CHICAGO — Darwin Investment Group has received a $130 million refinancing for a 39-building industrial portfolio totaling more than 2 million square feet across the greater Chicago area and Southeast Wisconsin. A dedicated middle market real estate team within Wells Fargo Commercial Banking provided the financing. In conjunction with the refinancing, Darwin Investment Group principals George Cibula and Matthew Lewandowski acquired the 49 percent ownership interest held by their partners, bringing Cibula and Lewandowski’s ownership of the portfolio to 100 percent. The 39 properties are home to more than 225 tenants. Lewandowski, Erin Cibula and Patricia Liston facilitated the refinancing and ownership consolidation on behalf of Darwin. Paul Mokhatas, Anu Agarwal and Paul Crusen led the Wells Fargo team.
PLAINFIELD, ILL. — Entre Commercial Realty has brokered the sale of a 142,370-square-foot industrial facility in Plainfield. Situated on 20 acres, the freestanding property features 19 loading docks, two drive-in doors, approximately 11,000 square feet of office space, heavy power and eight private rail spurs. A local transportation company purchased the building with plans to utilize it as its new corporate headquarters. Mike DeSerto, Cory Kay and Elisabeth Lazzara of Entre represented the buyer, while Colliers represented the undisclosed seller.
CHICAGO — Time Equities Inc. (TEI) has acquired 33 South Wabash Avenue in Chicago for $3.9 million. Located in the heart of South Loop along historic Jeweler’s Row, the property offers 38 feet of frontage on Wabash Avenue at the base of a 360-unit luxury condominium building, which is also home to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Currently fully leased, the 7,400-square-foot, three-unit retail property is home to Goddess & the Baker, Reckless Records and Prasino. Ami Ziff and Jonathan Kim represented TEI on an internal basis. Mitchell Kiven of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller, Newcastle Investors.
NORTH AURORA, ILL. — Transwestern Investments has acquired a 408,176-square-foot industrial facility in Chicago’s I-88 Corridor on behalf of a separate account. Built in 2023 and located in North Aurora, the fully leased property features a cross-dock configuration, a clear height of 36 feet, 55 dock doors, four drive-in doors and dedicated car and trailer parking. Located 1.7 miles from I-88, the property provides connectivity to I-355, I-294 and the Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Transwestern Services has been retained to provide property management services.
VERNON HILLS, ILL. — Fortec has opened The Nest Schools-Vernon Hills. The $5 million project involved the acquisition and redevelopment of a former ambulance warehouse in Vernon Hills, a northern suburb of Chicago. The new early education center will serve up to 209 students and create 35 jobs in the Lake County community. Fortec acquired the property for $1.7 million in September 2025 and invested roughly $3 million in construction, along with $300,000 in closing and due diligence costs. The redevelopment involved a comprehensive interior reconfiguration designed specifically for childcare use. The school features 11 age-grouped classrooms, a new 11,834-square-foot outdoor playground featuring K-Play equipment and dedicated play surfaces for active learning and recreation. The project also included replacement of the building’s core systems, including new high-efficiency HVAC, electrical and irrigation systems, water-efficient plumbing and underground drainage upgrades. Safety enhancements involved a new fire alarm system and sprinkler system as well as upgraded access control security infrastructure. The project represents Fortec’s fourth collaboration with The Nest Schools, an early childhood education provider with more than 50 locations nationwide.
DEER PARK, ILL. — Brand Street Properties and AEW Capital Management have acquired Deer Park Town Center, a 410,000-square-foot, open-air shopping center in Deer Park, about 35 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. Conor Lalor, Kyle Minter and Keely Polczynski of Newmark represented the seller, PGIM, with support from colleagues James Sharpe V and Brian Schneiderman. The sales price was $125 million. Deer Park Town Center is home to more than 60 tenants, including Apple, Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma, Gap, Lululemon, Anthropologie and Sephora. Restaurants include Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano, Sweetgreen, Stoney River, Ancho & Agave and California Pizza Kitchen. Built in 2000, the property is currently 85 percent leased. Brand Street will be responsible for the day-to-day management, operations and leasing of the center, with the intent of growing occupancy. Public gathering spaces will be reimagined to drive traffic and enhance customer experience.
CHICAGO — JLL represented Oil-Dri Corp. of America (NYSE: ODC) in a long-term lease renewal at the Wrigley Building, where the company has been headquartered since 1993. Oil-Dri will now relocate within the building to a newly built-out floor totaling 20,000 square feet. Oil-Dri was founded in Chicago in 1941 by Nick Jaffee and has grown from a local startup into a publicly traded consumer products company. Nicole Becker, Sarah Silva and Bess Cooney of JLL represented Oil-Dri in the lease. Erica Marshall and Katie Hull of Stream Realty Partners represented the landlord, Mansueto Properties. Global design firm Perkins&Will also recently renewed its lease at the property for 47,700 square feet through 2038. Holly Duran and Jeff Mulder of Colliers represented Perkins&Will.
MOUNT PROSPECT, ILL. — Newmark has arranged the $95 million sale of Randhurst Village, a 931,798-square-foot power center in Mount Prospect. Conor Lalor and Keely Polczynski of Newmark represented the seller, DLC, with support from colleague Brian Schneiderman. The buyer was Rhino Investment Group. The transaction follows DLC’s execution of a comprehensive business plan to enhance the asset’s value, drive leasing activity and strengthen the property’s tenant mix. Situated on more than 94 acres at the intersection of Rand and Elmhurst roads, Randhurst Village is home to anchor tenants Costco, Jewel-Osco and The Home Depot. Additional tenants include TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, AMC Theatres, Skechers, Orangetheory Fitness and PetSmart. The property was originally redeveloped from the former Randhurst Mall. 3650 Capital and Aquarian Real Estate Partners (AREP) originated $72.3 million in financing for the acquisition. The financing included a $45.6 million senior loan arranged by AREP and a $26.7 million mezzanine loan from 3650 Capital. In addition to the acquisition, the financing includes future funding for the buyer to execute its value-add plan, including leasing up vacant spaces and pursuing outparcel sales. Anthony Longo of Alpha Capital CRE served as the capital advisor on the whole loan financing.
JOLIET, ILL. — Opus has begun construction on Opus Intermodal at Joliet, a 314,684-square-foot speculative industrial building on 39 acres in Joliet. The project site is at the northeast corner of Patterson and West Laraway roads, directly across the street from Union Pacific’s Global IV intermodal terminal. Plans call for a clear height of 36 feet, 31 dock doors, two drive-in doors, 209 trailer stalls and 214 car parking spaces. The building can accommodate up to two users. Opus is the developer and design-builder, working with Ware Malcomb as architect. Matthew Stauber and Steve Ostrowski of Colliers are marketing the buildings for lease. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 1. The building is slated for completion in June 2027.
FRANKLIN PARK, ILL. — Lee & Associates of Illinois has brokered the $4.5 million sale of 4 acres at 11330 W. Melrose Ave. in Franklin Park. Jeff Provenza of Lee & Associates represented the buyer, Seefried Industrial Properties, which plans to develop an 81,670-square-foot building. Slated for completion in June 2027, the property will feature 32-foot ceilings, 14 exterior loading docks and visibility from I-294. Provenza and his team have also been retained for leasing. O’Brien Investment Group was the seller.
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