CHICAGO — A joint venture between real estate investment firms AXA Investment Managers – Real Assets and Blue Vista Capital Management has purchased University Center Chicago, a 1,732-bed student housing complex located at 525 S. State St. in Chicago’s South Loop district. Educational Advancement Fund (EAF) sold the asset to the joint venture for $201 million. University Center Chicago was jointly developed in 2004 by three major universities in Chicago – Columbia College Chicago, DePaul University and Roosevelt University. The 702,000-square-foot project features student housing, dining facilities, recreational areas, music practice rooms, conference center operations and ground-floor retail space. As part of the transaction, the three universities each negotiated a long-term lease with the new ownership to remain in the facility. John Jaeger, Dan Cohen and M.J. Zaring of CBRE represented EAF in the transaction in partnership with CBRE’s National Student Housing Team, headed by Jaclyn Fitts and William Vonderfecht. CBRE also partnered with Kevin Hoecker and Chris Good of RBC Capital Markets, as well as RBC’s Real Estate Investment Banking team. Peter Marino and Molly Green of CBRE’s Chicago office partnered with the Dallas CBRE Capital Markets Debt & Structured Finance team of Mike Bryant, Jon Wooton and Ben …
Midwest
Rapid growth in the tech sector is dramatically impacting the St. Louis office market. The city boasted an increase of 6,220 high-tech jobs during the last four years, over 2,000 of which were generated in the past year alone. Given the total number of tech jobs in St. Louis is 57,300, this amounts to a healthy growth rate of 10.9 percent. From well-known companies like Square Inc., Yurbuds and Answers.com to newer ones such as LockerDome, Aisle411 Inc. and MediBeacon Inc., the St. Louis region is a growing hot spot for innovative, new and expanding companies. These companies include leaders in the areas of plant and life sciences as well as financial services, information technology, advanced manufacturing and even rapidly growing pet care industries. Significant healthcare and biotechnology institutions in the region include Pfizer, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Solae Co. and Sigma-Aldrich. As capital injections slow in the coastal markets, St. Louis’ startup scene is thriving, attracting talent, new companies and investors from across the globe. According to Forbes, the city was named the fastest-growing metropolis for startups in 2016. Analytical website fivethirtyeight.com reaffirmed St. Louis’ increased appetite for startups, attributing the uptick in part to a combination of …
CUDAHY, WIS. — Colliers International has arranged the sale of Mitchell Industrial Park in Cudahy, about seven miles south of Milwaukee. The sales price was not disclosed. The 10-building, 879,704-square-foot park is located near the intersection of College and Pennsylvania avenues. A joint venture between WHI Real Estate Partners LP and BK Ace Industrial Holdings LLC sold the property to Deerfield, Ill.-based Oak Realty Group Inc. BK Ace Industrial Holdings had previously purchased the business park from CenterPoint Properties in 2014. Notable tenants include DHL-Air Express International, Menasha Packaging, Mattress Firm and National Packaging. Tom Shepherd, Jeff Devine and Steven Disse of Colliers brokered the transaction. Pat Hake and Bill Langhoff of Colliers will manage leasing efforts.
CHICAGO — Associated Bank has provided a $17.5 million acquisition and construction loan for a self-storage project in Chicago’s Wicker Park. A joint venture between JSM Ventures Inc. and CEDARst Cos. plans to renovate the non-retail floors of two former office buildings located at 1279 N. Milwaukee Ave. and 1300 N. Ashland Ave. Upon completion later this summer, the self-storage facility will total 86,660 square feet and 1,273 units. The two buildings, originally constructed in 1928, are part of the 325,000-square-foot Wicker Park Commons shopping center. Centrum Properties sold the office portion of the buildings, totaling approximately 156,000 square feet, to the joint venture. RREEF will continue to own the ground-floor retail space as a separate condominium. Additionally, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago Inc. will remain in place on the fourth floor. Daniel Barrins of Associated Bank originated the loan.
Kraus-Anderson Breaks Ground on 50,000 SF Addition to Banner Engineering Headquarters in Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS — Kraus-Anderson Construction Co. has broken ground on a research and development building at Banner Engineering’s headquarters in Minneapolis. The new building will enable the industrial automation technology provider to create more than 225 jobs and accelerate new product development for smart sensor technologies, according to Banner Engineering. The property is located at 9714 10th Ave. North. Designed by HCM Architects and slated for completion in summer 2018, the 50,000-square-foot addition will include labs, training spaces and over 44,000 square feet of new office space.
CHANNAHON, ILL. — Cawley Chicago has brokered the sale of a 143-acre land site in Channahon, a southwest suburb of Chicago. The sales price was not disclosed. A joint venture partnership led by Venture One Real Estate acquired the land, which is part of a phased acquisition that will ultimately total 292 acres. Venture One also unveiled plans for the groundbreaking of Crossroads 55 Business Park and the commencement of a 1 million-square-foot speculative warehouse facility. The site is situated in the I-80/Joliet Corridor submarket with immediate access to the Route 6 and Bluff Road interchanges on I-55. Joshua Hearne of Cawley Chicago represented the buyer in the transaction. Marquette Properties represented the undisclosed seller.
CHICAGO — 29th Street Capital (29SC) has acquired Wooded Isle Apartments in Chicago’s Hyde Park for an undisclosed price. The 75-unit multifamily community features studios, one- and two-bedroom units. 29SC has allocated approximately $1 million for capital improvements at the property, including interior upgrades such as granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Exterior renovations will include roof repairs, lighting, signage and landscaping. A family-owned enterprise was the seller.
BROWNSBURG, IND. — Flaherty & Collins Properties has broken ground on The Arbuckle, a $40 million luxury apartment property in Brownsburg, about 17 miles west of Indianapolis. The property, located at 300 N. Green St., will consist of 208 luxury market-rate apartment units. Floor plans will comprise studio, one- and two-bedroom units. Among the nearly 7,000 square feet of amenities will be a courtyard, saltwater pool, coffee lounge, conference room, pet wash, study lounge and fitness center. Flaherty & Collins Construction is the general contractor. The project team also consists of CSO Architects, ecological engineering and design firm Williams Creek, and consulting engineering firm Lynch Harrison & Brumleve Inc. Busey Bank provided construction financing. The 391,502-square-foot project is slated for completion in spring 2019.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — PGIM has provided a $33 million, two-year bridge loan for the Graceland Retail Center in Columbus. The shopping center spans 320,000 square feet. Anchor tenants include Kroger, LA Fitness and Michaels. The center was originally constructed in 1954 and redeveloped in 2005. Christy Lockridge and Craig Foreman of PGIM led the loan transaction on behalf of PGIM. Unnamed institutional investors were the borrowers. “This loan on a grocery-anchored retail center will help the sponsor make improvements at the property to achieve its business plans,” says Marcia Diaz, global head of originations at PGIM Real Estate Finance. “This financing represents the first of many we would like to realize in the core-plus space. Our expansion will continue through identifying both stabilized and transitional properties that meet our financing criteria.”
IRONTON, OHIO — KeyBank Real Estate Capital has arranged a $6.9 million FHA loan for the renovation of Sherman Thompson Towers Apartments in Ironton, located in southernmost Ohio along the Ohio River. The affordable seniors housing property consists of 151 units, each of which are designated for residents earning 30 to 60 percent of the area median income. The Ohio Housing Finance Agency provided tax credits for the project. Jeff Rodman of KeyBank arranged the loan for the borrower, Millennia Housing Development Ltd.