Homasote 440 SoundBarrier is Eco-Friendly and Exceeds Building Standards
Homasote 440 SoundBarrier combines wall and floor sound control performance with 98 percent recycled materials and is ideal for use in multi-housing communities.The company’s products have earned the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, and Homasote 440 SoundBarrier has also received certification from the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS).The floor/ceiling system, which is moisture- and mold-resistant, achieved an FIIC (Field Impact Insulation Class)-46 rating, exceeding the most recent International Building Code requirements.The product’s performance was verified in March 2009 when Metropolitan Acoustics conducted an FIIC test on a representative floor/ceiling assembly separating vertically adjacent master bathrooms of the Voorhees Town…
TODAY’S DEALS: PNC Originates Over $50M in Financing for 7 MF Properties, and Other Transactions
By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorTexas, Fla., Calif.–PNC has arranged a combined total of $51.4 million in financing for seven multifamily properties located in Texas, Florida and California, including acquisition financing for two healthcare facilities utilizing the Federal Housing Authority’s (FHA) Section 232/223(f) LEAN program. PNC originated a combined $5.9 million in FHA Section 232/223(f) financing for the acquisition of two Tampa, Fla.-based assisted living facilities operated by the Lighthouse Health Care Group, including the 20-bed Adam’s House and the 30-bed At Home With Friends. FHA Section 232/223(f) provides mortgage insurance for the refinancing or purchase of residential care facilities,…
RCA: Global Property Sales Volume Nears Rock Bottom–But Recovery Remains Intangible
By Barbra Murray, Contributing EditorNew York–As the recession continues to grip nations around the world, commercial real estate property transactions, including multifamily, are still moving along at a snail’s pace and, in general, without the premium price tags seen just two years ago. Global research and consulting firm Real Capital Analytics concludes in its most recent Global Capital Trends report that, while sales activity is likely to pick up soon, a full recovery is still a long way off. Across the globe, the numbers remain grim, and no property sector presents an exception. From the second quarter of 2008 to…
Editor’s Note: Energy Management, Technology and You
By Erika Schnitzer, Associate EditorAt GreenBuildingsNY—held in conjunction with BuildingsNY at the Jacob Javits Convention Center June 16-17—yesterday, I attended U.S. Energy Group’ s presentation, “The Art of Managing Buildings for Energy Efficiency.” David Unger, chief operating officer, discussed how building owners and mangers can reduce fuel usage by 10 to 30 percent by implementing an energy management system.As I’ve previously discussed, part of Mayor Bloomberg’s plaNYC initiative proposes a new energy code for existing buildings, as well as a mandate that would require these buildings to make energy improvements to pay for themselves within five years. According to Unger,…
Dept. of Transportation, HUD, EPA Launch Partnership for Sustainable Communities
By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorWashington, D.C.–The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have jointly launched an interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities to help improve access to affordable housing, more transportation options and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment in communities nationwide. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, and EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson testified together at a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing chaired by U.S. Senator Christopher J. Dodd. The three outlined the six guiding “livability principles” they…
N.J. Governor Corzine Attends Launch of Affordable Housing Project; Part of Plan to Construct 14 Such Projects Across State
By Anuradha Kher, Online News Editor Union City/West New York, N.J.–Governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine and New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Joseph Doria attended the launch of plans for Horizon Heights, an affordable housing property that straddles West New York and Union City, N.J. Horizon Heights is part of a plan to construct 14 new affordable housing projects across the state to be built with the help of federal tax credits. Del-Sano Contracting Corp. is the general construction contractor and Regan Development is the project owner. Construction will be completed by next year and occupancy is expected…
MARKET SNAPSHOT: Music City USA’s Apartment Market Remains Relatively Stable
By Erika Schnitzer, Associate Editor Nashville, Tenn.—Compared with other Southeast markets, “Nashville is, in general, the best story,” reports Vince Lefler, an associate in Apartment Realty Advisors’ Atlanta office.On a year-over-year comparison, the market is softer, having declined 3 percent in terms of occupancy. However, the market is still holding steady at about 90 percent. Much of this is due to the shadow market from condos and single-family homes, Lefler tells MHN. Currently, there are 3,200 units under construction—which is close to the city’s historical high—in the Nashville MSA, which, Lefler notes, will impact occupancy and concessions once they are…
TODAY’S DEALS: Walker & Dunlop Closes Over $15M Acquisition Loan for Garden-Style Community, and other Transactions
By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorAtlanta–Walker & Dunlop provided a $15,033,000 acquisition loan for Governor Mifflin, a 320-unit rental community located in Shillington, Penn. The loan was structured with a 10-year term and a 30-year amortization. The loan was underwritten to an 80 percent loan-to-value with a 1.25x debt-service coverage ratio. Governor Mifflin is a Class B, 330-unit garden-style apartment community featuring a clubhouse, pool, playground, basketball court, fitness center and laundry facility. The property was 92 percent leased at closing. Arbor Closes $1,125,000 Fannie Mae DUS MAH LoanSpokane, Wash.–Arbor Commercial Funding LLC recently completed funding of a $1,125,000 loan…
How Construction Contracts Can Help to Mitigate Fraud During the Payment Process
By Erika Schnitzer, Associate EditorChicago—With construction contracts becoming more cost-based and billed up to a guaranteed maximum price, owners must assume more responsibility for monitoring construction costs, asserted Jim Schmid, CPA, CFE, national construction advisory services practice leader for Grant Thornton LLP, at a recent Webcast, “Construction Contract Terms Critical to Mitigating Fraud During the Payment Process.”Owners should be involved with the first payment application, first change order and first schedule of values in order to set a precedent. Schmid warned against waiting until the end of the project to do a final audit, as he noted that it is…
Green: the Universal Color of School Spirit
By: John Beck, Carrier Johnson + CULTUREToday, green has become a universal benchmark for college and university building design and planning, campus-wide programs and student organizations. More so now than ever before, academic communities are catching the “green spirit,” taking on the challenge to make healthier environments, reduce energy consumption and inspire a connection to the outdoors. Click here for a slideshow of Pitzer College’s residences and UCSD’s North Campus Transfer Student Housing, Phase 2.Pitzer College, Claremont, Calif. For Pitzer College in Claremont, Calif., social responsibility and environmental stewardship have long been a part of the educational objectives. According to…