Stirling Properties Promotes John Woodard to Director of Development and Asset Management
Stirling Properties announces that John Woodard has been promoted to Director of Development and Asset Management.
In his previous role as Development Manager, John led several notable company projects, including the development of the Ochsner Kidney Care facilities in Jefferson, Metairie, Algiers, and Marrero and ongoing single-family build-to-rent projects in Prairieville, Covington, and Jackson, MS. Over the past year, John has also been involved with the asset management of over 1,000,000 square feet of retail, medical, and multifamily properties in Stirling Properties’ portfolio.
In addition to his existing development projects, John will be assuming the role of Asset Manager for many of Stirling’s Southshore properties, including the Pan-American Life Center, Mid-City Market, and Offices at Mid-City. In this new position, he will also continue to be tasked with new business development and government relations specifically focused on the New Orleans market.
“We are incredibly proud of John for his remarkable growth and leadership within our company. He has become an integral part of our team, and we are confident he will only further excel in his new role and help to shape the future of Stirling Properties,” said Townsend Underhill, President of Development with Stirling Properties.
Stirling Properties Names Brad Stillwagon As New General Manager of Pan-American Life Center in New Orleans
Stirling Properties announces Brad Stillwagon as the new General Manager of the Pan-American Life Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. He will be stepping into the role upon the retirement of the building’s long-term General Manager, Nancy Rome.
Stillwagon has been with Stirling Properties since early 2019, serving as both an Asset and Property Manager of more than 2,000,000 square feet of retail, medical and office properties across the Gulf South. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Business Administration from Washington and Lee University and is actively involved in the W&L New Orleans Alumni Chapter. Stillwagon holds the designation of Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) and is active in the Louisiana CCIM Chapter. He is a Young Leader with CoreNet Global, a network of corporate real estate executives focused on the strategic real estate needs of Fortune 500 Companies, and is pursuing a Master of Corporate Real Estate with a specialization in Workplace Strategy (MCR.w).
Prior to joining Stirling Properties, Stillwagon served as Vice President – Real Estate Team Lead with Hancock Whitney Bank, where he worked in Asset and Transaction Management. He currently resides Uptown with his wife and three sons.
In addition to his General Manager duties, Stillwagon will continue to serve as the Asset Manager for many of Stirling Properties’ Southshore properties, including Mid-City Market, Offices at Mid-City Market, Magnolia Marketplace, Old Metairie Village and Oakridge Place.
“Stirling Properties is pleased to announce Brad Stillwagon as the new General Manager of the Pan-American Life Center. We have a great group of talented professionals and building engineers working closely with Brad to ensure a smooth transition. We are confident our team will continue to provide first-class service and support for the office tower and building tenants,” said Grady Brame, Executive Vice President with Stirling Properties. “We’re also excited about the remarkable renovations to the Pan-American Life Center that we believe uniquely positions it as one of a kind in the New Orleans CBD and enhances its long-term success.”
The Pan-American Life Center is recognized as one of New Orleans’ most prestigious office towers, boasting high-quality tenants in addition to housing the national and regional headquarters of many premier corporations. Built in 1980, the granite-clad, Class A trophy tower encompasses roughly 673,000 square feet of office and retail space, as well as an eight-story parking structure. Office tenants include Pan American Life Insurance Group, IBERIABANK, Morris Bart Law Offices, McGlinchey Stafford, Merrill Lynch and Stirling Properties. First-floor retail tenants include Smoothie King, Starbucks, Tsunami and IBERIABANK. Stirling Properties’ affiliates own the property and are the exclusive management and leasing agents for the Pan American Life Center.
Stirling Properties recently completed a $7 million redevelopment of the property, including a renovated café, state-of-the-art conference center and upgraded ground floor lobby to better position the building in the evolving office landscape.
Stirling Properties’ 3rd Quarter Portfolio Report Shows Positive Outlook
As the commercial real estate industry endures unrelenting disruption—specifically in the retail and office market segments—we have seen glimpses of a silver lining.
Despite all the headwinds and negativity swirling, Stirling Properties’ outlook is optimistic moving into the 3rd quarter of 2019 compared to this time a year ago. A recent comparison of our overall commercial portfolio revealed positive key performance indicators in total rental income, rental and occupancy rates.
Mind you, these numbers may not reflect significant increases, but they do illustrate an upward trend. In fact, almost every key metric indicated a positive gain. A further breakdown shows both our office and retail properties are performing well with occupancy rates holding steady and rental rates up slightly, contrary to the ‘apocalyptic environment’ predicted in years past.
For Stirling Properties, our portfolio achievements are not the result of a magic wand or some sort of geographical shield. We attribute our continued success to proper management of our commercial properties.
