News

Bayfield Realty Advisors Announce Sale of Place des Quatre-Bourgeois

June 1, 2012

TORONTO, ONTARIO – Mr. Harold Spring, President and CEO of Bayfield Realty Advisors Inc. (Bayfield) today announced that it has sold Place des Quatre-Bourgeois,a 245,000 square foot grocery anchored enclosed shopping centre located in Quebec City, Quebec for $32,025,000. The centre was 100% leased and national tenants of the centre included IGA (Sobeys), Winners, Hart Stores, Dollarama and Jean Coutu. The centre was purchased in 2008 for $24,415,000 and provided an excellent safe and consistent return on investment during Bayfield’s 4 year period of ownership. The property was sold on the basis of Bayfield’s belief that the property’s ability to generate increased returns had been substantially realized, and to take advantage of the current high demand and pricing of retail assets in the real estate market place.

Bayfield Realty Advisors Announce Acquisition of Carrefour Trois-Rivières

October 5, 2011

Bayfield Adds To Its Portfolio Of Commercial Holdings

March 18, 2011

BAYFIELD REALTY ADVISORS ADDS TO ITS PORTFOLIO OF COMMERCIAL HOLDINGS.

With retail development in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada beginning to rebound after the global recession, Bayfield Realty Advisors Inc. has a goal to double the size of its already impressive asset portfolio.

The Toronto-based company specializes in acquiring and managing shopping centers and commercial property on behalf of institutional and private clients, President Harold Spring says.

The company redevelops properties as well as builds new sites. “We look for locations where we think commercial and retail developments will prosper and avoid secondary markets as much as possible,” Spring adds. “On the redevelopment side, we look for existing properties where we can add value by redeveloping and changing the tenant mix.”

Bayfield manages a total leasable area of 3.2 million square feet throughout Canada, including a number of properties in its home province, where development is beginning to rebound after reaching a standstill during the 2008 recession.

“Up until the latter half of last year, there was virtually no retail construction in Ontario other than what had already been planned and leased,” Spring says. “Now, with a lot of U.S. retailers expanding into Canada and our local chains doing well again, construction is getting back to a reasonable rate.”

Partnerships in Action

Bayfield’s project management division works with general contractors and construction managers on new construction and site redevelopment projects. The company has a close relationship with Ron Clark and Associates Inc., a retail, commercial and office construction firm with offices in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. “We have a relationship with them because they’re able to build projects everywhere where we’re involved, which makes things a lot easier,” Spring says.

Current projects Ron Clark and Associates is building on Bayfield’s behalf include the $15 million redevelopment of Confederation Mall in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The project inc – ludes renovating the 340,000-square-foot mall’s food court, building a pad for a new McDonald’s restaurant, and introducing new mall anchors. One new tenant, Canadian Tire, is opening a 130,000-square-foot store there March 1; the re – development project itself will conclude in 2012.

Future projects include construction of a 100,000-square-foot retail site in Pickering, Ontario and redeveloping the 38,000-square-foot Wharncliffe Plaza in London, Ontario. The Wharncliffe redevelopment will include an expanded new format Shoppers Drug Mart of 19,000 square feet , the center’s anchor.

On the investment front, Bayfield, in conjunction with joint-venture partner Rio Can Real Estate Investment Trust, acquired a 59- acre property in the Mill Woods community in Edmonton for $94.6 million in December, the company says. The site is comprised of the 537,000-square-foot Millwoods Town Centre, an enclosed regional shopping center, a 48,000- square-foot medical office building and six acres of vacant land for future development. Bayfield owns a 100 percent interest in the office building and will act as asset manager, while Rio Can will manage and lease the shopping center.

Wealth of Experience

The company was formed in 2005 by Spring, who has accumulated more than 25 years of experience in real estate development, construction and management.

Staff members also bring a wealth of experience to their jobs. “All of our people have a minimum of 10 to 15 years of experience, so they know the business and can be responsive to changes in the economic climate,” he says. “Our staff has the ability to analyze things as they happen; we’re not bureaucratic, we work as a team and can respond to issues and opportunities quickly.”

Spring says Bayfield’s experienced staff and the company’s close-knit nature have helped it navigate through difficult recent years for commercial development.

“We have the ability to be a landlord in addition to just being a developer, and we can proceed with developments where the economy isn’t as good as you’d like,” he adds. “We think we have an advantage over regular retail developers because we can build to own, and we’re not a large public company, so we can make decisions and take advantage of opportunities sooner than larger companies.”

Spring says he believes in working closely with tenants. “We basically try to ensure that there is a continuous dialogue between our property managers and our tenants,” he adds. “We have discussions with tenants constantly to see how they’re doing and what we can do to help them; we see our tenants and ourselves as partners.”

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Shopping malls see future in Canadian winter — Excerpts from the Globe and Mail, January 18, 2011

January 18, 2011

Excerpts from the Globe and Mail, January 18, 2011

Shopping malls see future in Canadian winter

In late December 2010, Bayfield and a joint partner, RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, announced it closed on the $94-million purchase of a 50-acre regional shopping centre in Mill Woods, Alta., near Edmonton. Mill Woods Town Centre has an enclosed mall with a Zellers, Canadian Tire, Safeway and a medical office Building. It also includes about six acres of developable land.

“We’re trying to take advantage of the economic times by buying things that we thought were below market value,” Mr. Spring says.

In addition to Mill Woods, Bayfield owns multiple enclosed second-tier and community malls, such as Garden City Shopping Centre in Winnipeg and Confederation Mall in Saskatoon.

In the late 1990s Mr. Spring began acquiring and redeveloping shopping centre and street retail properties, and for the past 20 years has built Bayfield’s corporate net worth to more than $350-million. That doesn’t include the $150-million in deals he and his team pulled together in 2010 .

