Stirling Properties Brokers Sale of 38,443-SF Former Bassett Home Furnishings Building in Gulfport, MS
Stirling Properties recently brokered the sale of the 38,443-square-foot former Bassett Home Furnishings building located on 1526 E. Pass Road in Gulfport, Mississippi. The retail/warehouse building sits on 3.3 acres of land adjacent to the new Rouses Market.
The buyer was Lagniappe Construction, a national senior living construction company, who plans to utilize the facility for its home office staff, training, and regional material logistics.
Bassett Home Furnishings closed this location in June of 2019 after 15 years in business, and the building was placed on the market for sale.
Melissa Warren, CCIM, Senior Advisor with Stirling Properties, represented the seller on the sale of the property. Stephanie Schmitt, with Century 21, worked with the buyer.
Torchy’s Tacos and AT&T Store Headed to LSU’s Nicholson Gateway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
LSU and Stirling Properties announced today that Torchy’s Tacos and AT&T will fill two more retail spaces in the university’s Nicholson Gateway Development, a mixed-use project located on a 28-acre site of the Nicholson Drive Corridor, between West Chimes Street and Skip Bertman Drive.
The two new tenants join anchor retailer Matherne’s Market, Wendy’s, Starbucks, Private Stock, Frutta Bowls, The Simple Greek and Baton Rouge General Express Care in the roughly 50,000-square-foot retail component of Nicholson Gateway. With the addition of these two tenants, all the first-floor retail space in the project is now fully leased.
Torchy’s Tacos, a popular Austin, TX-based taco chain, will open its first location in Louisiana in early 2020, occupying more than 4,000 square feet of space on the end cap facing Nicholson Drive. The fast-casual restaurant is known for its Tex-Mex-inspired menu, including a variety of unique tacos and signature cocktails. Torchy’s started in 2006 as a food truck and has since grown to more than 60 locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and Arkansas.
AT&T will fill 1,675 square feet of retail space next to The Simple Greek, facing Nicholson Drive. The mobile phone sales, service and accessories provider plans to open in January of 2020.
Stirling Properties’ commercial real estate advisors Rhonda Sharkawy and Dottie Tarleton worked with both tenants to secure locations in the retail development. An additional 11,000+ square feet of rooftop space is available for lease.
The LSU Property Foundation, an affiliate of the LSU Foundation, is facilitating Nicholson Gateway. Stirling Properties is serving as the retail developer and leasing broker on the project, working with the prime developer, Georgia-based RISE Real Estate, which specializes in student housing. Stirling Properties will also handle ongoing retail property management.
Opening last fall, Nicholson Gateway includes 763 units of apartment-style housing for more than 1,500 students, with associated residential support spaces, such as lounge spaces, study areas, community gathering places. The project turned what has traditionally been the back of the campus into an exciting new gateway district while responding to demands for on-campus housing and supporting student success, improving the campus living experience for both undergraduate and graduate students.
For retail leasing information, please contact Dottie Tarleton at dtarleton@stirlingprop.com or 225-922-4253 or Rhonda Sharkawy at rsharkawy@stirlingprop.com or 504-620-8145.
For student leasing information, visit lsu.edu/nicholson.
What Does Triple Net (NNN) Mean?
The Popularity of NNN Deals
Single-tenant, triple net (NNN) deals have become one of the most prevalent and often traded types in commercial real estate. However, despite the popularity, triple net deal structures are still commonly misunderstood by many commercial real estate practitioners.
Triple net deals usually offer new, or nearly new real estate and are generally secured by long-term leases to national tenants. In addition to rent, an NNN tenant is responsible for operating expenses, or the “net” amount of three costs: real estate taxes, insurance and maintenance. (In other commercial property transactions, these costs would usually be the responsibly of the owner or landlord.)
NNN deals are appealing to all types of investors because they offer stable cash flows, attractive financing and unique tax benefits.
Characteristics of a Triple Net Investment
NNN investments are usually secured by long-term leases of 10 to 20 years and offer low risk with a steady monthly income stream. Typically, the long-term tenant is responsible for all maintenance and upkeep of the property with little, if any, responsibilities left to the investor. This makes NNN deals an attractive option for investors who lack time or experience to manage commercial real estate or who may be looking for a better return than is available in their specific market area.
NNN investments vary in price points from as little as $500,000 for a property leased by a small company or franchise up to $20 million for big-box retailers and similar properties. This investment type can include office buildings, malls, industrial parks or freestanding buildings.
Cap rates for NNN deals typically start at 5% for the highest-rated tenants with choice real estate and range up to 9% for tenants with lower credit ratings and non-traditional lease structures.
