CLEVELAND — DealPoint Merrill is redeveloping a former Giant Eagle store in Cleveland. The developer plans to convert the 56,500-square-foot property, which is situated on 4.3 acres at 13820 Lorain Ave., into a CubeSmart Self Storage location. Plans also call for the construction of a restaurant on an adjoining pad site. Project completion is slated for the first quarter of 2019. Overland Associates was the seller. DealPoint Merrill received a $6.6 million construction loan from an undisclosed lender for the project.
WESTLAKE, OHIO — British gas station and convenience store operator EG Group has agreed to acquire a portfolio of real estate assets, including 225 Minit Mart-branded stores, for $305 million. The seller was Westlake, Ohio-based TravelCenters of America, which operates several convenience store and gas station chains across the country, including Petro, TA and Quaker Steak & Lube. The transaction follows EG Group’s acquisition of a 762-site portfolio of convenience stores across the country earlier this year. Kroger sold those properties, which include stores under the Tom Thumb, Loaf ‘N Jug and Kwik Shop banners. “We have a firm commitment to growing our presence in the USA, the world’s largest convenience market,” says Mohsin Issa, founder and CEO of EG Group. “The Minit Mart portfolio will be a strong addition to our business.” Upon closing of the deal, EG Group will own and operate approximately 1,000 convenience retail stores and gas stations across the country. A timeline for closing was not released. Legal advisors to EG Group are Eversheds Sutherland LLP for acquisition issues and Kirkland & Ellis LLP for banking and finance issues. Barclays Bank acted as M&A advisor to EG Group and also underwrote debt financing for the deal. — Taylor Williams
BLOOMINGTON, MINN. AND MILFORD, OHIO — Four Springs Capital Trust (FSCT) has acquired two automotive service centers for an undisclosed price. One of the properties is a collision repair center leased to ABRA Auto Body & Glass in Bloomington, Minn. The other is a tire and service center occupied by AAA in Milford, Ohio. Sellers of the properties were not disclosed. New Jersey-based FSCT is an internally managed, private real estate investment trust focused on acquiring a portfolio of net leased retail, industrial and healthcare properties.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — EFL Expo Freight and TwinMed LLC have signed new leases at CreekSide Industrial Center in Columbus. The Pizzuti Companies and USAA Real Estate own the property. EFL Expo Freight has leased an additional 84,916 square feet at CreekSide XVI for a total lease of 155,871 square feet. TwinMed has leased 101,000 square feet at CreekSide XVI and XVIII. With warehouses in nine states throughout the country, TwinMed is a distributor of medical supplies. Mike Spencer of Lee & Associates represented EFL Expo Freight in the lease transaction, while Joel Yakovac of Colliers International represented TwinMed. Phil Rasey of Pizzuti represented ownership in both lease transactions.
HARRISON, OHIO — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the $2.2 million sale of an 18,888-square-foot retail property net leased to Tractor Supply Co. in Harrison, about 20 miles northwest of Cincinnati. The property is located at 389 Comfort Drive near I-74. Tractor Supply Co. has operated at the building since 1999. Dan Yozwiak and Justin Fenn of Marcus & Millichap marketed the property on behalf of the seller, a limited liability company. The team also represented the buyer, a limited liability company.
CUYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO — Inspirit Senior Living has acquired The Gardens of Cuyahoga Falls and The Gardens of Liberty Park (formerly the Gardens of Western Reserve) in Ohio. The acquisitions bring the Virginia-based owner-operator into Ohio for the first time, and increase its portfolio size to eight communities. Inspirit partnered with Venue Capital LLC, a New York City-based real estate and asset management firm, on the two acquisitions. Both communities offer assisted living and memory care. The Gardens of Liberty Park features 120 units, while The Gardens of Cuyahoga Falls features 130 units. Inspirit plans to extensively renovate the buildings and grounds. The seller was senior care industry veteran Rich Piekarski.
BOWLING GREEN, OHIO — RCG Ventures has acquired Shoppes on South Main in Bowling Green for an undisclosed price. TJ Maxx, Planet Fitness, Petco, Staples and Dollar General anchor the 110,507-square-foot shopping center. Craig Fuller, Scott Wiles and Erin Patton of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller, a public REIT.
U.S. economic growth in 2018 is expected to be the strongest in three years. The steady momentum in the Cleveland office market fully supports this forecast. Overall vacancy rates in the Cleveland metro area align with national trends in the range of 12 to 14 percent, rental rates are increasing modestly with averages in the low $20s per square foot and the market for Class A office space continues to be very tight. Tenant improvement allowances offered by landlords are rising faster than rents in a competitive leasing environment, ranging from $20 to $60 per square foot. Larger, multi-floor blocks of quality space are becoming especially difficult to come by in both the central business district (CBD) as well as the suburbs, making new office construction projects more viable than in the past. Attraction, retention When it comes to attracting the best and brightest workforce, office occupiers are seeking vibrant, walkable locations, rich with amenities and character. Building owners and developers in the Cleveland CBD continue to introduce office conversion projects that bring more apartments downtown, helping in turn to strengthen the office market. The K&D Group is currently converting a portion of the iconic 52-story Terminal Tower to …
CLEVELAND — Quantum Real Estate Advisors Inc. has brokered the sale of a single-tenant retail building occupied by Dollar General in Cleveland for $1.6 million. The property, located at 3040 Fulton Road, spans 7,489 square feet. Jack Farritor of Quantum represented the seller, a national developer based in Alabama. A Los Angeles-based institutional investment firm was the buyer. Dollar General has 15 years remaining on its lease.
DELAWARE COUNTY, OHIO — Blue Horseshoe Ventures has unveiled plans to build a $10 million stadium dedicated to e-sports at its Planet Oasis project in Delaware County. The 30,000-square-foot, multi-level arena will be designed to host every form of competitive gaming and will feature a competition stage; 50-foot LED video wall; VIP lounges; a broadcast center and production studio; gamer-inspired menu; e-sports exhibition show matches; and a vintage video game cocktail bar. The new facility will be one element of the $2 billion Planet Oasis project, which Blue Horseshoe first announced in July. At full build-out, Planet Oasis will span 350 acres and will feature attractions such as indoor skydiving, electric go-karts, virtual golf, bowling, laser tag, indoor waterpark, at least 15 hotels, more than 75 restaurants, a health and wellness resort and a conference center. Blue Horseshoe expects to break ground on the project in December, with a planned opening date of December 2019 for the first 45 percent of the development, according to David Glimcher, CEO and principal of Blue Horseshoe.