SOUTH ELGIN, ILL. — Lee & Associates of Illinois has negotiated the $2.7 million sale of a 21,627-square-foot truck maintenance facility in South Elgin. The property at 1790 Gilpen Ave. features 20 drive-in doors and 1,904 square feet of office space. Kenneth Franzese and John Cassidy of Lee & Associates represented the seller, Rock Investment Group LLC. John Joyce of Lee & Associates represented the buyer, Nomad Investment Group LLC.
NEW BUFFALO, MICH. — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the $1.8 million sale of the Bliss Point Inn hotel in New Buffalo, which is located just north of the Indiana state border and along Lake Michigan. Located at 11539 O’Brien Court, the property includes 90 rooms. Ebrahim Valliani and Michael Klar of Marcus & Millichap represented the buyer and seller, both private investors. Chris Gomes and Allan Miller of Marcus & Millichap were also listed on the deal as supporting brokers. Steve Chaben, the broker of record in Michigan, assisted in closing the transaction.
DEKALB, ILL. — The Kraft Heinz Co. plans to invest more than $400 million in an automated consumer packaged goods (CPG) distribution center in DeKalb, approximately 60 miles west of Chicago. The facility, which will be located along I-88 with national railway access, will total 775,000 square feet, making it one of the largest automatic distribution centers in North America, according to the company. The facility’s design includes a 24/7 automated storage and retrieval system, which will distribute more than 60 percent of Kraft Heinz’s foodservice products and approximately 30 percent of all dry goods. Kraft Heinz also expects the facility to contribute to the company’s broader environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals. More specifically, the company plans to implement sustainable technology to reduce the waste produced at the facility and minimize its overall environmental impact. Kraft Heinz says the plant will generate more than 150 jobs in the region. “As we continue on our journey to lead the future of food, our talented North America teams and collaborative external partners are innovating at a rapid pace to expand our supply chain capabilities,” says Carlos Abrams-Rivera, executive vice president and president of North America at Kraft Heinz. “The DeKalb distribution center …
FRANKLIN, WIS. — Berkadia has brokered the $43.5 million sale of Statesman Apartments in Franklin, about 10 miles south of downtown Milwaukee. The 180-unit apartment community is located at 2950 W. Statesman Way near I-94. Built in 2019, the property features six buildings as well as underground parking, a clubhouse, fitness center and outdoor pool.Ralph DePasquale and Pete Evans of Berkadia represented the seller, Milwaukee-based Zilber Residential Group. The buyer was an affiliate of Chicago-based Banner Real Estate Group.
INDIANAPOLIS — Adidas has signed a 599,000-square-foot industrial lease renewal at 8677 Logo Athletic Court in Indianapolis. Adidas utilizes the property as a finishing facility and produces screen-printed team sport apparel for both professional and amateur teams around the world. Jason Speckman of Colliers represented the landlord, Link Logistics Real Estate. Jimmy Cohoat, Andrea Hopper and Billy Powers of Colliers represented Adidas.
CHICAGO — Sterling Bay has topped out construction of 225 N Elizabeth, a 350-unit luxury apartment tower in Chicago’s Fulton Market district. The 28-story project is being developed in partnership with Ascentris, a Denver-based real estate private equity firm. McHugh Construction and Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture make up the project team. Amenities will include two rooftop spaces, an indoor/outdoor fitness center, pool, lounge area, pet grooming suite and outdoor dog turf. Project financing comes from Citizens Bank and Old National Bank. Of the total units, 70 will be designated as affordable housing for those who earn up to 60 percent of the area median income. Pre-leasing is scheduled to begin in early 2024, with the first units expected to deliver in March 2024.
KEARNEY, NEB. — McCarthy Building Cos. has broken ground on Nebraska Medicine’s Kearney Cancer Center, a $33 million project in Kearney, a city in central Nebraska that is home to the University of Nebraska-Kearney. The 53,000-square-foot project encompasses a two-story outpatient medical facility specializing in cancer care. Nebraska Medicine will offer the services of medical and radiation oncology, infusion, laboratory and pharmacy, survivorship programs, genetics counseling and a healing garden. The cancer center will be part of the mixed-use University Village project. Completion is slated for December 2024. PACT Studios is the architect.
ADDISON, ILL. — UPS has inked a lease for a 34,700-square-foot industrial service facility located at 1404 W. Fullerton Ave. in Addison. The owner, Clear Height Properties, purchased the vacant property in September 2022 and executed a series of capital improvements, including a new roof, mechanical systems, drive-in doors, exterior painting and parking lot replacement. Dominic Carbonari of JLL negotiated the lease. Mary Kay McCreery of Strategic Leasing Law Group served as the attorney on behalf of Clear Height.
By Anthony Armbruster, Colliers Although converting former office buildings to multifamily properties is by no means a new practice, conversions have been on the rise in recent years due to the changing work environment and office landscape. While the COVID-19 pandemic has started to fade away in many peoples’ minds, several of the changes in the work environment during that time have not. Many formerly in-office employees continue to work from home or have hybrid schedules post-pandemic. Additionally, tenants who are moving into new office spaces have shown a preference for smaller, more efficiently laid out, amenity-rich and suburban Class A office spaces. These changing consumer preferences have resulted in higher vacancies and fewer new tenants for older downtown office buildings than before the pandemic. Consequently, many of these older buildings are being converted into residential spaces, exemplifying the trend. An office building may be considered for a residential conversion when it is no longer economically feasible to continue running the building as such. However, not every office building at the end of its economically useful life is a suitable candidate for a residential conversion. Factors such as a building’s layout, location, age and cost of conversion play the most …
KANSAS CITY, MO. — The Cordish Cos. has begun construction on the conversion of the historic Midland Office Building into Midland Lofts, a 135-unit apartment building in Kansas City’s Power & Light District. The project is directly connected to the Midland Theatre. In 2008, Cordish and AMC completed a two-year, multi-million-dollar renovation of the theater, which first opened its doors in 1927. The office building has been vacant for more than 20 years. Midland Lofts will feature studios and one-bedroom units. Amenities will include a coffee bar, entertainment kitchen, fitness center, coworking spaces, billiards room, club lounge, meditation room, business center, conference rooms and package system. Local Kansas City architecture and design firm Helix is the project architect, and RD Jones + Associates is the interior designer for the amenity spaces. Completion is slated for May 2024.
