Saturday, May 16, 2020

JLL selected by BRP Companies to arrange joint venture equity for $286 million Archer Towers Apartments Project in Queens, Jamaica, NY


The planned 24-story, 540,000-sf Archer Towers is located at the corner of Archer Avenue and Guy R. Brewer Boulevard in Queens, Jamaica, NY

Rob Hinckley 
NEW YORK, NY, May 15, 2020 — JLL Capital Markets was selected by BRP Companies to arrange joint venture equity financing for the construction of the $286 million Archer Towers project.

The residential development is located at 163-05 Archer Avenue in the rapidly evolving Jamaica submarket of Queens, N.Y.

 The 24-story Archer Towers is located at the corner of Archer Avenue and Guy R. Brewer Boulevard.

The 540,000-square-foot project will offer a total of 605 residential units, including 424 market-rate apartments and 181 mixed-income units.

The development includes approximately 20,000 square feet of amenities that include a movie screening room, a lounge, a children’s playroom, bicycle storage, a pet spa, attended parking, a fully equipped rooftop and finished outdoor space, a yoga studio, a basketball court, a pickleball court, a landscaped rear yard and a golf simulator.

 Jeff Julien
 The Archer Towers project is located within an opportunity zone, providing significant post-tax savings over a 10-year hold for a qualified opportunity fund investor.

 The 10-year investment horizon will allow for the submarket to further develop, resulting in significant rent appreciation and value capture on reversion. 

It will also be the beneficiary of a 35-year tax abatement under the Affordable New York program.

Archer Towers is positioned adjacent to Jamaica Avenue’s retail corridor with national brands such as Home Depot, Dollar Tree, Blink Fitness and Old Navy within walking distance.

 It is located within a three-minute walk of the Jamaica Ave/Parsons Ave subway stop (E, J, Z) and a short 10-minute walk to the Sutphin Boulevard-Archer Avenue-JFK Subway Station and Jamaica LIRR.

Andrew Scandalios 
This provides residents express access to employment hubs throughout Queens, as well as an approximate 20-minute LIRR ride to Penn Station and Atlantic Terminal.

 BRP has completed demolition of the existing buildings on the site, has 100% of construction drawings and can execute a Guaranteed Maximum Price construction contract imminently.

The firm will begin construction of Archer Towers immediately upon closing of the joint venture equity financing and securing debt financing with their capital partner.

 It is expected that an investor will also consider participating in the second phase of Archer Towers.

Roland Merchant
This future addition will add 432 units to the overall project, including 130 additional affordable-housing units and further expanding the commanding presence of the development along Archer Avenue. Phase two is expected to begin construction in the summer of 2021.

 The JLL Capital Markets professionals handling the joint venture equity raise for BRP are being led by Rob Hinckley and Jeff Julien.

The JLL team also includes senior team members Andrew Scandalios and Roland Merchant; core team members Stephen Palmese and Steven Rutman; and support associates Nicco Lupo and Rob Root.

 “Archer Towers represents the largest shovel-ready residential rental construction site in New York City,” said Hinckley.

Stephen Palmese 
 “We are excited to discuss this investment with opportunity zone and traditional investors alike.

"Over the past several years, BRP has painstakingly designed, value-engineered and removed risk from this development, which will provide much-needed housing for city-dwellers.

"This is on the heels of BRP’s nearby highly-anticipated 669-unit, The Crossing at Jamaica Station, a public-private partnership development that is delivering soon.

"The multi-phase Archer Tower residential development, which includes a large portion of needed mixed-income regulated housing, is deemed ‘essential,’ allowing for the partnership to create much needed near-term jobs as construction will begin immediately, even within current market conditions.”

Steven Rutman
 JLL Capital Markets is a full-service global provider of capital solutions for real estate investors and occupiers.

The firm's in-depth local market and global investor knowledge delivers the best-in-class solutions for clients — whether investment advisory, debt placement, equity placement or a recapitalization.

The firm has more than 3,700 Capital Markets specialists worldwide with offices in nearly 50 countries.

 For more news, videos and research resources on JLL, please visit the firm’s U.S. media center Web page: U.S. newsroom.


About BRP Companies

BRP Companies is a New York-based real estate firm that is at the forefront of mixed-use development and acquisition of urban, multi-family properties.

Nicco Lupo
The firm offers a full complement of development, acquisition, construction, property, and investment management.

With an experienced staff of 70, a track record of over 2.5 million square feet of completed real estate projects and over 9.5 million square feet currently in development, BRP is uniquely positioned to meet the demands of urban housing consumers.

The firm is an innovator in developing mixed-use, mixed-income, “walkable" urban housing with high-quality, and energy efficient properties throughout the city of New York and beyond.

