Retail Brokers Network (RBN) Names Chris Abadie As New President Elect
Stirling Properties’ Vice President and Manager of Commercial Brokerage, Chris Abadie, has been named 2017 President Elect of the Retail Brokers Network (RBN). He will assume the position on January 1, 2017.
The Retail Brokers Network (RBN), one of the nation’s largest retail real estate networking groups, announced the formation of the new Executive Committee to help facilitate RBN’s ongoing operations. The announcement was made following the organization’s mid-year meeting in Charleston, South Carolina.
The Executive Committee will be responsible for overseeing the Tenant, Restaurant and Investment Sales Councils as well as the Regional Directors, marketing RBN to customers and new member offices, implementing systems to increase activity within the network, financial management, and planning RBN’s participation in ICSC RECon.
“I am honored to serve as President Elect of the Retail Brokers Network,” said Abadie. “I am confident that my experience and professional knowledge give me the skill set to help position RBN as a valuable tool for its members and clients, and help them succeed in all their real estate needs and goals.”
Abadie has more than 16 years of experience in commercial real estate. Previously a Retail and Investment Sales Broker, his current focus at Stirling Properties includes directing sales efforts, new business development, recruitment and training of new agents. Abadie holds the designations of Certified Retail Property Executive (CRX), Certified Leasing Specialist (CLS), and Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM).
He is an active affiliate in the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the Louisiana CCIM Chapter, and the Commercial Investment Division of the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors (CIDNOMAR). Abadie is also an active member of RBN, serving as a member of the National Executive Committee, as well as representing Stirling Properties on the Tenant, Investment Sales, and Southeast Region Councils. Upon serving as President Elect next year, Abadie is slated to assume the role of President in 2018.
According to Debbie Currier, President of RBN, “The RBN network represents over 600 retail specialists across the US that help individuals and companies meet their real estate goals locally and nationally and our newly formed Executive Committee will provide the leadership structure that will help make RBN even more successful as we continue to grow.” She added, “I’m thrilled to welcome the Executive Committee members and I’m eager to work with them to accomplish our goals for 2017.”
Members of the new Executive Committee are former Regional or Council Directors that have an in-depth knowledge of the organization. The members of the 2017 committee are:
President – Debbie Currier
Currier Properties – Charlotte, North Carolina
President Elect – Chris Abadie
Stirling Properties – Covington, Louisiana
VP Operations – Tom Bruss
Commercial Property Associates – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
VP Marketing & Communications – Brad Umansky
Progressive Real Estate Partners – Rancho Cucamonga, California
VP Finance – Bryan Holt
Southpace Properties – Birmingham, Alabama
Secretary – Rob Samtman
Equity Retail Brokers – Plymouth Meeting, Philadelphia
Immediate Past President – Chuck Lanyard
The Goldstein Group – Paramus, New Jersey
The Louisiana Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Uncork the Cure Honors New Orleans’ Finest
Last Thursday, the Louisiana Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation presented the 9th Annual Uncork the Cure fundraising event at The Cannery in New Orleans. More than 300 guests attended and sampled champagnes and sparkling wines from around the world, as well as food from some of New Orleans’ best restaurants.
For the second year, Uncork the Cure honored New Orleans’ Finest, a selected group of outstanding young professionals that show exemplary leadership, are active in their communities and have excelled in their profession. Stirling Properties’ very own Sales & Leasing Executive, Carly Plotkin, was among the honorees. In addition to her outstanding accomplishments, Carly raised more than $4,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation!
“I am honored to be selected by the Louisiana Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as one of New Orleans’ Finest, and to advocate for and advance the exceptional work that the Foundation does in our community,” said Plotkin. “This devastating disease hits close to home at Stirling Properties—three of our employees are directly affected by cystic fibrosis through family and friends.”
Brandon Gerak, Carly Plotkin, Saban Sellers, Lewis Stirling
Stirling Properties is a proud supporter of the Louisiana Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Uncork the Cure. Funds raised by the event have helped spur dramatic progress in the lives of those affected by cystic fibrosis (CF). The disease causes debilitating lung infections that lead to premature death. It affects about 30,000 adults and children in the United States and 70,000 people worldwide.
“We still lose precious young lives to this disease every day. It’s more important than ever that we rally our community to fight CF,” said Executive Director Ashley Mills. “We are grateful for every sponsor, volunteer and donor who supports Uncork the Cure.”
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world’s leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis. The Foundation funds more CF research than any other organization, and nearly every CF drug available today was made possible because of Foundation support. Fifty years ago, most children with CF did not live long enough to attend elementary school. Today, people with CF are living into their 30s, 40s and beyond.
Congratulations, Carly, on being selected as one of New Orleans’ Finest and your support of the Louisiana Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation!
#StirlingProud
Exit 16 and Rock N Roll Sushi Join Tenant Lineup at Fremaux Town Center in Slidell, Louisiana
Stirling Properties and CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. are pleased to announce and welcome new tenants to Phase II of Fremaux Town Center in Slidell, Louisiana.
