Ohio’s Central State University Receives $500,000 Grant for Conversion of Power Plant into Student Center

WILBERFORCE, OHIO — Central State University has received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior for the conversion of the university’s historic campus power plant into a student career services facility. The grant agreement will fund a portion of the planned $3 million project. The new center will be named the Frank Murphy Student Success Center. The project will provide classrooms, meeting spaces and technology to support academic programs and events. The federal grant …

July 6, 2020Development, Midwest, Ohio

NRP Group to Build 52-Unit Affordable Housing Project in Cleveland

CLEVELAND — The NRP Group will develop a 52-unit affordable housing project on the site of the former Harry E. Davis Elementary School, which has been vacant since 2006. Located at the corner of East 105th St. and Churchill Road in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood, the four-story project will include 48 apartments and four townhomes. The project is the first phase of a larger development known as Churchill Gateway. The units will be designated affordable to residents earning at or below …

June 26, 2020Development, Midwest, Multifamily, Ohio

IPA Brokers $46M Sale of Giant Eagle-Anchored Shopping Center in Ohio

CUYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO — Institutional Property Advisors (IPA), a division of Marcus & Millichap, has brokered the $46 million sale of The Plaza at Chapel Hill in Cuyahoga Falls, about 35 miles south of Cleveland. The 458,935-square-foot shopping center is home to Giant Eagle, Burlington and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Scott Wiles, Erin Patton, Craig Fuller, Joseph French Jr. and CJ Jackson of IPA represented the seller, a New York City-based private real estate investment trust. A partnership …

June 22, 2020Acquisitions, Midwest, Ohio, Retail

Kroger Reports 92 Percent Digital Sales Growth in First Quarter

CINCINNATI — Digital sales at the Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) increased 92 percent in the first quarter, according to the company’s latest financial results. Total company sales were $42 billion in the first quarter, compared with $37 billion for the same period last year. Cincinnati-based Kroger does not separately break out its e-commerce sales from total sales. Excluding fuel and dispositions, sales grew 19.1 percent. Kroger’s first quarter ended on May 23. Kroger says its most urgent …

June 19, 2020Midwest, Ohio, Retail

Hunt Provides $17.2M Refinancing for Multifamily Property in Toledo

TOLEDO, OHIO — Hunt Real Estate Capital has provided a $17.2 million Fannie Mae loan for the refinancing of Steeplechase Apartments in Toledo. The 242-unit, garden-style multifamily property was built in phases from 1999 to 2004. It sits on a 19.5-acre site. The 12-year, fixed-rate loan features a 30-year amortization schedule. Hunt provided initial acquisition financing for the asset in 2017. Since the acquisition, the undisclosed borrower has invested $524,000 in capital improvements, …

June 18, 2020Loans, Midwest, Multifamily, Ohio

Ohio Delivers High Property Tax Values

By Steve Nowak, Siegel Jennings Co. A recent decision from an Ohio appeals court highlights a developing and troubling pattern in the state’s property tax valuation appeals. In a number of cases, an appraiser’s misuse of the highest and best use concept has led to extreme overvaluations. Given its potential to grossly inflate tax liabilities, property owners and well-known tenants need to be aware of this alarming trend and how to best respond. In the recently decided case, a property …

June 18, 2020Market Reports, Midwest, Midwest Market Reports, Ohio, Restaurant, Retail

CRG Underway on 320,000 SF Spec Distribution Warehouse in Columbus, Ohio

COLUMBUS, OHIO — CRG is developing the Cubes at Rickenbacker, a 320,000-square-foot speculative distribution warehouse in Columbus, on behalf of an affiliate of Lexington Realty Trust. Contegra Construction Co. is the general contractor. Completion is slated for the fourth quarter of this year. Situated in the Rickenbacker submarket of Columbus, the project is four miles from the Rickenbacker International Airport. The development will feature a clear height of 36 feet, 32 dock doors, two …

June 17, 2020Development, Industrial, Midwest, Ohio

236-Unit Luxury Apartment Complex Set to Open in Downtown Columbus This Month

COLUMBUS, OHIO — Industry Columbus, a 236-unit luxury apartment complex in downtown Columbus, is set to open later this month. Charles Street Development Corp. is the developer. The project is the first and only community in downtown Columbus to feature a rooftop swimming pool and hot tub, onsite dog park and full floor of coworking space. Located at 230 E. Long St., the community features studios, one- and two-bedroom units, as well as private townhomes. Additional amenities include a pet …

June 16, 2020Development, Midwest, Multifamily, Ohio

Merchants Capital Secures $57M HUD Loan for Apartment Project in Downtown Cincinnati

CINCINNATI — Merchants Capital has secured a $57 million FHA/HUD Section 221(d)(4) loan for 4th & Race, a 264-unit apartment community currently under development in downtown Cincinnati. The project is slated to open in the first half of 2021. Merchants secured the new construction loan on behalf of the developer, Flaherty & Collins Properties. The new loan represents the multifamily component of the project, which will also feature 20,000 square feet of retail space and a five-story …

June 15, 2020Loans, Midwest, Multifamily, Ohio

Phillips Edison & Co. Provides COVID-19 Update, Collects 80 Percent of May Rent Payments

CINCINNATI — Phillips Edison & Co. Inc. (PECO), an internally managed real estate investment trust and owner of grocery-anchored shopping centers, has issued an update regarding the impact of the COVID-19 impact. Rent and recoveries collected for May totaled 80 percent of monthly billing, up from 78 percent in April. Cincinnati-based PECO says that once tenants are open and able to pay their standard monthly rent, the landlord will begin discussions about recovering missed rent payments. …

June 11, 2020Midwest, Ohio, Retail