Peachtree Group Closes $40 Million in CPACE Financing for AC Hotel in 23 Days

ATLANTA (June 24, 2024) – With ongoing credit market dislocations, Peachtree Group originated a $40 million retroactive CPACE loan to BLG SAN DIEGO, LLC (BLG) for its recently opened 147-room AC Hotel San Diego Downtown Gaslamp Quarter in Calif.  The Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (CPACE) financing was amortized over 30 years and required no payment for a year, followed by five years of interest-only payments. Also, the proceeds allowed BLG to pay down its senior loan with California-based Preferred Bank and E. Sun Commercial Bank, Ltd. to under $20 million, there by mitigating the banks’ exposure.

“This innovative capital structure significantly alleviated the immediate financial pressures, enabling the hotel to establish a solid cash flow foundation during its initial years of operation,” said Greg Friedman, Peachtree Group’s managing principal and CEO.

Despite the U.S. hotel industry's strong RevPAR performance, multiple headwinds exacerbate financial stress for owners. These headwinds include the lagging profitability of U.S. hotels, persistently high interest rates and historically high property insurance costs.

AC Hotel San Diego Downtown Gaslamp Quarter

“When we opened the AC Hotel San Diego Downtown Gaslamp Quarter in March 2023, there was a sizeable disconnect between hospitality fundamentals, which are strong, particularly in San Diego, while the debt markets were deteriorating meaningfully,” said Brad Honigfeld, founder, chairman and co-CEO of the New Jersey-based Briad Group®.“ The Fed’s tightening process and rising fund rates drove up the cost of debt considerably.”

Hotel and commercial real estate owners face a tough few years as trillions of dollars in debt come due, and refinancing gets harder, compounded by banks' tightened lending standards.

According to JLL Research, by the end of 2024, $5.8 billion worth of U.S. hotel-securitized loans will be due for repayment, requiring full payment, refinancing, extension or sale. However, if these loans were refinanced at current interest rates, most would struggle to generate enough income to cover their debt costs.

In this challenging lending market, Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (CPACE) financing has become a vital source of liquidity. This option is growing in importance as owners face impending debt maturities and scarce refinancing opportunities.

CPACE financing has rapidly gained traction in the commercial real estate market, reaching a cumulative $7.2 billion in the U.S. in just over a decade, according to PACENation. This significant milestone underscores the growing acceptance and adoption of CPACE financing as an innovative and effective solution. Peachtree Group, a key player in this market, has demonstrated its commitment to CPACE financing, with over $800 million in CPACE originations.  

The AC Hotel San Diego Downtown Gaslamp Quarter is in downtown San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, known for its restaurants, shops and nightlife.

“Our hotel was benefiting from its location and performing to its original underwriting, but the debt costs were straining cash flows,” Honigfeld said.

Retroactive CPACE funding offers unique advantages for property owners. It operates similarly to normal pre-project funding, with one key difference: 100% of the loan proceeds can be used to reimburse the property owner for costs already incurred. This feature makes retroactive CPACE a valuable resource for property owners seeking better loan terms or improved cash flow for completed projects.

“The financial relief it provides not only ensures the hotel's success but also positions it for long-term stability. By reducing the financial burden in the early years, owners can focus on delivering exceptional guest experiences and achieving operational excellence,” Friedman said.

This strategic approach paves the way for the asset to transition to a more favorable financing market in the future, ensuring its sustained profitability and growth.

About Peachtree Group
Peachtree Group is a vertically integrated investment management firm specializing in identifying and capitalizing on opportunities in dislocated markets, anchored by commercial real estate. Today, the company manages billions in capital across acquisitions, development and lending, augmented by services designed to protect, support and grow its investments. For more information, visit www.peachtreegroup.com.

Contact:

Charles Talbert                                                                                        

678-823-7683                                                                                          

ctalbert@peachtreegroup.com

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Jared Schlosser, head of originations and C-PACE, Peachtree Group. With banks making a fundamental shift away from direct hotel real estate loans, according to Schlosser, this diversified commercial real estate investment firm, has completed more than $2 billion in private credit transactions through September 2025 across 77 deals, marking a record year.

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ATLANTA (Oct. 13, 2025) – Peachtree Group (“Peachtree”), a diversified commercial real estate investment firm, has completed more than $2.0 billion in private credit transactions through September 2025 across 77 deals, marking a record year already. The firm is on pace to approach $2.5 billion for the full year, a notable increase from 2024 that underscores the expanding role of private credit in commercial real estate as traditional lenders remain cautious in a market shaped by tighter liquidity and ongoing volatility.

“Our ability to consistently execute at a high level is a direct function of the ecosystem we’ve built over the last 18 years,” said Greg Friedman, Peachtree’s managing principal and CEO. “Our vertically integrated credit platform that spans origination, underwriting, servicing and asset management enables us to be proactive where many are reactive, delivering certainty and stronger out comes for our borrowers and investors.”

Banks, which traditionally account for half of commercial real estate lending, have tightened credit standards or pulled back entirely. That shift has opened new opportunities for private credit lenders like Peachtree to offer flexible financing for acquisitions, construction, refinancings and recapitalizations.

“We are seeing strong demand from institutional-quality borrowers looking for certainty of execution in a disrupted lending market,” said Michael Harper, Peachtree’s president, hotel lending. “This year’s growth underscores our ability to deliver creative capital solutions across asset classes, including hotels, multifamily, industrial, office and land.”

Peachtree has originated approximately $1.1 billion in hotel loans this year, selectively leaning into multifamily, office and industrial, where dislocation or supply constraints are creating compelling opportunities for well-structured credit investments.

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·      $176.5 million in Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (“CPACE”) financing for the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.  

·      $68.2 million first mortgage loan for the AC hotel in Seattle, Wash.  

·      $59.0 million first mortgage loan for the AC/Element Riverwalk hotel in San Antonio, Texas

·      $52.0 million first mortgage loan for the planned 270-acre The Block at Elliot development in Mesa, Ariz.

·      $42.0 million first mortgage loan to finance the acquisition of the Atlanta Financial Center in Atlanta, Ga.

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“With nearly $3 trillion in U.S. commercial real estate debt maturing by 2028, private credit lenders are positioned to step into a market hungry for capital,” said Jared Schlosser, head of originations and CPACE at Peachtree. “Our ability to provide flexible capital at scale, even in complex situations, positions us as a trusted partner for borrowers navigating today’s market.”

In 2024, Peachtree deployed $1.6 billion in credit transactions, representing a 54% increase from the prior year, and making the firm one of the largest investor-driven commercial real estate lenders in the United States, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

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“Peachtree Group’s success comes from our team’s willingness to be creative, gritty and decisive in a volatile market,” Greg Friedman, managing principal and CEO of Peachtree Group, told Atlanta Business Chronicle. “We aren’t afraid to lean in and make quick calls when others hesitate.”

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“Our discipline in the process gives us the conviction to act with confidence,” he said. “That balance has been the linchpin to our success, turning disruption into opportunity and allowing us to keep building an investment platform that delivers value through every cycle.”

Founded in 2007, Peachtree employs more than 3,000 people nationwide and is a regular on the Inc. 5000. It is widely recognized as a top player in hospitality and commercial real estate.


...“We are well on our way to another record year of originations,” Friedman wrote.

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