Transaction Overview
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.
