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OmniTRAX and Effingham County Industrial Development Authority Launch Public/Private Partnership to Develop Land Near Savannah

DENVER: OmniTRAX, Inc., one of the largest privately held transportation services companies in North America and an affiliate of The Broe Group, and the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority (ECIDA) are developing a 2,700-acre tract near Rincon, GA. The Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub, located 12 miles from the Port of Savannah and served by the CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads, is expected to attract manufacturers, processers, distributors and others.

“The Savannah market is growing rapidly, supported by the fourth busiest port in the nation. This is a perfect opportunity for OmniTRAX to supply the capabilities and experience gained at our other industrial development sites to create a world-class business park. We’re delighted to be working with John Henry and his team to bring growth to the region,” said Kevin Shuba, Chief Executive Officer of OmniTRAX.

Under the arrangement, which is going through due diligence by both parties, ECIDA is contributing the land to Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub and OmniTRAX will provide capital for infrastructure including a rail system to connect the tenants to the Class 1 operators, development expertise and marketing services. Benefits for companies locating at the new site include proximity to one of the country’s leading ports, the flexibility of dual rail service, an educated and productive work force and the flexibility to purchase or lease a parcel.

“This is a true partnership for Effingham County that will bring thousands of high quality jobs and economic growth to the community. OmniTRAX has a proven track record from several other locations around the country for creating the infrastructure required to attract great companies to our site,” said John Henry, CEO of ECIDA.

ECIDA had sought a development partner for the property, formerly known as the Research Forest, for several years. OmniTRAX was approached early last year to determine interest, the two entities quickly learned they shared a common development goal for the property and began discussions in mid-2015.

OmniTRAX has drafted a tentative master plan for the park that will allow for several phases of development and will ultimately provide in excess of 1,800 acres of industrial property including a single user mega site. The company has developed other large scale projects including the Great Western Industrial Park, a 3,000 acre, dual-rail served facility north of Denver, CO, and the GEOTRAC Industrial Hub, a 1,400 acre rail served facility at the Port of Brownsville, Texas.

OmniTRAX is one of America’s largest short line railroad holding companies offering bundled services including terminal and switching, door-to-door container/transloading, processing, fueling, storage and maintenance. The company also has successful industrial development and marketing experience, a rarity for rail operators, and currently services many Fortune 500 companies.

“OmniTRAX’s success in rail operations were a real attraction to us, the size and dual-rail nature of this site is what truly gives it potential to be a stand-alone premium site in the Southeast. We knew in order to capitalize on the site’s potential we had to find a partner that took the rail into consideration. Rail operators that also develop industrial property are few and far between. Given the success that they have had in Colorado and elsewhere we found a respect for the company,” Henry added.

About Effingham County Industrial Development Authority

The Effingham County Industrial Development Authority is a governmental Economic Development Organization created to promote trade and industry in Effingham County, Georgia. For more information please visit www.effinghamindustry.com.

About OmniTRAX, Inc.

As one of North America’s largest private railroad and transportation management companies, OmniTRAX’s core capabilities range from providing management services to railroad and port services and to intermodal and industrial switching operations. Through its affiliation with The Broe Group and its portfolio of managed companies, OmniTRAX also has the unique capability of offering specialized industrial development and real estate solutions, both on and off the rail network managed by OmniTRAX. More information is available at www.omnitrax.com.

 About The Broe Group

The Broe Group, based in Denver, Colorado, is a diversified privately-owned enterprise with a multi-billion dollar asset base.  The Broe Group and its affiliates employ more than 1,000 people directly and provide employment for countless others through its Great Western Industrial Park in Northern Colorado. The Broe Group and its affiliates own and/or manage commercial real estate and other businesses across North America. Its transportation affiliate, OmniTRAX, Inc., is a leading transportation services firm with railroad, port and terminal operations, and is the 2nd largest operator of short-line railroads in the U.S. Its energy affiliate, Great Western Oil & Gas Company, is a top 10 driller in Colorado and among the top 100 drillers in the U.S. The Broe Group has multiple other investment affiliates, including Three Leaf Ventures, which is focused on innovative healthcare technology start-ups. For more information, see www.broe.com.

