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Central PA Loses Rite Aid and Harsco HQs – A Look at Causes & Impact

Posted on September 27, 2021 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Commercial Real Estate, Local Market, Office Leasing No Comments

In the span of about one week, both Rite Aid and Harsco made the major announcement that they would be transitioning their headquarters out of Central Pennsylvania and into Philadelphia. These major companies account for significant commercial office space and even more local jobs that now hang in the balance. The physical space is the most obvious asset to become vacated in the move. Rite Aid accounts for 205,000 square feet of space located at 30 Hunter Lane in Camp Hill. And Harsco currently occupies approximately 40,000 square feet of space located at 350 Poplar Church Road in Camp Hill. The relocation of these two company headquarters will result in an increase in vacancy in the Harrisburg West Submarket from 10% to 12.45%. In addition to physical space, local jobs, particularly the ones that are not conducive to a virtual work environment, are uncertain to make the transition.

According to the information shared in the official announcements from both Rite Aid and Harsco, we learned some valuable information about the plans for the transition, what fueled their decision, and how this stands to impact local jobs immediately and into the future. Keep reading to learn what these reasons are, how COVID-19 plays a role (or didn’t), and what this could predict of other companies choosing to do the same in the future.

Remote-First Work Approach

According to Fox News, Rite Aid is transitioning to a “remote-first work approach for corporate associates. Rite Aid stated that they had been closely monitoring associates who have been successfully working remotely since the early days of the pandemic. This provided valuable insight into how employees viewed this flexible style of work and the results it yielded. An internal survey found that a vast majority of these associates preferred working from home and found themselves to be more productive in their work.

Conversely, Harsco’s plans do not call for a hybrid workplace. Their new location is in the center of the city in Philadelphia and current plans point to transitioning back to working face-to-face.

Interestingly, a recent CoStar survey examined employee readiness to return to a physical work environment. Though the majority of workers responded that they were “somewhat okay” with returning to the office, a notable number of people expressed hesitation and concern about returning to work. Broken down by generation, ethnicity, and gender, the results look like this.

Rite Aid’s focus on moving to a new headquarters that accommodates an effective remote-first work approach makes sense. They are listening to the preferences (and hesitations) of their employees and using this as an opportunity to transition to a work style that fits the style of their team now and into the future.

The Appeal of Collaboration Space

Allowing for more employees to work remotely doesn’t fully explain why Rite Aid would pull its headquarters from Camp Hill and move to a more expensive market like Philadelphia. But maybe this will. In its official announcement, Rite Aid explained that its new model for use of its physical locations would be supported by a network of collaboration centers throughout the company’s geographic footprint. Its official headquarters in Philadelphia is a space specifically designed for in-person collaboration and company gatherings, instead of office spaces. This means what while more employees than ever will be working remotely when they do need to come together, the space they have is conducive for effective collaboration.

Both Companies’ Draw to Larger and Diverse Talent Pool

As is often said in real estate, it’s all about location, location, location. The new Rite Aid headquarters will be in Philadelphia’s Navy Yard district, an area that the city has been building up rapidly in recent years. This is an attractive area for a business because of its surrounding talent pool that is growing as rapidly as its new and accommodating options for office space. When hiring for positions that require in-person work, Rite Aid will now attract talent from the greater Philadelphia market as opposed to the more rural and much smaller Central Pennsylvania market.

Harsco, the company which was established in 1853 as the Harrisburg Car Company, operates in more than 30 counties and employs 12,000 people, but only about 100 in the Harrisburg area. Quite simply, it has outgrown this market. According to CBS21 News, Nick Grasberger, Chairman and CEO of Harsco Corporation says “We are confident that this move to America’s sixth-largest city will provide us with more options to the future resources needed to fuel our growth.”

Closer Proximity to Customers and Federal Government Agencies

One more reason Rite Aid shared for its decision to move its headquarters is its desire to be more centrally located to its customer base as well as federal government agencies. Philadelphia is a much larger market, sixth in the nation in fact, so there is little argument that its new headquarters will place it closer to a larger customer base, especially one that is urban and with greater diversity.

Speaking to the federal government agencies point, both companies are located within close proximity to state government, with the capital city right over the bridge from current headquarters in Camp Hill. The move is not to say that state issues and the connections made in Central PA are not of value, but it appears both have eyes on national growth. Making the decision now to move to a location with more federal government representation and connections is a strategic decision for the future.

What this Means for Central PA

Though the loss of the headquarters of two sizeable companies, both within a very close time frame, comes as a notable blow to Central PA, there may be a silver lining in all of this. Both companies were intentional about addressing the concern over lost jobs and focused on their intent to preserve as many local jobs as possible during the transition while opening up new avenues for job creation. The actual impact on local jobs remains to be seen, and with that comes the trickle-down impact on other industries such as hotels, restaurants, and retail stores that rely on the business from individuals who live, work, and play in Central PA.

Additionally, the loss of Rite Aid and Harsco will create a significant vacancy in commercial real estate in the local market. It remains to be seen what will become of their vacated space and what business will ultimately make use of it. With every loss comes opportunity. Whatever business moves into this space also brings the potential for jobs and economic growth. On the bright side, both companies have chosen to maintain headquarters in Pennsylvania which is better than moving outside the borders to a neighboring state. Both anticipate being in their new Philadelphia offices by 2023, providing ample notice for transition both for the business as well as for the Central PA and Philadelphia markets.

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Operating Expenses and Your Commercial Office Lease: What you need to know

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Commercial Real Estate, Office Leasing, Tenant Representative/Buyer Agent No Comments

Spring is the most common time of year for commercial real estate tenants to receive their reconciliation from their landlords or property managers for the past year as well as estimates for the current year for the operational costs for their office building. This can be an unexpected sum due, especially for small to medium-sized business owners who have budgeted for their commercial lease, but not these added expenses.

In the ideal world, the landlord has budgeted correctly, and no funds would be due for the past year of operating the building. Unfortunately, this rarely occurs and typically tenants receive an invoice in around March or April with an amount due for the past year. But the surprises don’t stop there. The statement will likely have an estimate of cost over the base year amount which the tenant is required to pay monthly. Furthermore, as statements are issued, there are typically three months of estimates for the current year, known as “catch-up” that also need to be paid upon presentation of the statement by the landlord.

All of this said, a business that rents commercial real estate space rounding out the first quarter may also find itself hit with an unexpected bill that seems confusing or unfair. Keep reading to learn more about operating expenses, CAMs, and how they are woven into your commercial real estate lease.

Understanding CAM Expenses

The term “operating expenses” is the general phrase used in commercial leases that includes all operating costs associated with repairing, maintaining, and operating a building, including Common Area Maintenance (known as CAM expenses), property taxes, insurance, utilities, management fees, and administrative fees. Sure, these costs go toward services that help your commercial space to function, provide comfort, and look nice. However, sometimes such costs can really add up and push you over the upper limit of your budget for your commercial real estate lease if you’re not aware of how they’re written into your lease.

