National
Economy Watch: Construction Spending Flat in May
Residential construction was up 0.5 percent and non-residential construction was down 0.3 percent, leading total construction to remain flat for the month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Compared to May 2016, however, all major nonresidential construction categories enjoyed increased spending.
Harrison Street Opportunistic Fund Raises $1.1B
Fund VI—which will focus on education, health care and storage assets—surpassed its $850 million target by a long shot, with contributions from more than 65 institutional investors.
Ventas Exits SNF Business With $700M Sale
The company has reaffirmed its decision to sell 36 skilled nursing facilities to an affiliate of Blue Mountain Capital Management.
Economy Watch: More Americans Traveling for July 4 Than Ever
The hospitality sector and, to a lesser extent, the retail sector are set to benefit from record 44.2 million Americans expected to travel during the 2017 Independence Day holiday period, according to an AAA forecast.
Six Drivers for Tomorrow’s Hot Cities
While U.S. gateway cities will continue to be popular, many investors and developers will shift into second-tier and interior markets during the next decade.
Merger of Drugstore Giants Changes Course
Under the new $5.2 billion deal, Walgreens Boots Alliance will purchase 2,186 stores from Rite Aid Co., along with three distribution centers and related inventory.
Economy Watch: Food & Beverage Sales May Help Ailing Shopping Centers
Restaurants and other eateries account for more than 20 percent of units in new and redeveloped shopping centers in mature markets, according to a recent Cushman & Wakefield report. This trend will likely continue as consumer spending on eating out is expected to grow over the next decade.
Economy Watch: U.S. GDP Edges Up in Q1
A 1.4 percent increase in U.S. real GDP for the first quarter of the year was down from the growth seen in the fourth quarter of 2016, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. But consumers remain confident about the state of the U.S. economy.
Griffin Taps Transwestern to Manage Large Mixed-Use Portfolio
The portfolio encompasses more than 4.5 million Class A office and industrial space and is located primarily in the Southwest and West regions of the U.S.
Berkshire Hathaway Invests $377M in STORE Capital
STORE issued 18.6 million shares of company stock in a private placement to a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire at a price of $20.25 per share.