Wharton Realty Group Acquires Homestead Pavillion Shopping Center For $82 Million

The New Jersey-based Wharton Realty Group has acquired Homestead Pavillion Shopping Center for $82 million from a joint venture including CREC Capital, Highline Real Estate Capital, MMG Equity Partners, and Lubert-Adler Real Estate funds. CREC Capital’s co-founders Alan Esquenazi and Warren Weiser facilitated the sale of a 298,000 SF retail center located at 2400 NE 10th Ct in Homestead. Danny Finkle and Eric Williams from JLL represented the buyer in the transaction.

“The transaction represents a strategic acquisition for the New Jersey-based real estate company to position themselves in an expanding bustling market,” said Alan Esquenazi, Co-Founder & Partner of CREC Capital. “The purchase further validates the strength of the South Florida retail market and the robust recovery in retail space post-pandemic.”

During the pandemic, the JV ownership group fully leased the property by securing tenants including Sprouts Farmers Market, Target, Dr. Limon, and Body Details. This dominant retail center in southern Miami-Dade County serves Homestead, Cutler Ridge, and the Florida Keys. The joint venture retained ownership of Target, Raising Canes, and Murphy Oil.

“Despite the pandemic’s challenging effects on the marketplace, we were able to line up anchor and in-line tenants which elevated the existing tenant base and supported a favorable execution for both sides of the transaction,” said Warren Weiser, Co-Founder & Partner of CREC Capital.

Wharton Realty Group is a premier real estate company based in New Jersey focused on managing and leasing diversified properties across the country with over one thousand tenants.

The resilience of the South Florida retail market throughout the pandemic has made it a hot spot for retail investors. Investment sales volume for retail assets in Miami-Dade County surged by 164.3% in 2021 reaching a total deal volume of $577 million, compared to the pre-pandemic year 2019 where the total trade volume of retail assets was $218 million.

Related Group and Merrimac Ventures Joint Venture Acquires Miami Worldcenter Development Site For $12 Million

A joint venture between Related Group and Dev Motwani’s Merrimac Ventures has acquired a development lot in Miami Worldcenter for $12 million from Miami Worldcenter Associates. The .6 acre lot is located at 601 North Miami Avenue and 25 Northeast Sixth Street and is currently used as a surface parking lot. The site is one of the last remaining parcels available at Miami Worldcenter.

“Related Group and Merrimac Ventures are proud to align for the first time on a transformative project within Miami Worldcenter. More details will be shared in the coming weeks.” Said the development partnership in a statement.

Miami Worldcenter Associates is led by Art Falcone and Dev Motwani’s brother Nitin Motwani. The $4 billion, 27-acre mixed-use project in Downtown Miami is currently under development spanning 10 city blocks. Miami Worldcenter will feature a diverse mix of residential, commercial and hospitality uses complemented by approximately 300,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space. These include two completed residential buildings--the 60-story PARAMOUNT Miami Worldcenter condominium and the 43-story Caoba luxury apartment tower. Approximately 150,000 square feet of retail has been completed for tenant build-outs, and another 130,000 square feet is currently under construction and nearing delivery. Construction is nearing completion at ZOM’s 43-story Bezel Miami Worldcenter residential tower and at the 351-room citizenM hotel, both of which are expected to open later this year.

Complementing Miami Worldcenter’s open-air retail will be World Square, a 20,000-square-foot public plaza and park. Designed as a central gathering place and outdoor event space, World Square will serve as the heartbeat of the city-within-a-city featuring an abundance of shade trees, works of art by local and international artists, and oversized, pedestrian-friendly sidewalks lined with dining, entertainment, and retail concepts.

Miami Worldcenter is within walking distance of Museum Park, home to Pérez Art Museum Miami and the Frost Museum of Science; FTX Arena; the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts; and Miami Dade College’s Downtown Miami campus. It is also adjacent to Brightline’s MiamiCentral station, which will soon offer direct train service to Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando, together with access to TriRail, the Metromover and the Metrorail – making Miami Worldcenter the largest and most connected transit-oriented development in Florida.

