CHICAGO — Special Olympics Illinois has purchased a 20,000-square-foot flex office building and event space at 2324 W. Fulton St. in Chicago for $4.7 million. Aubrey Englund of NAI Hiffman and Mike Lombard of Blue Star Properties represented the buyer in the transaction. Matt Cowie and Larry Goldwasser of CBRE represented the seller, a local private investment group. Special Olympics Illinois is expanding its Chicago regional office from 6,000 square feet of leased space at 820 W. Jackson Blvd. and will relocate this summer. Approximately 15 employees will work at the new office. Originally constructed as a foundry, the property was transformed by Helios Construction Services in 2014 into a modern building for its own offices. The building’s design was a collaborative effort with the late architect Brad Lynch of Brininstool + Lynch. In 2017, Helios executed another renovation at the building to expand the office space with the addition of four glass-enclosed offices, meeting rooms and amenities, including a gym, lounge and kitchen. Private event venue Ovation Chicago will remain a tenant at the property. The space opened in late 2014.
Midwest
MINNEAPOLIS AND BALTIMORE — Global alternative investment firm Investcorp has acquired two industrial portfolios for a total of more than $335 million. Located in the Minneapolis and Baltimore markets, the portfolios feature a combined 2.7 million square feet across 27 properties. The 17-building Minneapolis portfolio totals 1.9 million square feet, and the Baltimore portfolio comprises 10 buildings with 881,000 square feet. The seller and specific addresses of the properties were not disclosed. “The Minneapolis and Baltimore portfolio acquisitions offer us a unique opportunity to scale our presence in two markets with highly diversified tenancies,” says Michael Moriarty, managing director and head of commercial acquisitions at Investcorp. “The properties making up each of these portfolios feature favorable characteristics, such as high average clear heights, ample loading docks, plentiful parking and convenient locations.” According to a press release issued by Investcorp, industrial market rent growth in Baltimore and Minneapolis has averaged 13.4 percent and 11.4 percent, respectively, over the past three years. Fortune 500 companies with a presence in Minneapolis include Target Corp., Best Buy Co. Inc., 3M Co. and General Mills Inc. Baltimore hosts corporations including Optum Inc., JLL, Under Armour Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co., among others. Founded in …
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis-based nonprofit Gateway Arch Park Foundation has selected The Cordish Companies to redevelop the Millennium Hotel property, located at 200 S. 4th St. adjacent to the St. Louis Gateway Arch. The downtown site has stood vacant since 2014. In November 2024, the foundation issued a request for development proposals, just months after it announced that it was under contract to purchase the Millennium Hotel site. The request for proposals (RFP) allowed for either adaptive reuse of the structures on the property or demolition of the existing buildings. The three qualified responses to the RFP all called for demolition. Cordish’s nearly $670 million preliminary plan integrates 1.3 million square feet of residential, office, commercial, cultural and public spaces. Key proposed elements include upscale residential, Class A office space, public spaces, an amphitheater, food hall, event space, a potential home for Gateway Arch National Park’s archives, enhanced streetscapes, pedestrian-friendly spaces, landscaping and art installations. The redevelopment plan is scheduled for review during the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority board meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
CHICAGO — Lument has provided $110.8 million in Fannie Mae loans for the refinancing of a six-property multifamily portfolio in Chicago. The loans refinance existing bank debt for the borrower, BJB Properties, a Chicago-based owner-operator that owns and manages over 70 communities. Evan Hom of Lument led the transaction. All loans feature fixed interest rates, 10-year terms and 35-year amortization schedules. The properties total 769 units and are located in the Near North Side, the Loop, Rogers Park and Lincoln Park. Approximately half of the units are affordable to renters earning up to 80 percent of the area median income. All of the communities average nearly 100 percent occupancy.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Reynolds Asset Management, in partnership with the Slabotsky Family Office, has purchased The Commons at Water’s Edge in Columbus with plans to invest over $10 million to overhaul the property. The 432-unit multifamily community features a mix of one- and two-bedroom units. Renovations are expected to begin immediately and continue through 2026. George Skaff, Carter Stephens and Julie Mickley of Newmark brokered the sale, while Henry Stimler and Ricky Warner of Newmark procured the debt.
CRYSTAL LAKE, ILL. — McShane Construction Co. has completed Redwood Crystal Lake, a 124-unit, single-story apartment property in the Chicago suburb of Crystal Lake. Redwood Living Inc. is the developer. Designed by Mann Parsons Gray Architects, the community integrates 25 townhome-style buildings with four to six units each. Each of the two-bedroom units feature an attached two-car garage and patio. Amenities include designated green spaces, pet waste stations and designated guest parking.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Hillwood has selected Meridian Design Build to construct two Class A speculative industrial buildings at its Central Columbus Commerce 71 development in Columbus. The buildings will total 624,004 square feet and will be located on a 48-acre redevelopment site at the southwest corner of Windsor and Joyce avenues. Construction is underway at the project site. The team includes Red Architecture and civil engineer Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. Joel Yakovac and Michael Linder of Colliers are marketing the development for lease.
MATTESON, ILL. — Tutera Senior Living & Health Care has acquired a 75-unit seniors housing community in Matteson, about 30 miles south of Chicago, for an undisclosed price. Built in 2021 for $21 million, the property formerly operated under the name Alexi Senior Living before closing in 2022. Tutera plans to make improvements to the community and reopen it as Ridgeland Senior Living this spring. Situated on 5.5 acres, the 81,589-square-foot development features 55 assisted living units and 20 memory care residences. Amenities at the property will include a restaurant-style dining room; poker area and art studio; barbershop, beauty salon and spa; therapy room and gym; movie theater, library and chapel; bistro; courtyard with walking paths; and common areas. The acquisition brings Tutera’s portfolio to 77 communities operated across 10 states.
INDIANAPOLIS, ELKHART AND KENDALLVILLE, IND. — Marcus & Millichap has arranged the sale of three retail centers in Indiana for a combined $5.4 million. The properties include Northfield Plaza in Elkhart, Kendallville Plaza in Kendallville and Michigan Road Shops in Indianapolis. Jordan Klink and Mike Banwell of Marcus & Millichap represented the undisclosed seller and implemented a national marketing and auction campaign to attract investor interest.
CHICAGO — Urban Innovations has completed a retail build-out for Baggu at 1639 N. Damen Ave. in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. Urban Innovations gutted the 1,960-square-foot space and installed a new storage room, restroom and back-of-house office space for staff. The main store has new millwork shelving, a custom-built checkout desk, penny tile flooring, track lighting and merchandise paneling to display bags and other items for sale. The project team also completed new exterior signage. Haddock Studio designed the space for the tenant, and Jenel Real Estate owns the building. Baggu gained popularity on the internet for its unique reusable bags.