Asset and Property Management is vital for the health of an asset and can significantly affect its worth. Yes, location is important, but a property can also increase in value just from being well maintained and, of course, the opposite is true as well. Management affects tenant and customer relationships, vendor relations, public perceptions, all the things that determine a properties’ success or failure.
With our properties, we focus on keeping rents at market level and our rental stream within reasonable expectations. We don’t overleverage. We concentrate on tenancy—the right tenancy—and we use our market knowledge to tailor each asset plan. Effective managers see headwinds coming and react accordingly to proactively overcome obstacles.
Knowledge and diversity of various property types and needs, as well as industry trends, are also critical. In today’s retail landscape, we’re seeing smaller footprints, the emergence of different tenant types and shifts in consumer demands. There is steady growth in the healthcare and industrial industries, and in some cases, they are merging with retail. In the office sector, users are looking for less square footage, more collaboration with open floor plans, and innovative trophy projects.
These trends in the commercial industry increase the need for more curated properties. Stirling Properties’ in-house operating, leasing and development resources allow us to be more strategic and forward-thinking with our managed properties. If a property is in a great location but is struggling with tenancy, perhaps a redevelopment would be effective. Does the building lack visual appeal, have a maintenance problem or even a marketing problem? Whatever the case, Stirling Properties’ comprehensive spectrum of services can tackle it.
Look at our current redevelopment of Cornerview Plaza in Gonzales, Louisiana. This retail center is in a great location but was struggling to backfill a nearly 90,000-square-foot vacancy left by its former anchor, Kmart. Stirling Properties’ team consisting of Asset Management, Development, Leasing and Financing worked with the Property Owner to redevelop the space into a multi-tenant, upscale Retail Center. We secured favorable financing for the ownership. This gave us the ability to move forward with an aggressive redevelopment plan, bringing on Marshalls, ULTA Beauty, Ross Dress for Less, Five Below and Aspen Dental to fill one-time anchor space, joining the existing grocery-anchor, Rouses Market, and AT&T.
Another notable example is DANA Incorporated. Our Leasing Team was enlisted to help the corporation locate an industrial space in the market for the relocation and expansion of their service and assembly center. After realizing their specific space needs, our Development Team was brought in to present build-to-suit options. We were able to help them locate land and manage the development of their new facility designed with ample flex space to meet their needs and accommodate future expansion.
Our all-inclusive approach showcases our diverse range of services we offer to our clients, allowing us to maximize the full potential of every property. And that commitment and dedication to our portfolio are reflected through consistent positive gains in leases, occupancy rates, rental rates and income.
Stirling Properties’ experienced management team serves more than 20 million square feet of property across the Gulf South, including some of the largest commercial properties in the Region. We fully understand geographic markets, diverse property types, a property’s unique requirements and marketability, specific financial situations, ownership goals and tenants’ needs. We consistently focus on cost-efficient operations and explore innovative concepts to improve the value of each asset. We pride ourselves on delivering results through diligence, professionalism, accountability, and good old-fashioned work ethic!
Now, all of this is not to say that more disruption and headwinds aren’t looming around the corner, but I am confident that we are prepared to handle it.
If you have any questions about your property or would like to discuss Asset Management options, please feel free to reach out.
Stirling Properties Expands Management Portfolio
Stirling Properties’ Asset & Property Management Team has recently been awarded management contracts for several new retail and office properties, further expanding the company’s commercial portfolio and regional footprint.
In the Mississippi and Florida panhandle areas of the Gulf South region:
Lakeview Village II & III
Lakeview Village II & III are adjacent neighborhood retail inline centers located at 3586/3516 Sangani Boulevard in D’Iberville, MS. Combined they are comprised of 65,860 square feet of retail and restaurant options. Shadow-anchored by Academy Sports + Outdoors, the property is currently 62% occupied by a mix of national and local tenants including Outback Steakhouse, H&R Block, The UPS Store, and Sherwin Williams.
Lakeview Village II & III are located in a 150-acre master planned, mixed-use retail development that spans the entire northern side of the Interstate 10/Interstate 110 interchange. Prominent national retailers near the development include Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Lowe’s, PetSmart, Marshalls, Michaels, and Kohl’s. Stirling Properties will also handle leasing of both centers. For leasing information, contact Angie McArthur.
5041 Bayou Boulevard
5041 Bayou Boulevard is a three-story, class-A office building located in the Cordova Corridor of Pensacola, FL. Its primary tenant is Bank of America. The multi-tenant office building consists of 24,796 total leasable square footage and is strategically positioned near Cordova Mall, Sacred Heart Health System, and Pensacola International Airport. Stirling Properties will handle full-service management and accounting for the property.