Moishe Mana Closes On Five Properties In Downtown Miami's Flagler District For $59.62 Million

Moishe Mana is steaming forward on plans for Downtown Miami’s Flagler District after closing on five properties in the past week for $59.62 million. Construction is progressing at several other of his properties in the neighborhood as the demand for office, retail and entertainment spaces in Miami increases. Moishe Mana first acquired three buildings at 100 N Miami Avenue, 173 NE 1st Street and 124 NE 2nd Avenue for $25,375,000. Together the properties total 50,197 sq. ft., situated on 28,750 sq. ft. of land. One week later Mana acquired the Shoreland Arcade building and 1 West Flagler following the acquisition of another three buildings in the neighborhood just last week. The Shoreland Arcade is located at 120 NE 1st Street. and spans 89,994 sq. ft., situated on a 37,994 sq. ft. lot of land. It was acquired for $29.5MM and 1 West Flagler, a 7,900 sq. ft. building was acquired for $4,750,000.

“The Flagler District is the only destination fully equipped to respond to the sky-rocketing demand for office, retail and entertainment space. We’re moving forward with development and approaching completion of key assemblages, adding historic pieces that are central for carrying out our vision for this neighborhood,” said Moishe Mana.

Colliers Urban Core Division Executive Managing Director Mika Mattingly and Senior Associate Cecilia Estevez represented both the buyers and sellers in each off-market transaction. The sellers of the first three building assemblage were SG&S Inc and Flexini Investments Inc. and the second properties were sold by Broks Center LTD.

“Transformative developments taking shape in downtown Miami, along with organic growth of quality retail and restaurants in the area, have resulted in a migration of people seeking a true work, live, play environment,” said Mattingly. “After years of being ignored by the investment community, everyone is rushing to own a piece of downtown Miami, fueling an insatiable desire for real estate in this submarket. Transactions like this are reducing the inventory available for investment, with very few opportunities of this size and scale remaining in downtown.”

Moishe Mana, CEO of Mana Common, is the largest private landowner in Miami with a significant assemblage of over 60 properties spanning more than 1.3 million square feet in downtown Miami’s Flagler District. Under his real estate division, Mana Properties, the visionary entrepreneur has begun construction on several sites in downtown Miami including at the Nikola Tesla Innovation Hub, the first building on track for completion.

“The Flagler District is on its way to becoming the best neighborhood in America,” said Moishe Mana. “We are turning the downtown core into Miami's economic engine. What the people of Miami really need are jobs-- high-paying, long-term, wealth-creating jobs, so those that built Miami into a global destination can benefit from its prosperity.”

As downtown Miami continues to flourish with the return of global capital and major developments underway, Moishe Mana intends to transform the neighborhood into a global hub for tech and innovation, connecting North and Latin American markets. The vision comes from a thoughtful intent to support commercial development in the downtown core as the demand for office and retail spaces in Miami increases.

‘The sleeping giant that was Downtown Miami is finally roaring awake after a hundred years of slumber,” said Mika Mattingly. “Downtown is evolving organically into the coolest place in Miami. What other location has those exquisite historical buildings?”

Mast Capital Acquires Prime 2.8-Acre Site In Brickell To Develop 3-Tower Luxury Mixed-Use Project

Miami-based developer Mast Capital closed on the 2.8-acre site located at 1420 S Miami Ave for $103 million. The site is located on the southern edge of the Brickell Central Business District market and represents one of the last remaining raw parcels of land available to build a high-rise development of scale in the area. Mast Capital partnered with private equity real estate firm Rockpoint for acquisition of the multifamily component, the third joint venture between the two firms in 2021.

Mast Capital submitted site plans for a master-development totaling 2.6 million square feet across three residential towers, including an 80-story luxury condominium tower with 400 residences, and two multifamily towers, 50 stories and 60 stories each, with a combined 850 luxury apartments. The condominium tower will be affiliated with a luxury lifestyle brand with plans to provide resort-style amenities, including food and beverage services exclusively for resident use. The development will also include 1,650 parking spaces and ground-floor retail on South Miami Ave.

The site has been highly anticipated and coveted for development dating back 15 years. In the mid-2000s, the site was planned as “Capital at Brickell”, a two-tower project consisting of residential, office, hotel, and retail uses. Foundation work began in 2007, but the project was abandoned during the Great Recession. In 2014, a China-based corporation acquired the site and received plan approvals for a project that included two towers spanning 75- and 73-stories. However, this development was also shelved after years of uncertainty regarding the future of the project. Mast Capital and the seller agreed to an off-market purchase of the site earlier this year.

“We are excited by the potential to create a thoughtful, iconic project that will define and anchor south Brickell. This project will transform the character of the neighborhood and it is a great privilege to be given this rare opportunity,” said Camilo Miguel, Jr., CEO and founder of Mast Capital. “We believe Brickell will continue to outperform from the ongoing demographic shift. Our vision is to offer a differentiated product that stands out from the current offerings and appeals to a wide variety of residents.”

