DETROIT — Friedman Real Estate has brokered the $3.9 million sale of the former First Independence Bank building located at 100 Michigan Ave. in Detroit. The retail building totals 20,756 square feet. Andrew Bower, Steve Eisenshtadt and Peter Jankowski of Friedman represented the seller. Buyer and seller information was not released.
WEST BLOOMFIELD, MICH. — WB Pub has signed a lease to open at the 2,625-square-foot former Smashburger space at The Boardwalk shopping center in West Bloomfield Township, a northwest suburb of Detroit. Michael Murphy of Gerdom Realty & Investment represented the landlord and tenant. The new pub will offer food as well as a full bar. Space remains available for lease at the property.
ORION TOWNSHIP, MICH. — Pita Way has leased space to open a 1,550-square-foot restaurant at the Shops at Baldwin Village in Orion Township, a far northern suburb of Detroit. The new retail development is located at the northwest corner of Baldwin and Morgan roads and is part of a proposed master plan that would include 215 condo units and 264 apartment units. Michael Murphy of Gerdom Realty & Investment represented the tenant. The landlord was undisclosed.
LANSING, MICH. — Lansing-based Cinnaire has closed a $340 million Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) fund — the largest investment fund in the organization’s 32-year history — that will finance 33 affordable housing developments across 11 states. The financing will provide 2,455 units for more than 5,400 individuals and generate more than $844 million in local economic activity, according to Cinnaire. Specifically, Fund 43 will support developments such as Haven on Main in La Crosse, Wis., and Wellspring Recovery in Farmington Hills, Mich. Haven on Main will total 70 units with 59 affordable housing apartments and 11 market-rate units. Eighteen units are reserved for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, veterans and those experiencing chronic homelessness. Half of the apartments are designed to support independent living for adults on the autism spectrum. Full supportive services will be provided by CouleeCap in partnership with Invista and Haven for Special People. Wellspring Recovery will feature 72 affordable housing units, including 60 floor plans that will be permanent supportive housing (PSH) dedicated to individuals recovering from opioid addiction. The PSH units will be housed in a separate building divided by a natural green space and supported by project-based rental assistance from Michigan State …
TOLEDO, OHIO — Toledo-based Eidi Properties has acquired 39 shopping centers totaling 650,257 square feet across Illinois, Florida, Virginia, Michigan, North Carolina and Indiana. The transaction, which features a mix of power centers, grocery-anchored plazas and community hubs, brings Eidi’s portfolio to nearly 80 retail properties totaling more than 1.5 million square feet. Dembs-Roth Development was the seller. Joel Jerger of WesBanco, Andy Maher and Brian White of Waterford Bank NA, as well as John Skeldon and Joe Bajas of Cooperative Business Services, all based in Toledo, arranged acquisition financing for the deal. Anthony Calamunci and Gordon Thomas of FisherBroyles served as legal counsel on behalf of Eidi, and Brian Raznick of Taft Law represented the seller.
MIDLAND, MICH. — MyMichigan Health has opened a new cancer center in Midland, a city in central Michigan. Hord Coplan Macht (HCM) designed the 111,000-square-foot facility, which is situated on a 225-acre wooded campus. HCM helped convert two aging medical office buildings into a modern care center through complete gut renovations, saving $12 million. The center consolidates services that were previously spread out across four buildings, including oncology, infusion, women’s health and support services. The project incorporates nature-infused architecture throughout its design.
ROCKFORD, MICH. — Footwear company Wolverine Worldwide Inc. has unveiled a major renovation of its global headquarters in Rockford within western Michigan. The centerpiece of the project is a renovation of 40,000 square feet of space to house the company’s two biggest brands, Merrell and Saucony, the latter of which Wolverine recently relocated to Rockford from Boston. Originally constructed in 1963, the space served as a footwear factory for several decades before being transitioned into office space in the 1990s. Now known as The Factory, the space features exposed structures and concrete floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, 224 individual workstations, dedicated product and marketing rooms for each brand, 31 collaboration and meeting rooms, a café and technology for product design, marketing and collaboration. The project is supported by a $1 million Michigan Business Development Program grant in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Center and The Right Place Inc. In all, Wolverine’s headquarters totals 300,000 square feet. Amenities include subsidized daycare and an early education center for children, fitness center, four miles of on-campus hiking and nature trails, an onsite, subsidized cafeteria and dog daycare.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. — In a sale-leaseback transaction, MAG Capital Partners has acquired a 102,284-square-foot manufacturing facility in Grand Rapids for an undisclosed price. The seller was an end-of-line automotive testing equipment company that was founded in 1953. The 5.3-acre site houses the largest business within a broader private equity-backed automated industrial test and measurement platform. Phil DiGennaro, Adam English and Jonathan Wolfe of STREAM Capital Partners represented the seller.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. — Hope Network has opened Eastpointe Commons, a $40 million affordable housing development in Grand Rapids. Formerly the Fulton Manor property, the 118-unit community was completely renovated and is now fully leased. The 182,018-square-foot complex features 79 one-bedroom units, 34 two-bedroom units and five three-bedroom apartments. The property is home to a mix of residents, including veterans, seniors and people with disabilities. Hope Network offers social services and case management onsite. Amenities include a children’s room, exercise room, multipurpose room, courtyard and grilling area. The project team included DeStigter Architecture and Pioneer Construction. The building has earned GREEN Energy certification from the Enterprise Green Communities. Financing for the project came from UnitedHealth Group, Cinnaire Corp., Fifth Third Bank, CPC Financial, HUD CPF Community Grant and the City of Grand Rapids MEDC Grant.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Midwest showed modest population growth from 2023 to 2024 with average rates varying by population size, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Vintage 2024 estimates released May 15. Places with fewer than 5,000 residents saw an average growth of 0.1 percent. Those with populations between 5,000 and 9,999 recorded a 0.6 percent average increase, while cities and towns with 10,000 to 49,999 residents grew by an average of 0.7 percent — the same rate observed in places with populations of 50,000 or more. Nationally, cities with populations fewer than 5,000 grew by 0.3 percent on average, compared with average growth rates of 1 percent for those with populations of 5,000 to 9,999; 1.1 percent for populations of 10,000 to 49,999; and 1 percent for populations of 50,000 or more. Between 2023 and 2024, 22 cities and towns in 16 states nationwide crossed the 20,000-population threshold. Four were in the Midwest. Rosemount, Minnesota, was ranked as one of the top 10 fastest-growing cities and towns with populations of 20,000 or more. The population grew 10.6 percent to 30,581. Rosemount was the only city in the Midwest to make the top 15 list. Chicago was ranked No. 7 …
