Friday, November 16, 2018

The Habitat Company, Chicago Housing Authority, Cinespace and Sinai Health System to Invest $200 million in Mixed-Use Development in Chicago’s Lawndale Neighborhood


Rendering of planned 10-acre, $200 million Ogden Commons mixed-use project, North Lawndale Neighborhood, Chicago, IL

CHICAGO, IL (Nov.  16, 2018) – Chicago-based The Habitat Company, a leading U.S. multifamily developer and property manager, today announced it received approval from the city’s Planning Commission to move forward with plans for a $200 million 10-acre mixed-use project in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood to be developed in partnership with the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA)Sinai Health System, Cinespace Chicago Film Studios and the city of Chicago.

Known as Ogden Commons, the development will offer mixed-income rental housing, retail and commercial space.


Bordered by Ogden Avenue to the south, Fairfield Avenue to the west and Rockwell Street to the east, Ogden Commons will be located on the former site of the Chicago Housing Authority’s Lawndale development.

The mixed-use project will transform 10 acres of mostly vacant property near Douglas Park into 120,000 square feet of commercial and retail space plus hundreds of mixed-income housing units.

Matt Fiascone
According to Matt Fiascone, president of The Habitat Company, Ogden Commons will help serve as an economic catalyst for the area, which is already home to Cinespace Chicago Film Studios and Sinai Health System.

“The Habitat Company is proud to lead this public-private partnership to bring not only much-needed quality housing to the North Lawndale neighborhood, but also commercial and retail spaces that will help expand employment opportunities and health services in this area,” said Fiascone.

 “Ogden Commons is more than just a group of buildings – it’s about a commitment by each partner to help enhance an historic community that will serve the residents and businesses of North Lawndale and the greater Chicago area for years to come.”

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel
Ogden Commons will be developed in multiple phases, with the first phase comprised of 45,000 square feet of commercial space, 15,000 square feet of retail space and a portion of the planned residences.

Construction on the commercial space is expected to begin during second quarter 2019 with the residential work to follow.

The entire development is projected for completion in 2021, at which time Cinespace and Sinai will occupy a significant portion of the commercial space, expanding on their current locations on Ogden Avenue across from the Ogden Commons site.

“Ogden Commons is taking vacant land and transforming it into a mixed-use project that includes commercial, retail and housing units for residents,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “This builds on the City’s effort to redevelop North Lawndale and further helps expand jobs and services for our residents.”

“We are pleased to see this mixed-use development move forward because we know it will bring a new vibrancy to this historic community and serve as an example of what partnerships can do to improve not just one neighborhood, but the city as a whole,” said Eugene E. Jones, Jr., CEO, Chicago Housing Authority.

Eugene E. Jones Jr.
Cinespace Chicago Film Studios occupies 1.45 million square feet of what used to be the Ryerson Steel Company, and specializes in the development, management and operation of studio facilities.

Its additional space at Ogden Commons will allow the growing film studio – home to a number of TV shows and movies, such as Empire, Chicago Fire and Divergent – to expand its services. Cinespace has created more than 15,000 film-related jobs and has generated over $5 billion in revenue for the city and the state.

"Cinespace is proud to partner with Sinai Health System and The Habitat Company on such an exciting mixed-use community development project,” said Alex Pissios, president of Cinespace Chicago Film Studios.

“Ogden Commons will allow us to expand our job creation, while developing new mixed-income housing along with much needed retail stores that currently do not exist in this community.”

Alex Pissios
Sinai Health System has had a presence in North Lawndale for nearly 100 years with its Mount Sinai Hospital, along with Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital and Sinai Community Institute, all located along Ogden Avenue.

 Its new space at Ogden Commons will enable Sinai to continue providing quality care in new modern healthcare spaces for outpatient services.

“The Ogden Commons project is a cornerstone opportunity to invest in our community and its future,” said Karen Teitelbaum, president and CEO, Sinai Health System. “It is an extension of the work we’ve been doing for decades to reach beyond our own walls and find innovative and impactful ways to fulfill our core mission to improve the lives of those we serve.”

In addition to providing newly constructed mixed-income apartments for employees of Cinespace and Sinai, Ogden Commons will serve as a convenient housing option for employees of other key North Lawndale businesses such as Lagunitas Brewing Company. 

Karen Teitelbaum

“Since 1971, Habitat has spearheaded projects nationwide in developing nearly 8,000 new mixed-income housing units, so we’re proud to make Ogden Commons our latest development in furthering our strong commitment to revitalizing urban communities.” said Fiascone

Fiascone noted the development team will work closely with the city of Chicago to implement extensive streetscape enhancements along Ogden Avenue, including decorative lighting, special pavers, landscaping and benches to enhance the area’s pedestrian environment and commercial viability.

