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leistb
03-21-2009, 01:16 AM
Citigroup forecloses on General Growth mall in La.

From staff and wire reports 3:11 PM EDT, March 20, 2009 A shopping mall in Louisiana owned by General Growth Properties Inc. (http://www.baltimoresun.com/topic/economy-business-finance/general-growth-properties-incorporated-ORCRP006401.topic), the owner of the Baltimore area's largest malls, is being foreclosed on, according to a report today by Bloomberg.

Citigroup Inc. (http://www.baltimoresun.com/topic/economy-business-finance/citigroup-incorporated-ORCRP003330.topic) filed papers to foreclose on Oakwood Shopping Center in Gretna, after General Growth failed to repay a $95 million loan on the property, according to the report.

The company is in default on substantial amounts of debt, some of which has matured. At the end of 2008, General Growth had $1.18 billion past due and another $4.09 billion of debt that could be accelerated by lenders. Another $340 million of debt came due this month.

General Growth Properties owns most of the area's regional malls including Harborplace, Towson Town Center and is Columbia's master developer.



The company has been negotiating with lenders and trying to sell some properties in an effort to avoid filing for bankruptcy.

Earlier this week, the company said lenders agreed to delay until Dec. 31, efforts to seek remedies to default on about $2.58 billion of senior debt. The reprieve affects the company's 2006 senior credit agreement, comprising a $1.99 billion term loan and a $590 million revolving credit line.

General Growth executives also had asked holders of about $2.25 billion of unsecured notes issued by Rouse to hold off from demanding payments through the end of the year. The deadline for those approvals was 5 p.m. today.

Citigroup said Oakwood Center will remain open, according to Bloomberg.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/realestate/bal-citigroup0320,0,478594.story

Curious
03-21-2009, 09:44 AM
The Commercial Real Estate Market that involves large retail space is finally breaking out of it's log jam.

Initially the "owners" were able to service the debt via retained cash and deferring payments ... but those cash management tricks ran out and then they resorted to withholding payments on selected properties (particularly poorly performing ones with NO recourse debt). Those tricks are running out.

Having followed the Commercial Property Market for many many years now the Retail Sector is the one immediately at risk at the moment since it is the most overbuilt. That will be followed with the Lodging Sector, which should be hit later in 09. Finally the office sector, which was the worst hit sector in the 89-92 downturn, will take it's hit as long term leases slowly come up for renewal or financing needs to be renewed.

The retail real estate sector is probably looking forward to at least a 40% haircut from their peak valuations, for selected properties conversion to some other use will occure.

Hang on ... it's going to be quite a ride.

Curious