Rob Root
CONTACTS:

George Shea, Mark Faris
Company: Shea Communications
Phone: +1 212 627 5766

Kimberly Steele
 JLL Senior Associate
 Public Relations
Phone: +1 713 852 3420


Friday, May 15, 2020

Thor Equities Group Announces Sale Of 905 West Fulton Market in Chicago, IL To Deka Immobilien of Germany


905 West Fulton Market spans nearly 98,000 square feet over five stories and a basement on the corner of West Fulton Market and North Peoria Street in the heart of Fulton Market, Chicago, IL.

Tom Sitz
CHICAGO, IL (May 15, 2020) – Thor Equities Group, a global leader in urban real estate development, leasing and management, is pleased to announce the sale of 905 W. Fulton Market in an off-market transaction to Deka Immobilien.

On the corner of West Fulton Market and North Peoria Street in the heart of Fulton Market, 905 W. Fulton Market spans nearly 98,000 square feet over five stories and a basement.

Featuring a historic façade characteristic of the neighborhood and modern glass design, 905 W. Fulton offers contiguous floor plans, a landscaped terrace and green roof.

The property is anchored by Mondelez International’s global headquarters, which will occupy over 80,000 square feet of office space in the new building on floors two through five, as well as over 6,500 square feet of retail space on the ground floor.


Cody Hundertmark
 Thor recently announced 8,000 square feet of the ground floor was recently leased to DineAmic Hospitality, one of Chicago’s most eminent creative hospitality and events companies. Approximately 2,600 square feet on the ground floor remains available.

“Our vision for 905 W. Fulton Market was to develop a property with rich character representative of the neighborhood’s past and attract a world-class tenant to bolster the district's future as a premier live-work-play destination,” said Joe Sitt, chairman of Thor Equities.

“Fulton Market continues to gain momentum and the sale of this asset demonstrates the strength of the community, which we are very proud to be a part of.”

The Cushman & Wakefield capital markets team of Tom Sitz, Cody Hundertmark, David Knapp, Josh McGee, Paul Lundstedt and Dan Deuter was involved in this off-market transaction. Thor Equities was not represented by a broker. Colliers International was also involved in this transaction.


Driss Oualkadi
“In this current environment, it is essential to identify and secure opportunities in order to achieve stable and sustainable growth for our North America Fund. Such an opportunity is given with this long-term leased and high-quality property,” said Driss Oualkadi, president of Deka.

“The Fulton Market has been the subject of a significant urban renewal and is now recognized as one of Chicago’s most upscale and exciting neighborhoods.”

“We are pleased to have been involved in the sale of this extraordinary Fulton Market development involving two world-class organizations,” said Tom Sitz, executive director of Cushman & Wakefield.


 David Knapp
“Congratulations are in order to Thor Equities Group for delivering this premier building to the market and to Deka on its acquisition of one of Chicago’s newest, best-in-class assets.”

Thor Equities Group recently announced a lease with Aspen Dental at nearby 800 W. Fulton Market, a 19-story mixed-use development with over 400,000 square feet of office and retail space, as well as a range of public amenities.

Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, 800 W. Fulton Market is situated at the gateway to Fulton Market and was planned to meet the highest sustainability standards, with a range of smart building technologies.

Thor’s portfolio also includes nearby 942 W. Fulton Market, 1003 W. Fulton Market and 1229 W. Randolph Street.


Josh McGee

About Thor Equities:

Thor Equities is a leader in the development, leasing and management of office, industrial, residential, hotel and mixed-use assets in premier urban locations worldwide.

The company operates in major cities around the globe and has a property portfolio totaling $20 billion with a development pipeline in excess of 50 million square feet.

Thor has a strong presence on three continents and in addition to its US holdings, the company has assets in European gateway cities including London, Paris, Madrid, and Milan, and is the largest developer in Mexico through its Latin American division with a development pipeline of over 18 million square feet.


Paul Lundstedt 
 Thor maximizes returns for institutional investors by recognizing a property’s potential, reducing operating expenses, increasing tenant satisfaction, leveraging market trends to maintain a long-term competitive edge.


About Deka:

DekaBank is the Wertpapierhaus (securities services provider) of the German Savings Banks Finance Group.

Together with its subsidiaries it forms Deka Group, which has total customer assets of around EUR 313 billion (as at 30/09/2019) and around 4.8 million securities accounts, making it one of the largest securities services providers and real estate asset managers in Germany.


Dan Deuter
 It provides retail and institutional clients access to a wide range of investment products and services. 

DekaBank is firmly anchored in the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe and designs its portfolio of products and services to meet the requirements of its shareholders and sales partners in the securities business.

The Deka Group’s global real estate expertise is pooled in its Real Estate Division.

