ATLANTA (Jan. 17, 2024) – Officials of Peachtree Group today announced that the company originated $73 million in a construction loan and CPACE financing for the development of a 263-room dual-brand Home2 Suites (130-key) and Tru by Hilton Hotel (133-key) in San Diego, Calif., on behalf of Baxter Hotel Group, a San Diego‐based, vertically integrated real estate development and management company. Baxter plans to begin construction on its 16-story, dual-branded hotel this month and expects a22-month construction timetable.
The Peachtree Group team originated a $50.4 million floating-rate construction loan over a three-year term and $22.6 million of fixed-rate commercial property clean energy (CPACE) financing amortized over 25 years, which in total represented 64% of the total development cost.
“We were able to execute an innovative capital stack with the addition of CPACE in an otherwise difficult financing market that provided ample capital for the construction to begin while saving the sponsor 200 basis points in interest rate spread,” said Jared Schlosser, Peachtree’s senior vice president, head of hotel origination and CPACE.
The construction budget has CPACE-eligible items, including seismic improvements, lighting, building envelope, HVAC, plumbing and qualifying soft costs.
The hotel will be located at 1357 5th Avenue and will cater to transient and extended-stay guests, offering a new product that has been historically underserved in the market. The high-quality amenities proposed are not typically seen in limited-service hotels, like sustainable designs to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, a ground-floor restaurant and a rooftop pool fully equipped with a restaurant and bar offering panoramic views of Downtown San Diego.
About Peachtree Group
Peachtree Group is an investment firm driving growth with a diverse portfolio of commercial real estate assets and other ventures. The company has executed hundreds of investments since its inception, focusing on real estate acquisition, development and lending valued at almost $9.3 billion in total market capitalization. Today, Peachtree manages over $2.5 billion in equity, augmented by services designed to protect, support and grow its investments. For more information, visit www.peachtreegroup.com.
ATLANTA (August 18, 2024) – Peachtree Group (“Peachtree”) has originated the largest credit transaction in its history, closing a $176.5 million retroactive Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (“CPACE”) loan for Dreamscape Companies’ recently renovated 2,520-room Rio Hotel & Casino(“Rio”) in Las Vegas, Nev. The deal, finalized in less than 60 days, ranks among the largest CPACE financings ever completed in the United States.
The Rio, now under the Destinations by Hyatt brand, is a casino resort featuring two hotel towers, Ipanema and Masquerade, connected by a casino, restaurants and retail establishments. Renovations completed in 2024 included a full transformation of the Ipanema Tower guest suites, a reimagined casino floor and significant upgrades to multiple food and beverage venues. The comprehensive property improvement plan also delivered exterior enhancements, modernization of the central heating and cooling plant, electrical infrastructure upgrades and renovations to the convention center.
“This deal highlights an inflection point for CPACE, with some of the nation’s largest financial institutions consenting to its use because they see the clear benefit to the capital stack,” said Jared Schlosser, head of originations and CPACE for Peachtree. “By closing quickly on a marquee hospitality asset, we were able to strengthen the position of both the owner and its lenders.”
The CPACE loan retroactively funded the renovations enabling the owners to pay down their senior loan. Retroactive CPACE funding offers a distinct advantage by allowing 100% of the proceeds to be reimbursed for completed project costs.
“This transaction is not only a historic milestone for Peachtree Group, but also a testament to the ecosystem we have built over the past 18 years,” said Greg Friedman, managing principal and CEO of Peachtree. “Through our vertically integrated platform, deep expertise and disciplined approach, we have developed the infrastructure to be a leader in the private credit space. Our ability to deliver speed, creativity and certainty of execution positions us to provide capital solutions that create value for our investors and partners across market cycles.”
The CPACE market has surpassed $10 billion in cumulative U.S. originations in just over a decade, according to the C-PACE Alliance, with strong growth expected as more institutional owners and lenders recognize its value. “We see tremendous opportunity ahead for retroactive CPACE and its use in funding new commercial real estate development,” Schlosser said. “It’s an attractive alternative to more expensive forms of capital.”
Peachtree is one of the most active CPACE lenders in the country, with more than $1.5 billion in originations. The firm’s credit platform spans CPACE, bridge, mezzanine and construction lending, providing creative capital solutions across market cycles.
The hotel lending landscape continues to shift, shaped by rising rates, tighter equity, and the need for more creative capital structures.In this Hotel Business Magazine roundtable recap, Peachtree Group’s Michael Harper, President, Hotel Lending, and Jared Schlosser, Head of Credit Originations & Commercial CPACE, share insights on:
• Navigating the gap between buyer/seller expectations
• The growing role of private credit
• Structuring deals with CPACE, mezzanine, and hybrid financing
• Underwriting and execution in today’s higher-risk environment
Mergers & Acquisitions- Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy, or CPACE financing, which allows commercial property owners to borrow money for energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, water conservation and other upgrade projects, is a growing market, and is largely being provided by private equity firms.
According to the CPACE Alliance, anon-profit that works to increase the volume of quality projects, this loan market is growing nicely (see chart below). The market hit over $10 billion in total originations by the end of 2024.
Jared Schlosser, the executive vice president and head of hotel originations and CPACE at Atlanta PE firm Peachtree Group, says the firm has averaged 25 percent year-over-year growth since it started CPACE lending at the end of 2019. He expects the market to grow as more states get access to CPACE.
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