Exit 16 women’s clothing boutique has leased 2,223 square feet of space and opened for business last weekend. This marks the 2nd retail location for the Mississippi-based company.
Rock N Roll Sushi will occupy 2,040 square feet of space and is also expected to open early next year. This is the 2nd Louisiana location for the sushi restaurant franchise.
Ryan Pécot, Stirling Properties’ Senior Retail Leasing & Development Executive, handled both transactions.
Previously announced, Albasha Greek & Lebanese Restaurant is still on track to open mid-November, and Smoothie King, Pacific Dental Services and Chipotle Mexican Grill are expected to open in the first quarter of 2017.
Fremaux Town Center, anchored by Dillard’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Kohl’s and Best Buy, is a roughly 350-acre regional mixed-use development located at the southwest corner of Interstate 10 and Fremaux Avenue in Slidell, Louisiana. The center includes approximately 635,000 square feet of retail and restaurant options, as well as Springs at Fremaux Town Center’s 296 luxury residential apartment units, and Springhill Suites by Marriott now under construction. Additional phases are coming soon with added retail and office park.
Tenants include Albasha Greek & Lebanese Restaurant (coming late 2016), Allure Spa, Aveda, Bath & Body Works, Bellagio Nail Spa, Best Buy, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Books-A-Million, Buckle, Capital One, Carter’s, Charlotte Russe, Cheddar’s, Chico’s, Chipotle Mexican Grill (coming early 2017), Claire’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Dillard’s, dressbarn, Felipe’s Mexican Taqueria, Five Below, Five Guys Burgers & Fries, Forever 21 Red, Francesca’s, GNC, Goodyear, Great American Cookie Company, Journeys, Kirkland’s, Kohl’s, LA Fitness, Lane Bryant, LensCrafters, LOFT, Longhorn Steakhouse, Luxe 83, Marble Slab, Massage Envy, Mattress Direct, Michaels, Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse, Pacific Dental Services (coming early 2017), Panera Bread, Payless Shoes, PetSmart, Pier 1 Imports, Rack Room Shoes, Red Robin, rue21, Smoothie King (coming early 2017), Sports Clips, Springhill Suites by Marriott (coming 2017), Starbucks, Tesla (charging stations), T.J.Maxx, Torrid, Ulta Beauty, Verizon Wireless, Versona, Victoria’s Secret, Which Wich and Zales.
Fremaux Town Center is currently 97% leased, and jointly owned by affiliates of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. and Stirling Properties, LLC. Stirling and CBL manage and lease the property.
For leasing information, contact Ryan Pécot at 337.572.0246 / rpecot@stirlingprop.com or Tim Gilmore at 423.490.8358 / Tim.Gilmore@cblproperties.com.
Stirling Properties Brokers Sale of 14-Acre Property To Athlos Academies in Terrytown, Louisiana
Stirling Properties is pleased to announce the sale of 14 acres of property to Athlos Academies for a new charter school that will be located at 979 Behrman Highway in Terrytown, Louisiana.
Athlos Academies is preparing to build a 90,000-square-foot facility, including state-of-the-art classrooms and fully-equipped indoor physical fitness centers with both hardwood court and turf field space. The tuition-free, public school—Athlos Academy of Jefferson Parish—plans to open in the fall of 2017 and will serve approximately 900 K-6 students in its first year.
“I am proud to bring this opportunity to students where I live on the Westbank of Jefferson Parish,” says Ben Bourgeois, chair of the Athlos Academy of Jefferson Parish governing board. “This school will not only impact students, it will also contribute to the economic development of the community. We’re grateful to the many local organizations that recognize this and have already offered their support.”
Athlos Academies purchased the property from the Beninate Family represented by Nick Beninate, Mary Landry and Kathy Trauth.
Stirling Properties’ Sales and Leasing Executive, Joe Gardner, handled the transaction and says he is delighted with such progress for the area.
“Over the last 18 months, the Beninate family has consummated deals with DaVita Dialysis Clinic, Dollar General and now Athlos Academy. It’s great to work with sellers who are prudent as well as motivated to finalize deals,” said Gardner.
Athlos Academy of Jefferson Parish provides a unique approach to teaching and learning. Its mission is to provide high quality educational opportunities for children by building on three foundational pillars: Prepared Mind, Healthy Body, and Performance Character. Students will participate in daily scientifically-developed physical activity sessions, develop performance character traits, and benefit from a research-based academic curriculum that results in high academic achievement for all.
“Education is an important part of expansion and economic growth for any area,” said Gardner. “There is strong consumer demand for good schools, and demand increases real estate values; neighborhoods grow and retailers follow. It is a win-win for everyone.”
Stirling Properties has been at the forefront of commercial real estate in South Louisiana and the Gulf South region, and is committed to bringing quality retailers, developments and tenants to the area. Stirling Properties currently manages more than 16 million square feet of property, with close to 114 million square feet of property and land for sale or lease, almost exclusively in Louisiana.
For sales and leasing information, contact Joe Gardner at (504) 620-8140 or jgardner@stirlingprop.com.
