NYSTRS was advised by JPMorgan Fleming Asset Management in the transaction and acquired the joint venture interest based on a property valuation of $450 million. Reckson received about $98 million of net cash proceeds from the sale.
The deal is part of Reckson's ongoing capital recycling program, which raked in $342 million for the firm this year. The latest sale conforms to the company's strategy of purchasing, redeveloping and selling distressed assets in core markets.
Reckson co-chief executive officer Scott Rechler says of the sale, "We initially created value at 919 third Ave. by opportunistically acquiring the first mortgage note, then by obtaining title and repositioning the property and now by successfully accessing the market which exists for joint venture equity partners."
Reckson bought the class A building in November 2000 for roughly $200 per sf. An $87 million building improvement program was completed on the property. Recently, the company took out a $250 million first mortgage on the property. Reckson will continue to be the majority owner of the property and will handle management and leasing duties.
While the building's current valuation of roughly $321 per sf is considered modest for Midtown, Reckson managing director Philip Waterman III has said in published reports that the low price reflects lease incentives and free-rent deals currently in place and are not a post-Sept. 11 phenomenon.
Reckson is a self-administered and self-managed REIT specializing in the acquisition, leasing, financing, management and development of office and industrial properties.
Want to continue reading?
Become a Free ALM Digital Reader.
Once you are an ALM Digital Member, you’ll receive:
- Breaking commercial real estate news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
- Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
- Critical coverage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
Already have an account? Sign In Now
*May exclude premium content© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
