SHAKOPEE, MINN. — The Opus Group has broken ground on a 131,000-square-foot industrial build-to-suit for Cherne Industries in Shakopee, a southwestern suburb of the Twin Cities. Cherne, which produces pneumatic plugs, mechanical plugs, gauges and testing equipment, will use the building as its new headquarters and manufacturing facility. The project will feature a clear height of 32 feet, eight dock doors, three drive-in doors and 177 car parking stalls. The company’s 115-person workforce will have access to amenities such as a fitness center, locker room and prayer room. Opus is the developer, design-builder, interior designer, architect and engineer. Cabot Properties will own the building. Colliers International represented Opus, while AREA Commercial Real Estate Advisors represented Cherne. CBRE facilitated financing for the project. Completion is slated for early 2021.
BLOOMINGTON, MINN. — Avtex, a full-service customer experience consulting firm, has renewed its 26,000-square-foot office lease at Northland Center in Bloomington within metro Minneapolis. Northland Center is a two-building, 492,514-square-foot office property. Amenities include a fitness center, hair salon, farmer’s market, café, outdoor lounge area, laundry service, covered parking, bike storage and conference rooms. Bill Rothstein of Cushman & Wakefield provides leasing services for the property. KBS is the landlord. “There has been a lot of discussion as to whether or not companies will continue to lease space as a result of COVID-19 and the shift to remote working models,” says Rod Richerson, regional president with KBS. “This is not something we are seeing across our portfolio. In fact, we are continuing to see companies renew and sign new leases at several of our assets across our portfolio of more than 23 million square feet.”
MINNEAPOLIS — Stahl will build a four-story, 20,000-square-foot expansion to the Center for Performing Arts in South Minneapolis. Two additional performance spaces will be connected to an existing 15,000-square-foot building that was constructed in 1923. The expansion will provide studio space for expanded education programming, events and performance rental space. Construction is expected to begin this month and the completion is slated for early 2021. Stahl is working with Alliiance, a full-service architecture and design firm based in Minneapolis.
EDINA, MINN. — Nerdery has signed a 65,000-square-foot office lease at 7700 France Ave. in Edina, just south of Minneapolis. Nerdery is a digital business consulting firm focused on product and service development. Jim Damiani, Ryan Bohrer, Andrew Commers and Maura Carland of Newmark Knight Frank (NKF) represented the tenant in the lease transaction. Bloomington, Minn.-based Frauenshuh owns the property. Nerdery is slated to relocate from Bloomington to its built-out space in Edina in September. Minneapolis-based Studio KKChong designed the new office, which features an internal staircase, reception area with coffee bar and a rooftop patio. Nerdery’s lease is the largest office lease year to date in the Minneapolis market, according to NKF.
FOREST LAKE, MINN. — Hanley Investment Group Real Estate Advisors has arranged the sale of a new two-tenant retail building in Forest Lake within metro Twin Cities for $3.4 million. The 6,812-square-foot property is home to Chipotle and Southwest Dental Care, which is part of the Heartland Dental network. Jeff Lefko and Bill Asher of Hanley represented the seller, Glenborough LLC, a California-based private real estate investment management company. Deborah Vannelli, Keith Sturm and Amanda Leathers of Upland Real Estate Group represented the buyer, a Duluth, Minn.-based private investor completing a 1031 exchange.
EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. — JLL Capital Markets has arranged a $26.6 million loan for the acquisition of UnitedHealth Group’s Optum Campus in Eden Prairie, a suburb of Minneapolis. The fully leased office property spans 473,325 square feet and is located on Technology Drive. Completed in 2001, the mid-rise complex comprises three buildings. Amenities include a cafeteria, fitness center, auditorium and covered parking. Doug Opalka, Chris McColpin and Alastair Barnes of JLL arranged the 10-year, fixed-rate loan on behalf of the buyer, Virtus Real Estate Capital. A CMBS lender provided the loan.
EDINA, MINN. — NAI Legacy has acquired the RH | Minneapolis – Gallery property in Edina for $25.5 million. In conjunction with the sale, Restoration Hardware leased back the property on a 20-year absolute net lease. Opened in September 2019, the store spans 58,000 square feet across three levels. A rooftop restaurant is housed on the third floor. A Delaware statutory trust controlled by NAI Legacy, and known as 6801 France DST, was used to acquire the asset. Edina-based Tradition Capital Bank provided mortgage financing. A Delaware statutory trust is an ownership model through a separate legal entity that allows co-investment among sponsors and investors.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Asher, a 175-unit luxury apartment community in Minneapolis, is slated to open in October. Situated at 1125 Lagoon Ave., the property will offer studio, one- and two-bedroom units. Amenities will include a pool, rooftop deck, fitness center, clubroom, bike lounge and coworking stations. Reuter Walton Development and Northwestern Mutual are the project partners. Village Green will serve as property manager. Residents can currently earn two months of free rent on select apartments. Monthly rents start at $995.
BLOOMINGTON, MINN. — Greystone has provided a $30.8 million Freddie Mac loan for the refinancing and expansion of Village Club in Bloomington, about 10 miles south of Minneapolis. The loan, in combination with other capital sources, will be used to construct 172 new apartment units on land adjacent to the existing complex. Two new buildings will offer three- and four-bedroom floor plans and will be known as SoLo Apartments. Construction is slated to begin in August. Kyle Jemtrud of Greystone originated the loan on behalf of the borrower, Aeon. The 18-year loan features a fixed rate and a 40-year amortization. The existing 306 units at Village Club serve mixed-income residents, with more than half of the units restricted to residents who earn at or below 60 percent of the area median income (AMI). The remaining units are at or below 80 percent of the AMI. Two-thirds of the new units at SoLo will be affordable at or below 60 percent of the AMI and one-third will be at or below 80 percent AMI.
MINNEAPOLIS — Stahl has completed a renovation of The Carlyle in the historic Mill District of Minneapolis. Stahl remodeled all common areas, including the addition of a new club room, the expansion of the fitness area and a new studio for yoga and other classes. The 249 units received upgraded finishes and technology. ESG Architects served as architect for the project that began in September 2019. The Carlyle was originally built in 2007.