Press Release

CARMEL, Ind. (Oct. 22, 2020) – Mortgage banking company Merchants Capital today announces that it has provided $25 million in financing for the mixed-use development River Point West, coming soon to Elkhart, Indiana. Approximately $20 million is dedicated to the development itself, while another $5 million is for the onsite Martin’s Supermarket. The new construction loan is financed through Merchants Bank of Indiana on behalf of real estate private equity firm Great Lakes Capital. The River Point West development, complete with 173 apartments, 6,000 square feet of ground floor retail space and a separate 42,000-square-foot Martin’s Supermarket, will provide growth opportunities to both residents and visitors of Elkhart. Aligning with the River District Plan approved by the City of Elkhart, the new community is one part of the current private investments towards the residential expansion of downtown. According to the Elkhart River District website, “The need and potential of the residential focus was determined by a residential study, completed by Zimmerman, Volk and Associates, determining that 1,000 rent units can be absorbed within five years to capture new residents and a portion of the current 40,000 commuters who work and do not live in Elkhart.” “River Point West is a critical component for the city of Elkhart, as they begin to transform and revitalize their downtown area and provide ample space for multifamily and workforce housing,” said Merchants Capital Assistant Vice President, Originations Brian Shelbourne. “We are honored that our financing will benefit this community and propel Elkhart forward.” The project is a public-private partnership between the City of Elkhart, CRG Residential, the Regional Cities Initiative and Great Lakes Capital. Under the Land Use Restriction Agreement (LURA), 10% of River Point West’s apartment units are restricted to residents making 60% of the area’s median income (AMI). “Working hand in hand and furthering investment in and with the City of Elkhart will only continue the economic momentum of the growing city and region. We’re thankful to have helped bring River Point West’s dynamic mixed-use development, consisting of both housing properties and a supermarket, to life, in part to our longstanding and trusted community partner in Martin’s Supermarket,” said Great Lakes Capital Managing Partner Ryan Rans. “We also look forward to our continued partnership with Merchants Capital, availing ourselves of a best-in-class institution and their ability to leverage unique product solutions and structure along with execution certainty.” Construction has already begun on River Point West, and the project is currently ahead of schedule. The first of three apartment buildings is on track to begin leasing this fall. The project is expected to be completed in phases, with the development to be fully completed by Spring 2021. To learn more about Merchants Capital and its services, visit www.merchantscapital.com or find Merchants Capital on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

CARMEL, Ind. (Sept. 21, 2020) – Mortgage banking company Merchants Capital has secured $7.25 million for The Ace, a new multifamily apartment complex coming to the east side of Madison, Wisconsin utilizing the Freddie Mac Unfunded Forward Commitment. Merchants Bank of Indiana is also providing Construction Loan financing of $16.89 million on behalf of co-developers, Movin’ Out, Inc. and Commonwealth Development Corporation. Following the 30-month construction forward, the Freddie Mac $7.25 million 9% LIHTC Forward will provide a 15-year permanent loan with a 35-year amortization period at an extremely attractive fixed interest rate that is “locked-in” at the closing of the construction loan. Additionally, as a member bank of the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of Chicago, Merchants Capital affiliate Farmers-Merchants Bank of Illinois was able to sponsor and secure an Affordable Housing Program (AHP) Grant award for The Ace, bringing in $885,000 of funding to the project. “Our organization has a unique, unmatched ability to support affordable housing projects with diverse financing needs,” said Merchants Capital Senior Vice President Brian Emmons. “The Merchants umbrella is the link to Freddie permanent financing, FHLB of Chicago AHP Grant funds and construction financing provided by Merchants Bank of Indiana. Because of the diverse connections available at our fingertips, we were able to secure the financing necessary to get this much-needed affordable housing project off the ground.” With 70 units across two buildings, The Ace will integrate 14 units of supportive housing that target individuals with disabilities, veterans, and/or individuals at-risk of homelessness. A total of 59 units are reserved for individuals making at or less than 30%, 50%, or 60% of the County Median Income. Co-developers Movin’ Out and Commonwealth Development Corporation were thrilled with the closing and Merchants Capital’s involvement. "Merchants Capital played a key role in this much needed project. Merchants’ ability to provide multiple pieces of financing was crucial to reaching a successful closing,” said Movin’ Out Real Estate Developer Megan Schuetz. Commonwealth Development Corporation Principal Christopher Jaye commented, “Brian Emmons and the Merchants’ team were proactive, creative and a great resource.” To learn more about Merchants Capital and its services, visit www.merchantscapital.com or find Merchants Capital on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. ###