What’s also important to understand is that CAM expenses are a subcategory of pass-through expenses that include the repair, maintenance, and operation of common areas, i.e. areas of a building used by all tenants, including corridors and lobbies, elevators, parking lots, and landscaping. So as your landlord or property manager makes repairs to your commercial space, to areas that may or may not impact your daily use, you are still paying into the CAM expense that is the budget for making such repairs.

Negotiating CAM Costs

Because the cost to operate a commercial building generally varies from year to year given changing property tax rates, utility costs, and repair and maintenance costs, pass-through expenses need detailed attention when negotiating a lease. Tenants would be wise to take a close look at the landlord’s expense provisions to prevent the burden of unexpected and rising costs.

Don’t just accept the terms of the lease. You should demand the landlord narrows their definition of Operating Expenses as well as what constitutes common areas.

Landlords want to leave the scope of your share of operating costs as open-ended as possible and often use terms such as “including”, creating loopholes that could leave you on the hook for an infinite number of unforeseeable costs. Whenever possible, insist your landlord enumerate specific expenses, while minimizing or avoiding catch-all phrases such as “all reasonable costs”.

Common areas are often another point of contention between tenants and their landlords. While it is reasonable to expect tenants to pay their fair share for the maintenance and repair of common areas (after all, the appearance and utility of the grounds and building are important to attract and accommodate customers), CAM expenses should exclude the roof, exterior walls, and foundation as well as spaces that do not benefit all tenants.

The Structure of Office Leases

Office leases are generally structured as a Full-Service Gross (FSG) lease or a Modified Gross lease (MG) that allow for Landlords to “pass-through” the increase in costs of operating their office building over the first-year’s operating expenses, which is included in the rental rate for year one of a lease. Each year of the lease, the Landlord will be set forth a summary of costs for the past year and an estimate of costs for the current year, known as the Reconciliation and Estimate statement.

Upon receipt of the reconciliations and estimate statements, it is essential that tenants review and compare the cost against their previously received base year cost to insure the billing is accurate. Keep in mind leases typically provide a 30 to 60-day window to review the pass-through costs the landlord or property manager is asking you to pay.

How a Tenant Representative Can Help

A commercial real estate agent who serves as a 100% exclusive tenant representative can help guide you through the lease negotiation process, which includes pass-through and CAM costs. They are trained to identify where these costs are written in and can help identify what is fair, and what you might want to push back on. Compromises are made all the time in commercial real estate. With a trust tenant representative on your side, you will have the knowledge and expertise to negotiate favorable terms that protect you from unnecessary costs.

The most important takeaway is to first and foremost engage a tenant representative who will exclusively represent your interest. This will not only serve you well as you search for and sign into commercial real estate, but they will be a trusted advisor when you encounter a challenge, or in the case an unexpected expense that could upset your business. Learn more about the role and benefit of a tenant representative.

If you’re a business owner navigating the new waters of renting commercial real estate for your business – office, retail, or industrial – start by speaking with a tenant representative today.

Central PA’s Top Commercial Real Estate Leases in 2020

Posted on February 22, 2021 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Commercial Real Estate, Industrial, Local Market, Office Leasing, Trends No Comments

In spite of 2020’s black swan event (COVID-19), leasing activity in Central Pennsylvania continued with mixed results. Normally insulated from strong economic downturns, the coronavirus tested the Central Pennsylvania Region and there are reasons for both concern and optimism.

On the negative side: massive job losses in retail and a significant manufacturing base could cause serious disruption. Roughly 30,000 people were employed in the retail sector in March, and close to that number were also employed in manufacturing. Though manufacturing’s future remains less clear and the market could be buoyed by the region’s deep presence of food production, retail has been hard hit by the shutdown.

While being the state’s capital will provide some shelter in the coming months, Pennsylvania’s fiscal situation is a mess. Financial troubles could portend future government layoffs and by the third quarter, the state had already cut 2,500 government jobs.

There’s little chance the economy doesn’t cool in Central Pennsylvania but the market does have some factors working in its favor. BLS data shows the market has lost about 5% of its total non-farm employment levels since March. While this is obviously a significant reduction, it does compare well with nearby Lehigh Valley and Pittsburgh. While Harrisburg’s demographic gains won’t raise any eyebrows, the region does stand out in Pennsylvania. Cumberland County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the state, likely aided by the growing logistics and warehouse presence along the Carlisle Corridor.

The logistics sector is expected to hold up well and perhaps even grow as e-commerce continues its acceleration. An Adobe report from June showed that online spending was up 77% year over year, representing growth in e-commerce that experts were not forecasting the country to reach until 2026. Central Pennsylvania’s location is prime for shipping, and such a scenario could lead to more jobs and perhaps fuel additional growth in population.

Additionally, Central Pennsylvania is also trying to evolve into a knowledge-based economy and has adopted business-friendly incentives that have helped create nearly two dozen tech startups, which have generated 1,000 jobs. Education and health services jobs, which now track evenly with government jobs in the state’s capital, grew by more than 4% annually.

How does the ever-shifting economy impact the commercial real estate market, particularly as it pertains to commercial leases?

It comes as no surprise that industrial real estate leases in 2020 carried the largest square footage, with the top lease coming in at more than 1.1M SF to Lowes Distribution Center in Shippensburg. Additionally, Bob’s Discount Furniture will be moving into the former Best Buy in Lancaster, and Hershey will be getting a new Big Lots in the Hershey Square Shopping Center. The top five flex leases also provided businesses with hundreds of thousands of Class B Flex Space. Keep reading to view the top 5 leases from 2020 for office, retail, industrial, and flex space.

Top 5 Office Leases

#1 – 1929 Lasalle Ave – Bldg 134, Lancaster, PA 17601

High Associates Ltd. leased out the 29,000 SF Class C Office Building built in 1974 to Equipment Depot beginning in January of 2020 for a 1-year term. It had previously been vacant for 164 months.

#2 – 1803 Mt Rose Ave – Bldg B, York, PA 17403

Kinsley Properties leased out the 23,704 SF Class C Office Building built in 1988 to IDS, LLC beginning in February of 2021 for a 5-year term. It had previously been vacant for 13 months.

#3 – 990 Peiffers Ln – NRG Engine Services, Harrisburg, PA 17109

Campbell Commercial Real Estate leased out the 23,382 SF Class B Office Building built in 1987 to UPS Midstream Services Inc. beginning in February of 2020 for an unspecified term.

#4 – 1770 Hempstead Rd – Greenfield Corporate Center, Lancaster, PA 17601

High Associates Ltd. leased out the 16,088 SF Class B Office Building built in 1990 to an unnamed leasee beginning in November of 2020 for unspecified term. It had previously been vacant for 19 months.

