Rate: L + 8.25% w/ floor of 9.0%
Term: 30 months
LTC: 75%
Prepayment Penalty: 9 months
Guaranty: Non-Recourse
Transaction Description:
George Smith Partners successfully advised on $33,000,000 in construction financing for a 27- unit luxury condominium project to be built in downtown Los Altos, CA. This high-end offering is the first larger scale project for the newly formed, but individually experienced sponsorship group. The Sponsor has significant historical ground-up experience and will self-perform as the General Contractor. GSP worked through several strategies with the Sponsor including preferred equity, mezzanine debt and an all in one, stretch-senior execution. Ultimately, GSP successfully obtained several highly reliable options for each strategy and the Sponsor selected an integrated full-service construction lender. GSP negotiated a land value contribution in excess of cost and as a result, the land lift allowed the Sponsor to invest less up-front equity than otherwise required to close the transaction.
The Sponsor projects completion of the project in late 2023. Due to the supply constrained market for the condo units, they expect the project to be completely sold out shortly thereafter.
Advisors
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Evan Kinne
Managing Director, GSP; CEO, AXCS Capital
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Ed Steffelin
Managing Director, GSP; President, AXCS Investments
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Jordan Lipton
Vice President
Related Financings
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$37,500,000 Non-Recourse, Stretch Senior Construction Loan for a Mixed-Use OpZone Development; Western States
September 22, 2021
Transaction Description:
George Smith Partners placed a $37,500,000 non-recourse, stretch senior construction loan for a 7-story ground-up development of a mixed-use OpZone Project. When complete, the Project will consist of 151 apartment units (including 14 Live/Work Lofts), approximately 15,000 sf of restaurant space, 10,000 sf of retail, and 12,000 sf of office space. The average apartment size is 730 sf, and most units will have private balconies with unobstructed views of the desert and city.
As the Project is a first of its kind in the surrounding area, finding appropriate comparable projects that would speak to the strength of this market proved to be a challenge. GSP focused on the Project as a marquee development and detailed the new employment opportunities from Google, and a hospital expansion, sports training facility, along with the emerging renaissance happening within the downtown area. GSP was able to demonstrate the immense intrinsic value from the ongoing renovation of the City Hall Plaza and Events Center — a 500-seat canopied amphitheater and 60,000 sf of programmable deck area for hosting community events — that sits directly across from the Project. GSP also worked through the Sponsor’s GMP budget with the Lender during a period of escalating cost, showcasing the strength of the Sponsor group in their local market. In turn, this created a comfort level needed by the Lender with regards to the commercial space of the Project.
GSP executed a broad and in-depth marketing campaign to help capital markets understand the opportunity appropriately. These efforts resulted in a successful close with proceeds achieving the Sponsorship’s objective.
Loan-To-Cost: 75%
Stabilized Loan-To-Value: 70%
Term: 24 Months + 6 Month Extension
Amortization: Interest-Only
Guaranty: Non-Recourse- Advisors: Matthew Kirisits