KBS Ends 2023 with Strong Leasing Momentum at its 488,277-SF Class A Office Tower in Charlotte, NC

Carillon, a 488,277 square-foot, Class A
office tower at 227 West Trade Street 
in uptown Charlotte, NC

  CHARLOTTE, NC – KBS, one of the largest owners and operators of premier commercial real estate buildings in the nation, announces that it signed 111,673 square feet in lease agreements in 2023 at Carillon, a 488,277 square-foot, Class A office tower in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina.

 In addition, the firm completed an impressive $1.5 million renovation to the property. Carillon is owned by KBS Real Estate Investment Trust III.

Jennifer Kurz

Jennifer Kurz, Rhea Greene, and Tim Arnold of Trinity Partners represented KBS in the recent leasing transactions.

 

“Companies in uptown Charlotte are seeking space in top-tier office properties like Carillon to encourage in-person work among their teams,” says Kurz. “KBS pays attention to what firms in the market need and want, and they continue to deliver that at Carillon.” 

 

Carillon is located at 227 W. Trade Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202.

 

The leasing activity reinforces the consistent performance of high-quality, well-amenitized office properties in strong locations, according to Marc DeLuca, CEO and Eastern regional president at KBS.

Rhea Greene

“KBS continues to see tenants seeking properties that feature the flight to quality improvements that Carillon offers,” says DeLuca. “Companies are drawn to these highly amenitized buildings as a way to attract top talent and help them remain competitive.”

 

In August 2023, KBS finished construction on a hospitality-inspired renovation at Carillon that includes a tenant amenity center known as the Town Hall Floor.

 

 The floor is available to all tenants and features an additional conference room with two-way conferencing, a phone room, open lounge area for informal or formal events, a state-of-the-art coffee machine and a dedicated wellness room.

 

The building has received excellent feedback on the town hall space, which draws in many tenants daily to eat lunch and enjoy gourmet coffee,” says Cushman and Wakefield’s Christina Spratley, senior property manager of Carillon. “Tenants have begun to reserve the space for after-hours meetings and events. It’s also ideal for hosting happy hours.”

 

Additionally, the renovation included updates to the corridors and management office and the build- out of two spec suites – move-in-ready space equipped with state-of-the art technology and high-end finishes.

Christina Spratley

The spec suite program at the property has been highly successful, accounting for 15,566 square feet of the office space KBS leased at Carillon in 2023, according to Allen Aldridge, senior vice president, co-director of asset management, and asset manager of Carillon for KBS.

 “Firms are attracted to KBS’ spec suites because they are of extremely high-quality and designed with today’s top tenants in mind,” says Aldridge. “These spaces tend to lease up much faster, due to the attention to detail and materials used to design them.”

 

KBS has the ability to provide spec suites in a wide range of sizes to accommodate a broad spectrum of office users. In 2023, the firm signed leases for spec suite space at Carillon with:

 

·         A global financial firm – 5,056 square-foot new lease

·         Fisher Phillips – 4,919 square-foot expansion

·         Alliant Insurance – 3,755 square-foot new lease

·         Moffat & Nichol – 1,836 square-foot relocation and expansion

Tim Arnold

In addition, the renovations helped sign 51,327 square feet of leasing in the last two months of the year. The 12 total leasing transactions inked for the year include three tenant expansions and several sizable deals with prominent national and local tenants. These include:

 

·         The GSA, on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office – 37,909 square-foot lease renewal

·         National law firm Maynard Nexsen – 21,654 square-foot relocation and renewal

·         Global financial services firm Lazard – 9,390 square-foot expansion and renewal

·         Local business law firm Rayburn, Cooper & Durham – 9,068 square-foot renewal

 

CONTACT

Elisabeth Manville 

emanville@thesmartagency.com

Max Benjamin Partners acquires debt and equity platform StackSource

Max B. Mellman

 LOS ANGELES, CA - Max Benjamin Partners (MBP), a boutique real estate advisory firm that provides innovative capital solutions to developers and investors, announced that it has acquired StackSource, a premier tech-based brokerage platform specializing in providing debt and equity financing for all types of real estate loans. 

 The integration of StackSource into MBP's operations grants the firm access to an automatically updated capital markets database and strengthens its relationships with capital providers across every state in the United States, from regional banks and debt funds to private capital providers.

              This strategic move, led by Max B. Mellman, Managing Partner of MBP, highlights the growing importance of automating capital markets data within real estate brokerage to streamline processes, reduce costs, and enhance efficiency.