#5 – 200 Corporate Center Dr – 200 Corporate Center Dr, Camp Hill, Camp Hill, PA 17011

Cushman & Wakefield leased out the 11,655 SF Class A Office Building built in 1986 to an unnamed leasee in August of 2020 for an unspecified term. It had previously been vacant for 52 months.

Top 5 Retail Leases

#1 – 3975 Columbia Ave, Columbia, PA 17512

The 86,100 SF Class B Retail Building built in 1992 was leased to U-Haul, as the single tenant, beginning in June of 2021.

#2 – 1801 Hempstead Rd – Former Best Buy, Lancaster, PA 17601

Bennett Williams Commercial and ShopCore Properties leased out the 45,915 SF Class B Retail Building built in 2009 to Bob’s Discount Furniture beginning in September of 2020 for a 10-year term. It had previously been vacant for 23 months.

#3 – 921 E Main St – Mount Joy Square Shopping Center, Mount Joy, PA 17552

Bennett Williams Commercial leased out the 44,761 SF Class B Retail Building built in 1989 to an unnamed business beginning in March of 2021. It had previously been vacant for 25 months.

#4 – 1130-1170 Mae St – Hershey Square Shopping Center, Hummelstown, PA 17036

Bennett Williams Commercial leased out the 38,202 SF Class B Retail Building built in 1994 to Big Lots beginning in June of 2020 for a 10-year term. It had previously been vacant for 12 months.

#5 – 4075 E. Market St – York, PA 17402

The Flynn Company leased 27,000 SF Class C Industrial/Manufacturing Building built in 1972 to No Piston, LLC beginning in October of 2020 for a 5-year term.

Top 5 Industrial Leases

#1 – 1 Walnut Bottom Rd – Shippensburg 81 Logistics Center, Shippensburg, PA 17257

Colliers International leased out the 1,100,500 SF Class A Industrial Building completed in 2020 to Lowes Distribution Center beginning in February of 2021. It had previously been a vacant shell space for 160 months.

#2 – 200 Goodman Dr – Building 2, Carlisle, PA 17013

CBRE leased out the 938,828 SF Class A Industrial Building built in 2017 to Syncreon beginning in December 2020. It had previously been vacant for 44 months.

#3 – 951 Centerville Rd – Penn Commerce Center – Building A, Newville, PA 17241

Cushman & Wakefield leased out the 807,998 SF Class A Industrial Building to an unnamed leasee. It had previously been vacant for 5 months.

#4 – 4875 Susquehanna Trl – ES3 LLC Bldg 1, York, PA 17406

The 790,042 SF Class B Industrial Building was leased to ES3, a Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services company, beginning in February 2020 for an unspecified term.

#5 – Centerville Rd – Penn Commerce Center – Building B, Newville, PA 17241

Cushman & Wakefield leased out the 753,000 SF Class B Industrial Building to an unnamed lease beginning on January 2021. It had previously been vacant for 3 months.

Top 5 Flex Leases

#1 – 60-64 Industrial Rd, Elizabethtown, PA 17022

Cushman & Wakefield leased out the 113,720 SF Class B Flex Space completed in 1992 to WillScot beginning in September of 2020. It had previously been a vacant shell space for 13 months.

#2 – 1740 Hempstead Rd – Building 380, Lancaster, PA 17601

High Associates, Ltd. leased out the 34,000 SF Class B Flex Space completed in 1964 to an unnamed business beginning in January of 2021. It had previously been a vacant shell space for 92 months.

#3 – 6400 Flank Dr, Harrisburg, PA 17112 – Harrisburg Area East Ind Submarket

NAI CIR leased out the 32,212 SF Class B Flex Space completed in 1987 to an unnamed business beginning in June of 2020. It had previously been a vacant shell space for 3 months.

#4 – 1000 Kreider Dr – Building A, Middletown, PA 17057

CBRE leased out the 12,030 SF Class B Flex Space completed in 2006 to an unnamed business beginning in August of 2020. It had previously been a vacant shell space for 8 months.

#5 – 3545 Marietta Ave – Silver Spring Center, Lancaster, PA 17601

Prospect Leasing & Management leased out the 7,192 SF Class B Flex Space completed in 1997 to an unnamed business beginning in January of 2021 for a 5-year term. It had previously been a vacant shell space for 6 months.

With so much square footage having exchanged hands in Central PA in 2020, it will be interesting and important to keep an eye on how these businesses impact the region. There were quite a few properties that made it to this list that had sat vacant for years. Now with new tenants, this will drive jobs and contribute to the local economy. And with some of these leasing terms for 5, even 10 years, these businesses have made a commitment to being here long-term.

Among all the top leasing deals that took place in 2020, which sector – office, retail, industrial, or flex – do you think will have the largest and most immediate impact on the Central PA region? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

*Data of the top commercial real estate sales provided by CoStar.

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COVID-19 and Commercial Real Estate: Why Tenant Reps Are More Valuable than Ever

Posted on October 1, 2020 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Office Leasing, Tenant Representative/Buyer Agent No Comments

Now more than ever, if you are looking to lease commercial real estate, you need a tenant rep on your side. All of the services they provide, which include negotiations, market expertise, coordination, and strategic advice, have not changed. However, given the complexity of the during- and post-COVID economy and all of the changes that keep coming, such services have become more valuable than ever. Here are six reasons why working with a commercial real estate professional who exclusively represents is more important now than ever before.

Your use of space has changed.

This spring, when basically all non-essentially businesses were forced to temporarily close or work remotely, how people used commercial spaces changed drastically. Even after people were able to slowly get back to business and reopen, there was a drastic shift in how much space was needed to accommodate needs. Some businesses decided to remain virtual and thus needed to get out of their commercial space entirely. Others needed more space or reconfiguration of space to accommodate for social distancing. Others still had to consider how they would replace communal spaces like conference rooms and kitchens.

Having a tenant rep on your side to help navigate all these changes is a huge benefit. First, they can help with lease negotiations if you need to break or change the terms of your lease. Next, they can also help you secure more or different space, if needed. Doing this on your own is a big undertaking and you don’t know what you don’t know. That’s where a tenant rep can step in to take this off your plate so you can focus on running your business.

And the market has changed.

COVID turned everything on its head, which includes the commercial real estate market. It’s a new world out there, and the person who can best help you understand the changes and how they could be used to your benefit is a commercial tenant rep. It’s their job to monitor the market and help their clients adjust accordingly. With a tenant rep to guide you, the many unknowns of this market can start to make a little more sense.

Getting to know a new market is challenging.

If your business needed to find a new space during the pandemic, particularly in a different city, this is where a tenant rep can really help you out. With travel restricted in so many ways, it’s virtually impossible to get to know a new market without living there or having visited it. It’s like real estate shopping with a blindfold. But when you can call upon a tenant rep who lives in your new desired market, you will benefit from all of their knowledge and expertise about that market. They can help you identify the right options for your commercial space, allow you to virtually tour it, and work on your behalf to negotiate a favorable lease.

