience,” adds Greenberg. 

“We worked closely with him, helping the purchaser understand all facets of hotel operations.  This empowered the purchaser to feel comfortable with the investment, and the opportunity therein.”

Dominic Vito

The Quality Inn - Ocala is a recently converted exterior corridor hotel in the thriving Ocala market. The property has 152 rooms and was converted from a Hampton Inn to a Quality Inn in December of 2012. Despite being constructed in 1987, the Quality Inn is in great condition and sits on approximately 3.25 acres of land directly off Interstate 75 (I-75).

Quality Inn is located at 3434 SW College Road in Ocala, FL. 

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

Kirk A. Felici

First Vice President

Regional Manager

Miami, FL

(786) 522-7000

Atlanta Apartment Association’s Annual Food-A-Thon to Begin June 24

 ATLANTA, GA (June 20, 2014) — The Atlanta Apartment Association (AAA) will start its annual Food-A-Thon, which benefits the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB), with a kick-off event at the Cobb Galleria Centre on the afternoon of June 24.

 The event – which will run from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and provide association members with tips on how to maximize the food and cash they collect – marks the start of a nearly four-month food and fund drive that concludes on Oct. 17, when AAA members will deliver their donations to ACFB’s headquarters in a colorful parade.

David A. Hirsch

 This marks the 27th year of the Food-A-Thon, and the campaign has grown to the point that it is believed to be the largest food and fund drive in the United States.

In 2013, the Food-A-Thon collected enough food items and money to provide 6.2 million meals to hungry families in Georgia. The goal for this year’s drive, which has the theme of “So You Think You CAN Dance!”, is to provide 850,000 meals.

 “We are tremendously proud to be partnering with ACFB for another Food-A-Thon,” said David Hirsch, president of AAA. “ACFB is such an amazing organization, and our members never fail to respond to the challenge of helping those in need gain access to nutritional food.”

Founded in 1979, ACFB procures more than 45 million pounds of food and groceries each year and distributes them to more than 600 nonprofit partner agencies serving families and individuals in 29 metro Atlanta and north Georgia counties. For every $1 donated, ACFB can provide $8.47 worth of groceries to those in need.

 The statistics on those in need in Georgia are sobering: 20 percent of residents – and 28.8 percent of children – are food insecure, meaning they don’t know where they next meal is coming from, according to Feeding America. Furthermore, nearly 20 percent of Georgians are living in poverty, up from just under 13 percent in 2000, according to the Census Bureau.

Cobb Galleria Centre

 The Food-A-Thon also will include the Can Can Ball, which takes place on Aug. 22 at the Sheraton Atlanta Downtown.

 At the end of this year’s drive, AAA will award two top prizes: one to the member firm that raises the most cash and one to the company that collects the most food items.

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

Stephen Ursery

The Wilbert Group

404-549-7150 (O) 404-405-2354 (C)

sursery@thewilbertgroup.com

10.6 Million Housing Units in Counties with Very High Natural Disaster Risk According to New RealtyTrac Report

Daren Blomquist

IRVINE, CA  — RealtyTrac® (www.realtytrac.com), the nation’s leading source for comprehensive housing data, today released its first-ever Natural Disaster Housing Risk Report, which assigns a natural disaster risk score to more than 3,000 county housing markets nationwide.

Scores assigned to each county’s housing market were based on risk data for three natural disaster events — hurricanes, tornados and earthquakes — and each county was assigned to one of five risk categories based on their score: Very High Risk, High Risk, Medium Risk, Low Risk, and Very Low Risk.

“The potential risk of a natural disaster may not be the first item on most homebuyer checklists for a dream home, but prudent buyers will certainly take this into consideration along with myriad other factors that could affect home value,” said Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac.

“In the past natural disaster data was technically available, but difficult for buyers and homeowners to dig up; however, now the data is readily available online for virtually any U.S. property, and buyers should take advantage of this.”

Blomquist noted that users can view natural hazard risk data for 110 million property addresses nationwide by simply typing in the address at RealtyTrac-powered  www.homefacts.com (no subscription required).

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

Jennifer von Pohlmann

PR Manager

Office: 949.502.8300 ext 139

jennifer.vonpohlmann@realtytrac.com

HFF closes sale of Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista in Orlando, FL

Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista, FL

ORLANDO, FL – HFF announced today that it has closed the sale of the Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista, a 503-room hotel in Orlando, Florida.

               HFF marketed the property on behalf of the seller, Vista Hospitality Company.  ROCH Capital purchased the asset free and clear of debt.  

According to RCA (Real Capital Analytics), this is the largest hotel sale brokered in Orlando in 2014.  Portfolio Hotels is going to be managing the asset on behalf of ROCH Capital.

