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Columbia Property Trust Expands San Francisco Portfolio with Acquisition of 650 California Street for $309 Million

September 09, 2014 12:00 AM

Continues Build out of Regional Investment Platform in San Francisco

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Columbia Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:CXP) announced that it has completed the acquisition of 650 California Street, a 33-story, 478,392-square-feet Class-A office tower in San Francisco, California, from Tishman Speyer and Prudential Real Estate Investors for a total purchase price of $309 million.

The purchase price includes the Company’s assumption of a $130 million loan bearing interest at 3.60% and maturing July 2019. The $179 million cash portion of the purchase price was funded with a combination of borrowings under our unsecured credit facility and cash on hand. The acquisition is expected to increase Columbia’s leverage (based on debt to gross real estate assets) from 31% at the end of the second quarter to approximately 32%. Currently 88% leased, 650 California Street is expected to have first-year in-place net operating income (NOI) of approximately $11 million.

With its desirable location in the Financial District of downtown San Francisco and protected panoramic bay views, 650 California Street has demonstrated perennial tenant appeal. The LEED Gold-certified property underwent a $14.2 million renovation over the past two years that included the addition of an onsite parking garage and a comprehensive lobby renovation, to accompany the building’s large, highly-efficient floor plates and amenities such as fitness and conference centers and bicycle parking.

Asset management and leasing of the property will be overseen by Columbia’s Western Region team, which is led by David Dowdney, Senior Vice President – Western Region. To support its growing presence in the region, the Company recently expanded its San Francisco-based team with the addition of Michael Schmidt, who brings over 13 years of portfolio and asset management experience in major West Coast markets and will have oversight of this and Columbia’s other West Coast assets.

“We have established a significant presence in downtown San Francisco — a market that continues to be one of the best in the U.S., and we continue to achieve strong leasing results at our nearby asset, 221 Main Street,” said Nelson Mills, President and CEO of Columbia Property Trust. “650 California Street is a compelling opportunity to acquire one of the premier assets in this market at a discount to replacement cost. With more than half the current tenancy rolling in the next three years and in-place rents significantly below current market levels, we expect to employ the expertise of our expanded local team to increase net operating income at this property over the next three years.

“Given the extensive experience that Dave and Mike add and their track record of successful deal sourcing and asset repositioning, I am confident we have the right team in place to lead our efforts on this asset and our continued strategic enhancement of our portfolio.”

About Columbia Property Trust

One of the nation’s largest office REITs, Columbia Property Trust invests in high-quality commercial office properties in primary markets nationwide and has achieved an investment-grade rating from both Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s rating services. As of June 30, 2014, Columbia Property Trust’s portfolio consisted of 37 office properties and one hotel, which included 58 operational buildings and comprised approximately 16.8 million square feet located in 12 states and the District of Columbia. For information about Columbia Property Trust, visit www.ColumbiaPropertyTrust.com.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain statements contained in this press release other than historical facts may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We intend for all such forward-looking statements to be covered by the applicable safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in those acts. Such statements include, in particular, statements about our plans, strategies, and prospects and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including known and unknown risks, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. Therefore, such statements are not intended to be a guarantee of our performance in future periods. Such forward-looking statements can generally be identified by our use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “continue,” or other similar words. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. We make no representations or warranties (express or implied) about the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements contained in this press release, and we do not intend to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Any such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors and are based on a number of assumptions involving judgments with respect to, among other things, future economic, competitive, and market conditions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately. To the extent that our assumptions differ from actual conditions, our ability to accurately anticipate results expressed in such forward-looking statements, including our ability to generate positive cash flow from operations, make distributions to stockholders, and maintain the value of our real estate properties, may be significantly hindered. See Item 1A in the Company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, for a discussion of some of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those presented in our forward-looking statements. The risk factors described in our Annual Report are not the only ones we face, but do represent those risks and uncertainties that we believe are material to us. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also harm our business.

Columbia Property Trust, Inc.
Krister Romeyn, 404-465-2231
or
Jim Fleming, 404-465-2200
IR@columbiapropertytrust.com

Source: Columbia Property Trust, Inc.

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