WHITELAND, IND. — Sojo Industries has signed a 151,950-square-foot industrial lease in Lot 5 of Mohr Logistics Park in Whiteland, a southern suburb of Indianapolis. Mark Writt of CBRE represented ownership, Mohr Capital. Jim Scott and Steve Shaub of Avison Young represented the tenant, which is a technology company engaged in advanced robotics, mobile manufacturing and modular packaging solutions for delivering packaging and assembly services for the food-and-beverage industry. Sojo maintains production facilities in Pennsylvania, California, Texas and Indiana, along with mobile sites throughout the country. All locations utilize high-speed automated lines and robotics to handle packaging materials. Additional tenants at Mohr Logistics Park include Goodyear, DHL and Turn 14. The industrial park totals 475 acres, and Mohr plans to develop more than 7 million square feet of bulk industrial buildings.
Midwest
HAMMOND, IND. — Marcus & Millichap has arranged the $2.8 million sale of a 10,122-square-foot retail property net leased to Five Below in Hammond near Chicago. Located at 1035 Indianapolis Blvd., the asset was built in 2024 and is situated on a pad site to a Walmart Supercenter and Ross Dress for Less-anchored retail center. Nicholas Kanich of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller, an Indiana-based retail developer and manager, and procured the buyer, a Michigan-based REIT. Josh Caruana, broker of record in Indiana, assisted in closing the transaction.
By John G. Ruhl, NAI Ruhl Commercial Co. People are always surprised when they learn how many communities are part of the Quad Cities since they think it stops with just four towns. For the record, there are 58. The bi-state region includes Moline, East Moline and Rock Island, Illinois, and Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa, as the main core cities. The Quad Cities is the largest metro area between St. Louis and Minneapolis on the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River was the main reason for this region’s initial growth historically since it was an important distribution channel. John Deere moved his base of operation to Moline, Illinois, in 1848 to utilize the river’s power for manufacturing and transportation of goods. The world headquarters of Deere & Co. are still based here, along with many of its factories and distribution centers, making it the region’s largest employer. Several other Fortune 500 companies have a major presence in this region, including Arconic, 3M, Nestle-Purina and Kraft Heinz. The Quad Cities has always been led by smaller manufacturers, suppliers and service providers supporting our major employers and the regional economy. More than 1,200 manufacturers from all industry sectors are based in the …
For more than seven months in 2024, the commercial real estate investment market remained on a sluggish path. High interest rates continued to not only challenge many asset owners who needed refinancing, but also buyers and sellers looking to make deals. For instance, some $174.7 billion in property investment sales during the first half of the year was 7 percent below a year earlier, according to MSCI Real Assets. In such uncertain times, it’s not unusual for the commercial real estate market to experience bouts of bifurcation. Typically, those are marked by trends such as rising demand for higher quality offices during economic slumps when tenants can fetch discounted rents. Early in the recovery phase, it’s not unusual for investment to flow into tech-oriented metros at the expense of other cities. The Federal Reserve’s aggressive hike of the federal funds rate has created another category of bifurcation, especially as it relates to floating-rate bridge debt and how lenders are managing their loan portfolios. That is, the difference between the performance of assets depending on when owners financed the properties, says Jeff Salladin, a managing director with Dallas-based private debt fund Revere Capital. “It’s a question of vintage,” he explains. “Loans …
BOLINGBROOK, ILL. — JRK Property Holdings has acquired Brook on Janes Apartments, a 288-unit multifamily community in the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook. The purchase price was undisclosed. JRK utilized its JRK Platform 5 Fund, a $1 billion multifamily value-add and core plus fund that targets higher-quality, well-located multifamily investments built after 1990. The fund’s portfolio is comprised of institutional-quality assets with an average year built of 2019 located in Illinois, Florida, Kansas and California. Built by the undisclosed seller in 2017, Brook on Janes rises three stories at 401 Janes Ave. Units come in studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts. Amenities include a pool, clubhouse, fitness club, cookout area and gated dog park. Kevin Girard, Roberto Casas and Matt Lawton of JLL represented the seller. Annie Rice and Brandon Smith of JLL arranged agency acquisition financing with a 10-year, fixed-rate loan.
DETROIT — Bernard Financial Group (BFG) has arranged an $11 million Freddie Mac loan for the refinancing of a 103-unit apartment building in Detroit. The property is located at 40 Davenport St. Joshua Bernard and David Ruff of BFG arranged the loan on behalf of the borrower, an entity doing business as 40 Davenport LLC.
COLLINSVILLE, ILL. — Contegra Construction Co. is underway on Eastport Commerce Center, a 75,000-square-foot office and distribution facility in Collinsville, an eastern suburb of St. Louis. BHMG Engineers, a utility engineering firm based in Sunset Hills, Mo., has leased 25,000 square feet at the property. The new office will replace BHMG’s existing 5,000-square-foot office at 1902 Vandalia St. in Collinsville. Located on a 9.5-acre site at the intersection of Eastport Plaza Drive and Fairmont Avenue, the building is near the I-255/I-55 interchange. The property features a clear height of 28 feet, four dock doors, three drive-in doors and 160 parking spaces. A timeline for completion was not provided.
WEST BEND, WIS. — Evans Senior Investments (ESI) has brokered the sale of Samaritan Health Center, a county-owned facility in West Bend, about 30 miles north of Milwaukee. The community was originally built in 1969 and renovated in 2009. The property offers three licensed programs: a skilled nursing facility, an assisted community-based residential facility (CBRF) and a supportive living, apartment-style residential care apartment complex (RCAC). Altogether, the center provides 186 beds, including 131 skilled nursing beds, 24 RCAC beds and 31 CBRF beds. According to ESI, Samaritan Health Center was 33 percent occupied at the time of marketing and struggling with negative cash flows. The property also needed substantial renovations. An independent owner-operator purchased the asset for an undisclosed price.
OAK PARK, ILL. — Mosaic Construction LLC has completed a new facility for Stride Autism Centers at 6400 W. North Ave. in Oak Park near Chicago. One of more than 20 Stride facilities across the country, the new location features a safe free-play natural environment space, circle time areas and more than 10 individualized instruction spaces customized for the needs of children with autism. The 6,700-square-foot space features a reading nook and mural wall inside the activity room as well as new flooring, appliances, paint and updates to the bathrooms and classrooms. Project partners included Huron Design Group, Splash 10, North Builders, D&D Flooring, Frank Bak Decorating, Brew Plumbing, Parkside Electric and G&C Glass, Mirror and Construction.
TOPEKA, KAN. — Advisors Excel has acquired the West Ridge Mall in Topeka with plans to convert it into a mixed-use destination with dining, event, entertainment, green and corporate spaces. Advisors Excel is a Topeka-based financial and investment services company. West Ridge Mall, totaling 992,000 square feet, is the third-largest enclosed mall in Kansas. Upon completion of the renovation project, the property will serve as Advisors Excel’s new headquarters, accommodating more than 1,000 employees. Originally opened in 1988, West Ridge Mall has seen a steady decline in business and occupancy over the last decade. Anchor stores Macy’s and Sears closed in 2012 and 2018, respectively. By 2021, the mall’s occupancy rate had dropped to 39 percent. Renovation plans call for a fresh urban design and layout. The new center will incorporate uses such as coworking spaces, theaters, fitness spaces, spas, breweries and cafes. Advisors Excel selected Texas-based investment and development firm Russell Glen to assist with the redevelopment. Architectural firm RDC will be responsible for the design of the retail, entertainment and restaurant components, while Hufft will focus on the design of Advisors Excel’s new headquarters. The mall redevelopment is currently in its initial stages, with Advisors Excel working to …