 The two investment companies, Deka Immobilien Investment GmbH and WestInvest Gesellschaft für Investmentfonds mbH, manage and service around EUR 40 billion in real estate assets (as at 31/12/2019).



CONTACTS:

Bailey Webb, bailey.webb@cushwake.com

follow @CushWake on Twitter.


Thursday, May 14, 2020

The Pandemic’s B-side: Sustainable Real Estate Development Gains Ground in Uruguay


Fernanda Prece

Miami, FL,  May 14, 2020--According to Juan Martin Diaz of notonlydata.com:

 "The market is experiencing growing interest in real estate options in open spaces, far from large urban centers."

These are places where one can escape, and find refuge and harmony in high-end design that meets nature and personal wellness.

Developments such as Las Cárcavas, in Uruguay, stand out with their environmentally friendly proposal and strategic location in a luxury, beach-front corridor.

"The eruption of COVID-19 onto the global stage has caused innumerable
transformations in all areas of the economy, which now face an uncertain future. But it has also ignited new challenges. No stranger to these changes, the real estate market is also experiencing fluctuations. 

While owning property has traditionally been a valued form of savings in the midst of global and regional crises, there is now another phenomenon that is paving the way for new opportunities within this sector.



 John Brookes

Social isolation has also modified the preferences and habits of people who, across the board, are now looking more than ever for contact with nature - an asset that has become a highly sought after characteristic.

Along this line, developments in green, open spaces, with wide-open surroundings, both remote and sustainable, have started to become more and more attractive within the real estate market.

And though both investors and developers are still being cautious, in this context luxury real estate developments with these characteristics have become an attractive and secure option for foreign investors.




Located in Uruguay, along the Rocha coast in Garzón – a fifteen-minute drive from José Ignacio, which has become the most exclusive area in Punta del Este – the high end real estate development Las Cárcavas is a clear example of this trend.

Las Cárcavas gets its name from the rock formations generated from the rain water erosion as it flows to the sea, a typical feature of Garzón's coastal landscape. 

Unique in its style, it boasts twenty-four ranch lots and space for sixteen bungalows, all distributed on just over 128 acres situated on a UNESCO national biosphere reservation.

The development offers access to 250 meters of exclusive beach front with warm water, thanks to the tropical currents coming from Brazil, as well as luxurious amenities: a swimming pool, beach club on the shore of a lagoon, natural grass tennis court, grill area, fire pit and corrals.





"Sustainability and environmental impact are two concepts getting more attention nowadays, generating lots of interest from investors: so, even in times of adaptation and transformation for many areas, our projections are positive given the current scenario" asserts Fernanda Prece, Commercial Director of Las Cárcavas.

The project ideals are based on sustainability and a strict commitment to the environment. Therefore, and in regards to design, the ranches follow certain pre-established architectural guidelines in order to preserve the spirit of the natural landscape.





 In line with the overall vision, Englishman John Brookes, in collaboration with the Barzi Casares studio, has been commissioned to helm the landscape design for the open and communal spaces of the project; both highly respected names in the international market for their avant-garde and innovative work, in-sync with environmental protection. 

The Director explains that in Las Cárcavas, as developers, they understand the "changing dynamics of their clients' needs" and that is why they are committed to offer "substantial advantages to an investor who knows the market, and is eager to find projects that contemplate new trends."




Another unique advantage of the project is its strategic location. Besides offering political, social and economic stability, Uruguay offers fiscal advantages through recently announced tax incentives, many of which are aimed at the foreign investor. 


About Las Cárcavas

Las Cárcavas is a luxury real estate development on the Rocha coast, situated at the 204.5-kilometer mark of Road 10, in Garzón, Uruguay.

The location covers an area of over 125 acres, divided into 24 ranch lots of 2.5 acres each and 16 bungalows, each built on lots measuring 1,500 m2.

The cost for the ranches ranges between USD 580,000 and 3 million dollars. Each bungalow is valued at 1 million dollars and are turnkey ready.

Isay Weinfeld
(Photo courtesy of thepinnaclelist.com)

The access to Las Cárcavas from Punta del Este Airport is through Road 10, driving over the iconic circular bridge on Garzón Lagoon. 

Optimum Capital Partners are the landowners and developers of Las Cárcavas, which is united as a whole project under the signature of Isay Weinfeld.


For more information, please visit: www.lascarcavas.com


Contact: 

Juan Martin Diaz 

martin@notonlydata.com

JLL closes $8.75 million sale of Philadelphia light industrial building


 Jenna Imperatore

MORRISTOWN, NJ, May 14, 2020 – JLL Capital Markets announced today that it has closed the $8.75 million sale of an 86,315-square-foot light industrial building in a high barriers-to-entry market in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Michael Oliver
JLL marketed the property on behalf of the seller, The Hampshire Companies. Mountain Development Corp. purchased the asset.  

