Northmarq, on behalf of ownership,, is pleased to offer the opportunity to acquire 3301 Watkins Road, Durham, NC (the "property"). The property is positioned at the heart of the Research Triangle in a best-in-class retail corridor with direct frontage along Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd / 15-501 (52K+ VPD) and immediate access to Interstate 40 (99K+ VPD). The property is located at the primary entrance to the Patterson Place Shopping Center, a retail complex anchored by The Home Depot and Kohl's, and the Crowne at 501, a brand-new 297-unit multifamily building. On the north side of Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd is New Hope Commons, a 467K SF shopping center anchored by Walmart and Best Buy and leased at 99.8% occupancy. The surrounding area is densely populated with over 7,000 apartment units within 1.5 miles of the property. AvalonBay Communities is developing a 930-unit community adjacent to New Hope Commons, directly across the highway from the property.
The property consists of a 4,364 SF building that is being redeveloped by Panera Bread with an estimated completion of Q1 2025. Panera Bread will be operating under a new 15-year Absolute NNN lease with zero landlord responsibilities and 10% rental escalations every 5 years. The property will be outfitted with a drive-thru lane and an outdoor patio area.
Panera Bread is a leading fast casual chain featuring chef-curated recipes, with 2,300 locations as of July 2024. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Saint Louis, MO, Panera employs 140,000 people and generates $5 billion in annual revenue. Acquired by JAB Holding Company for $7.5 billion in 2017, the company has recently confidentially filed to go public via an IPO.
Situated roughly 5-miles from both Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the property provides convenient access to downtown Durham and the broader MSA via major highways I-40 and NC-147. The offering presents investors with an opportunity to acquire a trophy asset in an A+ location within the Research Triangle, a vibrant region anchored by Raleigh and Durham, NC, and home to over 2 million residents.