ANN ARBOR, MICH. — The life sciences group of Sartorius has opened its new Center of Excellence for bioanalytics in Ann Arbor. Sartorius invested about $100 million for the state-of-the-art facility, consolidating existing sites and functions in Ann Arbor. The number of employees at the 130,000-square-foot property is expected to double over time. The facility houses a modern manufacturing and services area, biology labs, a warehouse, office and training spaces and a Customer Interaction Center. Sartorius will develop and manufacture a range of bioanalytical instruments at the site. Sartorius provides bioanalytical solutions that are used in the discovery and development of biopharmaceutical drugs. The company employs about 2,600 people at 12 sites in North America.
Michigan
HOLLAND, MICH. — Magnus Capital Partners has begun development of HōM Flats at 24 East, a 202-unit workforce housing development in western Michigan’s Holland. The three-building property will feature more than 13,000 square feet of retail space, including an onsite childcare center and suites reserved for locally owned businesses. Amenities will include a pickleball court, fitness studio, coworking lounge, café, indoor and outdoor play areas, art studio, package delivery area, pet-washing stations, indoor bike storage, rooftop terraces, walking paths and dog parks. Leasing is expected to begin in 2026. HōM Flats is the workforce housing platform of Magnus. Residents have access to monthly event programming like financial literary classes, art programs and career services. Hooker DeJong Inc. is the project architect, and Rhode Construction will serve as general contractor. Merchants Capital arranged more than $81 million in financing for the project, which is financed through private and public funding sources, including a 4 percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) allocation from Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Merchants Capital provided $14.2 million in LIHTC equity and a $27.9 million Freddie Mac unfunded forward tax-exempt loan. Merchants Bank provided a $31 million construction loan and $8 million equity bridge loan.
FARMINGTON, MICH. — Dominion Real Estate Advisors LLC has arranged the sale of a 58,675-square-foot former training center in the Detroit suburb of Farmington. Located at 33107 Thomas St., the property was known as the Maxfield Training Center and served as the former Farmington Junior High. James Mitchell of Dominion represented the buyer, Robertson Hillside Townes LLC, which plans to build 53 three-story townhomes on the site. The seller and sales price were undisclosed.
NOVI, MICH. — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the $9.3 million sale of Infinity Medical, a 36,338-square-foot medical office building in Novi. The two-story property is fully leased to Rehabilitation Physicians PC and Ascension Medical Group of Michigan. Seth Haron, Ashish Vakhariya and Darin Gross of Marcus & Millichap represented the buyer and seller in partnership with Scott Marcus of RSM Development. The asset sold to Nova Sky Investments LLC, a Michigan-based investment firm.
DETROIT — Bedrock has acquired the Millender Center, including the attached garage and retail atrium, in Detroit for an undisclosed price. Completed in 1985, the 729,079-square-foot property includes 1,738 parking spaces and eight dining and retail tenants. Current Millender Center tenants will continue to occupy the eight-story building. Bedrock says the acquisition provides synergies to its Courtyard Detroit Downtown hotel property as well as mixed-use amenities in the area. An affiliate of General Motors Co. was the seller, according to Crain’s Detroit Business. The property is situated across from GM’s Renaissance Center. Bedrock, the real estate arm of Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert, has invested more than $7.5 billion to developing and restoring over 140 properties totaling 21 million square feet since 2011.
MICHIGAN — District Capital has arranged an $11.6 million loan for the acquisition of a 135-unit townhome apartment community in southeast Michigan. The agency loan features an initial interest-only period followed by a 30-year amortization. Dave Dismondy of District Capital arranged the nonrecourse loan, which allows for additional loan proceeds once a value-add plan is accomplished.
AUBURN HILLS, MICH. — Marcus & Millichap has arranged the $8.9 million sale of Shops at the Crossing, a 48,364-square-foot retail strip center in Auburn Hills. Built in 2002 and located at 4131 Baldwin Road, the property features a mix of local, regional and national tenants. Jared Shapiro, Craig Fuller, Erin Patton and Scott Wiles of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller, a private company based in Michigan. The team also procured the buyer, a West Coast-based private fund. The brokerage firm’s Steve Chaben assisted in closing the transaction as the Michigan broker of record.
DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MICH. — Gerdom Realty & Investment has brokered the sale of a 12,000-square-foot commercial building in the western Detroit suburb of Dearborn Heights. The sales price was undisclosed. The property is located on Van Born Road just east of Telegraph Road. Jack Melton and Michael Murphy of Gerdom represented the undisclosed seller. Ali Elkhalil of Own It Realty represented the buyer, which plans to convert the building into use for a towing company.
Ford to Reopen Michigan Central Station in Detroit After Six-Year Renovation Totaling $950M
by John Nelson
DETROIT — Following a six-year renovation by Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F), Michigan Central Station is scheduled to officially open on Thursday, June 6. Ford embarked on the preservation project after acquiring the abandoned train station in 2018 to serve as the centerpiece of Michigan Central, a 30-acre technology and cultural hub in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood. According to multiple media outlets, the rehabilitation of Michigan Central Station totaled $950 million and included the restoration of the 18-story train station, which is now dubbed The Station. The rehabilitation also included an adjacent 270,000-square-foot former book depository building and other supporting facilities. CNBC reports the project’s funding includes $300 million in state, local and historic rehabilitation tax incentives. Christman-Brinker, a joint venture between Detroit-based firms The Christman Co. and L.S. Brinker, A Brinker Co., led the restoration work of The Station along with Ford. Key collaborators in Michigan Central include Ford, Google, the State of Michigan, the City of Detroit and Newlab, which operates the former book depository building. The Station will provide 640,000 square feet of cultural, technology, community and convening spaces designed for use by established companies such as Ford, as well as universities, growing startups, youth initiatives and students. …
WYOMING, MICH. — Thompson Thrift has completed The BLVD at Wilson Crossings, a 344-unit apartment community in the Grand Rapids suburb of Wyoming. The property, which is 45 percent leased, offers townhome-style units with up to four bedrooms. Amenities include a clubhouse, fitness center, pool, pickleball courts, turf game lawn and dog park. The project marks the third Michigan development for Indianapolis-based Thompson Thrift.