Broe Real Estate Group Closes on Acquisition of Oceanview Village Shopping Center in San Francisco

San Francisco, CA (March 14, 2016) – Broe Real Estate Group (“Broe”), a leading investment manager of commercial real estate assets affiliated with The Broe Group, has acquired Oceanview Village Shopping Center in San Francisco, California, for $30.6 million.  Citivest Commercial (“Citivest”), a real estate operating company specializing in value-add retail investments, will serve as the operating partner.

The 98,406 square foot, mixed-use development is located at 3931-3981 Alemany Blvd.  It is part of a mixed-use project built in 2002 that includes 370 condominiums above the ground floor retail space. The condominiums were not included in the purchase.  Existing tenants include Albertsons, Walgreens, 24-Hour Fitness and Chase Bank.  The grocery store and pharmacy spaces have long-term lease commitments, however both tenants are not in operation. Broe and Citivest plan to reposition the property via multiple improvements, including façade upgrades, new landscaping, entrance lighting, parking lot improvements and a new signage program.

“We are very excited about this new partnership with Citivest, and we believe the investment represents an excellent repositioning opportunity in one of the strongest retail markets in the country,” said Doug Wells, CEO of Broe Real Estate Group.  “The upgrades we have planned, combined with an outstanding location, make the shopping center extremely well-positioned to leverage its customer base and enhance value.”

“Sourcing a shopping center in the heart of San Francisco, where supply is highly limited, is extremely difficult,” explains Larry Weese, President of Citivest Commercial. “The ability to acquire a retail asset that not only boasts a prime location, but also presents enormous potential for value creation is a testament to the team.”

Broe and Citivest were attracted to the shopping center’s stable cash flow, with existing credit tenants, as well as its excellent demographics as nearly 60,000 people live within one mile of the property, and 360,000 people live within three miles.  The property also benefits from its location, adjacent to the 280 Freeway and close proximity to the Daly City BART Station.  The venture has hired Crosspoint Realty to be its Property Manager and selected Todd Oliver and Drew Greenspan with Cushman & Wakefield as its leasing representatives.

About Broe Real Estate Group
Broe Real Estate Group acquires, develops and manages commercial real estate assets. Affiliated companies own and manage office and industrial properties, medical office buildings and multi-family communities across the country, including premier assets in many of the most desirable markets. For more than 40 years, the company has operated a comprehensive real estate platform to provide complete solutions to maximize return on investment. Additional information is available at www.broerealestate.com.

About The Broe Group
The Broe Group, based in Denver, Colorado, is a diversified privately-owned enterprise with a multi-billion asset base. The Broe Group and its affiliates employ more than 1,000 people directly and provide employment for countless others through its Great Western Industrial Park in Northern Colorado. The Broe Group and its affiliates own and/or manage commercial real estate and other businesses across North America. Its transportation affiliate, OmniTRAX, Inc., is a leading transportation services firm with railroad, port and terminal operations, and is the 2nd largest operator of short-line railroads in the U.S. Its energy affiliate, Great Western Oil & Gas Company, is a top 10 driller in Colorado and among the top 100 drillers in the U.S. The Broe Group has multiple other investment affiliates, including Three Leaf Ventures, which is focused on innovative healthcare technology start-ups. For more information, see www.broe.com.

About Citivest Commercial Investments, LLC

Citivest Commercial Investments (Citivest) is a related company to Citivest, Inc. The Citivest partners are Dana Haynes, Dwight Belden and Larry Weese.  Headquartered in Newport Beach, California, Citivest is a privately held owner, operator and developer of commercial real estate.  The company’s executives, each with over 25 years of retail experience, have an extensive multi-cycle track record in the retail sector with a focus on value-add acquisitions and repositions along with select ground-up development projects.  Citivest is a proven buyer of value-add and opportunistic retail properties across the Western US, with a particular focus on high barrier to entry submarkets in California. The company’s typical value-add asset strategies leverage the firm’s leasing relationships, development capabilities and overall asset management strength.  To date, the Principals of Citivest have round-tripped $1 billion in value-add/opportunistic retail properties.

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