Ogden Commons is expected to be funded by a number of public and private funding sources typically available to support the development of mixed-use, mixed-income housing developments like this one.


CONTACTS: 

Robin Plous, rplous@taylorjohnson.com, (312) 267-4512

Cushman & Wakefield Negotiates Sale of Grand Reserve Apartment Homes in Ocala, FL


Grand Reserve Apartment Homes, Ocala, FL
OCALA, FL, Nov.16, 2018 — Cushman & Wakefield has negotiated the sale of Grand Reserve Apartment Homes, a 263-unit apartment community in Central Florida.

Jay Ballard
Jay Ballard and Ken Delvillar of Cushman & Wakefield’s Florida Multifamily Team represented the owner, an affiliate of Nashville-based Carter-Haston, in the disposition.

A partnership of Houston-based ApexOne Investment Partners and Gainesville, FL-based The Collier Companies acquired the asset.

Grand Reserve Apartment Homes is a luxury multifamily community developed in 2003 comprising 21 one- and two-story residential and ancillary buildings.

Ken Delvillar
The property offers one-, two- and three-bedroom units with an average size of 1,031 square feet and an average market rent of $1.03 per square foot. Grand Reserve Apartment Homes was 93.9% occupied at the time of sale.

“The Ocala multifamily market continues to attract significant interest from investors far and wide,” said Ballard. “The region’s fundamentals remain strong, driven by exceptional job growth, growing demand and constrained supply.”

Julie Bohn
Robert Given

Cushman & Wakefield’s Florida Multifamily Team is directed by Robert Given and includes Ballard and Delvillar in Central Florida; Zachary SackleyTroy BallardNeal VictorCalum Weaver and Errol Blumer in South Florida; Luis Elorza and Brad Capas leading West Florida; and Julie Bohn in Jacksonville.

 Robert KaplanChris Lentz and Mark Rutherford facilitate debt, equity and structured finance transactions for the team throughout Florida.
 
Zachary Sackley
Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a leading global real estate services firm that delivers exceptional value by putting ideas into action for real estate occupiers and owners.

 Cushman & Wakefield is among the largest real estate services firms with 48,000 employees in approximately 400 offices and 70 countries. 

In 2017, the firm had revenue of $6.9 billion across core services of property, facilities and project management, leasing, capital markets, valuation and other services.

Troy Ballard
To learn more, visit www.cushmanwakefield.com or follow @CushWake on Twitter.



CONTACT:

David A. Meyer
Meyer Media  
+ 1 407 489 7488
david@meyer.media

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Astor Real Estate Group Announces Two Additional Retailers at Merrick Manor in Coral Gables, FL


Shops at Merrick Manor, Coral Gable, FL

CORAL GABLES, FL   A new wave of luxury stores, beauty and healthy lifestyle services is heading to luxury mixed-use development Merrick Manor.

Astor Real Estate Group has unveiled two additional retailers that will join Shops at Merrick Manor, the commercial component of Coral Gables’ newest and most anticipated development.

Roza H. Radkiewicz

Miami-based Anaïs Nails & Spa and Coral Gables-based Elegance Beauty Salon are set to open their new showrooms on the ground floor of the luxury project, which is scheduled to be completed during the first quarter of 2019.

Each will occupy more than 1,100-square-feet of aesthetically designed space at Shops at Merrick Manor. Anaïs Nails & Spa and Elegance Beauty Salon are already in the build-out process of their new state-of-the-art spaces. 

Anaïs Nails & Spa is a stylish and sophisticated salon filled with friendly staff and relaxed patrons.

Elegance Beauty Salon is known for its team of excellent stylists that can make even the most difficult hair feel great and look fashionable.

Roza H. Radkiewicz, Principal Broker of Astor Real Estate Group and Director of Sales at Astor Companies, arranged the transactions.

“I am very proud to have Anaïs Nails & Spa and Elegance Beauty Salon on board as part of our exclusive collection of high-end retailers and service providers,” said Ms. Radkiewicz. “Those outstanding brands will make an ideal addition to our graceful and iconic project.”

Astor previously announced that Miami-based jeweler Trésor will open a new store at Shops at Merrick Manor. The company plans to reveal additional tenants in the coming weeks.

Shops at Merrick Manor, a five-star luxury project, will consist of nearly 20,000 square feet of prime, Class A ground-floor retail and restaurant space conveniently located just steps away from the fashionable Merrick Park Shops.

Typical Elegance Beauty Salon Interior
For opportunities available at Merrick Manor, contact Roza H. Radkiewicz at (786) 218-8322 or (954) 993-8747 or email 
roza@astorcompanies.com.