The hotel is part of a three-property portfolio HFF is marketing on behalf of Vista that also includes the Crowne Plaza Orlando Downtown (on the market) and the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fort Lauderdale (closed in March). 

Michael Weinberg

               The Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista, a Walt Disney Good Neighbor Hotel, is located at 13351 S. Apopka Vineland Road proximate to Walt Disney World Resort and the Orlando International Airport. 

Significantly renovated in 2012, the property includes a mix of suites including a presidential, kids and junior suites, as well as spacious traditional guest rooms. 

The hotel features 7,000 square feet of meeting space, a resort-style outdoor swimming pool, a new Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, as well as a fitness center, basketball court, children’s club, gift shop and business center. 

               The HFF investment sales team representing the seller was led by director Michael Weinberg along with director Max Comess.

“The seller underwent a massive renovation to convert this asset from exterior to interior corridors.  This process was unique and gave them a product offering that exceeds the expectations of guests with oversized rooms relative to the competition.  Customers love it!” said Weinberg. 

Max Comess

“We are seeing a tremendous amount of debt and equity capital pour into the hospitality sector.  There just isn’t enough supply of transactions on the market to meet the demand which is creating competition from buyers and lenders,” added Weinberg.

               HFF’s Hotel Group has been active in the sale and financing of similar upscale hotels across the country.  In the last 24 months, the firm financed or sold more than $1 billion of hospitality properties in Florida.

               With offices in Kitchener, Ontario and Binghamton, New York, the Vista Hospitality Group owns and operates hotels, resorts and other commercial properties throughout Ontario, Quebec, New York, South Carolina and Florida.  

Offering more than 2,700 rooms, Vista has developed sophisticated information management systems that form the basis of a highly efficient and effective organizational structure.  

The Vista Management Executive Team is extremely diverse and has acquired a reputation for proven performance at all of its properties.  More information is available at www.vistahospitality.com.

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

Kristen M. Murphy

Associate Director

HFF | One Post Office Square, Suite 3500 | Boston, MA 02109

Main: 617-338-0990 | Direct: 617-848-1572 | Cell: 617-543-4873 | www.hfflp.com

krmurphy@hfflp.com

Midwest FedEx Freight Terminal Sells for $15.95 Million in Aurora, IL

Howard Wiese

AURORA, IL – Marcus & Millichap (NYSE: MMI), a leading commercial real estate investment services firm with offices throughout the United States and Canada,  announced the sale of a 63,740-square-foot FedEx freight terminal located in Aurora, Ill. which was part of a two property portfolio of single tenant Industrial properties.

The $15,950,000 sales price equates to $250 per square foot. The buyer’s acquisition of the FedEx property was a critical component in enabling them to refinance a 1.4 million square foot, 27 building portfolio.

            Nick Manganais, a vice president investments in Marcus & Millichap’s Chicago O’Hare office, represented the seller, an Illinois-based family partnership. Howard Wiese, a vice president investments in the same office, represented the buyer, Welbic Investments, a private real estate investment fund. 

            “The property is one of just 17 FedEx Priority freight terminals in Illinois,” says Manganais. “It was built-to-suit for FedEx in 2003.”

Nick Manganais

            “The property is located in a very strong Chicago metro area near two major highways, Interstate 88 and Illinois State Route 59,” adds Wiese. “O’Hare International Airport and the surrounding densely populated office and industrial areas are within a 30-minute drive.”

            The freight terminal is located on 14.5 acres at 3883 Butterfield Road in Aurora, Ill. Part of Chicago’s Naperville/Aurora metropolitan trade area, Aurora is the second-largest city in Illinois and Naperville is the state’s third-largest city. The population within a seven-mile radius is 400,000, 250,000 of which are part of the workforce.

            The Aurora FedEx freight terminal features a 55,120-square-foot main building with 6,800 square feet of office space. There is also 48,320 square feet of cross-dock working area, which serves as the customer center. The property contains a 6,550-square-foot three-bay repair/wash building, a 1,600-square-foot fueling facility and a concrete scale pit with an axle scale.

The freight terminal has 104 loading/unloading doors with custom dock levelers and custom door seals. There are 269 tractor/trailer parking spaces and a separate employee parking lot that can hold up to 91 cars.

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

Gina Relva

Public Relations Manager

(925) 953-1716

Wyndham Garden Trenton Holds Grand Re-Opening Event for Totally Rejuvenated Hotel in Trenton, NJ

Wyndham Garden Trenton Hotel lobby

 TRENTON, N.J., June 19, 2014—Officials of Welcome Hotel Group, LLC,  today will celebrate the grand re-opening of the 164-room Wyndham Garden Trenton hotel.  More than 100 business, civic and government leaders are expected to attend the event, which takes place at 11:30 a.m.

The celebration marks a new direction in the vision of hotelier, Dr. Bran N. Viswanath, to invest in the Trenton community and to expand his business interests into the hospitality industry. 