401 E. Chase Street is a single-story, multi-tenant office building located in Pensacola, FL. This 11,744-square-foot office building is located on the eastern edge of downtown Pensacola, within walking distance of Pensacola Bay, numerous restaurants, hotels, and the Pensacola Civic Center. The property was recently renovated. Tenants include Baptist Home Health Care and Medical Records Express LLC. Stirling Properties will assume management and accounting services for the property.
Stirling Properties has also been awarded management duties of the 3,033-square-foot former Arby’s restaurant space located at 800 North Navy Boulevard in Pensacola, FL. The building was recently acquired by a local investor that has contracted with Stirling Properties for property management services, including assistance in getting the property ready for future leasing opportunities. For leasing information, contact Angie McArthur.
As part of Stirling Properties’ ongoing partnership with PMAT Companies, we have secured two additional management contracts:
Downers Park Plaza is a 265,000-square-foot, class-A shopping center located in a regional retail corridor of the Downers Grove area of IL, part of the Chicago MSA. The center is anchored by Best Buy, T.J.Maxx, HomeGoods, Shop & Save Market, Old Navy, and Party City. It is currently 89% occupied.
Megan Crossings
Megan Crossings is a 114,000-square-foot, class-A shopping center located in a regional corridor in the West St. Louis, MO, MSA. Anchored by Hobby Lobby, Tuesday Morning, La-Z-Boy Furniture, and Dollar Tree, the asset is 87% occupied.
“We are pleased to welcome these properties to our growing portfolio. Stirling Properties continues to seek opportunities to provide value to our clients and property owners from back-office support to full-service asset and property management amenities—and everything in between,” said Donna Taylor, Sr. Vice President of Asset Management & New Business with Stirling Properties. “We remain committed to our strategic growth plan across the Gulf South region, and to providing top-notch service and guidance in the commercial real estate arena.”
Stirling Properties manages more than 19.5 million square feet of commercial real estate, including office, retail, industrial, medical, residential, and mixed-uses.
For asset management information, contact Donna Taylor at (985) 246-3758 or dtaylor@stirlingprop.com.
Stirling Properties Announces Promotions in Property Management Department
Stirling Properties is excited to announce two promotions in its growing Property Management Department. Patrick Malik has been appointed Vice President of Property and Risk Management after 14 years as Operations Manager. Lindsey Palmer, Property Manager, has been promoted to Director of Property Services.
Patrick Malik‘s role has evolved from Operations Manager to overseeing all aspects of the Property Management Department including supporting Asset Management, Development and Acquisitions, new business development and integration and ongoing property operations of over $1.2 billion in real estate assets. In addition, he handles risk management and insurance for Stirling Properties and its clients, including sourcing coverage options, negotiating policy terms, insurance claims, management of Captive Insurance Program, disaster preparedness and emergency response. Mr. Malik has over 25 years of Property Management experience across commercial real estate sectors in a variety of roles. He graduated from the University of West Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Management. As Director of Property Services, Lindsey Palmer will oversee all aspects of Property Services and its staff, providing support for Property and Asset Management of over 17 million square feet commercial real estate. Ms. Palmer will continue her responsibilities as Property Manager of 2.3 million square feet of properties, including Fremaux Town Center in Slidell and Hammond Square and in Hammond. Ms. Palmer joined Stirling Properties 9 years ago after graduating from Southeastern Louisiana University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Master in Business Administration.
Stirling Properties Expands Asset Management Team
Stirling Properties is excited to announce two additions to its growing Asset Management Division. Charles Barclay joins Stirling Properties as Assistant Asset Manager on a variety of retail and office properties in the Greater New Orleans area. Mr. Barclay’s office is in the company’s Corporate Headquarters at 109 Northpark Boulevard, Suite 300 in Covington, Louisiana. Before moving to New Orleans, Mr. Barclay worked for CW Capital Asset Management in Bethesda, Maryland where he was involved in the management of over $500 million of REO multifamily assets across the United States. He is a 2009 graduate of the University of Maryland. Ryan Juneau, Project Manager with Stirling Properties since 2013, will transfer from the Development team to Asset Management. His transition to Assistant Asset Manager will occur over the next several months as he completes several of his development assignments. Mr. Juneau has worked as project manager on MacArthur Village, Perkins Row, Ambassador Town Center, River Chase and the Hornbeck Offshore office renovation at Northpark Corporate Center II, amongst others. These projects cover retail, office, multi-family, and infrastructure development. Mr. Juneau earned a Masters of Business Administration from Louisiana State University and currently resides in Baton Rouge.