CARMEL, Ind. (Aug. 17, 2020) – Mortgage banking company Merchants Capital today announces that it has secured more than $14 million in new financing for West Pointe Commons, a 141-unit townhome community in southwest Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The project is financed through Merchants Bank of Indiana on behalf of a local investment group. The closing of West Pointe Commons is significant, as it marks the first loan Merchants Capital has provided in the state of South Dakota. The refinance of the property allowed the borrower to optimize equity for the project that was originally placed into service in 2016. The closing execution for West Pointe Commons was also efficient, especially considering the typical financing delays being caused by COVID-19, as it closed just 48 calendar days from the accepted term sheet. “At Merchants Capital, we are continuing to provide extremely competitive debt solutions to our affordable and multifamily housing clients throughout the pandemic,” said Merchants Capital Senior Vice President Brian Emmons. “This commitment is evident in our secured funding for West Pointe Commons. We are proud to continually assist our clients with ultimate long-term secondary market placement once these loan products begin to normalize post-COVID.” The loan also included a “swap rate,” a type of interest rate contract that is used to manage the risk of interest rate fluctuations and provide borrowers with a fixed rate. The borrower will have a fixed rate, and Merchants Bank of Indiana is able to earn interest on the loan based on a floating rate environment. West Pointe Commons offers one-, two- and three-bedroom townhome options and is pet-friendly. Various apartment amenities include a private entrance, central AC and an attached double garage. Outdoor and community amenities include a 24-hour fitness center, clubhouse, in-ground pool and playground. To learn more about Merchants Capital and its services, visit www.merchantscapital.com or find Merchants Capital on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

CARMEL, Ind. – Mortgage banking company Merchants Capital today announces the hiring of Dewayne Hayward as Vice President, Federal Housing Association (FHA) Asset Management and Mark Ciarrocchi as Senior Vice President, Investor Accounting. As Vice President, FHA Asset Management, Dewayne Hayward will serve as head of Asset Management for Merchants’ private label subservicing team. Hayward previously served as Team Lead of FHA Asset Management at ORIX Real Estate Capital, where he managed a portfolio of over $20 billion of commercial real estate, multifamily and health care properties across the U.S. Prior to joining ORIX, Hayward worked as Assistant Vice President, Asset Management for Capital One Multifamily Finance and as an FHA Asset Manager for Prudential Financial. Hayward also became a licensed real estate agent in 2020, serving Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. Hayward will be working out of his home in Carrollton, Texas. “We are very excited to welcome Dewayne Hayward to our growing team,” said Lisa Lundeen, Merchants Capital Senior Vice President, FHA & Government-Sponsored Enterprise (GSE) Asset Management. “With Dewayne’s depth of knowledge and over 19 years of experience in asset management and real estate, we know he can help us take Merchants’ private label servicing to the next level.” Mark Ciarrocchi joins Merchants Capital as Senior Vice President, Investor Accounting where he will be leading GSE investor reporting and the Merchants servicing department’s account reconciliations. Previously, Ciarrocchi served as the Manager of Multifamily Asset Management and Loan Servicing for Freddie Mac for over eight years. There, Ciarrocchi acted as the business lead for new initiatives and developments, managed monthly investor reporting for over 1,000 bond/cash loan collateral (including tax exempt bonds for multifamily real estate) and more. Ciarrocchi also worked in investor reporting at CWCapital Asset Management and Wells Fargo Bank prior to Freddie Mac. Ciarrocchi will be working out of his home in Waxhaw, North Carolina. “Mark Ciarrocchi has 21 years of commercial real estate asset management and loan servicing experience, and he has a wealth of knowledge that will be invaluable to our Merchants Capital team,” said Nisha Cuellar, Merchants Capital Senior Vice President, Investor Accounting. “We are incredibly thrilled to have Mark on board with us.”