The Triple Net Benefits
NNN deals offer many benefits to investors, including providing a long-term solution to allow investors to meet their goals despite short-term market instability. The primary benefits that NNN deals should include are:
- Long-term lease secured by stable, credit tenant with national recognition
- Minimal management responsibilities
- Clear description of who is responsible for each expense
- All expenses should be payable by the tenant
- Scheduled rental increases over the life of the lease
- A clear understanding of any lease options
- An assessment of the underlying real estate and its residual value and usefulness at the end of the primary term
Challenges Associated with NNN Leased Properties
Just like all other investment types, there are certain risks and disadvantages that go along with NNN leased properties. They generally do not offer much of an opportunity for short-term profit, and they are less liquid than other types of investments. There is also the remote possibility that the tenant could go out of business, be acquired or merge with a competitor, leaving the building dark.
Even if the tenant has strong credit, the type of business may affect investment value. For instance, a general-purpose use—where tenant improvements are easily convertible to another tenant’s needs—is more desirable than a special use building with limited utility for future tenants. Fast food uses are one example of this issue, but certainly not the only one. Despite these possible risks, NNN investments offer a unique combination of market advantage and financial reward that makes them attractive to many investors.
If you want the best return available in your market, then you should consider this type of commercial real estate investment. Please feel free to reach out to me or one of our commercial advisors for questions or more information.
Ben Graham, CCIM can be reached at (225) 329-0268 or bgraham@stirlingprop.com.
New Rouses Market-Anchored Retail Development Coming to Lake Charles, Louisiana
Anticipated construction completion in the spring of 2020.
Stirling Properties commercial real estate company is pleased to announce that a new Rouses Market-anchored retail development is coming to Lake Charles, Louisiana. Developed by the Eisenberg Company, the roughly 90,000-square-foot development will be located on 10.25 acres on Nelson Road at Ham Reid Road in South Lake Charles. Eisenberg Company recently completed construction of its first Rouses Market-anchored shopping center, Arlington Marketplace, in Baton Rouge on the corner of Lee and Burbank.
Anchor-tenant Rouses Market will occupy approximately 44,000 square feet of retail space. Construction of the state-of-the-art, ground-up grocery store commenced last week, and it is expected to open in the fall of 2020. This marks the 3rd Rouses Market location for the Lake Charles area.
Rendering courtesy of Rouses Facebook
Stirling Properties’ commercial advisors are serving as the listing agents for the retail project. Justin Langlois, CCIM, Ben Graham, CCIM and Seth Citron are working diligently to fill the remainder of the property and bring new tenants to the market. Additional pad sites and shop space is available for sale, lease or build to suit.
“This exciting new Rouses Market-anchored retail development is centrally located within the fastest growing area in the region. Some of our ideal tenants for the space include quick-serve establishments, soft goods and service providers, and restaurant options,” said Citron. “Lake Charles is in the midst of an economic boom resulting in new job growth and subsequently population growth. We expect to see new companies and major retailers entering and expanding in this market—and we look forward to welcoming them very soon.”
Stirling Properties is located at 1400 Ryan Street, Suite B in Lake Charles, La. For sales and leasing information, contact Justin Langlois, CCIM at (225) 329-0287 / jlanglois@stirlingprop.com, Ben Graham, CCIM at (225) 329-0268 / bgraham@stirlingprop.com or Seth Citron at (337) 572-0273 / scitron@stirlingprop.com.
HOTWORX Hits 100
Stirling Properties brokers 100th retail location milestone for fitness franchise as part of rapid expansion plan.
Stirling Properties announces that new fitness concept HOTWORX has secured its 100th retail location in Southlake, Texas. The fitness franchise, which opened its first store in 2017, now operates in 20 states across the country and anticipates another 75-100 national locations in the pipeline over the next year, as well as international growth.
Two years ago, Stirling Properties was selected to exclusively represent HOTWORX, a new-to-market fitness concept, in its aggressive expansion efforts across the U.S. Stirling Properties’ commercial advisors worked with the company to identify and secure retail locations in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. Now, HOTWORX has its sight set on international expansion efforts. Last month, the company officially closed the deal with a Master Franchisee for Australia.
HOTWORX—founded in New Orleans, LA—is revolutionizing the fitness industry by providing the ultimate hot exercise experience and is the first to launch a 24/7 business franchise model using its proprietary patented technology. It is a virtually instructed exercise program created for users to experience the many benefits of infrared heat absorption while completing a 30-minute isometric workout or 15-minute high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session. As the infrared heat penetrates the body, the isometric postures further accelerate detoxification by physically removing toxins from organs through muscle contraction.
Joe Gardner, CCIM, and Thomas Bryan, Stirling Properties’ Advisors, serve as the exclusive national tenant rep brokers for HOTWORX. Utilizing the Retail Brokers Network (RBN) and the local knowledge of individual brokers across the country, the dynamic duo is working diligently to secure the ideal store locations for the fitness concept.
