News Details

Whitestone REIT Purchases Sixth Community Center in Phoenix Area

August 16, 2011

Acquires Ahwatukee Plaza Shopping Center

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Whitestone REIT (NYSE-AMEX: WSR – “Whitestone”), a fully integrated real estate company that owns, operates and re-develops Community Centered PropertiesTM, which are visibly located properties in established or developing culturally diverse neighborhoods, announced today that it has closed on the purchase of Ahwatukee Plaza Shopping Center for $9.27 million. The 72,650 square foot Community Center is located in the affluent high density Ahwatukee Foothills neighborhood in south Phoenix and represents Whitestone’s sixth acquisition in the Phoenix area since September 2010. The Center, which is 100% leased and 98% occupied, is anchored by Gold’s Gym along with other notable tenants including Ahwatukee Children’s Theater, Millie’s Hallmark, O’Reilly Auto Parts (NASDAQ:ORLY) and a variety of other convenience service providers.

“We are pleased to add Ahwatukee Plaza to our portfolio of Community Centered Properties as we expand our presence in the Phoenix region,” said James C. Mastandrea, Whitestone’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We continue to grow through the relationships we have long established in this key growth market, and we will maintain our focus on locating value-add, cash-flowing, and off-market opportunities similar in size—50,000 to 200,000 square feet—to further enhance our presence in the coming quarters.”

Whitestone continues to seek Community Center acquisition opportunities in the Phoenix metro area, and also work with sellers who may benefit from a tax efficient transaction in which operating partnership units are exchanged for a property.

About Whitestone REIT

Whitestone REIT (NYSE-AMEX: WSR) is a fully integrated real estate company that owns, operates and re-develops Community Centered PropertiesTM, which are visibly located properties in established or developing culturally diverse neighborhoods. Whitestone focuses on value-creation in its Centers, as it markets, leases and manages its Centers to match tenants with the shared needs of surrounding neighborhoods. Operations are structured for providing cost-effective service to local service-oriented smaller space tenants (less than 3,000 square feet). Whitestone has a diversified tenant base concentrated on service offerings including medical, education, and casual dining. The largest of its over 800 tenants comprises less than 2% of its rental revenues. Headquartered in Houston, Texas and founded in 1998, the Company is internally managed with a portfolio of commercial properties in Texas, Arizona, and Illinois. For additional information about the Company, please visit www.whitestonereit.com. The Investor Relations section of the Company's website has links to SEC filings, news releases, financial reports and investor newsletters.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements included herein that state the Company's or management's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or predictions of the future are "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which by their nature, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed or implied by these statements. Reference is made to the Company's regulatory filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for information or factors that may impact the Company's performance.

Source: Whitestone REIT

Contact:

Whitestone REIT

Anne Gregory, 713-435-2221

Vice President Marketing & Investor Relations

ir@whitestonereit.com