Apr 30, 2015

Weidner in the top 50

Kirkland-based Weidner Apartment Homes has been added to the National Multifamily Housing Council's list of the top 50 biggest apartment owners and managers nationwide. Weidner ranked 27th for apartments owned and 29th for managed. The company owns and manages 41,175 units nationwide. Weidner is the only Washington-based company to make either list. It first cracked the top 50 three years ago. In 2014, Weidner added 2,800 units to its portfolio. It is buying in several markets and planning to build more than 3,500 units. Weidner says its goal is to have 50,000 units by its 50-year anniversary in 2027.

Red Lion buys GuestHouse, Settle Inn

Spokane-based Red Lion Hotels Corp. said it will buy the GuestHouse International and Settle Inn hotel brands. Red Lion will get intellectual property assets and franchise license agreements for 73 hotels, with nearly 5,200 rooms for $8.5 million, with a potential additional payment of up to $1.5 million. The sale is expected to close today. This transaction more than doubles Red Lion's hotel portfolio from 57 to 130 hotels in 30 states. GuestHouse and Settle Inn properties will remain under those brands, but Red Lion will update the reservation systems.

NAIOP topic: Cities, smartphones and 787s

NAIOP's May breakfast meeting is titled “Cities, Smartphones and 787s: The Technologies Driving How We Move and Live Today.” The event begins at 7:30 a.m. May 20 at Four Seasons Seattle. Greg Lindsay, senior fellow at World Policy Institute, will talk about how airports will be the new centers of development and growth, and the popularity of new transportation methods like Uber. For more information, or to register, visit: http://goo.gl/VvZnUJ

Apr 23, 2015

Leadership changes at SRO

Skager

Daniels

Gilchrist

Schooler

After more than 36 years with Sterling Realty Organization, David Schooler retired at the end of last year. He was president for 21 years and remains chairman of the board.

(Editor’s note: This story was changed to correct the number of years Schooler served as president.)

Tom Gilchrist, who has been with SRO for more than 30 years, replaced him as president. Will Daniels is now a vice president. He became a property manager in 2004. Before joining SRO, he worked for a general contractor and a construction consulting firm. Matt Skager is SRO's new secretary, treasurer and CFO. Skager joined the firm last year, after working as controller at American Life Inc. Bellevue-based SRO was founded in 1912. It acquires and develops property, and is a long-term owner.

Angie McPetrie joins Red Lion

McPetrie

Spokane-based Red Lion Hotels Corp. hired Angie McPetrie to lead lodging development in the central region. McPetrie was with InterContinental Hotels Group, where she was in charge of franchise and management agreements. She will help Red Lion in its mission to grow to 100 hotels in 100 weeks. Red Lion has 55 hotels today.

CREW convention in Bellevue this fall

Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is among the keynote speakers for the Commercial Real Estate Women Seattle & Sound Network Convention Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 at Hyatt Regency Bellevue. Other speakers are Carla Harris, managing director at Morgan Stanley, and Marci Rossell, a former CNBC chief economist. Topics covered during the convention will include the rise of urban campuses; how retailers can stay competitive by offering an experience; the influence of “walkability” in real estate; alternative financing methods like crowdfunding and EB-5; and trends in logistics. For more information, visit: http://goo.gl/0YJJ0e

New director for Seattle 2030

Wickwire

Susan Wickwire is the new executive director of the Seattle 2030 District, an organization of property owners, managers, developers and community stakeholders who support improving the sustainability of Seattle's built environment. Wickwire has spent 20 years with the EPA and U.S. State Department, and was born and raised in Seattle. She starts June 1 as the district's second executive director. Founder Brian Geller left in January to be senior vice president of corporate sustainability at Citigroup. Owners of 156 Seattle buildings have committed to reducing the environmental impact of construction and operations.

Forum May 8 on Portland housing

The city of Portland will release its first annual State of Housing report at noon May 8 at First Unitarian Church's Eliot Chapel, 1011 S.W. 12th Ave. There will be a panel discussion about production and affordability with Housing Commissioner Dan Saltzman and Portland Housing Bureau's Traci Manning, Matthew Tschabold and Antoinette Pietka. The forum is free and open to the public. The goal is to get feedback that will help the housing bureau tailor city policies and programs. The event is part of Oregon Opportunity Network's Portland Public Forums. For more information, visit: http://goo.gl/Vs1yLm