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The Mayfair on Jasper is one of six Western Canadian apartment properties being purchased by Centurion Apartment REIT. (Don Wilcox, RENX)
Centurion Apartment REIT is both following the opportunities and continuing to diversify its portfolio with the purchase of six apartment properties in three Western Canadian cities, president and CEO Greg Romundt says.
Centurion is making the purchases in four transactions in Regina, Edmonton and Victoria. The properties total just over 1,300 apartment units and bring Centurion’s total assets under management to about $2.9 billion.
Three of the properties are new builds, while three of the Edmonton acquisitions are established properties.
“We’ve seen lots of opportunity in the new construction space in Western Canada, and in general. We’ve been pursuing a strategy for years of diversifying, not being just an Ontario-based shop, doing deals in Western Canada,” Romundt told RENX in an interview.
“We’ve been pretty active in B.C., Alberta particularly this year, and Saskatchewan and Manitoba have gotten a lot of our attention in the past couple of years.
“Part of it is certainly driven by the desire to have a diversified portfolio but the other is just the opportunity set.
“The stuff we’re doing in Western Canada not only is it hitting our dollar metrics, but we’re finding it easier to find, source and complete deals out there without having to pay through the nose to do it.”
The properties are: The Apex at Acre 21 in Regina; Grand Central Manor II and III, Oliver Place, Riverside Towers and The Mayfair on Jasper in Edmonton; and Hockley Corners in Langford just outside Victoria. Closing dates range from early December through March 2020.
Centurion’s $200M equity raise
Centurion is quickly putting to work funds from a successful three-phased share offering which was designed to raise $150 million.
“We decided to accept $200 (million) in three closes,” said Romundt, noting the first close on Nov. 1 was for $110 million. “It’s all allocated. We originally went out for $150 (million), we had subscriptions for $300 (million) and we accepted $200 (million).
“The apartment sector has been doing very well and I think there is a lot of recognition that it still has a lot of strong tailwinds behind it. Vacancy rates are low, interest rates are low, performance has been excellent but also, (in) portfolios across the country the market rent gaps are so large that forward-looking returns are still pretty attractive, too.”
Romundt said two years ago he hoped to build Centurion (Centurion Asset Manager, Centurion Real Estate Opportunities Trust, Centurion Financial Trust and other divisions) to $3 billion in assets within three years, $5 billion within five years.
Centurion again eyes Toronto market
Greg Romundt is the president and CEO of Centurion. (Courtesy Centurion)
“When all those complete, we’ll be at about $2.9 billion. We seem to be on schedule for that and I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re ahead,” he said, noting conditions have been ripe for portfolio expansions.
“We got in early into the new construction space, helping builders finance new developments.
“We weren’t the only guys who saw this, obviously, and there’s been a lot of product that’s now coming available. We’ve positioned ourselves very well to have this very deep pipeline of things we finance, also relationships from that effort that is spinning off into lots of new acquisitions of new product.
“So much being built today is being built by merchant developers, so they want to sell it. That’s perfect for us.”
In the near term, rapidly rising rents across Canada might reopen markets which have been difficult to access. Romundt said its focus has been on secondary markets, or regions just outside the biggest metropolitan areas because of pricing and intense competition in the cores.
Even markets like Toronto might soon be in play.
“We’re partners on a lot of builds. . . . In fact we are even looking at product in Toronto, deals that we’ve worked on for years and couldn’t make the numbers work,” he noted.
“Because rents have moved so much, some of these locations now are starting to make financial sense. I am actually getting a little more optimistic for areas where we would love to be able to build and own.”
Here are some additional details about Centurion’s pending acquisitions:
The Apex at Acre 21
Centurion is acquiring a 50 per cent interest in this new build, on which it was a development partner with Devereaux Group. It will bring Centurion’s portfolio to five properties and 571 rental units in Regina.
Completed in May 2019, the property is in the Greens on Gardiner neighbourhood in southeast Regina. The Apex at Acre 21 includes three buildings with 176 suites.
Apex offers one- and two-bedroom suites with dens and large living spaces. Condo-style finishes include luxury vinyl flooring, granite countertops, stainless-steel appliances, private balconies, ensuite bathrooms and walk-in closets.
The property has 233 surface parking stalls and a 2,400-square-foot Resident Clubhouse.
The Mayfair on Jasper
The Mayfair on Jasper is a class-A, mixed-use property completed in late 2016 at 10803 Jasper Ave. NW. It was developed and owned by ProCura Real Estate Services.
The 10-storey, 238-unit property has a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom suites with luxury interior finishes. It has a smart-key system, premium concierge, parcel pending automated delivery system, fitness centre and dual rooftop parks. It also has 196 parking stalls and 24,901 square feet of main-floor commercial space.
Grand Central Manor II & III, Oliver Place, Riverside Towers
This family-owned portfolio of three high-rise buildings has 832 units and 38,702 square feet of commercial space. The acquisition would increase Centurion’s Edmonton portfolio to 1,278 rental units (including The Mayfair on Jasper).
The 17-storey Grand Central Manor II and III at 109th Street and Jasper Avenue offers 306 suites with one or two bedrooms, plus penthouses. All feature spacious balconies and six full-size appliances.
The 18-storey Oliver Place, also along Jasper, is a mixed-use building with 234 residential units, a four-storey parkade and a 37,788-square-foot commercial space on the main floor. It also has a fitness centre, social room, outdoor pool and resident lounge. The suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows, spacious balconies, in-suite storage and full-size appliances including dishwasher.
The third property is just east of downtown near the Brewery, ICE, Financial, and Government districts. Riverside Towers comprises twin apartment buildings with 292 units, a 914-square-foot commercial space on the main floor and a common recreational area connecting the two 21-storey towers. Units range from studios to three bedrooms and penthouse suites. All suites overlook the North Saskatchewan River Valley.
Hockley Corners
The newly constructed Hockley Corners is adjacent to five other properties Centurion purchased in July and will bring Centurion’s portfolio to 10 properties and 664 rental units in the Greater Vancouver Area.
The six-storey, purpose-built rental developed by Design Build Services of Langford at 765 Hockley Ave. was completed in August 2019. Hockley Corners has 63 residential units with underground parking and optional out-of-suite storage.
The suites offer one- and two-bedroom units, some with dens. They feature nine-foot ceilings, condo-quality finishes, stainless-steel appliances, individual heating and cooling system, and in-suite washer/dryer.
Hockley Corners is close to Millstream Village Shopping Centre, transit and Bear Mountain Golf Resort.
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