• St. Regis Bal Harbour sells for $213M

    St. Regis Bal Harbour sells for $213M


    January 22, 2014
    Paul Brinkmann
    Reporter- South Florida Business Journal

    The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, one of South Florida’s best-known luxury resorts, has sold for $213 million to a subsidiary of Qatar’s largest development company.

    The buyer is Qatar-based Al Rayyan Tourism Development Company. The sale by Starwood Resorts & Hotels is among the largest recent property transactions in South Florida.

    The property, which opened in 2012, will continue to be managed under a long-term agreement by Starwood Hotels and also continue to fly the St. Regis flag. The resort has about 208 hotel rooms, which means the sale netted about $1 million per room.

    The sale marks a step in Starwood’s pursuit of an “asset-light strategy,” according to Simon Turner, the company’s president of global development. Starwood is selling owned real estate in what it considers to be a relatively strong market.

    Al Rayyan Tourism Investment Company (ARTIC) is part of Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani’s Al Faisal Holdings. The company is building a portfolio of hotels, which now includes more than 25 properties around the world.
    Local counsel for the buyer was attorney Tom Angelo of Fort Lauderdale-based Angelo & Banta.

    “I believe this sale has set a new bar for hotel acquisitions in this market and reflects the strength of the hospitality market in the Miami area,” Angelo said in an email.

    The St. Regis property also includes private residences, which have already sold in prior transactions, and condominium-hotel suites located at 9703 Collins Ave.
    It sits on 9.5 acres with 600 feet of oceanfront. Amenities include concierge, in-room dining service, personal chef, housekeeping, child care and pet care. Bal Harbour Shops is across the street.

  • Big public company drops $54M on South Florida self-storage

    Big public company drops $54M on South Florida self-storage


    January 10, 2014
    Paul Brinkmann
    Reporter- South Florida Business Journal

    Two self-storage facilities in South Florida have sold for $54 million.

    The buyer is Sovran Self Storage (NYSE: SSS), which operates 480 facilities under the Uncle Bob’s Self Storage brand.

    The seller, The Store Room, is an entity managed by Chicago investor Kent Haeger of High Street Capital.

    The price was noted by the seller’s attorney, Tom Angelo of Fort Lauderdale, as one of the highest per-square-foot sales for self-storage in this region.

    “Self storage is a hot market now. These are somewhat unique because they are vertical, meaning they are
    multi-story buildings.They have wine storage and are designed for a more upscale clientele,” Angelo said.

    The properties are at 1401 Mercer Ave. in West Palm Beach and 747 N.E. Third Ave. in Fort Lauderdale.

    Angelo said he worked without a broker to run a bidding process with six potential buyers. Haeger said in an email that he was pleased with the results of the sale, and he praised Angelo for maximizing the value and getting it done on time.

    Sovran also announced on Thursday three other facilities purchased for a total of 575,000 square feet and $98 million – all in separate transactions.