Capital Square Launches Eighth Opportunity Zone Fund

Capital Square, a sponsor of tax-advantaged real estate investments, announced the launch of CSRA Opportunity Zone Fund VIII LLC. The project-specific opportunity zone fund will raise capital to develop Livano Knoxville, an approximately 348-unit Class A multifamily community in Knoxville, Tennessee.

CSRA Opportunity Zone Fund VIII seeks to raise $46.684 million in equity from accredited investors.

“With the land acquired and a favorable construction loan in place, Capital Square believes it has reduced the risk on this superior site near the University of Tennessee,” said Louis Rogers, founder and co-chief executive officer. “And – the icing on the cake – the property is in an opportunity zone that permits investors to defer and exclude their capital gains from the sale of any asset by investing in this, Capital Square’s eighth, opportunity zone fund.”

Located in the city’s emerging South Knoxville neighborhood at 451 W. Blount Avenue, just south of the Tennessee River and adjacent to the University of Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium, the multifamily community will include studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment homes averaging approximately 930 square feet. The property will feature 35 workforce apartment homes available to residents who earn up to 80% of the area’s annual median family income, the remainder of the available units will be market rate apartment homes. The city of Knoxville has agreed to contribute $6.5 million of the project’s total development cost as a result of the inclusion of the workforce housing units.

Capital Square completed the acquisition of the 5.8-acre lot earlier this month and secured a $70.4 million construction loan agreement with Truist Bank. Tennessee-based Southern Building Group Inc. has been engaged as general contractor. Groundbreaking on the $116 million project, led by Capital Square’s development division and joint-venture partner, LIV Development, is scheduled to take place next month.

“The University of Tennessee predicts that the state’s population will grow by up to one million new residents by 2040, with the Greater Knoxville population expected to increase by 17.2%,”1 said Whitson Huffman, co-chief executive officer. “The South Knoxville neighborhood enjoys strong economic fundamentals, with a healthy and stable employment base, multifamily occupancy north of 97% and rent growth projected to exceed 3.3% annually through 2027.2 Capital Square believes Knoxville is a highly attractive growth market and a compelling location for our latest opportunity zone development project.”

Knoxville is the third largest city in the state behind only Nashville and Memphis. The area is home to 18 four-year and two-year colleges and universities, led by the University of Tennessee, which has an annual enrollment of approximately 31,000 students and employs 11,700 academic and administrative employees. The university’s endowment exceeds $1.3 billion.

Major employers in the area include the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Covenant Health, the University of Tennessee, Knox County Schools, University Health System, The Dollywood Company, Clayton Homes, DENSO Corporation, Tennova Healthcare, Blount Memorial Hospital and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Since its founding in 2012 the company has completed more than $7.5 billion in transaction volume.

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