Northwestern Mutual provides $110 Million loan for San Francisco’s Foundry Square I

MILWAUKEE, June 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwestern Mutual has funded a $110 million mortgage loan on Foundry Square I, a 10-story 334,320-square-foot property in San Francisco'sCentral Business District (CBD).

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130206/CG55426LOGO)

Northwestern Mutual provided the loan to The State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS Ohio).  STRS Ohio has been providing benefits and services to Ohio's active and retired educators for over 90 years.

The building is 97 percent leased to BlackRock, Inc. and adjacent to the Transbay Transit Center, which is scheduled for completion in 2017.

"Foundry Square is a beautiful asset providing key access to the upcoming multi-billion dollar Transbay Transit Center, which some are already calling the 'Grand Central Station of the West,' " noted Brandon Buza, Director, Northwestern Mutual Real Estate Investments, LLC. "This investment demonstrates our commitment to expanding our presence along the West Coast."

Northwestern Mutual Real Estate Investments, LLC is the wholly owned subsidiary and authorized representative of Northwestern Mutual for the management of Northwestern Mutual's real estate portfolio. 

An essential ingredient in maintaining Northwestern Mutual's financial strength and ability to deliver value to policyowners is the performance of the company's $174 billion general account investment portfolio, whose assets back the company's insurance and annuity products.

The investment earnings generated by this portfolio produce capital that helps build the company's strong financial base.  They are also the primary determinant of the interest component of the dividend scale for traditional permanent life insurance policies.

Northwestern Mutual has the highest total cash value rate of return among major insurance companies[i].  As part of a well-diversified portfolio primarily invested in investment-grade bonds and other high-quality fixed-income instruments, Northwestern Mutual invests in commercial mortgage loans that it originates in the private market directly with owners of commercial real estate.  The portfolio also includes commercial real estate equity investments primarily in apartment, warehouse and office properties.

The company's real estate investments enhance its dividend-paying capacity while supporting economic growth in the communities in which it does business.

About Northwestern Mutual

Northwestern Mutual, as a part of its diversified investing on behalf of its policyowners, is one of the nation's largest real estate investors, with investments in commercial mortgages, equities and securitized investments across all major property types.  Our seasoned real estate professionals build lasting relationships and trusted partnerships through an unwavering commitment to our clients, delivering creative solutions to complex transactions across the country.  More information about Northwestern Mutual's real estate investing can be found at http://www.northwesternmutualrealestate.com.

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI, and its subsidiaries.  Northwestern Mutual is among the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies in 2013 according to FORTUNE® magazine and has helped clients achieve financial security for more than 156 years.  As a mutual company with $1.4 trillion of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual has no shareholders. The company focuses solely and directly on its clients and seeks to deliver consistent and dependable value to them over time.

Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a holistic approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability income insurance, annuities, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, limited purpose federal savings bank; Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company; and Russell Investments.

[i] According to 20-year actual policy performance information compiled through independent analysis (Blease Research Full Disclosure 2013 Whole Life Edition), Northwestern Mutual's whole life product provided the highest internal rate of return on policy cash value compared to all other similar products offered by competitors based on a $250,000 whole life policy issued in 1993 to a male age 45 with best-class underwriting.

SOURCE Northwestern Mutual