CHICAGO — Kiser Group has brokered the sale of a five-building multifamily portfolio in Chicago for $23 million. The 198 units are located within the West Rogers Park, Bowmanville and Budlong Woods neighborhoods and are largely vacant. Danny Logarakis of Kiser brokered the sale. The seller was a private individual that had owned the properties for more than 40 years. The buyers, Sam Trachtman and Stak Holdings LLC, plan to renovate the kitchens, bathrooms and common areas.
CHICAGO — Transwestern Real Estate Services has acquired Chicago-based MB Real Estate (MBRE), a full-service commercial real estate firm. The transaction adds 120 team members and a regional property management portfolio exceeding 12 million square feet. Founded in 1982, MBRE provides expertise in asset and facilities management, leasing services, project management, tenant representation and investment services. Its leasing and management portfolio includes high-profile properties such as Michigan Plaza, 181 W. Madison, Millennium Park and the Richard J. Daley Center. Celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2023, Transwestern is a diversified commercial real estate firm with more than 2,100 team members nationwide. MBRE began operating as Transwestern on Jan. 1. Financial terms of the transaction were not provided.
DOWNERS GROVE, ILL. — Skender has completed a comprehensive renovation of 3500 Lacey, a 622,600-square-foot office building in the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove. Built in 1992, the property formerly served as the headquarters of bread company Sara Lee. KORE Investments purchased the building in 2019. Skender worked with OKW Architects on the renovation project, which upgraded the building’s lower lobby, main lobby and fitness center. The property is also home to Esplanade Lakes Ballroom, a wedding venue operated by DoubleTree.
CHICAGO — Kiser Group has arranged the sale of a 52-unit multifamily property in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood for $9.2 million. Named Mabel Exchange, the building was originally constructed in 1928 to serve as the corporate headquarters of makeup company Maybelline. The property features 35 studios, 15 one-bedroom units, two two-bedroom units and 20,000 square feet of commercial space. Andy Friedman, Jake Parker and Lee Kiser of Kiser Group represented both the seller and the buyer, Envoi Partners. The buyer plans to add amenities and improve the commercial space. The seller purchased the building in 2019 and upgraded units, replaced plumbing and installed new electric service.
CHICAGO HEIGHTS, ILL. — SVN | Chicago Commercial has brokered the $3.5 million sale of American Plaza, a 63,148-square-foot retail center in Chicago Heights, a southern suburb of Chicago. The property sits on over four acres on Chicago Road and is home to both national and local tenants. Karen Kulczycki of SVN brokered the sale and assisted in leasing the property to 94 percent occupancy. The asset sold to an out-of-state buyer.
CHICAGO — Emerald Empire has acquired Pangea Properties’ Chicago portfolio for an undisclosed price. The portfolio spans several hundred multifamily properties and thousands of units, 97 percent of which are designated as affordable for residents who earn up to 60 percent of the area median income. Arbor Realty Trust and NewPoint Real Estate Capital provided acquisition financing through Fannie Mae. Pangea’s Chicago-area employees will continue to manage the properties on behalf of Emerald Empire. Chestnut Ridge, N.Y.-based Emerald Empire maintains $2 billion of assets and roughly 17,000 units under management.
ILLINOIS — Four Corners Property Trust (FCPT) has purchased a portfolio of four retail properties occupied by Buffalo Wild Wings in Illinois for $14.3 million. The restaurant has roughly nine years remaining on the leases. The sales price represents a cap rate of 7.3 percent. The seller and specific locations of the properties were not provided. Mill Valley, Calif.-based FCPT is a retail and restaurant REIT with a portfolio of 982 properties across 47 states.
CHICAGO — Standard Communities led a public-private partnership that acquired Bryn Mawr Belle Shore Apartments in Chicago’s Edgewater Beach neighborhood. The total capitalization of the acquisition was roughly $46 million. The affordable housing community includes 371 units across two buildings as well as 15,000 square feet of retail space. Standard plans to make improvements such as new common area lighting, refurbished common areas and amenities, and renovated management offices. Standard completed the transaction in partnership with the Illinois Housing Development Authority, Chicago Housing Authority, the City of Chicago Department of Housing and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
CHICAGO — Lument has provided a $73.4 million Fannie Mae loan for the refinancing of a 47-building, 793-unit multifamily portfolio located on the South Side of Chicago. Nicholas Diamond of Lument originated the loan on behalf of the borrower, Chicago-based Icarus Investment Group. Jonathan Bodner of Two Bins Capital arranged the loan. The transaction utilized Fannie Mae’s Structured Adjustable-Rate Mortgage product, which enabled the borrower to consolidate six loans — several bank loans, a bridge loan and an agency loan — into a single Fannie Mae loan. The loan features a 10-year term, five years of which are interest-only payments, and a 35-year amortization schedule.
CHICAGO — Owner CIM Group has negotiated three new leases totaling 108,975 square feet at 425 S. Financial Place, a 40-story, 1 million-square-foot office tower in Chicago’s Central Loop. Loop Capital, a full-service investment bank, brokerage and advisory firm, leased 36,676 square feet on the 26th and 27th floors. The company is relocating its Chicago operations. Chicago Trading Co., which has occupied space at 425 S. Financial Place since 2009, is expanding within the building taking an additional 46,343 square feet on the seventh and eighth floors. The company is a proprietary trading firm and consists of a collaborative group of traders, quants, technologists and operations team members. TICG Management, which offers a range of products including mortgage loans, real estate services and a line of insurance, renewed its lease for 25,956 square feet. The company has occupied space on the 20th floor since 2014. In 2015, 425 S. Financial Place underwent renovations, including the addition of a full-service cafeteria, conference centers, concierge services, a tenant lounge and outdoor terrace. The property also houses the Buckingham.AC, a private social and athletic club, as well as the 21-room Buckingham Hotel.