(Read full article at The Globe and Mail | Read PDF version)

Bayfield Advisors joint venture partner Rio Can Real Estate Investment Trust (Rio Can)

December 1, 2010

Mr. Harold Spring, President and CEO of Bayfield Realty Advisors Inc. (Bayfield) today announced that together with its joint venture partner Rio Can Real Estate Investment Trust (Rio Can) it has completed the acquisition of a 59 acre property in the Mill Woods community of Edmonton, Alberta for the price of $94,600,000. The property is comprised of Mill Woods Town Centre, a prominently located 537,161 SF enclosed regional shopping centre, a 98% leased 48,095 SF medical office building and approximately 6 acres of vacant land for future development. The shopping centre which was built in 1989, is anchored by Zellers, Canadian Tire and Safeway. Bayfield will own a 100% interest in the office building. Rio Can will manage and lease the shopping centre for the partnership and Bayfield will act as asset manager.

Rio Can Announces Results For Third Quarter 2010

November 1, 2010

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE THIRD QUARTER:

Niagara Square: RioCan acquired its 30% interest from RRVLP (a partnership of which RioCan held a 15% interest) for a purchase price of $14.1 million at a cap rate of 8.4%. RioCan has not assumed any debt on its interests in the property. The remaining 70% was acquired by Bayfield Realty Advisors who are RioCan’s partner at Timmins Square, Timmins, ON, Frontenac Mall, Kingston, ON, and Garden City Shopping Centre, Winnipeg, MB. RioCan will manage the property.

Niagara Square, located in Niagara Falls, ON, is a 382,300 square foot enclosed mall that is anchored by Cineplex. Other major tenants at the property include Winners, Future Shop, JYSK, Michaels and The Brick. This property was the last remaining real property asset of RioCan’s RRVLP partnership.

Subsequent to the quarter end, RioCan has waived conditions and expects to complete the acquisition of:

Mill Woods Town Centre, a 535,500 square foot anchored retail property located in Edmonton, Alberta. The property, which was built in 1975, is anchored by a 123,000 square foot Zellers. Other major tenants at the property include Canadian Tire, Safeway.

Bayfield Announces The Sale Of Wharncliffe Shopping Centre

October 1, 2010

Mr. Harold Spring President and CEO of Bayfield Realty Advisors Inc. (Bayfield) today announced that it has sold Wharncliffe Shopping Centre, a 60,000 square foot grocery anchored strip shopping centre located in London Ontario to Rio Can Real Estate Investment Trust. The centre was 100% leased and national tenants of the centre included No Frills, CIBC and Tim Hortons. The centre provided an excellent safe and consistent return on investment during Bayfield’s period of ownership and the sale price obtained reflected an appropriate and satisfactory gain over Bayfield’s original investment. The property was sold on the basis of Bayfield’s belief that the funds realized from the sale could be utilized to acquire properties which would generate a greater return to Bayfield’s investors than that which could be realized in maintaining ownership of the centre.

Bayfield Acquires Niagara Square Shopping Centre

October 1, 2010

Mr. Harold Spring President and CEO of Bayfield Realty Advisors Inc. (Bayfield) today announced that together with its joint venture partner Rio Can Real Estate Investment Trust (Rio Can), it has completed the acquisition of Niagara Square Shopping Centre, a 391,700 square foot enclosed shopping centre located in Niagara Falls Ontario for the price of $48,000,000. It is anchored by a 45,854 square foot Cineplex theatre complex and a 31,967 square foot Winners. Other national tenants include Sport Chek, Future Shop, Jysk, The Brick and Michaels. Bayfield will acquire a 70% interest in the property which it will own in partnership with Rio Can. RioCan is acquiring an additional 15% interest in the property, which was previously owned on a joint venture basis in RioCan’s RRVP partnership. RioCan’s total ownership interest will be 30%. RioCan will continue to serve as the property manager for the property.

Bayfield Acquires Garden City And Frontenac Mall

January 1, 2010

Mr. Harold Spring, President and CEO of Bayfield Realty Advisors Inc. (Bayfield) today announced that together with its joint venture partner Rio Can Real Estate Investment Trust (Rio Can) it has completed the acquisition of two retail properties located in Ontario and Manitoba. These properties will total approximately 575,000 square feet and the total purchase price for these properties is approximately $60.5 million.

Garden City Shopping Centre is a 285,000 square foot enclosed shopping centre located in Winnipeg, Manitoba and is anchored by a 94,267 square foot Canadian Tire and a 26,838 square foot Winners. The property also benefits from a 92,604 square foot shadow anchored Sears department store which is connected to the property and has an interior entrance to the centre. The property is 93.4% occupied. Bayfield will acquire the property with its partner Rio Can. Bayfield will own a 70% interest in the property and RioCan will own a 30% interest as well as serve as the property manager. Financing of $23.5 million at a 5.5% interest rate for a five-year term has been arranged.

Frontenac Mall is a 289,700 square foot grocery anchored shopping centre, located in Kingston, Ontario. The property is anchored by a 39,953 square foot Food Basics. Other national tenants include Premier Fitness, Value Village, Dollarama, and Swiss Chalet. Bayfield will acquire a 70% interest in the property which it will own in partnership with Rio Can. RioCan is acquiring an additional 15% interest in the property, which was previously owned on a joint venture basis in RioCan’s RRVP partnership. RioCan’s total ownership interest will be 30%. RioCan will continue to serve as the property manager for the property. The property is 85.3% occupied, 88.8% excluding the basement space. Rio Can has arranged financing on behalf of the joint venture of $14.3 million at a 6.1% interest rate for a five-year term.