CONTACT:

Eric Kalis
Account Director, BoardroomPR
O 954-370-8999
C 305-794-5123
Bank of America Plaza | 1776 N Pine Island Road


KW Property Management & Consulting Continues Luxury Portfolio Expansion with Addition of Brickell Heights in Miami, FL


Brickell Heights, Financial District, Miami, FL

Miami, FL – KW Property Management & Consulting’s (KWPMC) expansion within Miami’s Brickell neighborhood is surging with the addition of Brickell Heights residential and commercial associations to the company’s luxury portfolio.

Tim O'Keefe
The company was selected by all boards to manage all four Associations within this brand new luxury condominium and commercial community.

  A 35,000-square-foot Equinox Fitness Center and a new Capital One Café are also on site, with many other offerings underway.

 The complex also includes 35,000 square feet of Class A office space.

“It is thrilling to add a jewel like Brickell Heights to our luxury portfolio in the neighborhood,” said KWPMC Director Tim O’Keefe.

“The talent and dedication of our people help to position us as the go-to management company for luxury high-rise condominium buildings, especially within Brickell.  
Brickell City Centre, Financial District, Miami, FL
"Whether in support of brand new developments or established associations, KWPMC is by far the best suited overall property management solution to meet and exceed the needs and expectations within the evolving Brickell area community. ”

Developed by the Related Group and designed by Rockwell Group and Arquitectonica, Brickell Heights is adjacent to Brickell City Centre, where KWPMC manages the REACH and RISE high-rise condo towers for developer Swire Properties.


CONTACTS:

Eric Kalis
954-370-8999


Jasmin Curtiss
 Account Executive, BoardroomPR
 O 954-370-8999



HFF announces $9.94 million acquisition financing for Class A office property in Bergen County, NJ


3 Paragon Drive Office Property, Montvale, NJ

FLORHAM PARK, NJ – Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P. (HFF) announces a $9.94 million acquisition financing for 3 Paragon Drive, a 93,916-square-foot, Class A office property in Montvale, New Jersey.

Michael Klein
The HFF team worked on behalf of the borrower, Ramapo, New York-based Northeast Capital Group, to secure the five-year, fixed-rate loan with Valley National Bank. 

3 Paragon Drive is situated on a 9.29-acre site in the Upper Parkway Office submarket of Montvale, a community bordering New York state in Northern New Jersey. 

 Montvale offers a plentiful amenity base, including a new Wegmans Food Market and Life Time Fitness, and connectivity to the entire region via Montvale Train Station, the Garden State Parkway and Interstates 287, 87 and 80. 

Additionally, Bergen County, where the property is located, is home to a significant number of corporate headquarters and operation headquarters for companies, including Sharp Corporation, Benjamin Moore and KPMG. 

 Renovated in 2016, 3 Paragon Drive is 96 percent leased to two tenants, Pentax of America and Turner Construction Company.

Porter Terry
The HFF debt placement team representing the borrower included managing director Michael Klein and senior director Porter Terry.

“The high-quality property features many attributes that lenders were attracted to including a prime location within Bergen County that provides access to the local highway infrastructure, as well as a long-term anchor tenant that has demonstrated its commitment to the building,” stated Klein. 

 “As a result, there was significant interest in this transaction from local and regional banks. Valley National Bank was able to provide a highly competitive deal that best met the borrower’s needs.”


CONTACTS:

MICHAEL KLEIN
HFF Managing Director
(973) 549-2000

PORTER TERRY
HFF Senior Director
(617) 338-0990

KRISTEN MURPHY
HFF Director, Public Relations
(617) 338-0990

necgre.com.

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Draper and Kramer Names Todd Bancroft President and CEO


Todd Bancroft
                                                                                                      
CHICAGO, IL – Draper and Kramer, Inc. announced its Board of Directors has appointed Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel Todd Bancroft as the firm’s next president and chief executive officer.

Bancroft, who has been serving as interim president and CEO of the real estate services firm for the last three months, succeeds Forrest D. Bailey, who was Draper and Kramer’s president and CEO for 20 years until stepping into a new role as vice chair and CEO emeritus in August. 

Forrest D. Bailey
“Draper and Kramer has a legacy of impactful, visionary leaders who have made this company what it is today, beginning with its founders 125 years ago, and Todd very much carries on that tradition,” said Stephen P. Miller, board chairman for Draper and Kramer, a fifth-generation family-owned company.

“As the Board searched for the right candidate to bridge the company’s 125-year history with its next chapter, we unanimously identified Todd as the right individual to guide the firm.

"He is a talented and trusted leader, with a deep understanding and appreciation for the company’s heritage as a family-owned business, as well as the ability to plan for the future and capitalize on new opportunities that align with Draper and Kramer’s broader investment strategy.”

