LaSalle buys Phoenix luxury multifamily community

LaSalle Investment Management has acquired Phoenix-based San Melia, a 488-unit luxury multifamily community. No financial terms were disclosed.

PRESS RELEASE

CHICAGO (Dec. 31, 2018) – LaSalle Investment Management (“LaSalle”) announced today that it has acquired San Melia (“the property”), a 488-unit luxury multifamily community in Phoenix, on behalf of its U.S. core open-end real estate fund, LaSalle Property Fund (“LPF”). The Mark-Taylor-built property, situated on 28 acres in Phoenix’s desirable Ahwatukee Foothills neighborhood, presented an opportunity for LaSalle to acquire a well-located multifamily asset in a fast-growing submarket marked by low supply.

The Phoenix metropolitan area remains a national leader in job and population growth, both key drivers of increasing demand for quality multifamily properties. The area has seen its labor force increase by nearly 18 percent over the last five years while its unemployment rate dropped by nearly 3 percent, and prominent employers including JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Intel are finalizing plans to bring a total of 14,000 additional jobs to the region. Notably, while Phoenix has traditionally been dominated by an aging population, recent migration and population growth patterns have skewed younger. Millennials now account for approximately 21 percent of the local population, and this generation is expected to grow locally at five times the national rate, according to Fannie Mae.

Summit Walia, Managing Director of Acquisitions at LaSalle, commented: “Phoenix remains a top-performing multifamily market in the U.S. due in large part to the rapid growth and diversification of the region’s employment base, which is attracting young talent from across the country and contributing to the area’s long-term growth prospects. These factors, combined with the limited supply pipeline in Ahwatukee Foothills and the high quality and desirable location of the asset, made San Melia a uniquely compelling investment opportunity.”

Jim Garvey, Portfolio Manager for LaSalle Property Fund, commented: “This transaction represents an excellent opportunity to achieve attractive risk-adjusted total returns with an emphasis on income. This acquisition directly aligns with our investment strategy of purchasing well-located core assets that offer stable cash flows and upside potential.”

Located in the thriving, amenity-rich Ahwatukee Foothills submarket, San Melia is connected to the rest of the Phoenix metro by major thoroughfares including the I-10, Price Road and Loop 202, which offer residents ease of access to major employment centers, top-rated school districts and recreational activities. The property is adjacent to more than 2.4 million square feet of retail, dining and recreation options at the neighboring Ahwatukee Foothills Towne Center, which is anchored by AMC Theatres and Sprouts. A pedestrian walkway at the north end of the property provides residents convenient access to the retail center.

About LaSalle Property Fund
LPF invests in and manages a diversified portfolio of high quality, stabilized real estate and real estate-related assets in the industrial, multifamily, office and retail sectors in top markets across the United States. Drawing from LaSalle Investment Management, Inc.’s 35-year record of accomplishment of core real estate investment on behalf of sophisticated institutional investors, LPF aims to provide attractive risk-adjusted income returns with the potential for superior long-term capital growth through an investment process and platform that leverages LaSalle’s industry-leading market research.

About LaSalle Investment Management
LaSalle Investment Management is one of the world’s leading real estate investment managers with approximately US$60 billion of private and public equity and private debt investments under management (as of Q3 2018). LaSalle’s diverse client base includes public and private pension funds, insurance companies, governments, corporations, endowments and private individuals from across the globe. LaSalle sponsors a complete range of investment vehicles including separate accounts, open- and closed-end funds, public securities and entity-level investments. LaSalle is a wholly-owned, operationally independent subsidiary of Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. (NYSE: JLL), one of the world’s largest real estate companies. For more information please visit www.lasalle.com.