Not everything is represented online.

Another important consideration is what you see online isn’t the full picture. Many commercial properties cannot be found through an online listing. And with so many places to look, how can you be sure you didn’t overlook something. A tenant rep who knows the market knows what spaces are available, even if they’re newly listed and not represented online. They may even know of space that will soon be opening up and is not publicly known. All of this will work to your advantage to help you see your blind spots, and without having to take on the headache of this alone.

Negotiation is at an all-time high.

Thanks to COVID, nothing is immune to change. This includes lease agreements. Many, many negotiations are taking place between tenants and landlords to adjust lease agreements because of the sudden change in how tenants are using (or not using) their space. A tenant rep is skilled in such negotiations and can step in on your behalf to arrive at a reasonable and favorable outcome for your lease agreement with the landlord. It also helps that they know the market and what other commercial spaces are charging per square foot and any COVID clauses that might exist.

You need to protect yourself in lease agreements.

And finally, a tenant rep will be sure you are protected in your lease agreement for any future changes that might take place with your business. For example, does it make more sense for you to have a long-term or short-term contract? What should happen is you need to break the lease agreement? And what options are available to you should you need more or different space from the landlord? All of these unknowns should be addressed before you put your signature on anything and a tenant rep will be sure that all ground is covered.

Have you previously worked with a tenant rep to lease or purchase commercial real estate? If you have, what has been your experience? Do you agree that the role they play is more valuable than ever? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below.

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Central PA’s Largest Commercial Real Estate Sales of 2019

Posted on January 27, 2020 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Commercial Real Estate, Industrial, Local Market, Office Leasing, Retail, Trends No Comments

There is much we can learn by analyzing a market’s largest commercial real estate sales in a given year. Looking at each the industrial, retail, and office sectors, it’s interesting to see the varying demand for size, price and class from sector-to-sector. This tells us a lot of about the direction of economic growth for a region; and for a real estate investor, it also showcases where the best investment opportunities for the future may lie.

Here is a look at the largest commercial real estate sales that took place in Central Pennsylvania in 2019, grouped by sector and sorted by highest sell price.

INDUSTRIAL

400-500 S. Muddy Creek Road – Albertsons Distribution Center (Lancaster County)

U.S. Realty Advisors purchased the Albertsons distribution facility for $117,050,000, or approximately $76 per foot for the 1,539,407-square-foot property on January 2, 2019. The subject Albertsons Industrial portfolio is comprised of a dry bulk/cold storage facilities in Denver, PA and in Melrose, IL. The sole tenant of the portfolio is Albertsons and they signed a 20-year lease with nine five-year extension options (and a one-year extension option) as part of the sale-leaseback transaction. Albertsons is under an Absolute Net lease paying $5/sf in base rent. Their lease requires that the tenant is responsible for operating expenses, real estate taxes, utilities, repairs, maintenance and capital expenditures, in addition to its obligation to pay base rent.

221 S. 10^th Street – (Cumberland County)

This 885,802 SF, class B industrial warehouse sold on September 26, 2019 to Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust for $84.8 million, or $96 per square foot. The sale is part of an industrial portfolio (see #4 below). At a total price of $18.7 billion, this sale of 179 million square feet of urban, infill logistics assets constitute the largest private real estate transaction in history. The portfolio includes high-quality logistics assets across 36 major U.S. markets that GLP aggregated over the past four years.

2601 River Road – Turkey Hill (Lancaster County)

W.P. Carey purchased the Turkey Hill food production and distribution facility for $70 million, or approximately $170 per foot for the 412,248-square-foot property on June 27, 2019. Built in 1980, Turkey Hill leased back the property for 25 years; the lease is triple net, with annual escalations. The buyer reported a weighted average cap rate of 7.1% for their acquisitions for the quarter, which totaled approximately $123.5 million, indicating this was probably priced in the 6s as the largest acquisition. The site was described as mission critical for the tenant, which has invested in many additions and improvements. It was noted that the site is powered through clean energy sources including wind turbines and hydroelectric energy. Turkey Hill had been a division of Kroger, but was sold earlier in the year to Peak Rock Capital.

21 Roadway Drive – (Cumberland County)

On September 26, 2019, Global Logistics Properties Ltd sold the class B industrial facility for $53.5 million, or $96 per square foot. The buyer was Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust. The 558,700 square-foot industrial facility was built on 36.16-acre site with an 8-acre pad site available to be developed into a 150,000 SF facility. The sale is comprised of an industrial portfolio totaling 64 million SF that Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust acquired located throughout the U.S. The sales price was reported at $5.3 billion. The portfolio was 95% leased at the time of the sale. The sale is part of a larger transaction in which Blackstone Real Estate Partners fund acquired 115 million SF for $13.4 billion; therefore, the overall sales price was reported at $18.7 billion for 179 million SF among two translations.

RETAIL

950 Walnut Bottom Road – Stonehedge Square Shopping Center (Cumberland County)

On November 25, 2019, this 88,657 square foot Giant anchored grocery center was sold for $30.7 million, or $346 per square foot to RW Partners, Inc.

2547 Brindle Drive – Shoppes At Susquehanna Marketplace (Dauphin County)

On April 1, 2019, The Shoppes at Susquehanna Marketplace in Harrisburg, PA were sold to an individual investor for $33.5 million, or $305 per square foot. The 110,000-square-foot shopping center was completed in 2004 and about 98% occupied by 25 tenants at the time of the sale. It was previously owned by a joint venture between Clarion Partners and Bayer Properties. The property was initially listed in January 2019 with an asking price of $38.17 million.

235-295 Cumberland Parkway – Parkway Plaza Shopping Center (Cumberland County)

On November 25, 2019, this 82,599 square foot Giant anchored grocery center was sold for $22.3 million or $270 per square foot. Parkway Plaza and Stonehedge Square (see #1) were part of a portfolio of Giant supermarket-anchored shopping centers in mid-to eastern Pennsylvania sold to RW Partners, Inc. for $127,000,000. The Giant grocery stores make up approximately 75% of this portfolio’s gross leasable area generate 80% of the portfolio’s revenue.

903-905 Loucks Road – Two Guys Commons (York County)

On August 19, 2019, Urban Edge Properties sold Two Guys Commons to Vastgood Properties, LLC for $13.15 million, or about $119 per square foot. At the time of the sale, the 110,980-square-foot retail property was fully leased to five tenants which included Crunch Fitness, Aldi, Ashley Furniture HomeStore, Tractor Supply, and Old Country Buffet. Based on in-place NOI, the transaction yielded a cap rate of about 7.5%.