NEW YORK (July 14, 2020) – Mortgage banking company Merchants Capital today announces the hiring of Dwayne George as Executive Vice President, National Head of Production. With 15 years of diverse multifamily production and management experience, George is recognized as an adept problem solver with proven success in multifamily production and sales team management, as well as originating and underwriting Government-Sponsored Enterprise (GSE) executions. George previously held positions at Greystone and Northmarq, but most recently, at Freddie Mac as Senior Director of Target Affordable Housing Production where he managed the Freddie Mac Optigo® Lender Network – a platform that consists of 19 lenders that is responsible for originating $6 billion of annual affordable housing production. Prior to joining the production team, George served as a Senior Underwriter in Freddie Mac’s Target Affordable Housing Group, where he was responsible for obtaining and granting credit approvals for LIHTC Preservation, Section 8, Bond Credit Enhancements, Moderate Rehabilitations, and Extended Use loans totaling $300-$400 million in annual production. During his first three years at Freddie, he orchestrated the purchase of $920 million in Freddie Mac Target Affordable originations, which included the firm’s largest Target Affordable Housing Capital Markets Execution (CME) transaction, the first Short Term Bond Execution, and the first Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) conversion. In his new role at Merchants Capital, George’s primary responsibility is to lead the company’s sales team, where he will be working closely with Merchants’ sales office leads in New York, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Indianapolis and Chicago. He will spend the majority of his time traveling and meeting with loan originators and customers, training existing sales personnel, managing the sales process closely, and recruiting for and growing new offices. “We are thrilled to welcome Dwayne George, a proven leader and mortgage banking executive, to our growing team,” said Michael R. Dury, President and CEO of Merchants Capital. “As we continue to grow our sales team across the country, it was essential to give them support through sales and product training, but most importantly, provide them with best in class leadership to help grow their respective businesses. Many of our team members already had a strong relationship with Dwayne during his time at Freddie Mac, which I believe will allow for a smooth transition and allow him to hit the ground running. I am excited for our customers to meet Dwayne and be able to benefit from his thoughtfulness and creativity as he accesses our creative balance sheet products combined with our expertise with the GSEs and Federal Housing Administration (FHA).” George is a graduate of Goucher College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management. He also holds a master’s degree in Real Estate from Georgetown University. “My experience in the private sector and at Freddie Mac has fueled my pursuit of providing a dynamic approach to multifamily finance with a hyper-focus on the customer experience,” George said. “The team at Merchants shares my vision to effectively and efficiently expand the firm’s national affordable multifamily housing presence in the market. I’m excited to play an active role in advancing Merchants Capital’s commitment to continued excellence.”

CARMEL, Ind. (June 15, 2020) – Mortgage banking company Merchants Capital has secured $25.9 million in Fannie Mae funding for a 476-unit multifamily affordable housing property in Joliet, Illinois. The Fannie Mae Cash Preservation loan was secured on behalf of the owners of Brinshore Development, The Richman Group and Eric Richelson. Located at 947 Lois Place in Joliet, Illinois, Larkin Village operates under a tax credit program through the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA). The IHDA requires that the property supplies 256 of the 476 units at or below 60% of the area median income (AMI). The other 220 units are unrestricted. “Now more than ever, there is a need across our country for affordable housing properties that are safe, clean and available for our American workers,” said Merchants Capital Senior Vice President Randall Rogers Jr. “Securing the financing for a multifamily, affordable housing property such as Larkin Village supports Merchants Capital’s passion for providing these housing options nationwide.” Merchants Capital was also instrumental in the structuring and underwriting of this transaction, facilitating the communications and documentation that led to the approval of a 10-year interest only period. Merchants Capital, Brinshore Development and The Richman Group were able to execute and close the loan remotely, due to the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order issued days before closing. This transaction allowed the ownership team to retire IHDA debt, make useful repairs to the property, and redeploy the equity accumulated over many years of effective operations. The equity will be used to invest in other affordable housing projects either through new construction developments or renovations. “The payoff of the IHDA loan marks the end of a success story. Larkin Village was one of only two foreclosure of multifamily loans which IHDA ever held. In 1999, IHDA selected the development team to rehabilitate, re-tenant and operate the failed affordable housing project,” said Brinshore Development Principal David Brint. “21 years later, Larkin Village is an important asset to the affordable housing stock in Will County, Illinois.” An Equal Housing Opportunity, Larkin Village offers options for studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in its family friendly community. The property provides complimentary heat, cooking, gas, water, garbage and private satellite TV for each apartment. Outdoor amenities include a swimming pool, community center, playground and clubhouse, along with numerous green areas and management on the premise. The community also supplies laundry facilities in each building with Cashless Smart Card washers and dryers for convenience. To learn more about Merchants Capital and its services, visit www.merchantscapital.com or find Merchants Capital on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

