Buying Time: Austin’s Retail Market Can Wait Out the Pandemic

Think back in time five quarters or so. At the end of 2019, brick-and-mortar retail was feeling the pinch of e-commerce. Virtually everywhere in the country, landlords struggled as storefronts went dark. Virtually everywhere, that is, but not in Austin. “We were not experiencing pre-pandemic challenges in market demand within the Austin MSA,” said Kevin Murphy, vice president on NAI Partners’ retail services team in Austin. “The increased cost of property taxes was causing downward pressure on rates. Nonetheless, development and demand remained healthy.” The key component of this unexpected performance is population growth. Between 2010 and 2019, U.S. Census figures show that Austin grew by over 177,000 residents, moving up the country’s list of most populous cities from 14th to 11th. Where the people go, so to do physical retailers, even in the age of online shopping. That was 2019; then 2020, of course, altered the trajectory of this and every other asset class. With COVID-19 leaving patrons unable or unwilling to go out to restaurants, stores, bars, bowling alleys and every other type of retail establishment, the sector took a hit. But again, Austin’s retail market proved to be slightly more resilient to the effects of the pandemic. According to NAI Partners data, the metro’s year-to-date retail occupancy rate at the end of October 2020 hovered around 95.2 percent. That’s nearly on par with the year-to-date figures from the previous October, which stood at 95.7 percent. “Austin continues to experience strong population growth numbers,” Murphy said, “with absorption of existing retail and back-filling of struggling tenants being healthy and strong.” Click to read more at www.rednews.com.

NAI Partners Arranges Sale of O’Reilly Auto Parts Retail Property

NAI Partners recently arranged the sale of a 7,225-square-foot O’Reilly Auto Parts retail property for Agree Stores, LLC at 8142 Kitty Hawk Road in Converse, Texas. NAI Partners’ Joe DeCola along with Cole Flanagan of Investment Property Advisors represented the seller in the transaction. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Asite Becomes a Member of Construction Industry Institute at the University of Texas

Asite has joined the Construction Industry Institute (CII) based out of the University of Texas in Austin. The CII is a consortium made up of over 140 leading owner, engineering-contractor and supplier firms from both the public and private sectors, brought together to enhance the business effectiveness and sustainability of the capital facility life cycle through CII research, related initiatives and industry alliances. “For over 30 years, CII has been working to apply research and best practices to create positive change in the industry,” said Chris Peters, Asite senior vice president of North America. “Here at Asite, we are thrilled to be joining the CII and become part of this effort to identify opportunities and invoke true change.” The CII creates competitive global market advantages for its members through its research-based and member-driven creation of knowledge and CII best practices. Working with the CII will help provide Asite with a decisive industry edge and provide the company with access to leading academics, identifying the most significant opportunities for industry improvement. “We are delighted to join the Construction Industry Institute (CII) based here in Texas. Our membership with CII is a perfect fit for Asite as we share the value of working collaboratively to develop the innovative solutions that will, ultimately, drive our industry forward,” said Gene Brieck, Asite vice president of sales for North America. “Working as an R&D research lab for capital projects, CII is consistently at the forefront of new industry developments, and we are excited to now be part of this team and that journey.

193-Acre Development Site in Robinson Ranch Hits the Market in Austin

JLL’s capital markets team has been named to market a 193-acre development site encompassed by Highway 45, CR 172 and E. McNeil Road in the greater Austin area on behalf of the Robinson Family. Located at Highway 45 and MoPac Expressway and one mile west of I-35, future development will benefit with great access to not only Austin’s metropolitan statistical areas, but the rest of the state. The JLL capital markets team representing the seller for this offering is led by senior managing director Rusty Tamlyn, managing director Davis Adams and director Garrett Gilleland. “The completion of SH 45 N in 2007 divided this section of the family’s property from the remaining +/- 7,000 acres,” said Adams. “Because the site is isolated from the core of the family’s holdings, coupled with the strong interest they have received regarding the property, the Robinson Family has decided to begin marketing this site for sale, joint venture or ground lease.”

CBRE Signs Lease at Oxbow to Consolidate Three San Antonio Offices

CBRE announced plans today to consolidate its three San Antonio offices in the Oxbow building at 1803 Broadway Street. The firm will relocate its 81 employees to approximately 17,000 square feet of office space on the top floor of Silver Ventures’ new eight-story building in Q2 2021. “We’re eager and excited to bring employees across multiple service lines together under one roof,” said Gardner Peavy, managing director of CBRE’s San Antonio market. “In addition to providing a world-class workplace environment, our new office will be steps away from the Pearl, one of the most vibrant, burgeoning mixed-use areas in the country. From being able to work independently or collaboratively in our space to meeting clients in the shaded outdoor courtyard or at a nearby café, our office will support the ever-changing needs of our employees and clients.” The new office is part of CBRE’s Workplace360 initiative, the company’s leading-edge approach to workplace strategy, designed to promote employee flexibility, mobility and productivity. Workplace360 offices feature a balance of workplace settings, including both collaborative and private spaces that employees can self-select to accommodate their hour-by-hour needs. The company’s in-house design practice will manage the workplace design. “Leveraging our architectural and interior design team, we can take lessons learned from our 80+ Workplaces360 offices around the world, as well as experience designing client workplaces, to bring our workplace strategy to life in San Antonio,” said Peter Van Emburgh, global lead of CBRE’s corporate real estate. Oxbow is located north of downtown San Antonio near the Pearl, the area’s premier mixed-use space featuring acclaimed restaurants and cafes, unique retail shops, public green spaces, a year-round farmers market, the award-winning Hotel Emma, residential, office space and more. The building includes ground-floor retail and restaurant space and shares a shaded courtyard, community fountain and community park area with the adjacent Credit Human building, which was also developed by Silver Ventures. CBRE’s Christi Griggs and Steve Thomas, who oversee the leasing and marketing for the Oxbow, represented Silver Ventures in the lease negotiations. Employee committees will participate in decision-making to create a unique office experience that caters to the surrounding San Antonio culture and history while also reflecting the CBRE brand.