The New Jersey-based Wharton Realty Group has acquired Homestead Pavillion Shopping Center for $82 million from a joint venture including CREC Capital, Highline Real Estate Capital, MMG Equity Partners, and Lubert-Adler Real Estate funds. CREC Capital’s co-founders Alan Esquenazi and Warren Weiser facilitated the sale of a 298,000 SF retail center located at 2400 NE 10th Ct in Homestead. Danny Finkle and Eric Williams from JLL represented the buyer in the transaction.

“The transaction represents a strategic acquisition for the New Jersey-based real estate company to position themselves in an expanding bustling market,” said Alan Esquenazi, Co-Founder & Partner of CREC Capital. “The purchase further validates the strength of the South Florida retail market and the robust recovery in retail space post-pandemic.”

During the pandemic, the JV ownership group fully leased the property by securing tenants including Sprouts Farmers Market, Target, Dr. Limon, and Body Details. This dominant retail center in southern Miami-Dade County serves Homestead, Cutler Ridge, and the Florida Keys. The joint venture retained ownership of Target, Raising Canes, and Murphy Oil.

“Despite the pandemic’s challenging effects on the marketplace, we were able to line up anchor and in-line tenants which elevated the existing tenant base and supported a favorable execution for both sides of the transaction,” said Warren Weiser, Co-Founder & Partner of CREC Capital.

Wharton Realty Group is a premier real estate company based in New Jersey focused on managing and leasing diversified properties across the country with over one thousand tenants.

The resilience of the South Florida retail market throughout the pandemic has made it a hot spot for retail investors. Investment sales volume for retail assets in Miami-Dade County surged by 164.3% in 2021 reaching a total deal volume of $577 million, compared to the pre-pandemic year 2019 where the total trade volume of retail assets was $218 million.