CARMEL, Ind. – Mortgage banking company Merchants Capital today announces that it has provided a three-year bridge loan for Centennial Aspen, a 148-unit workforce housing complex located in Aspen, Colorado. The acquisition of the project is financed through Merchants Bank of Indiana (MBI) on behalf of Birge & Held Asset Management, which currently owns and manages over 11,000 apartment units across the country, with offices in Indianapolis, Ind. and Denver, Colo. Merchants Capital Corp. intends to further provide long-term, permanent financing for the project either through Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac’s preservation platforms or through a syndication of new tax credits via Fannie, Freddie or HUD. Located at the base of Smugger Mountain at 100 Luke Short Ct., Centennial Aspen was built in 1986 and designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. The property was built with a Land Use Restriction Agreement (LURA) that required 100% of the rental units to be used for workforce housing. In Aspen, Colorado, the average household and median income are both higher than the state of Colorado as a whole. This creates an environment where the cost of living is higher in this area than others in the state, contributing to higher housing costs. Under the LURA, Centennial Aspen’s units are rented to residents with incomes ranging from 50% to 120% of the area’s median income (AMI). “Centennial Aspen serves true workforce residents who might otherwise be unable to live in a high-cost city such as Aspen,” said Merchants Capital Vice President Eddie Dietrick. “We’re honored to provide this bridge loan which furthers our mission of providing high quality, affordable housing options across the country in critical job centers.” The 11-building, three-story multifamily property features studio, one, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Apartment amenities include exterior entrances, an exterior storage unit and electric heat, while community amenities include an onsite laundry facility and office, a playground and assigned parking spaces. “Birge & Held is very excited about the acquisition of Centennial Apartments, as it is a perfect match with our workforce housing portfolio in one of the most unique markets in the country,” said Birge & Held President and Co-Owner Andrew Held. “Merchants Capital has been a great partner of ours for decades, and understands the need for supporting affordable housing in markets like Aspen.” The workforce housing option is conveniently located near local grocery stores, pharmacies and ski resort options, and residents can take a 15-minute walk or utilize the free RFTA bus to travel into downtown. To learn more about Merchants Capital and its services, visit www.merchantscapital.com or find Merchants Capital on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

CARMEL, Ind.  – Mortgage banking company Merchants Capital has secured $57 million in financing through a HUD 221(d)(4) loan for 4th & Race, a mixed-use multifamily apartment complex coming to downtown Cincinnati in 2021. The 40-year HUD 221(d)(4) new construction loan was secured on behalf of Flaherty & Collins Properties. Currently under development, the 4th & Race project will be a 264-unit market rate multifamily property. The new construction loan represents the multifamily component of a larger development that will also include approximately 20,000 square feet of retail space, in addition to a five-story parking garage that will be available to multifamily residents and the public. The project is scheduled to open in the first half of 2021. The project was designed and is being built to qualify for the National Green Building Standards Certification, which in turn qualifies the mortgage for HUD’s green MIP program.  Standard construction projects built with HUD 221(d)(4) financing require 65 basis points of initial and annual MIP payments.  With green MIP, this project only has to pay 25 basis points in MIP initially and annually, creating 40 basis points in annual savings for the developer. The multifamily complex represents a true public-private partnership, as Flaherty & Collins Properties worked concurrently with the City of Cincinnati, the Port Authority of Greater Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp (3CDC) to bring this project to life. “We are proud to partner with Flaherty & Collins Properties and all other participating parties by providing the construction and permanent financing for this new project,” said Merchants Capital Vice President Eddie Dietrick. “We look forward to opening this multifamily, luxury property for Cincinnati residents in 2021.” The residential portion of the project being financed by Merchants Capital will sit on top of the parking and retail components. The parking and retail structure were under construction during the processing of the HUD closing, and Merchants Capital worked together with Flaherty & Collins Properties to time the closing date so the construction teams could flow seamlessly from the garage construction to the residential construction. “With best in class amenities, panoramic views and a prime location in the heart of downtown Cincinnati, 4th & Race will contribute to the success of downtown Cincinnati and the west 4th Street corridor,” said Flaherty & Collins Properties Principal and Vice President of Development Jim Crossin. “We are thankful to Merchants Capital for its creative thinking and perseverance in delivering the financing to this complex transaction. We are excited to complete this project and welcome residents.” Other amenities of 4th & Race include 8,000 square feet of outdoor space, a 6,000-square-foot indoor amenity area, and a sky deck with views of downtown and the Ohio River. For residents, the outdoor space features, a pool, grilling stations and seating areas, while the indoor amenities include a fitness center, yoga room, gaming area and club room for residents and their guests. To learn more about Merchants Capital and its services, visit www.merchantscapital.com or find Merchants Capital on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

