Mobile Office Market Assessment 3rd Quarter 2016
Stirling Properties is pleased to present the 2016 third quarter Mobile Office Market Survey. This report, compiled by Jack Conger and Jill Meeks, Sales and Leasing Executives of our Mobile office, is intended to track average rental rates, occupancy rates, and average absorption rates for West Mobile and the downtown Central Business District (CBD) on office buildings greater than 20,000 square feet. It was created to be a resource for agents, as well as tenants, landlords, developers, lenders, fellow brokers and anyone else looking for information about the Mobile Office market.
Jack Conger is our newest Sales and Leasing Executive in our Mobile office, focusing on industrial and office brokerage. Jill Meeks has over 27 years’ experience in commercial real estate.
Here’s an excerpt from Jack and Jill’s Market Assessment:
Since the Q1-16 Mobile Office Market Survey, the West Mobile office market had a number of noteworthy transactions that created quite a stir in the market. In the end, the office market experienced a slight decrease in average occupancy from 79.5%-79.4% and an average rental rate decrease from $15.50 per sq. ft. to $15.35 per sq. ft., reflecting a decrease in the absorption rate of 0.09% from Q1-16.
Mobile’s growth is evident with several building projects planned and underway. In the CBD, a new Federal Courthouse is under construction and the Meridian at the Port, a 264-unit apartment complex located at 300 Water Street, is awaiting construction. Walmart announced plans for a new 2.9 million sq. ft. distribution center in West Mobile, and Airbus launched the first airplane assembled by its new $600 million final assembly plant back in April. This activity promises to further stabilize the office market in Mobile, and Stirling Properties looks forward to being a part of this season of growth and creativity!
Please click here to view and download the PDF of the Mobile Office Market Survey. This survey provides a good summary of the Mobile office market and my hope is that it becomes a valuable resource in the market.
Amazon Leads the Way in E-fairness!
Alabama becomes 29th state to collect sales taxes from online giant
For decades, brick-and-mortar stores have been fighting for a level playing field with their on-line rivals who are not required to charge sales tax. To enact a little e-fairness, the state of Alabama passed the Alabama Simplified Use Tax Remittance Program, which allows online retailers that do not have operations within the state to collect, report and distribute an 8% sales tax. The on-line tax rate is still lower than its brick-and-mortar rivals who are generally closer to 10%. Since the program’s inception in October 2015, the state has received nearly $3 million in its general fund from 52 on-line retailers.
It was recently announced that Amazon, the largest e-commerce company in the world, has enrolled in Alabama’s state program and will begin distributing funds to the Alabama Department of Revenue monthly. Beginning on November 1st, Alabama will become the 29th state to collect sales taxes from Amazon.
Alabama’s Commissioner of Revenue, Julie Magee, is confident more on-line companies will sign up and expects to see a $40 to $50 million influx of tax funds by 2017 with “substantial” increases by 2018 and beyond. She further noted that 75% of the revenue goes to the state’s general fund, with the remaining balance to be split between cities and counties across the state.
As Alabama’s Government Relations Chair for the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), I am thrilled to hear that Amazon will be participating in Alabama’s tax remittance program and like Ms. Magee, I too believe other on-line retailers will follow their lead. According to recent studies, it is estimated that Alabama is losing upwards of $500 million per year in uncollected sales tax from remote sales.
The shopping center industry is essential to state and local economic development – as a significant job creator, driver of GDP and critical revenue source for the communities they serve through the collection of sales taxes and the payment of property taxes.
In Alabama there are nearly 113.5 million square feet of shopping center space across 1,718 properties that directly employs over 200,000 people or 9.5% of the total state employment. These centers account for close to $32 billion in annual sales and add approximately $1.3 billion in state sales tax revenue.
An annual sales tax revenue of $1.3 billion for brick-and-mortar retail versus $40 to $50 million for on-line retail tells me we have a ways to go to level the playing field, but this is a great start. I commend Amazon for leading the effort!
Mobile Office Market Assessment 1st Quarter 2016
Stirling Properties is pleased to present the 2016 first quarter Mobile Office Market Survey. This report, compiled by Jack Conger and Jill Meeks, Sales and Leasing Executives of our Mobile office, is intended to track the direction of the office market by establishing an absorption rate, a market occupancy rate and an average rental rate for West Mobile and the downtown Central Business District (CBD) on office buildings greater than 20,000 square feet. It was created to be a resource for agents, as well as tenants, landlords, developers, lenders, fellow brokers and anyone else looking for information about the Mobile Office market.
Jack Conger is our newest Sales and Leasing Executive in our Mobile office, focusing on industrial and office brokerage. Jill Meeks has over 27 years’ experience in commercial real estate.