Brickell has achieved robust rent growth and outpaced the market at large in 2021. Since Q1 2021, rents for condos built in Brickell over the last five years increased over 30% on the back of strong in-migration to Miami. While the influx of new residents to the area seeking a cosmopolitan lifestyle, warm weather, and favorable tax environment is not new, this trend has dramatically accelerated since mid-2020.

”While South Florida was seeing strong growth prior to the pandemic, it became evident to us early on that the pandemic would result in further tailwinds for South Florida. We worked hard to identify attractive investment opportunities and as a result have had a very active 18 months. The closing of the Brickell site is the culmination of a very exciting 2021 for Mast Capital,” added Camilo Miguel, Jr.

Black Lion Investment Group Acquires Commercial Units In South of Fifth's Marea Featuring RED Steakhouse And KoSushi Spaces

Black Lion Investment Group (“Black Lion”) has acquired an entire block of commercial condo units at the base of the iconic Marea building in the heart of Miami Beach’s South of Fifth (“SoFi”) neighborhood. The six-story building at 801 South Pointe Drive was originally developed by the famed Related Group and features 30 luxury residential condos atop the commercial units. Black Lion purchased the 19,100 square feet of premium commercial real estate space for $19,000,000 on December 17, 2021. President and Chief Executive Officer, Fabio Faerman, and Executive Director, Sebastian Faerman, of FA Commercial facilitated the transaction.

Existing tenants include RED Steakhouse, a Miami Beach mainstay for over a decade, and KoSushi, the establishment that debuted the Michelin-starred restaurant in the United States after being awarded the distinction in Brazil upon its opening in 2015. Black Lion has the intent of introducing additional flagship restaurants to the property.

“The entire Miami market has rapidly evolved into the epicenter for fine dining and high-end nightlife experiences over the last several years,” said Robert Rivani, president of Black Lion. “Our objective for the investment in Marea is to invite more fine dining restaurants to this culinary and cultural mecca to further elevate Miami’s reputation on a global scale. We have multiple world-renowned food and beverage concepts in the works and anticipate that even more international and domestic visitors will be attracted not only to our restaurants but to the vibrancy of this burgeoning market overall.”

Other notable restaurants in the SoFi neighborhood include Joe's Stone Crab, Smith & Wollensky, Carbone, Papi Steak, and Estiatorio Milos. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey recently announced that he'll be opening his first-ever Miami restaurant, Lucky Cat, just steps from the Marea building.

Forte Capital and Sheridan Capital Partnership Acquires Wynwood Commercial Property For $6.35 Million

Forte Capital, led by Chaim Cahane, and Sheridan Capital have acquired 2830 NW Fifth Ave. in Wynwood from Alex Karakhanian’s LNDMRK Development for $6.35 million. The buyers plan to reposition the existing 14,000-square-foot building at 2830 NW Fifth Ave. into creative offices. DWNTWN Realty Advisors Co-Founders and Managing Partners Tony Arellano and Devlin Marinoff represented both the seller and buyer in the transaction which closed on December 16.

“This property is perfectly positioned within Wynwood’s core pedestrian district and at the intersection of the neighborhood’s high-density main access corridor,” Arellano said. “We successfully marketed the building as an unparalleled adaptive re-use opportunity. The buyers will do a tremendous job executing that plan.”

The property features private gated parking, high ceilings and quick access to highways. It is walking distance to some of Wynwood’s most notable projects and landmarks, including 545wyn, the Wynwood Building, Love Life Café, Morgan’s and the Wynwood Garage.

“Wynwood is the talk of the nation, given the substantial technology and finance migration to the neighborhood,” Marinoff said. “This building will cater to the demand for cool and creative office space in Wynwood. As we head into 2022, there is still incredible demand from the investment world for acquisition and development opportunities here.”

The Last Development Parcel on The Ultra-Luxury Fisher Island Under Contract to Related Group, Teddy Sagi and BH Group Joint Venture

A joint venture between real estate leaders Related Group, Teddy Sagi and BH Group are under contract on Parcel 7, the last available development parcel in Miami Beach’s historic Fisher Island. The partnership plans to develop an ultra-luxury boutique condominium in what has come to be known as America’s wealthiest zip code. The purchase price was not disclosed.

“We couldn’t be more excited to finally have the opportunity to develop on the island,” said Jon Paul Pérez, Related President. “Fisher Island has such a rich history and unmatched level of privacy; there’s really nothing else like it in Miami or the country. We look forward to delivering a product that pushes the bar even higher for this incredible neighborhood.”

