KANSAS CITY, MO. — Gee Whiz Holdings has acquired a four-story, 32,000-square-foot historic property, which is located at 807 Wyandotte St. in Kansas City. The office property, which is known as the Nelkin-Piper building, will become the new headquarters for Trozzolo Communications Group. The company plans to invest $3 million in renovations and upgrades to the historic downtown building. Renovations are set to begin in the fall, with completion scheduled for spring 2011. Helix Architecture + Design is providing architectural services for the project. Evan Warwick of Grubb & Ellis|The Winbury Group represented the buyer; Tim Schaffer and Christopher Wollard of RED Brokerage represented the seller, Rick Powell of Baltimore Place Properties. Pasquale Trozzolo, the CEO of Trozzolo Communications, formed Gee Whiz Holdings.
LAKE IN THE HILLS, ILL. — Omega Industries, an international importer and distributor of steel cable products, has relocated its Northwest Chicago distribution center to Lake in the Hills. The company will occupy a 9,000-square-foot industrial facility at 9180 Trinity Dr. John O’Hara and Lucas Condill of RE/MAX Commercial Real Estate Services represented Omega; Don Wolf and Lisa Horton of Crystal Lake, Ill.-based Wolf Realty represented the landlord in the lease transaction. Additional details of the transaction were not disclosed.
PIQUA, OHIO — Jonesboro, Ark.-based Farr Air Pollution Control (APC) has expanded its operations into Ohio, with the opening of an office in Piqua. The industrial dust collectors and fume collection equipment company will occupy 5,040 square feet of space at 405 Fox Drive within Sherry Industrial Park. The company plans to use the new office as a regional office and training center for its air pollution control division. Occupancy is expected by the beginning of March. Tim Echemann of Industrial Property Brokers negotiated the transaction.
CHICAGO — Rush University Medical Center has selected Reed Construction to complete a build-out for its new Outpatient Cancer Center. Located at 1725 W. Harrison in Chicago, the 45,000-square-foot project includes construction of exam and procedure rooms, new infusion bays for chemotherapy treatment and support staff areas. Loebl, Schlossman & Hackl is providing architectural services for the project, which is scheduled for completion this fall. The project is pursuing LEED Silver certification. Rush University Medical Center is an academic medical center that includes a 671-bed hospital, the 61-bed Johnston R. Bowman Health Center and Rush University.
BEACHWOOD, OHIO — Beachwood-based Developers Diversified Realty (DDR) has appointed David Oakes to senior executive vice president and chief financial officer. Most recently, Oakes served as senior executive vice president of finance, chief investment officer and interim chief financial officer. As CFO, he is responsible for the capital markets, budgeting, tax, investor relations, property and corporate accounting, audit and external reporting functions. Additionally, Oakes will continue to serve on the company’s executive, compensation and management committees and chair the investment committee. Oakes joined DDR as executive vice president of finance and chief investment officer in April 2007.
CAROL STREAM, ILL. — Ryland Corp. has acquired a 35,664-square-foot industrial property in Carol Stream for an undisclosed price. Kamflex sold the property, which offers 7,650 square feet of office space and 18- to 20-foot clear ceiling heights. Hank Teague and Larry Schlomann of Thomson Referral Network represented the buyer; Joe Bronson and Richard Daly of Darwin Realty & Development Corp. represented the seller in the transaction. The acquisition price was not disclosed.
ELK GROVE VILLAGE, ILL. — Temperature Services has purchased a 12,200-square-foot manufacturing/warehouse facility in Elk Grove Village for an undisclosed price. Located at 360 Bonnie Lane, the property features 5,000 square feet of office space and 15-foot clear ceiling heights. Richard Daly of Darwin Realty & Development Corp. represented the undisclosed seller in the transaction.
CHICAGO — Chicago-based Testa Produce has broken ground for the development of a state-of-the-art, 91,000-square-foot distribution facility at Stockyards Industrial Park in Chicago. Located at 4555 S. Racine Ave. on a 13-acre site, the property will offer 18,000 square feet of office space and 73,000 square feet of freezer/cooler distribution space. Designed by A. Epstein & Sons, the facility is striving for LEED Platinum certification. Green elements include a wind turbine to co-generate electricity, hot water solar panels, PV solar panels, an extensive green roof, rainwater harvesting and daylight harvesting. Summit Design + Build is managing the project, which is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2011. Wendy Berger Shapiro of WBS Equities represented Testa Produce in the transaction with Back of the Yards Council, the property manager for the business park.
CHICAGO — Opus Holdings has named Tom Shaver as president and chief executive officer of Opus North Corp., a full service design-build development firm serving the north central portion of the United States. Based in Chicago, Shaver will replace Danny Queenan, who is leaving the company for another position. Shaver joins Opus North from Opus Northwest where he was serving as vice president of development and was responsible for overseeing office and industrial development in the Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota markets. Shaver also serves on the board of directors of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) Commercial Real Estate Development Association. Since its establishment in 1972, Opus North has developed more than 49 million square feet of space and currently has more than $75 million of projects under construction for third-party clients.
MUNSTER, IND. — Royal Brush Manufacturing Co. has acquired a 55,000-square-foot industrial property, which is located at 515 W. 45th Ave. in Munster. Chicago Downs Association Inc. sold the property for $2.64 million. Royal Brush, a manufacturer of high-end brushes, plans to relocate to the facility from its current location in Merrillville, Ind. Adam Karras of Paine/Wetzel•ONCOR International represented the buyer; Edward Wabick of Paine/Wetzel and Jeff Brant of Brant Cos. represented the seller in the transaction.