Bancroft joined Draper and Kramer in 2012 as chief administrative officer, senior vice president and general counsel responsible for mortgage and cash management operations.

In 2014, he was promoted to COO and general counsel, overseeing operations across all four of Draper and Kramer’s divisions including acquisitions and development, commercial finance and residential management as well as the firm’s residential mortgage services group, Draper and Kramer Mortgage Corp.

“I am honored to be appointed as Draper and Kramer’s next leader and thank the Board for its confidence and trust in me,” said Bancroft. “It is especially meaningful to be entrusted with this role as we mark Draper and Kramer’s 125th anniversary later this month.

"As we celebrate that milestone, I’m eager to work alongside our team to identify ways we can build on Draper and Kramer’s legacy – one that continues to differentiate us within the broader commercial real estate landscape.”

Stephen P. Miller
Previously, Bancroft was a founding partner with Bancroft, Richman & Goldberg LLC, a Chicago-area law firm focused on real estate and commercial transactions.

Bancroft has a B.S. in accounting from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and J.D. from the University of Florida.

He is a licensed real estate managing broker in the state of Illinois and a licensed real estate broker in the state of Michigan.


CONTACTS: 

Sarah Lyons, slyons@taylorjohnson.com, (312) 267-4520
Abe Tekippe, atekippe@taylorjohnson.com, (312) 267-4528



Apartment Guide Cites The Good, The Bad and the Ugly of Renting in America Today


Ellen Sirull
ATLANTA, GA -- Freelance business news writer Ellen Sirull notes a lot has changed in the last 30 years for renters – some for the better and some still leaving much to be desired.

 The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University released its 30th anniversary State of the Nation's Housing report this year and it provides an opportunity to reflect on how housing market conditions in the U.S. have evolved over time, looks at current trends and reveals how we still have progress to make when it comes to all Americans having decent, affordable homes.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the study:

Most people are paying more of their income towards rent

Many renters now are cost-burdened, meaning they use more than 30 percent of their income to pay for housing and may have trouble paying for other necessities such as food, clothes, transportation and medical care.

This is mostly due to massive increases in housing costs, with the national median rent rising 20 percent faster than overall inflation from 1990 to 2016. (Homeowners aren't immune either as the median home price rose 41 percent faster than inflation in the same timeframe.)

Quality of housing has improved some, but the main cause is the increased expenses involved in housing construction and land. If you're a renter, you may be thinking, “Yeah, no kidding." But this just means that budgeting well, saving what you can and researching all your options are critical to not spending any more money than you need to on renting your home.

There is a slight shift to more people buying (vs. renting)

After 10 years of rental demand growing, Americans are starting to get back into the homebuyer market. From 2005 – 2015, the number of U.S. households renting grew by an average of 850,000 each year, yet from 2015 – 2017 rental households grew only 220,000 annually.

It's still a bit early to qualify as a rebound in home buying, but the U.S. homeownership rate does look to be stabilizing.

Deciding whether to own or rent involves weighing many factors, including how long you plan on staying in one place, relative costs, your ability to tolerate financial risk and the benefits you see with each option.

Many Americans are still opting to rent because it makes sense for them. Down payments require a solid savings, especially in markets with expensive housing markets.

Many millennials are waiting to buy homes later than the older generations (Generation X and Baby Boomers) according to another study by the Urban Institute in 2018.

There are differences based on income as well – the number of high-income renters is growing while the supply of rentals those with the lowest incomes can afford continues to shrink.


Rental housing demand remains positive


While growth in rentals may have slowed, the overall demand is still positive. Millennials still often rent before buying when they move or combine households, and many older households are making the switch from owning to renting in order to reduce upkeep and downsize.

There is also a huge demand for affordable rental housing, with 15.5 million households having very low- and extremely low-incomes as well as the increase in cost-burdened households mentioned previously.

Renters are moving less

Renters historically move more often than homeowners, yet their mobility rate (how frequently they move) has dropped substantially.

The decrease in renters moving is likely because of a variety of trends, including the increased likelihood that adult children live with their parents, rising student loan debt that makes it more difficult for young adults to move out on their own and the scarcity of low-cost rentals in some areas which may mean tenants stay in one rental longer even if it's not the ideal place for them.

Also, while many older Americans do downsize, a growing number of older renters are staying in their homes longer than previous generations.

Though rental growth rates rent inflation and the percent people pay towards renting may change, there will always be a need for many Americans to rent homes.

Thus, it's important to understand the details of your market and weigh the amenities and features you want (and need) against the availability and cost of the rental.

Read more here about what renters say is most important to them when looking to rent a home.

For more information, visit the  Apartment Guide Blog.


CONTACT:

Ann Noder 
CEO/President