This is the third acquisition for the Related, Teddy Sagi and BH joint venture, closely following high-profile purchases in West Palm and the City of North Miami. The two powerhouse firms continue to aggressively pursue additional joint opportunities throughout South Florida.

BH Group, the Miami-based private investment and real estate company, works in partnership with Globe Invest, a leading real estate investment manager in UK & Europe owned by acclaimed entrepreneur Teddy Sagi.

“We are only interested in the most marquee locations in Miami, and it is impossible to find anything better than Fisher Island,” said Teddy Sagi. “Despite the increasing levels of demand for top-tier parcels, we are bullish on the long-term potential of Florida. There is plenty of runway in this market.”

The 216-acre fisher island is located right off the coast of Miami Beach and is only accessible via ferry or watercraft. It has long been known as one of the country’s most exclusive communities, featuring a private golf course and beach, as well as a variety of lavish amenities, from butler service to a resident’s only restaurant. The man-made island has been home to many of Miami’s most iconic figures, including the heir to railroad fortune William K. Vanderbilt. It has also been home to some of the region’s most high-profile real estate listings.

Miami-Based Private Equity Group Galium Capital Continues Rapid Expansion With Acquisition of Hanover Cross Street In Baltimore, MD

Galium Capital, LLC, a Miami-based private equity group, has announced the acquisition of Hanover Cross Street in Baltimore, MD. Hanover Cross Street is a 299-unit institutional-grade multifamily apartment building with an additional 12,000 square feet of retail located in Baltimore, MD. The transaction closed on November 17, 2021. Bill Roohan & Brian Margerum from CBRE brokered the transaction. Stephen West & Matthew Wallach from Walker Dunlop secured debt from Freddie Mac.

“The DC-Baltimore corridor is one the strongest markets for multifamily in the US. Its resilient industry mix and high job growth will directly benefit performance of the rental market over time. We are excited to be acquiring such a premier asset in the heart of Federal Hill – which is among the most attractive neighborhoods of the submarket. The acquisition of Hanover Cross Street allows us to continue our strategy of acquiring irreplaceable assets for value creation and wealth preservation,” said Jacques Bessoudo, Managing Partner of Galium Capital.

Hanover Cross Street is a luxury apartment community in Baltimore, MD which was developed in 2018 and is located at 101 W Cross St, Baltimore MD, 21320. The property features 299 units, world-class amenities and 12,000 square feet of retail.

Units at Hanover Cross Street range from studio to two bedroom floor plans and 557 to 1,312 square feet. Residences feature large bedrooms; custom space-saving double-hung walk-in closets; spacious kitchens with stainless steel appliances and designer custom cabinetry; spa-inspired bathrooms with large soaking tubs, dual-vanity countertops and walk-in showers; wood-style flooring and full-size high-efficiency washer and dryers. Select residences feature private terraces and built-in computer desks.

Residents will have access to world class amenities such as a controlled-access parking garage with dedicated car charging stations, a cyber lounge with high-speed WiFi and iMac computers, conference areas with SMART TV's, a fully-equipped residents' clubhouse, media rooms with large screen TV's and surround-sound, and a 24-hour fitness center with tablet-integrated cardio machines.

Outdoor amenities include a resort-like grand courtyard with outdoor pool, in-pool chaise lounges and areas for sunning; lush landscaping, grilling and dining areas with social spaces for gathering; and an open-air loggia with large screen TV's and cozy seating areas.

“Given the strong market dynamics in the DC-Baltimore region, the Mid-Atlantic region has been a major area of focus for us. We are thrilled to be entering the Federal Hill submarket with this acquisition, which has proved to me one of the most sought-after neighborhoods in the metro,” said Jonathan Slomianski, Director of Acquisitions at Galium Capital.

Hanover Cross Street is located a short distance to Marc Train Camden Station, Cross Street Market, Baltimore's Inner Harbor, and M&T.

Galium Capital, LLC, is a Miami-based private equity group led by Jacques Bessoudo and Iser Rabinovitz. The company owns and manages a portfolio in excess of $600 million of commercial real estate assets across the multifamily, office, and retail sectors in major markets across the United States.