The facility is situated on 5.7 acres at 3445-3535 S. Front St. in a last-mile distribution area in south Philadelphia adjacent to Interstate 95 and less than one mile from Interstate 76.


The property has an active rail spur served by Conrail, CSX and Norfolk Southern. The building is also less than one mile from a CSX rail yard and 1.5 miles from the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

 Jose Cruz
The property features a rear load configuration, clear heights ranging from 18 to 44 feet, 14 loading docks and 10 percent office finish.

 The building is home to Ferguson Enterprises, the largest U.S. distributor of plumbing supplies.

 The JLL Industrial Capital Markets team representing the seller was led by Senior Director Michael Oliver, Senior Managing Director Jose Cruz, Directors Jordan Avanzato and Marc Duval, Senior Managing Director John Plower and Senior Vice President Jenna Imperatore.

 “The Mountain Development team did an incredible job closing on this transaction during a difficult time in the market,” Oliver said. “This shows you there are strong buyers for quality real estate and tenancy today”.

Jordan Avanzato 
JLL Capital Markets is a full-service global provider of capital solutions for real estate investors and occupiers.

The firm's in-depth local market and global investor knowledge delivers the best-in-class solutions for clients — whether investment advisory, debt placement, equity placement or a recapitalization.

The firm has more than 3,700 Capital Markets specialists worldwide with offices in nearly 50 countries.

 For more news, videos and research resources on JLL, please visit the firm’s U.S. media center Web page: U.S. newsroom.

About JLL

JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. 

JLL shapes the future of real estate for a better world by using the most advanced technology to create rewarding opportunities, amazing spaces and sustainable real estate solutions for our clients, our people and our communities. 
Marc Duval
JLL is a Fortune 500 company with annual revenue of $18.0 billion, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of more than 94,000 as of March 31, 2020. 

JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit jll.com.

About The Hampshire Companies
The Hampshire Companies is a full-service, private real estate firm based in Morristown, New Jersey. 

The Hampshire Companies is a vibrant, dynamic organization that combines creative vision and superior execution, thereby enabling it to create and enhance value in real estate investments. 

Additional information on The Hampshire Companies is available online at HampshireRE.com. To stay connected with The Hampshire Companies and for updates on the latest transactions and news follow the company on Facebook (facebook.com/hampshirere), Twitter (@hampshireco), and LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/the-hampshire-companies).

About Mountain Development Corp.

Founded in 1979, Mountain Development Corp. (MDC) is a full-service real estate company with more than 40 years’ experience developing, acquiring, building, repositioning, managing, leasing and financing commercial property. 


John Plower 
MDC is an active acquirer of a broad range of opportunistic and value-added real estate investments, together with select core projects, capable of generating attractive, risk-adjusted returns for both its principals and select partners.

Contact: 

Kimberly Steele, JLL Senior Associate, Public Relations
Phone: +1 713 852 3420


Two Longtime South Florida Commercial Property Managers Join Berger Commercial Realty/CORFAC International’s Miramar, FL Office


Erica Portes
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – Two longtime South Florida commercial property professionals have joined Berger Commercial Realty/CORFAC International at its Miramar, Florida office, the company announced. 
                     
Ian Miranda, whose commercial property experience includes a strong finance background, and Erica Portes, who has spent her career in property management, both will hold the title of Senior Property Manager at Berger. 

 They will work collaboratively on the company’s substantial Miami-Dade-based Seagis portfolio, most of which is classified as industrial.

Ian Miranda
Prior to joining Berger, Miranda managed a major downtown Miami commercial tower, for which he oversaw operating and financial efficiency, value enhancement and property maintenance.

 In addition to managing significant tenant build-outs and capital remodeling, he achieved LEED Gold certification for the property.

Lloyd C. Berger
“Both Ian and Erica’s strong property management experience adds even more to the depth of market knowledge we bring our clients,” said Lloyd Berger, founder and president of BergerCommercial Realty.

 “Berger is strategically focused on delivering the full spectrum of expertise necessary to enhance the value of every client’s asset.”

A graduate of Florida International University with a Bachelor of Arts in Finance, Miranda lives in Miami.

Portes, who has spent her career in Miami-Dade property management, most recently held the title of Senior Property Manager for a major multi-national real estate and supply chain logistics company.  There, she led a team that handled all aspects of property management, including maintenance, vendor management and customer service.

Also a Miami native, Portes studied Business Administration and Management at Miami-Dade College.

  
CONTACT:


Jennifer J.H. Pierce
Account Director
Pierson Grant PR
6451 North Federal Highway, Suite 1200  |  Fort Lauderdale, FL   33308
T:  954.776.1999, ext. 232  |  E:  jpierce@piersongrant.com