Mobile Office Market Assessment 3rd Quarter 2016
Stirling Properties is pleased to present the 2016 third quarter Mobile Office Market Survey. This report, compiled by Jack Conger and Jill Meeks, Sales and Leasing Executives of our Mobile office, is intended to track average rental rates, occupancy rates, and average absorption rates for West Mobile and the downtown Central Business District (CBD) on office buildings greater than 20,000 square feet. It was created to be a resource for agents, as well as tenants, landlords, developers, lenders, fellow brokers and anyone else looking for information about the Mobile Office market.
Jack Conger is our newest Sales and Leasing Executive in our Mobile office, focusing on industrial and office brokerage. Jill Meeks has over 27 years’ experience in commercial real estate.
Here’s an excerpt from Jack and Jill’s Market Assessment:
Since the Q1-16 Mobile Office Market Survey, the West Mobile office market had a number of noteworthy transactions that created quite a stir in the market. In the end, the office market experienced a slight decrease in average occupancy from 79.5%-79.4% and an average rental rate decrease from $15.50 per sq. ft. to $15.35 per sq. ft., reflecting a decrease in the absorption rate of 0.09% from Q1-16.
Mobile’s growth is evident with several building projects planned and underway. In the CBD, a new Federal Courthouse is under construction and the Meridian at the Port, a 264-unit apartment complex located at 300 Water Street, is awaiting construction. Walmart announced plans for a new 2.9 million sq. ft. distribution center in West Mobile, and Airbus launched the first airplane assembled by its new $600 million final assembly plant back in April. This activity promises to further stabilize the office market in Mobile, and Stirling Properties looks forward to being a part of this season of growth and creativity!
Please click here to view and download the PDF of the Mobile Office Market Survey. This survey provides a good summary of the Mobile office market and my hope is that it becomes a valuable resource in the market.
Golf Fore! Good
Stirling Properties hits a hole-in-one
with its Annual Stirling Invitational Golf Tournament
The 16th Annual Stirling Invitational Golf Tournament was held earlier this month at University Club Plantation in Baton Rouge. More than 120 golfers participated in the scramble event and were treated to a great day of food, fun and fellowship—along with a little friendly competition—all for a good cause.
The tournament was a huge success, raising $30,000 for local nonprofit organizations! In support of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Foundation received $10,000 from the proceeds. The remaining proceeds were distributed to various local charitable causes.
Representatives from Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Foundation and LSU Tiger Athletic Foundation were on hand to receive a check for their contributions. Grady Brame, Executive Vice President of Stirling Properties (and resident golf expert!), presented a check to Todd Stevens, President and CEO of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center; and to Rick Perry, President and CEO of Tiger Athletic Foundation, during an awards celebration and cocktail reception following the tournament.
Todd Stevens, Jimmy Maurin, Grady Brame
What happens on the golf course does not stay on the golf course—here’s a recap of the days’ activities. The 1st Place Low Net was won by Steven Serio, Tyler Marquette, Lance McCardle and Colin O’Flynn. The Low Gross winning team included Paul Geyer, Rick Perry, Grady Brame and Jimmy Maurin. Additional awards were presented for 2nd, 3rd and 4th Low Gross and Low Net as well as 4 Closest to the Hole prizes, Longest Drive, and Highest Gross Score (we won’t name any names!).
A heartfelt thanks to all of our friends and supporters that participated and contributed to the Stirling Invitational Golf Tournament. This event would not be possible without you.
“The 16th Annual Stirling Invitational Golf Tournament was a tremendous success, and we were once again able to donate to worthy nonprofit organizations that are truly making a difference in our communities. We are grateful for the generosity of our tournament sponsors and thank everyone that came out to support us. We hope to see you again next year!” said Brame.
The Stirling Invitational Golf Tournament has contributed more than $184,000 to numerous organizations over the past 16 years, with Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Foundation being the majority beneficiary of proceeds. Since 2004, $117,000 has been donated to the center in support of its cancer research and care-giving efforts.
#StirlingProud
Additional sponsors include Economical Janitorial Supplies, Grass Unlimited, Calcasieu Mechanical Contractors, Robert Refrigeration, Ryan Gootee General Contractors, Thermal Products, Angelos Landscaping, Big Easy Parking Lot Maintenance, Chrestia Staub, Cost Segregation Services, Inc. (CSSI), Gulf South Electric, ITS Fire Alarm Security LLC, Massengale Grounds Management, Netchex Payroll Services, Precision Concrete Cutting of Louisiana, Republic Services, Inc., Star Service Inc., Trimark, Unit Design, Jones Fussell, BH Management Services, CBL & Associates Properties Inc., CSRS, Inc., Malone Roofing, Premier Service Team, Real Estate Tax Group, LLC, River Parish Disposal, LLC, Robert Levis Development, Southeastern Waterproofing, First Bank & Trust, Moran Construction Consultants.
A huge shout out to Fidelity Bank, Brad Jongbloed and his team, for sponsoring lunch.