OFFICE

100 Crystal A Drive – The Hershey Company (Dauphin County)

The three class B office buildings totaling 239,089 SF were sold on December 2, 2019 to the Penn State Medical Group for $28,445,835. Built in 1991, the buildings were sold by The Hershey Company for $118.98 per square foot. The seller was motivated to sell the property as they moved their operation into their corporate headquarters. The buildings will serve as Penn State Health headquarters and allow for moving some personnel from the Hershey Medical Center campus, creating space there to allow for expanded clinical services. Penn State Health leased office space in 2017 at that time The Hershey Company gave option purchase rights to the building. Penn State Health exercised their option to purchase the building.

425 N. 21^st Street – Plaza 21 (Cumberland County)

This 62,304 SF class B Office Building sold on September 16, 2019 to J & R Investments, Inc. for $9,300,000. Built in 1970 and renovated in 2009, this building was sold by Select Capital Commercial Properties for $149.27 per square foot. The building is leased to primarily to Geisinger System Services.

2400 Thea Drive – Synertech Building (Dauphin County)

On December 2nd, 2019, Istar Harrisburg LP sold the building in Harrisburg PA, to Real Capital Solutions, Inc for $9,100,000 or approximately $43.94 per square foot. The subject property is a 207,115, four-story class B office building located at 2400 Thea Dr in Harrisburg, PA 17110. The building sits on a 10.62-acre lot. It was constructed in 1999.

305 N. Front Street – (Dauphin County)

On July 17, 2019, this 120,000 SF office property was sold by Harrisburg Riverfront Development to Select Capital Commercial Properties for $7,950,000 or $65 per square foot. Built in 1989, this property sits on 1.2 acres

Closing Thoughts

In Central Pennsylvania and across the nation, it’s fair to say that the commercial real estate market delivered its fair share of ups and downs. Now that we’ve taken a closer look at the largest industrial, retail and office real estate sales of 2019, there are a few interesting points worth noting in each sector.

Industrial – Industrial real estate continues to lead all other real estate sectors with $1.2 billion in sales volume in 2019. The average price was $56.80 per square-foot, with the average property selling for $7.15 million.

Retail – A total of $200 million was invested in Central PA’s retail real estate market in 2019, a decrease from 2018. The average sale price was $142 per square foot.

Office – Annual volume levels for Central PA’s office real estate market stayed consistent with 2018 with $270 million in total sales. The average office property sold for $1.16 million. The average sales price was $102 per square foot.

What do you feel is the most important or interesting trend to emerge from the largest commercial real estate sales to take place in Central Pennsylvania in 2019? Share your thoughts by commenting below.

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Central PA’s Largest Commercial Real Estate Sales of 2018

Posted on February 25, 2019 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Commercial Real Estate, Industrial, Local Market, Office Leasing, Trends No Comments

Central PA’s Largest Commercial Real Estate Sales of 2018

There is much we can learn by analyzing a market’s largest commercial real estate sales in a given year. Looking at each the industrial, retail and office sectors, it’s interesting to see the varying demand for size, price and class from sector-to-sector. This tells us a lot of about the direction of economic growth for a region; and for a real estate investor, it also showcases where the best investment opportunities for the future may lie.

Here is a look at the largest commercial real estate sales that took place in Central Pennsylvania in 2018, grouped by sector and sorted by highest sell price.

INDUSTRIAL

1. 2 Ames Drive – Amazon (Carlisle)

This 700,000 SF, Class A industrial distribution building sold on December 20, 2018 to MetLife Real Estate Investments for $74,600,000. Built in 2012, this building was sold by American Realty Advisors for $106.57 per square foot. The price represents a 4.89% cap rate. American Realty Advisors had acquired the property in 2015 for $62.475 million.

2. 3700-3900 Industrial Rd – Supervalu (Harrisburg)

This 750,000 SF, Class B industrial building sold on May 1, 2018 to Fortress Investment Group LLC for $38,373,479. Built in 1985 and renovated in 1999, this building was sold by Supervalu Inc. for $51.16 per square foot. The lease agreements between Supervalu and the new landlord had an initial term for 20 years, with five five-year renewal options on a triple-net lease.

3. 6345 Brackbill Blvd – Exel Logistics (Mechanicsburg)

This 507,634 SF, Class B industrial warehouse sold on April 5, 2018 to Penwood Real Estate Investment Management, LLC for $33,100,000. Built in 1985, this building was sold by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority for $66.20 per square foot. The price represents about a 6.15% cap rate on in-place income.

4. 102 Roadway Drive – Saia, Inc. (Carlisle)

This 61,658 SF, Class C, truck terminal along with 40 acres was sold in October 2018 to Saia for $32,000,000. The additional acreage pushed the sales price to over $518 per square foot. YRC, the seller, still owns and occupies the larger industrial building next to this property.

5. 571 Independence Ave – Upper Allen Business Park (Mechanicsburg)

This 378,000 SF, Class B industrial warehouse sold on August 22, 2018 to Prologis, Inc. for $24,971,824. Built in 1999, this building was part of a portfolio sold by DCT Industrial Trust for $66.06 per square foot. Prologis, Inc., a global leader in logistics real estate, acquired DCT in an all-stock acquisition of for $8.5 billion, including the assumption of debt.

RETAIL

1. 6416 Carlisle Pike – Silver Spring Square (Mechanicsburg)

This 342,603 SF power center anchored by Wegmans was sold on April 17, 2018 to The Wilder Companies for $88,810,000. Built in 2007, this building was sold by Silver Spring Square, LLC for $235.87 per square foot. The price represents an in-place cap rate of 7%.

2. 830-870 N. US Route 15 – The Dillsburg Shopping Center (Dillsburg)

This 162,783 SF neighborhood center was sold on September 24, 2018 to Vastgood Properties, LLC for $24,400,000. Built in 1994 and renovated in 2002, this property was sold by Brixmoor Property Group for $149.89 per square foot. The property traded at a 6.333% cap rate.

3. 5301 Simpson Ferry Rd – Giant (Mechanicsburg)

This 51,394 SF retail property sold on August 17, 2018 to Patriot Equity Partners, LLC for $17,540,000. Built in 2004, this property was sold by Exchange Right Real Estate, LLC for $341.28 per square foot.

4. 130 Kline Village – Kline Plaza (Harrisburg)

This 214,628 SF community center was sold to Nassimi Realty Corp. on December 12, 2018 for $8,700,000. Built in 1952, this property was sold by Brixmoor Property Group for $40.54 per square foot. The price represents a 10% in-place cap rate.

5. 1313 Kenneth Road – Dick’s Sporting Goods (York)

This 55,200 SF retail property was sold to the Stewart Companies on December 27, 2018 for $6,250,000. Built in 1988, this property was sold by First Capital Realty Inc. for $113.22 per square foot.

