Gail Kalinoski
Kalinoski has been a contributing writer to Commercial Property Executive and Multi-Housing News since 2010 and previously wrote for three years for Commercial Property News. Gail has been a freelance writer and editor for more than 20 years, contributing to daily websites, magazines, weekly business newspapers, market intelligence newsletters, research reports, monthly B-to-B and consumer magazines. Earlier in her career, Gail worked for Gannett Corp. as an editor and reporter for 15 years. Gail has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Pace University.
Hyatt Buys Peabody Orlando for $717M
Hyatt Hotels Corp. has acquired The Peabody Orlando, a 1,641-key hotel, from UST Hotel Joint Venture for $717 million and will rebrand it as the Hyatt Regency Orlando Convention Center.
CBRE Tapped to Manage London’s Gherkin
CBRE Group is taking over management of the 516,668-square-foot, 40-story skyscraper in central London known as The Gherkin. One of the world’s most iconic commercial buildings, the mixed-use high-rise is nearing its 10th anniversary.
HCDA Approves Howard Hughes Corp.’s Project for 2 M-U Towers in Honolulu
Phase One of Ward Village, a massive mixed-use complex planned for 60 acres between downtown Honolulu and Waikiki, got a big boost this week when the Hawaii Community Development Authority approved two more towers to be built by the Howard Hughes Corp.
W. P. Carey Closes $110M Sale-Leaseback of State Farm Operation Center in Austin
Two W.P. Carey REIT affiliates – CPA 17 – Global and CPA 18 – Global – have acquired the State Farm Operations Center in Austin, in a sale-leaseback for $110 million, the REIT’s first Class A office property in the city.
Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force Releases New Strategy
One of the main messages of the 200-page report from President Obama’s Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force issued this week is that risks from extreme weather are growing more commonplace and federal, state and local governments must prepare for them by focusing on improving infrastructure, including electrical grids and telecommunications.
What Vornado’s 655 Fifth Ave. Buy Means for Manhattan’s CRE
Vornado Realty Trust has grabbed another prime Fifth Avenue location just as the retail rents there are passing $3,000 per square foot, paying $278 million for a majority stake in 655 Fifth Ave., a retail and office property with 50 feet of frontage on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue.
Blackstone, DDR Strike $332M Deal
A joint venture of retail REIT DDR Corp. and a Blackstone Group fund has acquired seven shopping centers with a total of 2.4 million square feet in major U.S. cities from a Regency Centers Corp. fund for $332 million, including $207 million of assumed mortgage debt and $28 million of new mortgage debt.
Tishman Speyer Grabs Iconic Chicago Tower
Global real estate owner, operator and developer Tishman Speyer now has 10 Chicago properties in its portfolio after closing on the acquisition of 190 South LaSalle, a Class A building in the city’s Central Loop, from CBRE Global Investors for a reported $211 million.
The ARCP Takeover
The New York-based REIT has gone from a value of $250 million in September 2011, when it began trading on NASDAQ, to an anticipated enterprise value of $10 billion by the end of the third quarter, when several high-profile merger-and-acquisition deals are expected to be completed.
Fairway Market to be Anchor Food Market at Hudson Yards
Fairway Market has become the latest company to lease space in the South Tower of the Hudson Yards project, taking nearly 46,000 square feet on the ground floor of the first office high-rise to be built in the 28-acre mixed-use development on Manhattan’s West Side.