HOTWORX in Orlando, Florida
“HOTWORX provides a first-in-class fitness program in the niche infrared exercise market. The franchisor utilized a tremendous amount of knowledge and input to create a business model that minimizes risk and maximizes customer experience—you simply can’t order this type of service online. We are proud of the extraordinary success of our client and look forward to helping them bring more retail locations to market soon,” said Bryan.
“We are overwhelmed by the countless, positive testimonials we receive from our HOTWORX customers, and we are confident that increasing consumer access to the HOTWORX brand—by securing more locations across the country—will only create more stories to be celebrated. We’re excited to continue our successful partnership with Stirling Properties to grow our business,” said Stephen Smith, HOTWORX CEO.
“HOTWORX is growing faster than any other fitness concept in the country. One of the biggest attributes of this success is its desirability among landlords and property owners,” said Gardner. “Fitness is currently one of the most attractive space users in commercial real estate because of its ability to drive traffic to neighboring retailers and encourage repeat visits from customers.”
Fitness is driving growth in retail real estate. According to a report from ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers), Mixed-Use Properties: A Convenient Option for Shoppers, from 2008 and 2018, the number of fitness centers in shopping centers (including traditional/boutique gyms, yoga, cross-fit and cycle studios) increased from 6,218 to 14,044.
Furthermore, incorporating a mix of tenant types, such as health and fitness centers alongside traditional retailers, draws additional, more frequent traffic—29% of consumers say the presence of non-retail tenants encourages more frequent shopping center trips—and creates excitement through one-of-a-kind experiences.
The health and fitness trend has taken the real estate business by storm, morphing into a more than $30 billion industry—with no signs of slowing down. New-to-market, niche concepts such as HOTWORX that are reinventing the way consumers exercise and even shop, have a bright future in the evolving retail landscape.
Stirling Properties Announces New Tenants at Hammond Square
Redevelopment of former Sears and Rite Aid stores into multi-tenant retail space.
Stirling Properties commercial real estate company is thrilled to announce that Michaels, HomeGoods, Five Below and PetSmart will join the tenant lineup at Hammond Square shopping center in Hammond, Louisiana.
Rhonda Sharkawy, Senior Retail Leasing & Development Advisor with Stirling Properties, handled the lease transactions on behalf of the landlord.
Michaels, HomeGoods and Five Below will occupy a newly constructed multi-tenant building on the parcel formerly occupied by Sears and Rite Aid. Michaels will lease 21,000 square feet, HomeGoods will lease 22,000 square feet and Five Below will lease 8,300 square feet. PetSmart will occupy approximately 15,000-square-foot store adjacent to Hibbett Sports. There will be a newly created outparcel at the corner of Hammond Square Drive and Palace Drive, near the entrance of the retail center. This outparcel is available for a future retail or restaurant up to 6,000 square feet.
Demolition of the former Sears and Rite Aid buildings was completed earlier this year to make way for the $15 million redevelopment project. Construction of the new space has commenced, and developers are recycling the crushed concrete from the building demolition to use for paving base material. Buildout is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2020 with the new retail tenants anticipated to open in the second quarter of 2020.
Also new to Hammond Square, Old Navy celebrated its grand opening this past spring. The new-to-market fashion retailer is located on Palace Drive between Zales and Shoe Dept. Encore. Poké City recently announced that it would open its 2nd Louisiana location at Hammond Square. The restaurant, serving Hawaiian-inspired food bowls, will occupy the former Which Wich location on Palace Drive between Menchie’s and GNC. It is expected to open this August.
“Stirling Properties is excited to welcome these first-class retailers to Hammond Square. They are all new to the Hammond market, and we are confident they will be extremely well-received by the surrounding Tangipahoa community. They complement our existing tenant mix perfectly—even further positioning Hammond Square as a leading shopping destination in the region. In addition, our leasing team is still working to secure additional retailers and restaurant options that we hope to be able to announce very soon,” said Grady Brame, Executive Vice President with Stirling Properties.
Hammond Square is Tangipahoa Parish’s premier shopping destination, located on approximately 100 acres at the northwest corner of Interstate 12 and US Highway 51 Business (SW Railroad Avenue) in Hammond, Louisiana. It is the 2nd largest open-air center in Louisiana encompassing over 902,000-square-feet of more than 40 national and local retailers, shops and restaurants, including Dillard’s, Target, The Home Depot, JCPenney, Academy Sports+Outdoors and AMC Theatres. Stirling Properties redeveloped Hammond Square and currently manages and leases the center.
For more information on Hammond Square, visit www.hammondsquare.com or facebook.com/hammondsquare. For leasing and sales information, contact Rhonda Sharkawy at (504) 620-8145 or rsharkawy@stirlingprop.com.