Recently, Galium Capital had been one of the most active buyers in the Houston, TX market. In the past 12 months Galium Capital has acquired over 1,100 residential units and 65K of retail square footage in prime locations throughout Houston’s Galleria submarket. In August Galium Capital closed on the 340-unit, LEED Gold-certified Millennium High Street for the group’s third acquisition in the Galleria-district after closing on on the 431-unit Tate Tanglewood in May 2021 and 361-unit, Fairmont on San Felipe in September 2020.

Major Food Group To Open Sadelle's In Coconut Grove At Former Tigertail + Mary Retail Condo Which Just Sold For For $5.5 Million

The Related Group and Terra Group joint venture that developed Park Grove in Coconut Grove has sold two retail condos in Park Grove including the former Tigertail + Mary restaurant space. Major Food Group, the restauranteurs behind Carbone and ZZ Sushi Club, will open their Sadelle’s concept at the former Tigertail + Mary space. The retail condo spans 5,731 SF with 1,000 SF of additional outdoor space/ seating and sold for $5,500,000. Fabio and Sebastian Faerman of FA Commercial at Fortune International Realty represented the sellers.

This marks the second transaction in 1 week for FA Commercial in the same building, selling out the commercial units in the park grove residences. The Related-Terra joint venture also sold the retail condo on the ground floor of Park Grove Residences, a three-tower luxury condo development, to a Mexican investment group for $6 million. That space spans just under 10,000 SF. FA Commercial represented the buyer and seller in that deal.

Electra America Hospitality Group Acquires The Conrad Miami Hotel In Brickell Arch Tower

Electra America Hospitality Group (EAHG), a joint venture between Electra America and AKA, has acquired the Conrad Miami hotel in Brickell for $75.33 million. The seller was AG-M Miami Hotel Owner LLC, a JV partnership between the Miami-based Mast Capital and the New York-based Angelo Gordon. The transaction was funded with a $58 million loan from OWS BCA Funding LLC. Andrew Dickey, Gregory Rumpel and Maciej Polek of JLL represented the seller in the transaction.

The Conrad Miami hotel is located in the Brickell Arch Tower, an iconic, 36-story mixed-use tower on Brickell Avenue in the heart of Miami’s financial district. The hotel includes 201 guestrooms, an 11-story atrium, a sky lobby, a fitness and spa facility, a rooftop swimming pool, event venues including, ballroom, small meetings and pre-function spaces. The hotel will be converted to “Hotel AKA Brickell,” immediately following acquisition, offering a mix of short-term and extended-stay lodging options catering to the upscale leisure and corporate traveler.

This marks EAHG’s third hotel acquisition since the joint ventured launched in early 2021 with the intent to acquire and reposition underperforming hotels in gateway cities. EAHG also recently acquired a 194-room hotel in New York City and another 178-room hotel in Old Town Alexandria in the Washington, D.C. metro area. It also marks AKA’s entry into the robust Miami market. AKA, which specializes in accommodations designed for longer stays with exceptional business, wellness, and lifestyle amenities in well-known neighborhoods, operates 14 properties in New York City, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and London.

“In our initial six months, EAHG has been extremely active and all right down the fairway of our business plan,” said Russ Urban, CEO of EAHG. “All are in extremely high growth gateway markets with a balance of transient and corporate business not reliant on the lagging group segment. In addition to the already recovered leisure market, the acquisition of the Brickell Miami property is particularly exciting because of the recent tsunami of corporate relocations to Miami. Dozens of high-profile technology firms and financial institutions from New York and internationally have announced plans to open offices in Miami’s downtown and Brickell neighborhoods. Now, more than ever, we are confident that corporate and business-related travel will return strong and that high-end, multi-night stay properties in Miami’s urban core will be in high demand.”

“We’ve always envisioned AKA in Miami, a market that is globally appealing, vibrant and filled with opportunity,” said Larry Korman, President of AKA and co-CEO of Korman Communities. “Finding the perfect property is always a journey, and we knew we found a gem in this architecturally significant and well-located high-rise offering. The breadth of design, culture and energy adds great synergy with the DNA of AKA, and we are beyond thrilled to introduce the AKA brand to Brickell Miami.”

EAHG intends to invest roughly $11 million in additional renovations to the property. The joint venture plans to remain active in pursuing other hotel opportunities in Miami, New York and Washington D.C., as well as in cities including Los Angeles and London.

Located at 1395 Brickell Avenue, Hotel AKA Brickell Miami is located in Brickell submarket, the city’s leading office market anchored by primarily financial, marketing and technology and travel sectors throughout the US, Europe and Central and South America. Microsoft, Silicon Valley Bank and CI Financial are among the companies that recently announced new offices in Brickell.