Dream Office converts a Calgary office building

Article Excerpt

Dream Office’s high-quality boutique office buildings (unique buildings with smaller floorspace) outperform older buildings during periods of weaker office fundamentals. But at the same time, the trust is converting its less-desirable office properties into much more attractive residential units. DREAM OFFICE REIT, $15.77, is a buy. The REIT (Toronto symbol D.UN; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (www.dream.ca/office; Units o/s: 16.4 million; Market cap: $299.3 million; Dividend yield: 6.3%) will soon embark on an office conversion project in Calgary, after securing both a grant from the City and financing for the project. The property is a 16-storey office tower in the downtown core. Dream Office intends to convert the building into a 166-unit rental building—and it will relocate the current tenants to 444 7th Avenue SW, the office building directly to the south, also owned by the REIT. This will let the REIT improve the occupancy of 444-7th while creating for itself a new, more-profitable residential rental building in downtown Calgary. Dream Office remains a buy. buy…