In another sign of what's been happening in the market of late, the HRPT acquisition closed on an all-cash basis. A number of other large office transactions that have closed in the US lately have been all-cash purchases, illustrating as many market observers point out that there is plenty of capital on the sidelines, waiting for the right opportunities.
The Denver sale and other deals also reflect an uptick in investment sales generally, according to the latest reports from New York City-based Real Capital Analytics. Sales in the major commercial property sectors have either inched up across the US in recent months, or at least have begun to decline at a slower pace, according to RCA.
The buyers range from private investment groups to REITs, like Wakefield, MA-based Franklin Street Properties Corp., which last week disclosed that it had acquired a 111,469-square-foot, 100% leased office building within the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area in Chantilly, VA for $29 million. The acquisition brings Franklin's total portfolio of properties to 30 and illustrates, according to a statement by the firm, that "We continue to be very optimistic about the opportunities that are presenting themselves to acquire commercial properties at better pricing and value metrics than we have seen in the last several years."
Some of the increased activity is also reflected in the new listings of office buildings that are now going on the market. In Southfield, MI, for example, Hines has tapped the Chicago office of Holliday Fenoglio Fowler to market One Northwest Plaza. No asking price has been listed for the property, a class A project that is located at 28411 Northwestern Highway in southeast Michigan and totals 240,900 square feet.
Another building in play is the Worldwide Plaza in New York City. As GlobeSt.com reported recently, an investment group led by RCG Longview and George Comfort & Sons, has collapsed, with Deutsche Bank reportedly setting July 15 as the deadline for new bids. The bank took back the 47-story office tower at 825 Eighth Ave. and six other assets from Macklowe Properties last year after the developer defaulted on $5.8 billion in debt.
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