All around the United States, particularly in big cities, there is rampant construction as capital flows into large urban areas. Q1 and Q2 2017 have revealed construction of 40 million square feet of office development. At this pace, new office space will, for this fiscal year, will be more than this past year’s construction of 76 million square feet and already more new space than all of 2015. Keith Knutsson of Integrale Advisors claims, “current market indicators point to commercial real estate remaining on a strong path for investors in 2017.” On the East coast, Washington D.C., New York City and Boston all have significant high-rise developments in large downtown markets.
In Washington, DC, developer Hoffman-Madison is overhauling 24 acres of waterfront land along the Potomac River. The Wharf project, once completed will bring 3.2 million square feet of new space to the area. A unique component of the development is an entertainment street named Jazz Alley, containing a concert hall, boardwalk and pier, rum distillery and one of Hilton’s popular Canopy hotels. In addition there will be two waterfront luxury condos, as well as the prior announcement from the American Psychiatric Association to occupy 63,000 square feet of office space, the first tenant for The Wharf.
New York, New York continues to find new plots to develop. Most recently, the Hudson Yards and West Manhattan are being developed. The Related Cos. $20 billion development is speculated as the most expensive development currently in the world. This investment is a composed of EB-5 investors that will fund the new mega development. EB-5 investors consist of foreign investors that reap benefits from the United States government, such as expedited citizenship for family members, while helping out with domestic jobs and capital flow into the United States. Related along with Oxford Properties Group have already raised $600 million in EB-5 funds. U.K. based Children’s Investment Fund agreed to a $1.2 billion construction loan to both developers in order to commence construction. The development is leasing up quickly with tenants, most notably Time Warner along with several of its subsidiaries.
In West Manhattan, Brookfield properties is leading the development of 1.5 acres of mixed-use space consisting of a 60,000 square foot Whole Foods, and is being viewed as a “major culinary anchor” to the area. Notable tenants are the National hockey League and the Skadden Arps law firm, who will occupy some of the 2.1 million square feet of space in the emerging 67-story One Manhattan West tower, making it one of the tallest buildings in the city.
Finally, the Seaport project by WS Development is underway in Boston. Located on the waterfront and only minutes from Logan International Airport, the aim is to convert 23 acres into one of Boston’s most vibrant mixed-use communities. The development is composed of 2.8 million square feet of office and research space and 3.2 million square feet of residential space. This will be blended into the landscape containing 8.8 acres of green space and four new hotels.