 “MBP is committed to leveraging this acquisition to support brokers effectively,” said Mellman.  “We aim to use this acquisition to empower our brokers with best-in-class technology, allowing them to become better intermediaries. "This approach emphasizes "Supporting Brokers, Not Bypassing Them," reflecting MBP's dedication to fostering collaboration and innovation within the industry.”

              Mellman continued by saying “StackSource has demonstrated robust financial performance over recent years, and with MBP's support, the platform is well-positioned to realize its full potential. 

 "MBP's vision is to propel StackSource to become the next breakthrough technology in commercial real estate, offering unprecedented resources for borrowers, lenders, and brokers alike.”

 

CONTACT

 David Ebeling

Ebeling Communications

949.861.8351

949.278.7851 (Cell)

david@ebelingcomm.com

Member of the National Association

 of Real Estate Editors (NAREE)

“PR Strategist for the Commercial Real Estate Industry:  I do what I love and love what I do.”

 

www.mbpartners.com

 

Alliant National Welcomes Brianna Dowling as Underwriting Counsel

 

Brianna Dowling

Longmont, CO — Alliant National Title Insurance Company, the title insurer that is uniquely responsive to the needs of independent agents, is excited to welcome Brianna Dowling as Underwriting Counsel, Colorado and Utah.

Dowling comes to Alliant National after a long career in title insurance. Previously, she served as General Counsel for a large, privately held title insurance agency. She managed a team of six in this position.

 She was also responsible for continuing education, consulting on regulatory matters and offering comprehensive transactional support both pre- and post-closing. Dowling simultaneously worked as General Counsel for a small underwriter that insured properties exclusively within Colorado.

Additionally, she developed extensive policy claims experience earlier in her career by working in two large title insurers, where she handled claims throughout the western U.S.

At Alliant National, Dowling will provide reliable and responsive underwriting support for Colorado and Utah agents. She will be responsible for addressing agent concerns, streamlining closings and making strategic, data-driven decisions on whether titles can be insured.

“I am excited that Brianna is joining our underwriting team. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that gives her unique insight into the perspective of the independent agents we serve,” said Jeff Stein, Chief Underwriting Counsel and Senior Vice President for Alliant National Title Insurance Company. 

Jeff Stein

“Her background and skills will be invaluable for our agents who rely on fast and dependable underwriting responses so they can close transactions and insure titles with Alliant National.”

Dowling is a passionate and active member of the title insurance community. She is a director of the Land Title Association of Colorado (LTAC) and a member of its legislative committee.   ]

 She is also a member of the Real Estate Section of the Colorado Bar Association and serves on the Bar’s Title Standards Committee and Affordable Housing Task Force.

Dowling received her Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degree from the University of Delaware and her Juris Doctor from New England Law. She lives in Denver, Colorado.

CONTACT

 Adam Mohrbacher

Clockwork Public Relations
e: amohrbacher@clockworkpr.net
p: 651.587.4792

Florida Real Estate Agency ABI Group Appoint New Global Real Estate Advisor

 

Flavia Bazzon 

Barrington House, Leake Rd, Costock, Loughborough LE12 6XA, Leicestershire, LE12 6HX

United Kingdom--ABI Group, a global real estate agency specialising in high-end vacation and investment homes in Central and South Florida, the Caribbean and Europe, is pleased to announce the appointment of Flavia Bazzon J.D as Global Real Estate Advisor.

 

 Flavia will be responsible for assisting clients with various aspects of real estate transactions, investments, and advisory services across different regions and markets, with a specialised focus on working with Brazilian and Spanish speakers in the area.

 

Flavia brings extensive expertise and a diverse background to her new role, which will greatly enhance ABI Group's service offerings and contribute to overall customer satisfaction and business success.

 

Alistair Brown, CEO of ABI Group, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Flavia to the ABI Group team. She brings a wide range of skills and experience to the table, and we are confident that she will make significant contributions to the business”.

 

Flavia, who holds two Juris Doctor degrees (one from the US and one from Brazil), has a rich professional journey spanning various industries and continents. Having grown up in Brazil, Flavia pursued her first degree in her home country before venturing to Germany to further her education.

 

Upon relocating to the United States with her family, Flavia immersed herself in the world of business, initially assisting her father's jewellery wholesaling enterprise in Miami. Her natural flair for real estate soon led her to establish numerous valuable connections within the Miami real estate scene.

 

Flavia's career trajectory also includes significant experience in law, having practiced as an attorney for six years, specialising in corporate tax issues. This background equips her with a unique skill set, enabling her to offer comprehensive guidance to clients on intricate legal, financial, and business matters that may arise in real estate transactions.