Dr. Viswanath is a well-known cardiologist  who was a member of the original team to perform the first open heart transplant in Houston.  In addition to medicine and lodging, Dr. Viswanath business activities also include broadcasting.

“This is our first major investment in hospitality after successfully growing our media portfolio of television and radio stations,” said Dr. Bran N. Viswanath of Welcome Hotel Group.

“Our goal is to duplicate our success in broadcasting to benefit both Trenton and our company.  Since last December, we have spent significant time and resources to bring the hotel out of bankruptcy and create a new standard in hospitality for downtown Trenton.”

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

Chris Daly,

 media

Daly Gray Public Relations

(703) 435-6293

chris@dalygray.com

Premier David Alward Heralds Grand Re-opening and 125th Anniversary of Algonquin Resort in New Branswick, Canada

Algonquin Resort, Saint Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada

SAINT ANDREWS, New Brunswick., CANADA, June 19, 2014 - -New Brunswick Premier David Alward joined officials with New Castle Hotels & Resorts, Southwest Properties and Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) to commemorate the grand re-opening of the Algonquin Resort.

Now celebrating its 125th anniversary, the Algonquin first opened in June, 1889 and became the nation's first Autograph Collection hotel, Marriott International’s exclusive portfolio of independent hotels, when it opened in March following an 18-month “rafters to registration” renovation.

Southwest Properties and New Castle team purchased the hotel from the provincial government in 2012 with the intent of restoring the national treasure.

New Brunswick Premier David Alward

                “For more than a century the iconic Algonquin Hotel has anchored New Brunswick’s tourism landscape and brought a very vibrant part of this province’s heritage to life, " said Premier David Alward.

 "I join with the members of the community and business sector of this region who are so pleased to begin the next chapter of this historic property’s story here in Saint Andrews, where visitors from around the world will continue to enjoy New Brunswick’s attractions and hospitality.”

The 233-room Algonquin Resort overlooks the picturesque Passamaquoddy Bay from St. Andrews-by-the Sea, New Brunswick, Canada.

For reservations or additional information, please visit www.algonquinresort.com.

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

Lauralee Dobbins

Daly Gray, Inc.

703-435-6293

Lauralee@dalygray.com

Essex Realty Group Brokers the Sale Of 46-Unit Multi-Family Apartment Building in Chicago, IL

Doug Fisher

CHICAGO, IL,  June 19, 2014 - Essex Realty Group, Inc. is pleased to announce the sale of 1331 W. Loyola, a 46-unit apartment complex located in Chicago, Illinois.

The building is situated one block west of Loyola University and benefits from a consistent flow of students seeking unaffiliated off-campus rental housing. 

In addition, the property is within walking distance of the CTA Red Line (Loyola station) at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Loyola Avenue, as well as several CTA bus stops along Sheridan Road and Devon Avenue.

  The property contains a mix of well-maintained studios, junior one-bedroom and one-bedroom apartments with updated bathrooms and kitchens and hardwood floors throughout. 

Recent capital improvements include new windows, electrical service and exterior porches. The property also benefits from a reduced property tax bill through Cook County’s Class 9 tax designation.

Jason Fishleder

 Doug Fisher and Jason Fishleder represented the seller and Doug Fisher represented the buyer in the transaction. The sale price was approximately $3,575,000.

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

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

Douglas Fisher

Essex Realty Group, Inc.

Phone: 773.305.4910

dougfisher@essexrealtygroup.com

Charles Dunn Company Names Brian Sterz as Associate of Investment Sales with Team Stepp

  

Brian Sterz

LOS ANGELES, CA,  June 19, 2014 – Charles Dunn Company, one of the largest full-service regional real estate firms in the western United States, has named Brian Sterz as associate of investment sales out of the firm’s Century City office. 

He joins Team Stepp, one of Charles Dunn’s top performing brokerage teams, led by senior managing director, Kimberly Roberts Stepp. In his new role, Sterz will focus on the sale and exchange of multifamily real estate within Santa Monica and prime Westside Los Angeles locations.

Sterz completed his MBA at the UCLA Anderson School of Management where he concentrated on Real Estate as a student in the Ziman Center for Real Estate.

Prior to joining Charles Dunn, Sterz served as vice president at EP Wealth Advisors, an independent investment firm in West Los Angeles, where he advised high net worth individuals and helped shape portfolio strategy as a member of the portfolio management Investment Committee.

Kimberly Roberts Stepp

He earned the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley.

Brian was born and raised in Los Angeles and attended Loyola High School. Brian is also actively involved with Back On My Feet, a national non-profit organization helping underserved communities thrive through running, and enjoys competing in endurance athletic events including ironman triathlons and marathons.

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

Darcie Giacchetto

D.G. Communications, Inc.

949.278.6224