$3,700,000 Non-Recourse Refinance, Mixed-Use Retail and Office Property; Mission Viejo, CA

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners arranged $62,750,000 in non-recourse, bridge financing on a new construction, mixed-use property with 253 apartment units above 10,000 SF of retail in Longmont, CO—approximately 20 minutes northeast of Boulder. Despite delivering in the early stages of a global pandemic and statewide stay-at-home order, the building has maintained relatively robust lease-up velocity through unconventional marketing methods such as virtual touring. Amid such unprecedented market uncertainty, GSP successfully engaged a newly established debt fund to facilitate a cash-neutral, non-recourse refinance of the project’s maturing high-leverage construction debt, which could not be extended. The 75% loan-to-value bridge facility is priced at L+500 with a 36-month term and two 12-month extension options.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners placed the ground-up development financing for a 163 unit/31,700 square foot mixed use development in Azusa, California. The Transit Oriented Development was previously owned by the City of Azusa and awarded to the Developer via an RFP in 2016 and will include restaurants and a 3,500 square foot Laemmle art house Theater. The Orchard will be the latest project along Metro’s Gold Line which serves the San Gabriel Valley and connects the Valley to Downtown Los Angeles via a 42-minute commute through Pasadena, offering residents a lower cost of housing with ease of transit to employment centers. The Orchard will be a low-cost alternative to commuters considering similar TOD sites in Sierra Madre and Pasadena, amplifying housing options for the healthcare professionals at City of Hope and Kaiser, and providing relief to pent up student housing demand at Azusa Pacific University and Citrus College.

Sized to 80% of total cost, which included an increase in land and covered imputed equity once permits were ready-to-issue (RTI). Priced at LIBOR + 7.125%, the non-recourse construction loan limits all carve-outs and a capped completion guarantees to an entity. There are no “warm-body” signatures on any component of the financing. The three-year term allows for two additional nine-month options. Prepayment is limited to a minimum interest payment calculation and a 1-point exit fee.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners structured and placed a $460,000,000 non-recourse senior construction loan for the ground up development of Block 216, a landmark 1.1 million square-foot ground-up high-rise development in the heart of Portland, Oregon’s central business district. The 35-story luxury high-rise will be anchored by a 251-key five-star Ritz-Carlton hotel, the first five-star hotel in Portland. The development also features Ritz-Carlton branded residences, 140,000 square feet of Class A office space, and 7,800 square feet of ground floor retail, which will open up to a pedestrian “festival street.” Located at the intersection of the Central Business and Pearl Districts, Block 216 spans a full city block. This is extremely rare in Portland. Upon completion in 2023 Block 216, will be the fourth tallest high rise in Portland and the largest tower in Portland based on square footage.

Challenges:

Block 216 represents the first luxury, five star hotel and branded residential project in Oregon. It is also the first project with amenities common to luxury properties but absent in Portland thus far. This ground up development is also a true mixed used project with four different uses (hotel, residential, office and retail) in a single building.

Solutions:

GSP focused on Portland’s incredibly strong underlying fundamentals, including: its population of 2.5 million; its unemployment rate 50 basis points lower than the national average; its 1,200 tech companies (hence the name “Silicon Forest”); the impressive number of blue chip companies with presences in the market; and, the considerable number of institutional investors active in the market. GSP also stressed the Project’s unparalleled location and walkability to every major amenity in Downtown Portland as well as the 30 new conferences booked at the Portland Convention Center as a significant demand driver for five star accommodations.

GSP executed significant and high profile marketing to ensure the Project was appropriately received in the capital markets. These efforts resulted in a highly structured, non-recourse execution in less than six months from engagement.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners secured a $45,000,000 non-recourse cash-out loan for the refinance of an office and production studio property located in the heart of Hollywood, California. The Sponsor purchased the Property all-cash in late 2017, with the knowledge that the in-place tenant had an early 2018 lease maturity and would not be renewing. Shortly after purchasing the asset with no tenant in tow, the Sponsor signed a long term lease with a high profile media technology company for the entire property.

Challenges:

Despite a long term lease with a prominent credit tenant, the transaction posted numerous challenges. Transaction requirements included: a lender comfortable with the asset’s specialty use; a non-recourse execution; a structure with no prepayment penalty allowing for maximum flexibility in the event of a sale or refinance; no impounds, escrows or lockboxes; and $45,000,000 in proceeds at a sub 5% rate.

Solutions:

In addition to emphasizing the iconic nature of the asset and its trophy location, GSP demonstrated the significant value the Sponsor had unlocked by signing an accretive lease with a long term, credit tenant and the Sponsor’s significant cash investment remaining in the Property. GSP also provided sales and rent comps supporting the basis in the asset and the rental rate in the lease. These items ultimately allowed the Lender to get comfortable with the transaction.

The $45,000,000 non-recourse loan carries a 7-year term and floats at an attractive rate of Prime minus 25 bps (4.75% today). The loan requires no impounds, escrows or lockboxes and is freely prepayable at any time with no penalty or exit fee.

George Smith Partners arranged $33,000,000 of construction financing for a mixed-use project located in the Southwest. The project is set to include 165 micro-unit apartments, 20,000 square feet of retail, and 43,000 square feet of office space. The apartments comprise a majority of the income, but it was very hard to obtain quality comps given the lack of micro-unit inventory in the market. GSP identified a lender that was able to get comfortable with the micro-unit concept even with a lack of comparable properties. The Lender was also comfortable giving the Sponsor credit for an increase in the value of the land since acquisition, eliminating the need for any new cash at closing. The non-recourse loan is sized to 80% of total cost (including the appreciation in the land) and is priced at LIBOR + 8.75%. The financing carries an 18-month term with three, 6-month extensions.

Transaction Description:
George Smith Partners successfully placed a $13,740,000 acquisition bridge loan to acquire two land parcels and refinance three adjacent land parcels for a large mixed use hotel and condo development site in the heart of the Koreatown district of Los Angeles. With the final components of the land assemblage completed, the $200,000,000 mixed used development project is scheduled to break ground in March of 2018. Our Sponsor’s initial business plan was to build the mixed use project on three parcels of land previously held in his portfolio. The opportunity to acquire two adjacent parcels will allow him to double the total buildable square footage of the project. Fixed for 12 months, the non-recourse loan does not carry any prepayment penalty and closed in 5 days.

Challenges:
It was crucial to identify a lender who could close quickly, provide leverage, and waive any prepayment penalty. Due to the upcoming March 2018 groundbreaking, existing tenants on the current 3 parcel assemblage were all on short term leases with discounted rents. As a result, in place cash flow had been compressed and limited the ability for institutional lenders to get comfortable with the property and provide meaningful proceeds. Additionally, a fast close was necessary to take advantage of a seller discount.

Solution:
GSP identified an unconventional lender who focused on the future value of the five parcel assemblage and shovel ready development site rather than the current value based on in-place NOI. This capital provider closed the loan in 5 days, allowing the Sponsor to achieve a significant discount on the purchase price. The capital provider also waived all prepayment penalties, assuring the Sponsor would preserve significant capital once the subsequent construction loan is placed within the next few months.