Midwest

KANSAS CITY, MO. — Construction is underway on 51 Main, a 176-unit apartment complex in Kansas City. The six-story multifamily property will include 10,000 square feet of ground-level retail, onsite covered parking, a pool, grilling area and cabana. Construction began in January and the first residents are slated to take occupancy in early fall 2014. Opus Design Build LLC is the design-build contractor for the project. Opus AE Group LLC is the architect and engineer of record, and 360 Architecture is providing architectural schematic and landscape design services. VanTrust Real Estate and Land Development Strategies are co-developing the project for a VanTrust-related ownership.

SPRINGFIELD, MO. — The owners of the Woodruff building in Springfield are moving forward with a $13 million renovation plan that would transform the vacant structure into a 96-unit apartment complex dubbed Sky Eleven. The multifamily property, which is located at 333 Park Central E., will feature studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Plans for the 10-story property include a pool, doorman service, theater room, fitness area, restaurant and office space on the first floor. Woodruff Historic Building LLC has hired general contractor Build LLC and architectural firm Buxton Kubik Dodd Creative for the building remodel. The Vecino Group, which is developing the Landmark Building across the street, is also part of the redevelopment team.

CHICAGO — A joint venture between Atlas Real Estate Partners, Marc Real Residential and Angelo, Gordon and Co. has acquired 2 E. 8th St., a 330-unit student housing property in Chicago, for $58.5 million. Located in Chicago's South Loop, the 28-story high-rise building is close to Columbia College, Roosevelt University and more than 20 other schools. The property includes 882 beds, 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and a four-story parking garage. At the time of sale, the property was 96 percent leased. Chris Bancroft and Chris Epp of ARA Student Housing Group and Susan Lawson and Todd Stofflet of ARA Chicago represented the seller, Philadelphia-based Equus Capital Partners Ltd., formerly BPG Properties Ltd., in the transaction.