OFFICE

1. 1920 Technology Pky – Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (Mechanicsburg)

This 100,000 SF Class B Office Building sold on December 3, 2018 to Boyd Watterson Asset Management for $26,950,000. Built in 2010, this building was sold by Hudson Companies for $269.50 per square foot at a 7.5% cap rate. The building is fully leased to the PA Dept of Corrections.

2. 1250 Camp Hill Bypass (Camp Hill)

This 84,000 SF Class B Office Building sold on November 27, 2018 to Waterday Properties for $19,750,000. Built in 2015, this building was sold by Hoffer Properties for $235.12 per square foot. The building is leased to Hewlett Packard and Medical Mutual.

3. 1 Trinity Dr E – UPMC Pinnacle FamilyCare (Dillsburg)

This 43,212 SF Class B Medical Building sold on August 9, 2018 to Hammes Partners for $19,000,000. Built in 2008, this building was sold by Anchor Commercial Realty for $439.69 per square foot. The MOB is occupied by UPMC Pinnacle and Presbyterian Senior Living.

4. 909 Elmerton Ave – Pennsylvania DEP South Central Regional HQ (Harrisburg)

This 73,101 SF Class B Office Building sold on August 2, 2018 to Boyd Watterson Asset Management for $14,500,000. Built in 1998, this building was sold by Elmerton 909, LP for $198.36 per square foot. The building is fully occupied by the PA Dept of Environmental Protection.

5. 3801 Paxton Street (Harrisburg)

This 61,198 SF Class A Office Building sold on January 31, 2018 to Arthur L. Walters Co. for $8,425,000. Built in 2006 and updated in 2017, this building was sold by Thomas A. Salvaggio for $137.67 per square foot. The property traded at a 6.86% cap rate.

Closing Thoughts

In Central Pennsylvania and across the nation, it’s fair to say that the commercial real estate market delivered its fair share of ups and downs. Now that we’ve taken a closer look at the largest industrial, retail and office real estate sales of 2018, there are a few interesting points worth noting in each sector.

Industrial – Industrial real estate continues to lead all other real estate sectors with $529 million in sales volume in 2018. The average price was $60 per square-foot, with the average property selling for $4.2 million with a 6.3% cap rate.

Retail – A total of $346 million was invested in Central PA’s retail real estate market in 2018, an increase over 2016 and 2017. The average sale price was $107per square-foot with a 7.5% cap rate.

Office – Annual volume levels for Central PA’s office real estate market were trending down for 3 years running, but 2018 rebounded with $266 million in total sales. The average office property sold for $1.4 million with 8.2% cap rate. Two of the top five largest office sales to take place in 2018 were buildings leased to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Given the largest and most notable commercial real estate sales that took place in Central PA in 2018, do you notice any other trends this might indicate? Share your insights below by leaving a comment.

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Is Your CRE Broker Ethical?

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Commercial Real Estate, Office Leasing, Tenant Representative/Buyer Agent No Comments

Is your CRE broker playing games with you?

Ethics can mean different things to different people, but at the core, it is the commitment to do the right thing, even when it’s not clearly spelled out in a law or policy. Your ethics guide you to do what’s fair and just, regardless of whether you’re instructed to do so. You do it because it’s the right thing to do.

In commercial real estate, we’d like to believe that every broker is ethical, but sheer probability would lead us to believe that’s not an accurate assumption. Unfortunately, there are gray areas in CRE, just as there are in residential real estate, where an agent or broker could interpret the law in such a way that they stand to gain something at the expense of someone else.

The challenge of finding an ethical CRE broker is that no one is going to openly say they are not ethical. In fact, many brokers who partake in questionable practices don’t even recognize that what they’re doing is unethical, or at very least unfair to their clients. Which is why it’s so important to be your own advocate. You need to have a basic understanding of how the CRE industry works and know what questions to ask to get to the real answers. Fortunately this doesn’t have to be a massive undertaking. In fact, there are just a few key things you need to know to be able to discern whether your CRE broker is ethical. Take a look!

A Changing Ethics Climate

Realtors face far more complex issues today than they did decades ago. As a result, developments in recent years have changed the ethics climate. For example, the savings and loan crisis resulted in more regulation and oversight in the banking and lending industry. Additionally, most states have now adopted agency disclosure where real estate agencies are required to disclose potential or perceived conflicts of interests so that clients can make informed choices and be aware that a broker may not be representing their interests exclusively.

Though there is still quite a bit that real estate can learn from the legal industry, the benefit of added regulation and oversight is that it draws a line in the sand between what is right and what is wrong, giving people ground to call brokers out and file a complaint if they feel that ethics have been breached.

Lack of Knowledge vs. Lack of Ethics

When dealing with a CRE broker who demonstrates questionable ethics, such as representing both the buyer and the seller in a deal, one very important differentiation must be made. And that is whether a broker is choosing to engage in dual agency because of a lack of ethics or because of a lack of knowledge or awareness. Both are red flags that this may not be a CRE broker you wish to work with; however, knowing the ethical dilemma but choosing to disregard it is a sure sign to not walk, but run away.

In contrast, a CRE broker who is a 100% exclusive tenant representative or buyer’s agent completely eliminates the conflict of dual agency, therefore preserving and protecting that broker’s code of ethics. In this day and age, given the rising awareness of the conflict of interest that can exist in dual agency, and seeing some such cases even brought to court for it, it’s unacceptable for a CRE broker to be without understanding of the issue, or worse yet, choose to ignore it completely.

Doing the Right Thing

So what’s the answer? A CRE broker who is ethical will avoid even the perception of a conflict of interest in any real estate deal. This means choosing to exclusively represent one side rather than trying to double dip with commissions. After all, having ethics means choosing to do the right thing even when it may not be the most popular or self-serving thing to do. You do it because it’s right. A CRE broker who is ethical will not wait for a law or policy to add clarity to a gray area. They will do what they know is fair and right, even if it takes from their bottom line.

The Good News for Commercial Real Estate

When it comes to finding an ethical commercial real estate broker, there is some good news to share! As someone looking to lease or buy commercial space, you can gain peace of mind by working with a 100% exclusive tenant representative/buyer agent. It’s often difficult for tenants and buyers to spot “double dipping” and with a tenant representative/buyer agent, that’s one less thing you have to worry about when vetting your CRE broker. Finding one is as simple as exploring the Tenant Representative Channel and looking for a tenant rep/buyer agent who serves your local area.

You can take your vetting process one step further by looking for a CRE broker who is also a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM). Simply put, this designation recognizes experts within the commercial and investment real estate industry, so you know you will receive a superior level of service and expertise when working with them.

Although finding a CRE broker who you feel is ethical and trustworthy can feel like a large undertaking, it doesn’t have to be. With these resources, and a general understanding of red flags to look for, the process can be streamlined and you can quickly narrow down your options. Look for an exclusive tenant representative who is a CCIM, and you will automatically have a short list of highly qualified, highly ethical CRE brokers!