Here’s an excerpt from Jack and Jill’s Market Assessment:
Since the Q3-15 survey, the office buildings surveyed in this report in West Mobile experienced a very modest increase in average occupancy rate from 80% to 80.1%, and the average rental rate decreased from $15.61 to $15.45/per square foot. West Mobile has a fair amount of older, unimproved office space available at below-market rental rates that contributes to low rental rates. We have seen several new Healthcare related expansions in West Mobile and expect that this trend will continue around the hospital campus.
In the CBD, there was a decrease in the occupancy rate from approximately 72% to 65.9%, and average rental rates decreased from $17.42 to $17.29/per square foot. The decrease in the occupancy rate is due in part to a few notable transactions: Regions Bank’s consolidation of its St. Francis Street and Water Street branches, Servis1st Bank’s relocation to the redeveloped Phelps Dunbar office at Royal and Dauphin Street, and lastly, BBVA Compass Bank and Phelps Dunbar’s move into RSA’s recently completed Van Antwerp renovation.
Overall leasing activity in updated CBD office buildings continue to be solid, along with demand for smaller renovated historic properties.
Please click here to view and download the PDF of the Mobile Office Market Survey. This survey provides a good summary of the Mobile office market and my hope is that it becomes a valuable resource in the market.
Stirling Properties Names Jack Conger As Sales and Leasing Executive
Stirling Properties is pleased to announce Jack Conger as Sales and Leasing Executive for its Commercial Brokerage Division located in Mobile, Alabama. Conger will work from the company’s Mobile Office located at One St. Louis Centre, 1 St. Louis Street, Suite 4100.
With an emphasis on industrial and office brokerage, Conger joined Stirling in February of 2016 and is actively involved in Stirling University, a comprehensive 3-month training program for new agents, as well as working with the company’s senior brokers in a support role. He graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Environmental Sciences.
Prior to working for Stirling, Conger was the General Manager of his family’s restaurant business located in San Antonio, Texas. He now resides in Mobile, Alabama, with his wife and daughter.
Jack Conger can be reached at (251) 342-7229 or jconger@stirlingprop.com.
Stirling Properties Announces New Real Estate Transactions In South Alabama
Stirling Properties commercial real estate company is pleased to announce new transactions in Orange Beach, Mobile and Spanish Fort, Alabama.
- Cowgirls Inc. restaurant and nightclub will occupy 16,000 square feet at The Wharf located at 23101 Canal Road in Orange Beach and is expected to open on March 1, 2016. Stirling Properties Broker, Jeff Barnes, handled the transaction.
- Rio Mexican Restaurant will occupy 2,987 square feet at Aircrest Plaza located at 6401 Airport Boulevard in Mobile with anticipated opening date in the spring of 2016. Stirling Properties Broker Associate, Angie McArthur, represented the tenant and Colby Herrington with Herrington Realty, Inc. represented the property owner.
- Tetra Tech engineering firm has renewed its lease for 1,675 square feet of office space at the Wells Fargo Building located at 61 St. Joseph St. in Mobile. Stirling Properties Senior Sales and Leasing Executive, Jill Meeks, handled the transaction.
- Michael Ross Jewelers will move to occupy 2,400 square feet at Hillwood Shopping Center and is expected to open in the spring of 2016. Hillwood Shopping Center, anchored by Publix Super Market, is located at 2370 Hillcrest Road in Mobile, Alabama. Stirling Properties’ Angie McArthur represented the tenant and Michael Reid with White-Spunner Realty represented the property owner.
- Doctors Diet Program, a medical weight loss company, will occupy 2,100 square feet at Eastern Shore Plaza in Spanish Fort, AL and is expected to open in the spring of 2016. This will be their 1st location in Baldwin County. Eastern Shore Plaza regional power center, anchored by Best Buy, PetSmart, Michael’s, and Ross Dress for Less, is located on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay at the northeast intersection of I-10 and State Highway 181, adjacent to Eastern Shore Centre. Angie McArthur represented both sides in the transaction.
Stirling Properties is located in One St. Louis Centre, 1 St. Louis Street, Suite 4100 in Mobile. For more information regarding our services, please visit us at www.stirlingproperties.com.
Alabama Historic Tax Credit Program
In 2013, the state of Alabama along with 33 other states, adopted a Historic Tax Credit program to help revitalize historic properties across the state. This tax credit program, when coupled with the federal Historic Tax Credits, can boost economic vitality in much needed areas as well as encourage development of nearby buildings. Thus far the program has awarded some $60 million in historic tax credits to support 39 qualified projects with a capital investment of close to $400 million. Further, for every $1 tax credit allocated approximately $3.90 is returned to state and local collections over a 20 year period.
The credits are set to expire in May and Lawmakers are debating whether to extend this program for another 7 years, a move which I fully support! Please reach out to your local congressman and urge them to support the extension of the state Historic Tax Credit.
To get all the facts and learn more about the properties that have benefited from the State Historic Tax Credit program, read John Sharp’s article on al.com.