NEW YORK – Mortgage banking company Merchants Capital has secured $35.4 million in agency funding for a 133-unit multifamily transitional housing facility located on Jamaica Avenue in the Queens neighborhood of New York City. The project – known as Jamaica Apartments – is at the forefront of New York City’s asserted strategy for contending with and eradicating homelessness. The seven-year agency funding and immediate Freddie Mac Optigo® Targeted Affordable Housing Capital Markets Execution (TAH-CME) cash loan was secured on behalf of Freddie Mac and Bayrock Capital. This transaction represented another opportunity for Merchants Capital and Freddie Mac to establish themselves as a key counterparty and partner in financing multifamily shelters that serve New York City’s homeless population. In 2019, Freddie Mac and Merchants Capital worked together to provide $51 million in agency funding for another transitional housing facility, 267 Rogers. “A project of this magnitude and significance, especially during the COVID-19 crisis, is needed now more than ever,” said Merchants Capital Vice President Michael Milazzo. “The Right to Shelter obligation, which provides safe, multifamily housing with no required tenant contributions for homeless New Yorkers, is crucial as many Americans are out of work or otherwise struggling financially throughout these unprecedented times.” All residents of Jamaica Apartments are given access to social services and mental health counseling, as well as education and career training to help them get back on their feet. Each unit has its own private bathroom and kitchen. The two-building property was effectively built as a 133-unit multifamily development that partnered with the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) to offer transitional housing to homeless families. The entire property offers truly affordable housing, as 100% of the units are reserved for transitional housing. In April 2016, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a major restructuring of the way homeless services in New York City are delivered. The city plans to open approximately 20 new multifamily transitional housing shelters annually over the next five years to reach its goal of opening approximately 90 new shelters. Jamaica Apartments represents one of the multifamily transitional housing shelters that New York City is utilizing to eradicate homelessness in the future. Others involved in the project include CORE, a community-based, non-profit human services organization whose mission is to empower individuals, families and communities to live productive lives, and Brook Hollow Capital, a boutique mortgage brokerage based in Mahwah, New Jersey, which helped to manage the closing process. To learn more about Merchants Capital and its services, visit www.merchantscapital.com or find Merchants Capital on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Carmel-based mortgage banking company Merchants Capital today announces that President and CEO Michael Dury was selected by the Junior Achievement of Central Indiana as Indy’s Best and Brightest in the category of banking and financial services. Dury was recognized for his notable professional accomplishments in his career, his impact on the Indianapolis community and his overall commitment to leadership. Following graduation from Notre Dame University in 2007, Dury was named Vice President of Merchants Capital and rose through the ranks as one of the youngest executives in the history of the company. In 2017, shortly after the Merchants initial public offering (IPO) and merger with RICHMAC Funding, Dury was named President of Merchants Capital, and three years later, was promoted to CEO at the age of 35. Under Dury’s leadership, Merchants Capital became one of the top mortgage lenders in the country. In 2018, the company was named No. 10 on the Top 25 U.S. Affordable Lenders list by Affordable Housing Finance. Additionally, Dury is one of the top loan originators nationwide. His personal loan production value is on par with some of the top lending firms in the U.S., with $6.4 billion in total loan production since 2010. Dury has also greatly impacted the surrounding community with the Merchants MPACT (Positively Advancing Communities Together) program. The program is focused on advancing affordable housing, connecting people in their communities, promoting and improving education and financial literacy, and stimulating economic development within local communities. “I am elated that Mike was selected as Indy’s Best and Brightest, as I chose Mike to personally mentor at the start of his career in 2007. I’ve seen him grow and thrive so quickly in this industry, and he is incredibly deserving of this honor,” said Michael F. Petrie, Merchants Bancorp Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO. “Mike is a highly respected champion in multifamily finance, a distinguished and accomplished colleague at Merchants Capital, and a proven innovator in developing new solutions within the industry.” The Indy’s Best and Brightest Award was created by Junior Achievement of Central Indiana to recognize up-and-coming talent and the next generation of leaders in the Indianapolis area. The event honors 100 of central Indiana’s most outstanding young professionals, age 40 and under, across 10 different industries. All 100 finalists in each category are judged on professional accomplishments, civic contributions, character and leadership qualities. At the awards program, which took place on March 11 at the Hilbert Circle Theatre, 10 outstanding individuals received additional recognition as Indy’s best from their respective categories. For a complete list of winners and finalists, visit www.indysbestandbrightest.org. ###