What do you find to be most challenging about finding a CRE broker who is ethical? Do you have a question to ask or advice to share? Join in the conversation by leaving a comment below!

How the Medical Office Market Can Benefit from Using Flexible Office Space

Posted on September 21, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Office Leasing, Trends No Comments

Co-working and shared office space is not a new model. Businesses, like Regus, have been providing flexible, monthly memberships for access to shared office space for years now. This rose out of a growing need for businesses to have short-term, extremely flexible work locations so that they can scale up or down rapidly. Particularly, early stage startups couldn’t afford to lock into even year-long contracts for office space, because from week-to-week their needs for workspace were constantly changing.

What shared co-working space provides is an extremely flexible option for businesses and their employees to have a professional workspace with the ability to increase or decrease their space quickly and frequently. Now other industries have taken note of the unique benefits of co-working spaces and have started to develop their own model. The healthcare industry has jumped on this bandwagon and we’re now beginning to see the idea of medical co-working spaces spread across the nation, starting in cities such as Scottsdale, Arizona.

It may be hard to envision how doctors and other medical professionals can use shared workspaces to see patients, especially given the privacy and health considerations that come with the nature of the business. However, when you dig a little deeper, you’ll see that it’s a well thought out model that stands to disrupt traditional medical offices that tend to carry a large overhead and are unable to easily adapt.

Benefits of Using a Medical Co-Working Space

Co-working spaces are usually newly remodeled and fully built-out to fit the exact needs of the industry they serve. For medical co-working spaces, these rooms will feature a clean and organized space with new furniture and all the necessary resources to see and treat patients. Medical professionals can reserve the space for only the days that it’s needed. For some, this might be just 2-3 days per week. In a traditional medical office setting, when not in use, the space must still be paid for even if it’s sitting vacant.

Additionally, the concept of medical co-working spaces allows medical professionals to “test out” a new area where they may consider opening an office in the future. By offering services in a co-working space in the new area, they can see if patients prefer to see them at this location, and about how often they can fill their schedule here.

Space That Can Change with Demand

Additionally, co-working spaces are extremely flexible. Most businesses offering this amenity require only a 12 week commitment, then charge month-to-month. This is a big difference from a traditional office lease which is at least one year, usually multiple years.

In the medical industry, providers typically experience one of two problems as it pertains to medical office space. Either their practice is growing, and they don’t have enough rooms to accommodate their patients, thus delays in appointments or appointments that must be made weeks in advance. Or, the practice is shrinking and they’re losing even more money paying for space that is not being used. In both scenarios, medical professionals could benefit from the flexibility of office space that can change with demand.

With flexible office space, like co-working spaces, the need for space can change week-to-week and month-to-month. This affords medical professionals extreme flexibility. The end result is more convenient options for patients and less overhead for doctors.

Privacy and Health Considerations

It’s important to take into consideration that the highest standard of privacy and cleanliness is always expected by patients. If medical professionals should choose to see patients in a co-working setting, they should be prepared to reinforce to patients that though this is a “shared” space, the room is completely private and always properly cleaned.

As with any new trend, there may be some initial hesitations to overcome from both the providers and the patients. It’s a new model and something that will take some getting used to. However, because there are so many pros to outweigh the cons, as more and more people experience medical care from a co-working space, soon it will feel as comfortable as a traditional office environment – if not more so!

A Trend on the Rise

The reality is the co-working model is exploding, taking real estate empires, like New York City by storm. The 1.7 million square feet that co-working providers, like WeWork, leased in the first half of 2018 accounts for 10 percent of all new leasing activity in New York City this year. In fact, WeWork is about one lease away from becoming the biggest private office tenant in Manhattan – beating out JP Morgan Chase! How this relates back to the medical office market is that a trend that so quickly proved its value and dominance in a place like New York City in just eight years, will next begin to expand into smaller markets and new industries. This is not some overnight trend that will be a flash in the pan. Rather, it’s the future of office real estate that traditional real estate owners and investors need to embrace if they want to keep and attract new tenants.

The Bottom Line

Major healthcare trends are sweeping the nation and they stand to greatly change the way healthcare-related businesses view and use commercial real estate. The concept of co-working spaces that doctors and medical professionals can use to see patients is just one of these trends, and potentially a very disruptive one.

The benefits are clear. Being able to add or lose space on short notice and without penalty will allow medical professionals to save a ton of cost on overhead while having access to adequate space, if their practice grows. The most critical piece that will make this trend a success is that patients “buy into” the idea that they will be receiving care in a space that could be shared by other medical professionals on different days. So long as privacy and sanitary conditions are maintained, this trend has a lot of potential to benefit all parties.

What are some other benefits or drawbacks you see as the result of using medical co-working space? Share your thoughts and ideas by leaving a comment below!

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How Commercial Real Estate Owners and Investors Can Capitalize on the Co-Working Movement

Posted on May 9, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Local Market, Office Leasing, Trends No Comments

To younger generations who are making up more and more of our work force every day, work is no longer a physical space, but rather an activity that, for better or worse, can be taken nearly everywhere we go. For this reason, the movement toward co-working spaces has emerged in virtually every city that has a business industry. Co-working is present here in Central Pennsylvania with spaces like the Park and St@rtUp in Harrisburg, the Candy Factory in Lancaster and the Techcelerator in Carlisle, to name just a few.

Even though co-working spaces are present in Central Pennsylvania, the majority of our workplaces are still modeled after the “old” economy assembly line, where workflow was linear and corporate structures were hierarchical. For commercial real estate owners and investors who want to capitalize on the growing demand for co-working spaces, here’s what you need to know.

Understand how the modern day “office” has changed

Foremost, we must take a step back to understand how the modern day “office” has vastly changed from what was desired decades ago. Simply put, stop thinking like a baby boomer! Nearly 10,000 baby boomers retire every year. It’s estimated that millennials will comprise the largest segment of our work force (75 percent to be precise) within the next decade.

If you’re a commercial real estate landlord or investor, you know the importance of understanding your clients’ wants and needs. So let’s examine what millennials want out of an office. First, the word “office” isn’t really appropriate anymore. What’s desired is a workspace that in one instance can provide quiet and solitude for “head-down” work, and the very next moment, provide an energizing and collaborative group work environment. Should it come as a surprise that millennials want it all without having to commit to one style of space? This brings us to the next important point, which is design.

Design spaces that quickly adapt to changing needs

Co-working spaces are high on function and that means being able to quickly adapt to a variety of work situations. In a single day, a business and its employees may need quiet, private work stations where people can work independently; open, collaborative space where people can work in groups; and traditional meeting space where people can meet with clients. Over time, growing businesses also desire the ability to easily accommodate more employees without having to uproot and find a bigger office every few months.

