Bluerock Residential Growth REIT Acquires 336-Unit Mixed Use Apartment Community in Atlanta
New York, NY (July 18, 2016) – Bluerock Residential Growth REIT, Inc. (NYSE MKT: BRG) (“BRG”, the “REIT” or the “Company”) announced today that it has acquired a leasehold interest in the Class A, 336-unit, mixed-use Tenside Apartment Homes in Atlanta, Georgia to be rebranded the Arium Westside. The Company acquired the property through a joint venture for a total purchase price of approximately $74.5 million, or approximately $197,900 per residential unit and $205 per square foot of retail space.
The property was built in 2008 and features one-, two- and three-bedroom units averaging approximately 900 square feet. The ground floor retail includes a mix of local, regional and national tenants. The property is located within the vibrant, live-work-play West Midtown sub-market. The transaction was capitalized with a senior loan from Fannie Mae in the amount of approximately $52 million, and BRG invested approximately $22 million for a 90% ownership interest, with an affiliate of the Carroll Organization investing the remaining 10%.
The Company’s business plan includes providing growth capital to lease the remaining vacant retail space and improving the exterior curb appeal, amenities, shared spaces and interior units within the multifamily complex. The acquisition is projected to yield a stabilized pro forma cap rate of approximately 6.5%, which compares favorably to estimated market cap rates of 4.75% – 5.25% for comparable assets.
“We see strong upside potential for this property. We believe Tenside’s proximity to Georgia Tech University and its location within the gentrifying West Midtown submarket provides an opportunity for BRG to realize rent growth in the coming years as the rent disparity between West Midtown and Midtown is expected to close,” said Ramin Kamfar, Chairman and CEO of BRG.
About Bluerock Residential Growth REIT, Inc.
Bluerock Residential Growth REIT, Inc. (NYSE MKT: BRG) is a real estate investment trust that focuses on acquiring a diversified portfolio of Class A institutional-quality apartment properties in demographically attractive growth markets to appeal to the renter by choice. The Company’s objective is to generate value through off-market/relationship-based transactions and, at the asset level, through improvements to operations and properties. BRG generally invests with strategic regional partners, including some of the best-regarded, private owner-operators in the United States, making it possible to operate as a local sharpshooter in each of its markets while enhancing off-market sourcing capabilities. The Company is included in the Russell 2000 and Russell 3000 Indexes. BRG has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (REIT) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For more information, please visit our website at: www.bluerockresidential.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements are based upon the Company’s present expectations, but these statements are not guaranteed to occur. Furthermore, the Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, of new information, data or methods, future events or other changes. Investors should not place undue reliance upon forward-looking statements. For further discussion of the factors that could affect outcomes, please refer to the risk factors set forth in Item 1A of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 24, 2016, and subsequent filings by the Company with the SEC. We claim the safe harbor protection for forward looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.