Avison Young Oversees Sale Of $70 Million Transformco Distribution Center To Reich Brothers

Avison Young’s Florida Capital Markets Group has overseen the sale and closing of the Transformco Distribution Center, the largest single-building industrial asset in Florida spanning nearly 2 million SF, to Reich Brothers. The transaction closed for $70 million for the 1,937,892-square-foot Transformco Distribution Center, located at 655 SW 52nd Ave. in Ocala. With a sale-leaseback agreement, Transformco continues to occupy the property to operate its main distribution center for the entire Southeast U.S. region supporting Sears, Kmart, and Hometown stores. The transaction brings Avison Young’s Capital Markets Group’s investment sales closed in the past 60 days alone to more than $300 million

Avison Young Principal and Miami Managing Director Michael T. Fay; Principals Jay A. Ziv, CCIM, SIOR, ALC; John K. Crotty, CCIM; and David Duckworth; Vice President Brian C. de la Fé; Associate Berkley Bloodworth; and Associate Emily Brais negotiated the sale on behalf of Transform Holdco. The buyer was Reich Brothers, a national industrial real estate firm specializing in manufacturing and distribution facilities across the U.S.

“Industrial continues to be the hottest asset type for investment in Florida, with Ocala standing out due to its quick access to every major market in the state as well as Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama,” said Fay. “The Distribution Center offered Reich Brothers the opportunity to acquire a substantial, in-demand, cash-flow property in Central Florida.”

Despite new construction, Central Florida’s distribution market maintains a vacancy rate in the low single-digits. In addition to Transformco, major distribution users in Ocala include ClosetMaid, Chewy, AutoZone, FedEx, and several others. Less than five minutes from Interstate 75, the Sears Distribution Center is within a four-hour drive time of 14 million people.

Avison Young’s Florida Capital Markets Group also completed the disposition of the 126,336-square-foot Sears location at 9409 U.S. Hwy 19 in Port Richey, Florida.

Construction On Esplanade At Aventura Now Underway At Aventura Mall

The New York-based Seritage Growth Properties has begun construction on the first phase of Esplanade at Aventura, the 215,000 SF ground-up development featuring experiential retail, unique entertainment and fine dining in a luxurious open-air high-street retail setting on the 12.3 acre site of the former Sears store at Aventura Mall. Once completed, the esplanade will offer a diverse mix of leading domestic and international retailers and restaurants, many of which will be new to the South Florida market, creating a world-class attraction for residents and visitors. Esplanade at Aventura is designed by SB Architects and Rockwell Group, which will feature a pedestrian boulevard, large outdoor plazas, as well as multiple patio and rooftop dining and entertainment areas. The project will also bring a new parking garage. Seritage Growth Properties is a publicly traded real estate investment trust which split off of parent company Sears in 2015. Seritage Growth Properties owns over 230 Sears properties nationwide, many of which they lease back to the struggling retailer. In 2016 Seritage Growth Properties sued Aventura Mall over the $214 million expansion which they claim violated a long-standing agreement but the case was settled and mall expansion is now nearly complete. Esplanade at Aventura is scheduled to open in late 2019.

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Sears Lists Several Properties for Sale in Central Florida

Riding on the heels of an announcement last spring to close more than a 100 of its brick-and-mortar locations, Sears is continuing to unwind its real asset holdings. The struggling retailer has retained Avison Young Florida Capital Group in an exclusive to market and sell three department stores and the largest Sears distribution center in the state.

If successful, the sales will provide millions in much-needed cash flow to fund Sears struggling operations. The five properties, located in Daytona Beach, Port Richey, Tampa, and Ocala, total more than 2.35 million square-feet. The largest of the properties is the 1.93 million square-foot distribution center located at 655 Southwest 52nd Avenue in Ocala, and is also the largest industrial building in Florida.

Sale-leaseback deals have been a preferred method of disposition for Sears, which allow the retailer to downsize, but continue its day-to-day operations. It hopes to raise its liquidity and return to profitability.  

The Avison Young marketing team includes principal and managing director Michael T. Fay, principals John K. Crotty and David Duckworth, senior vice presidents Jay A. Ziv and Ray Hayhurst, and senior associates Joshua Ladle and Brian de la Fé.

Article by: Katya Demina