With traditional office space, businesses usually have to settle for dysfunctional work spaces that don’t quite fit the number of employees or their work styles. As a result, employees are less efficient, communication is disjointed and company culture suffers. For those who own or invest in commercial real estate, the focus needs to be on redesigning traditional office space to function more like a co-working space. This means large, open work areas where employees can interact and collaborate. Also, look for furniture that can be easily reconfigured as often as needed to provide more work spaces and private offices for independent work and meetings. These features will be huge selling points for businesses who want an office that will meet their immediate needs as well as grow with them.

Offer shared amenities to attract and retain tenants

The good news about co-working spaces is that people get used to sharing amenities. Multiple businesses working in the same building could all benefit from a shared conference room, snack bar, lounge or gym. While this would be far too much for any one of these businesses to individually afford in their own office, a building that provides all tenants with access to such amenities has quite a leg up over the competition.

Look at how Google and Apple have designed “campuses” for their employees. You can create the same effect out of your office building. Give businesses a place to interact with other businesses. Now you not only offer work space, you offer networking and business development opportunities for all!

Deliver a seamless experience – even if it comes at a premium

By adding luxury amenities to your office building, like mentioned above, you give businesses a seamless experience. Their employees will have incentive to do more at the office, even if that is relaxing, eating or exercising. Best of all, this higher level of employee engagement comes at a premium. Businesses will pay more for office spaces that keep employees happy, healthy and invested in their jobs. When you invest in adding luxury amenities to you work spaces, you will stand out among the competition and be able to charge more for your space.

Focus on building your own brand!

If you want to engage the growing millennial workforce, you need to pay attention to your brand. This demographic is used to polished and prominent branding. If you want to attract them to your office space, you need to present them with a brand worth buying into. Many co-working spaces brand themselves with a trendy name and logo. They have professional websites and a strong social media presence. How does your “brand” compare? Any effort put into properly branding your properties will bring exponential benefits as time goes on.

Which of these tips do you believe is most valuable to commercial real estate owners and investors capitalizing on the growing trend of co-working spaces?

Join in the conversation by leaving a comment below!

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Central Pennsylvania Office Real Estate Made Few Gains in 2017

Posted on February 19, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Local Market, Office Leasing No Comments

Vacancy rates in the local office market remained mostly stagnant moving into the New Year.

If the saying “no news is good news” can be applied to Central Pennsylvania’s office real estate market, then 2017 was a good year indeed! We closed out 2017 with few noticeable gains and mostly stagnant vacancy and rental rates. On a positive note this means there were no lasting drops to cause volatility to the market; however, if “stagnant” remains an ongoing theme for our local office real estate market in 2018, we may have some cause for concern.

Let’s take a look at some key data for our three local submarket clusters: Harrisburg/Carlisle, Lancaster and York/Hanover. You will see that each experienced its own ebb and flow with some submarket clusters faring better than others at the close of fourth quarter 2017. The most important question to consider when looking at this data is: “What submarket is poised to perform the best in 2018 and what does that mean for commercial real estate and our local economy?”

Harrisburg/Carlisle Submarket Cluster

Vacancy – The office vacancy rate for the Harrisburg/Carlisle Submarket Cluster increased to 6.3% at the end of the fourth quarter 2017. The vacancy rate was 5.8% at the end of the third quarter 2017, 5.9% at the end of the second quarter 2017, and 6.5% at the end of the first quarter 2017, placing it just shy of where we began the year.

Absorption – Net absorption for the Harrisburg/Carlisle Submarket Cluster was a negative (135,877) square feet in the fourth quarter 2017. That compares to positive 25,603 square feet in the third quarter 2017, negative (6,036) square feet in the second quarter 2017, and positive 22,829 square feet in the first quarter 2017.

Largest Lease Signing – The largest lease signing occurring in 2017 was the 57,764 square foot lease signed by Pennsylvania Health and Wellness, Inc. at 300 Corporate Center Drive located in Camp Hill.

Rental Rates – The average quoted asking rental rate for available office space, all classes, was $18.12 per square foot per year at the end of the fourth quarter 2017 in the Harrisburg/Carlisle Submarket Cluster. This represented a .89% increase in quoted rates from the end of the third quarter 2017, when rents were reported at $17.96 per square foot.

Inventory – Throughout 2017, a total of two new office buildings were delivered to the market with a combined total of 73,000 square feet. At the close of the fourth quarter, two additional buildings remained under construction with a combined total of 70,000 square feet of inventory yet to be delivered.

Lancaster Submarket Cluster

Vacancy – The vacancy rates for the Lancaster Submarket Cluster in 2017 held steady for the first three quarters at 6.0%. Only in fourth quarter 2017 did we see the slightest movement in vacancy to 6.1%. Since its dip to 5.3% in third quarter 2016, the vacancy rate has returned to its recent historical average where it continues to remain stable.

Absorption – In the fourth quarter of 2017, net absorption dropped into the negatives for the first time all year, ending 2017 at negative (13,391) square feet. Net absorption was 2,462 square feet in third quarter 2017, 101,013 square feet in second quarter 2017 and 16,187 square feet in first quarter 2017.

Rental Rates – Even with a drop in net absorption and only a slight increase in vacancy rates, the quoted asking rental rate for available office space, all classes, in the Lancaster Submarket Cluster continued to increase throughout 2017. In the first quarter the quoted rental rate was $16.63, $17.13 in the second quarter, $17.20 in the third quarter and $17.46 in the fourth quarter. This is the highest quoted rental the Lancaster Submarket Cluster has experienced since prior to 2014.

Inventory – Two new office buildings were delivered to the Lancaster Submarket Cluster in 2017. Both delivered in the second quarter and combined they added a total of 113,000 square feet of new office space.

York/Hanover Submarket Cluster

Vacancy – The fourth quarter office vacancy rate for the York/Hanover Submarket Cluster held steady at 5.9%, the same as it was in the third quarter. This is slightly higher than the 5.6% vacancy rate in the second quarter and the 5.8% vacancy rate in the first quarter.

Absorption – The fourth quarter ended with a net absorption of 1,400 square feet. This is an increase from the third quarter’s negative (29,853) square feet that was a significant drop from the second quarter’s 15,646 square feet the first quarter 2017’s 31,636 square feet. This is the only increase in net absorption the market experienced in 2017.

Rental Rates – 2017 started off with a fairly steady quoted asking rental rate for available office space, all classes, of $17.40 per square foot. It increased by $0.01 in the second quarter to $17.41 and spiked in the third quarter at $18.05. Though still higher than the first two quarters, 2017 finished with a slight dip in quoted rental rates as it fell to $17.74.

Inventory – No new office buildings were delivered in the York/Hanover Submarket Cluster in 2017. There is one building under construction with a total RBA of 840 square feet.

Looking at the comparison of the three Central Pennsylvania submarket clusters, which do you feel is in the best position to start making some moves in 2018? Share your ideas by leaving a comment below.

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