Constructing Tomorrow’s Buildings: Expect an Explosion in Modular Design

Next year, a new Hyatt Place Hotel will rise in Waco, Texas. Though it will have all of the typical amenities and features of a modern, new construction hotel, it’s what the guests won’t ever see that will be truly groundbreaking. The project is using the latest evolution in modular design and construction. This process has grown in maturity over the years, with recent innovations that endow tremendous time and cost advantages. The Waco Hyatt project, for instance, will be constructed almost entirely off site, in the fabrication facility that ModularDesign+ operates in Euless, Texas. A strategic partner of global architecture firm CannonDesign, ModularDesign+ hopes to change the way that owners, developers, architects and contractors think about modular construction. The 110-room, eight-story Hyatt Place Hotel Waco, designed by MWT Architects, will feature both rooftop and ground-level restaurants, a shopping center and a parking garage—all of which will be fabricated in Euless. Once completed, 140 stackable units will be shipped over the course of only three to four weeks to their final destination in Waco. That’s the largest incentive that modular offers: speed to market. The quicker that an owner or developer can begin generating revenue on a space, the better. Click to read more at www.rednews.com.

Everi Games Renews 51,000-SF Lease in Austin

The RMR Group Inc. announced that Everi Games Holding Inc. recently signed a full-building, five-year lease extension at 206 Wild Basin Road in Austin. The two-story, 51,000-square-foot office building is part of an office park totaling more than 118,000 square feet. The property is managed by The RMR Group, who were represented in the transaction by Kevin Granger and Matt Frizzell of Cushman & Wakefield. Everi Games Holding Inc. was represented by Diana Holford and Austin Trees of JLL. “We are proud that Everi Games Holding Inc. has renewed its lease at 206 Wild Basin Road, which underscores RMR’s commitment to providing excellent customer service and our flexibility to accommodate our tenants’ needs,” said Marc Krohn, senior area director, The RMR Group. Situated on 2.6 acres with ample green space, 206 Wild Basin Road is in close proximity to Texas State Highway Loop 360, offering access to Austin’s central business district and the Greater Austin Metropolitan area. The Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve, which contains over 227 acres of trails and green space, is adjacent to the property.

BHW Capital and Gray Street Partners Sell San Antonio Rental Development

BHW Capital and Gray Street Partners recently completed the sale of the Park on Wurzbach apartments in San Antonio. Venterra acquired the asset for an undisclosed sum. The 264-unit, class A multifamily project was developed as a joint venture partnership between BHW and Gray Street in late 2018. The sale was negotiated on behalf of the seller by the BHW team of Martin Bronstein, Ralph Howard and Bryan Tran. Venterra was represented in house by Hugh Brantley and Dror Goldberg. Acquisition financing was arranged by a collaboration between Matthew Bronstein of NorthMarq’s Houston office and Faron Thompson and Ali Meek of NorthMarq’s Atlanta office. Scott LeMontagne, Moses Siller, and Zar Haro of NorthMarq Multifamily’s Central Texas investment sales team consulted the seller on the sale. Park on Wurzbach was awarded the 2018 New Construction Garden Apartment of the Year by the San Antonio Apartment Association. The property features a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units each finished with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, built-in desks and in-unit washer and dryers. Community amenities include a resort-style pool, full-circuit fitness center, yoga and spin studios, business center, bark park and clubhouse.

Partners Capital Acquires Trails at 620 in Austin

Partners Capital—the investment arm of NAI Partners—has closed on Trails at 620, a retail property located at 8300 N FM 620 in Austin. “Our team is excited to bring some new energy to Trails at 620,” said Andrew Pappas, head of Partners Capital. “The retail center is an integral part of the local community and we are confident that tenants and neighboring residents will be pleased with our plans for the development.” The Partners Capital team worked with Drew Fuller at JLL to close the deal, with financing provided by Peyton Jones at Veritex Bank in Houston. Partners acquired seven of the 17 buildings at Trails at 620, which consist of 69,037 square feet located on 15 acres, and added some high-profile tenants to its portfolio, including Freebirds, MattressFirm, AT&T, and Summer Moon Coffee. Other owners at the development include Moviehouse & Eatery, Holiday Inn, Whataburger and Flores Mexican Restaurant. “We look forward to sharing our vision and collaborating with all property owners at Trails at 620 to bring new life to the entire development,” said Adam Hawkins, vice president at Partners Capital. This acquisition is Partners Capital’s fourth acquisition in Fund III and the platform’s 13th deal overall, pushing its portfolio to 1.2 million square feet and over 400 tenants. Partners Capital is kicking off Fund IV in the next few weeks, where it plans to raise $50 million.

Golfinity Coming to Austin, Texas in 2021

Austin, Texas (October 19, 2020) – Golfinity, a revolutionary new indoor golf performance club, is coming to Austin, Texas in early 2021. Golfinity is focused on growing the game through quality instruction and game improvement techniques for all levels of golfers, including families and kids. Golfinity will provide the information, tools, and coaching necessary for golfers to reach their maximum potential in a safe, family-friendly environment. The facility, programming, and culture are all designed around creating positive golf experiences, skill development and fun. The Golfinity concept is the vision of co-founders Aaron Bergman and Marc Rankin. Rankin is a proven business leader with experience in golf resorts, real estate and private equity. Bergman is an award-winning Class A PGA Professional whose world travels allowed him to bring golf to new communities and inspired his first business, Golf in Schools, an after-school enrichment program and junior golf academy. Bergman, who has taught golf lessons in nine countries from beginners to elite players will serve as CEO, while Rankin will focus on facility design, strategic partnerships and national development plans. “Teaching and growing golf is my passion,” said Bergman. “I have witnessed its power to enrich lives and connect people across class and cultures. Golfinity has a unique opportunity to remove entry barriers to the game and reach a much wider audience. Click to read more at www.troon.com.

Houston-based Car Wash Expands in Bryan-College Station Market

Rapid Express Car Wash has snapped up an outparcel in a Walmart-anchored shopping center in Bryan, Texas as its 13th location in south-central Texas and third in the Bryan-College Station metropolitan market. The location is tentatively slated to open in summer 2021. The Houston-based car wash operator has purchased a 0.9-acre pad site at 1632 W. Villa Maria Road in the 652,522-square-foot Rudder’s Landing in Bryan from developer Crossfulton Investments Ltd. J.J. McDermott, vice president of Houston-based NewQuest Properties, represented the buyer, who is planning to break ground within 90 days. Jeremy Richmond of Oldham Goodwin Group LLC represented the seller. “We jumped at the opportunity to get a site in a Walmart-anchored center,” McDermott said. “This market, particularly Bryan, is underserved for car washes.” Shortly before the Rudder’s Landing site surfaced, Rapid Express Car Wash had closed on a development tract in nearby College Station. “He’s actively expanding and looking for sites,” McDermott said. The longtime operator’s property portfolio extends from Houston to Greater Austin. The Bryan-College Station market caught the owner’s eye about three years ago, with the first location resulting from the acquisition of an independently owned and operated car wash along William J. Bryan Parkway. The MSA’s population is slightly more than 273,000, with residential and retail development as strong catalysts for a local economy that’s held up throughout the 2020 pandemic. Its unemployment rate hovers 4 percent, which is lower than state and national averages. The chief driver is Texas A&M University, home of the Aggies, the largest student body in the nation.