 

In addition to her professional achievements, Flavia possesses exceptional language skills, including fluency in Italian, Portuguese, and English, as well as conversational proficiency in Spanish and French.

 

 Her multicultural background and passion for understanding diverse cultures make her a valuable asset in facilitating international transactions and catering to clients from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

 

Speaking about her excitement regarding joining ABI Group, Flavia said: “I love the international aspect, as you can see from my passion for languages. I love understanding different cultures and being amidst other people – that’s my biggest drive.

 

“Alistair is the most international person in the organisation, and I trust him as being a solid figure in the industry, so I was particularly excited about that too.”

 

Flavia's appointment underscores ABI Group's dedication to delivering exceptional service and expertise to clients worldwide. With her extensive experience, multilingual capabilities, and deep understanding of the intricacies of real estate transactions, Flavia is poised to make significant contributions to the success of ABI Group and its clients.

 

To find out more about ABI Group, please visit the website at https://abire.co.uk/

 

 

CONTACT:

 

Angus Twidale

atwidale@championsukplc.com

 

 

 

JLL Capital Markets handles $47 million refinancing for the 529,212-square-foot The Crosslands in Kissimmee, FL

  

Val McWilliams.

 MIAMI, FL – JLL Capital Markets has arranged the $47.1 million refinancing of The Crosslands, a 529,212-square-foot retail center located in Kissimmee, Florida within the high-growth Orlando Metropolitan Statistical Area (“MSA”).

 

Jon Mikula

JLL represented the borrower, a joint venture between the Hampshire Companies, Federated Hermes and O’Connor Capital Partners, to secure the three-year, non-recourse loan through TD Bank.

The JLL Capital Markets Debt Advisory team was led by Senior Managing Directors Jon Mikula and Michael Klein, Managing Director Brian Gaswirth, and Analysts Michael Kavaler and Val McWilliams.

 

“Retail fundamentals in Orlando remain among the strongest in the nation, and this transaction highlights that bank liquidity remains readily available for centers with strong surrounding demographics," Gaswirth said.

 Michael Klein

 "We are grateful for the expertise brought to the table by the sponsors and look forward to the continued partnership and ongoing success of this property.”

 

Completed between 2014 and 2016, The Crosslands is currently 100% leased to an extensive line-up of national retailers.

 

The property’s anchors include The Fresh Market, Burlington, Academy Sports, Hobby Lobby, Marshalls/HomeGoods and Ross. The center is ranked in the top 4% of Florida shopping centers by visits, drawing in 4.4 million shoppers annually (Placer.AI).

 

Located at 1100 W Osceola Pkwy. in Kissimmee, The Crosslands sits at a prime location at the intersection of Osceola Parkway and Orange Blossom Trail (±90,000 VPD), with over 3,000 feet of frontage.

Brian Gaswirth

Osceola Parkway is the primary-east west thoroughfare serving Kissimmee, providing visitors direct access to both Interstate-4 and Florida’s Turnpike. The property is less than 20 miles from Orlando’s Central Business District (“CBD”).

 In addition, the center provides convenient connectivity to the rapidly growing communities of St Cloud, Poinciana, Davenport and the over 70 million visitors annually at the nearby theme parks and attractions.

 

Within a five-mile radius is over 250,000 residents with a $76,000 average household income, and over 4,300 new residential units are planned or under construction within one mile of the property.

 

The JLL Capital Markets Debt Advisory team was led by Senior Managing Directors Jon Mikula and Michael Klein, Managing Director Brian Gaswirth, and Analysts Michael Kavaler and Val McWilliams.

Michael Kavaler 

“Retail fundamentals in Orlando remain among the strongest in the nation, and this transaction highlights that bank liquidity remains readily available for centers with strong surrounding demographics," Gaswirth said.

 

 "We are grateful for the expertise brought to the table by the sponsors and look forward to the continued partnership and ongoing success of this property.”

 

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 sales and advisory, debt advisory, equity advisory or a recapitalization.

The Crosslands, a 529,212- SF retail center
located in Kissimmee, FL

 

The firm has more than 3,000 Capital Markets specialists worldwide with offices in nearly 50 countries.

 

For more news, videos and research resources on JLL, please visit our newsroom.

 

CONTACT:

 

Jenna Sharp

JLL, Public Relations, Capital Markets

Dallas, Texas

M +1 214 394 3356

Jenna.Sharp@jll.com