CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) has entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of its specialty pharmacy business to CarelonRx, a subsidiary of Elevance Health. The Cincinnati-based retailer’s serves patients with chronic illness that requires complex care. Clinicians and therapy programs allow patients and prescribers to benefit from education and resources, counseling, side effect management, financial assistance, personalized care and administrative expertise. The specialty pharmacy business supports patients facing diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, growth hormone deficiencies, multiple sclerosis and bleeding disorders. Kroger Specialty Pharmacy is separate from other Kroger Family of Pharmacies, including in-store retail pharmacies and The Little Clinics. Therefore, in-store retail pharmacies and The Little Clinics are not included in this transaction. The deal is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the second half of 2024. RBC Capital Markets LLC is serving as financial advisor, and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP are serving as legal advisors to Kroger.
ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO, OHIO AND OREGON — Intel Corp. and the U.S. Department of Commerce have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) for up to $8.5 billion in direct funding to Intel for commercial semiconductor projects under the CHIPS and Science Act. The proposed funding would help advance Intel’s critical semiconductor manufacturing and research-and-development (R&D) projects at its sites in Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio and Oregon. CHIPS Act funding aims to increase U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and research and development (R&D) capabilities. According to a release, Intel is the only American company that both designs and manufactures leading-edge logic chips. “Today is a defining moment for the U.S. and Intel as we work to power the next great chapter of American semiconductor innovation,” says Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger. “Artificial intelligence is supercharging the digital revolution, and everything digital needs semiconductors.” Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel is building two new fabrication plants in Chandler, Ariz. The new factories on the company’s Ocotillo campus are part of Intel’s multibillion-dollar global manufacturing build-out, which includes new or expanded facilities in Oregon, New Mexico, Ohio, Malaysia, Ireland, Poland, Israel and Germany. Construction is underway on Intel’s Fab 9 factory in Rio Rancho, N.M. Fab …
CINCINNATI — Bayside Communities has purchased a 195,700-square-foot industrial facility located at 10975 Medallion Drive in Cincinnati. The purchase price was $13.9 million. Heidelberg Distributing Co., which services more than 26,000 retail and industry establishments across Ohio and Kentucky, was the seller.
Bernard Financial Group Arranges $11.7M Acquisition Loan for Industrial Building in Grove City, Ohio
GROVE CITY, OHIO — Bernard Financial Group (BFG) has arranged an $11.7 million loan for the acquisition of a 223,750-square-foot industrial building in Grove City, a southern suburb of Columbus. Dennis Bernard, Joshua Bernard and Dan Duggan of BFG arranged the loan on behalf of the borrower, an entity doing business as 3555 Partners LLC. Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. was the lender.
HUDSON, OHIO — Joann Inc. (NASDAQ: JOAN), a fabrics and sewing retailer based in Hudson, has filed for prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company’s 829 stores and its website (JOANN.com) will remain open for business. Following the bankruptcy process, if approved, Joann will become a private company owned by some of its lenders and other industry parties, and its shares will no longer be listed on Nasdaq or any other national stock exchange. As of this writing, the company’s stock has been delisted. Joann expects to emerge from the voluntary bankruptcy process as early as April. In addition to the bankruptcy decision, the 81-year-old company has entered into a transaction support agreement with a majority of its financial stakeholders and additional industry financing parties. As part of the agreement, Joann has received commitments for approximately $132 million in new financing and related financial accommodations. “This agreement is a significant step forward in addressing Joann’s capital structure needs, and it will provide us with the financial resources and flexibility necessary to continue to deliver product assortments and enhance the customer experience wherever they are shopping with us,” says Scott Sekella, Joann’s chief financial officer. He adds that 95 percent of the company’s …
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Semi-Stow has opened a 12.5-acre semi-truck parking property at 3815 Lockbourne Industrial Parkway in Columbus. The truck yard marks Semi-Stow’s first location in metro Columbus and its second Midwest yard opening in 2024. The yard provides trucking companies and private fleets with a base for regional and intermodal freight movement. The location provides convenient access to Rickenbacker International Airport and major freight corridors including I-70, I-71, US Route 33 and the Ohio State Route 104 bypass. The property features more than 375 spaces for tractor-trailers and other heavy-duty vehicles. Daily, monthly and long-term reservations are available to owner-operators and fleets of all sizes, and larger fleets can reserve space by the acre. The yard features secure fencing with barbed wire, AI-powered gates, 4k cameras and stadium lighting. Semi-Stow maintains a portfolio of 30 truck parking locations totaling 7,000 parking spaces nationwide.
CLEVELAND — Cleveland-based BWE has arranged $150 million in financing through a Freddie Mac transitional line of credit (TLOC) for a collection of over 2,500 manufactured housing community sites in the Midwest, Southeast and Rocky Mountain regions. MJ Vukovich, Ghazy Grijalva and Andrew Capra of BWE arranged the TLOC through Freddie Mac’s Optigo channel on behalf of a long-term client. The team also sourced a $14 million traditional bank loan for the borrower from a lender specializing in manufactured housing. The TLOC provides a convenient solution for manufactured housing communities that require more repairs and renovations before securing permanent financing terms or more flexibility in their hold period, according to BWE. By only initially using $100 million of the $150 million TLOC, the borrower has the ability to shape its portfolio more thoroughly by adding new properties in the future. BWE structured the TLOC as a floating-rate loan with interest-only payments for the full term. Additionally, the terms included interest rate caps to hedge against the risk of increasing rates, while also positioning the client to take advantage of a declining rate environment later this year and provide flexibility for asset exit.
GROVEPORT, OHIO — Green Jobs Properties LLC has acquired a 640,640-square-foot industrial facility located at 3755 Hayes Road in Groveport, a southern suburb of Columbus. The purchase price was $56 million. The seller was Groveport Venture LLC.
Douglas Capital Partners Acquires 385,000 SF Office, Industrial Portfolio in Metro Columbus for $25M
GROVE CITY AND DUBLIN, OHIO — Michigan-based real estate investment firm Douglas Capital Partners has acquired three Columbus-area properties from American National Insurance Co. and Brookfield for $25 million. The three-property portfolio totals 385,000 square feet and is comprised of SouthPark XX, a Class A industrial asset in Grove City, and two office buildings in Dublin. The office assets include the Emerald Professional Building and Upper Metro Place. The acquisitions mark the first investments outside of Michigan for Douglas Capital Partners.
ZANESVILLE, OHIO — Woda Cooper Cos. Inc. has broken ground on Munson Crossing, a 43-unit affordable housing community in Zanesville, about 50 miles east of Columbus. The co-developer for the $13.8 million project is Housing Services Alliance. Munson Crossing is located in the West Main Street Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) on the site of the former Munson Elementary School building, which was demolished last year. Munson Crossing will provide 14 one-bedroom units that offer 663 square feet, 23 two-bedroom apartments with 858 square feet and six three-bedroom units totaling 1,105 square feet each. Projected rental rates will range from $330 to $1,025 per month, depending on unit size and the resident’s income. All units are reserved for tenants whose income is 30 to 80 percent of the area median income. Amenities will include a multipurpose room with kitchenette, package room, laundry room and dedicated supportive service space. The project received housing tax credits allocated by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, which also provided an equity bridge loan and will provide a second permanent mortgage. PNC Bank provided $6.1 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity. RiverHills Bank is the construction lender, providing a loan of $7.8 million. Cedar Rapids Bank …