PETOSKEY, MICH. — Merchants Capital has provided $66.3 million in financing for the construction of Maple Block Lofts, a 204-unit workforce housing property in Petoskey, a growing vacation destination in northern Michigan. Merchants Capital provided a $29.6 million Freddie Mac Unfunded Non-LIHTC Forward permanent loan for the development, and its parent company, Merchants Bank, provided a $36.7 million construction loan. Maple Block Lofts is the first project in Michigan to receive the Michigan State Housing Development Authority’s Affordable Housing Tax Increment Financing, which accounts for $6 million of the $14 million in tax-increment financing being granted for the development. More than $12 million was provided in state grants and loans, with strong support from Michigan Economic Development Corp.; the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy; the City of Petoskey; the Emmet County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority; and numerous local businesses. The project will feature seven garden-style apartment buildings with 18 studios, 72 one-bedroom units and 114 two-bedroom units. Fifty percent of the units will be restricted to residents who earn between 60 percent and 120 percent of the area median income (AMI). Ten percent of the residences will be income- and rent-restricted for those making less than 80 percent …
DETROIT — PACE Loan Group has provided a $3.3 million C-PACE loan for the renovation of the Samaritan Center in Detroit. The four-building business complex features more than 525,000 square feet. The loan covers 60 percent of the energy-efficiency project’s $5.5 million renovation, which will update the main building and is expected to reduce annual repair expenses and utility costs. Redeveloped from a former hospital, Samaritan Center was founded to help spur redevelopment on the east side of Detroit and is owned by SER Metro-Detroit. At least 65 percent of the space is leased to nonprofits, which aim to promote education and physical and mental well-being in the community. Currently, the property is used for medical services, senior living, education, social services and office space. The C-PACE proceeds will be used to finance qualifying energy-efficiency improvements, including LED lighting, HVAC, chillers and boilers, upgraded building control systems and new elevators. These improvements are expected to save $328,370 annually in energy costs and reduce annual maintenance costs by $250,000. SER Metro-Detroit also received a $2 million grant from the State of Michigan to update the building façade, replace large sections of the roof and rebuild air handlers.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. — Microsoft Corp. has acquired 274 acres in Dorr, a southern suburb of Grand Rapids, for an undisclosed price. The property is located at 4400 144th Ave. and 14th Street. Matt Wickstra, Shawn O’Brien and Julie O’Brien of Colliers represented Microsoft in the transaction. Colliers also represented Microsoft in its purchase of 316 acres at 76th Street SE in Caledonia, bringing the company’s total holdings in the region to nearly 590 acres.
CHESTERFIELD TOWNSHIP, MICH. — Mid-America Real Estate Corp. has brokered the sale of Waterside Marketplace, a 276,244-square-foot shopping center in the northeast Detroit suburb of Chesterfield Township. The sales price was undisclosed. The property, located at the interchange of I-94 and 23 Mile Road, is 93 percent leased to tenants such as TJ Maxx, Sierra, Burlington, Best Buy, Ulta, DSW and Old Navy. Ben Wineman, Emily Gadomski and Daniel Stern of Mid-America represented the seller, New Orleans-based PMAT Real Estate Investments. Alpharetta, Ga.-based Octave Holdings and Investments was the buyer.
FENTON, MICH. — Einstein Dog Training has leased 2,000 square feet at Fenton Town Center in Fenton, about 58 miles northwest of Detroit. Michael Murphy and Tjader Gerdom of Gerdom Realty & Investment represented the landlord, Verus Development Group. There are still a few vacancies left at the shopping center, which is located at the intersection of North Leroy Street and Dauner Road.
MICHIGAN AND WISCONSIN — NAI Pfefferle has negotiated the sale of a five-property self-storage portfolio in Michigan and Wisconsin. The assets total 355 units across 73,358 square feet. The sales price was undisclosed, but the asking price was $3.9 million. Jonathan Glassco of NAI Pfefferle brokered the sale. Buyer and seller information was not provided.
FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH. — Farbman Group has opened its new 40,000-square-foot shared headquarters for the broader Farbman family-owned enterprises at 31700 Middlebelt Road in Farmington Hills. The move re-unifies Farbman with its family-owned enterprises for the first time in nearly 10 years. The enterprises include Farbman Group, NAI Farbman, Huntington Construction, Apex Mechanical Solutions, Huntington Maintenance, Campusville, Carbon TV and Healthrise. Farbman purchased the Yamasaki-designed building.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.— Grand Rapids-based food solutions company SpartanNash has acquired Fresh Encounter Inc. (FEI), a 49-store supermarket chain with locations in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. This move expands SpartanNash’s retail footprint by 33 percent and marks the company’s second retail acquisition this year, following its purchase of Metcalfe’s Market in April. FEI operates stores under the banners Community Markets, Remke Markets, Chief Markets and Needler’s Fresh Market, and has been a food distribution customer of SpartanNash for 58 years. The transaction is expected to close in late November, subject to customary conditions.
COMMERCE TOWNSHIP, MICH. — Dominion Real Estate Advisors LLC has negotiated the sale of a 10,400-square-foot industrial building located at 3170 Walnut Lake Court in Commerce Township, a northwest suburb of Detroit. David Giltner of Dominion represented the undisclosed seller. David Wax of Burger & Co. represented the buyer, Valleyoak One LLC, which will operate a software company doing business as Brilliant Systems at the property. The sales price was undisclosed.
ANN ARBOR, MICH. — The Annex Group has unveiled plans to build Union at A2, an $82 million affordable housing community in Ann Arbor. The 250-unit development will include one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans for residents who earn at or below 70 percent of the area median income. Amenities will include a community center, bike storage, fitness center, outdoor picnic area and playground. Partners on the project include BKV Group, Midwestern Consulting and the City of Ann Arbor. Michigan State Housing Development Authority provided $35 million in permanent mortgage dollars and $15 million of soft debt, Grow America provided $22.5 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits equity and Ann Arbor Housing Commission provided $3 million of soft debt. An official groundbreaking will be announced in the coming days. Completion is slated for fall 2026. The project marks Annex Group’s third community in Michigan.