JOLIET, ILL. — Inland Real Estate Acquisitions LLC has purchased an 859-unit self-storage facility in Joliet, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago. Mark Cosenza and Brett Smith completed the transaction on behalf of an Inland affiliate. Previously an ExtraSpace Self Storage property, the facility will be rebranded and fully managed by Devon Self Storage, a member of The Inland Real Estate Group of Cos. Inc. The two-story, 112,209-rentable-square-foot facility was constructed in 2023. The main climate-controlled building is comprised of 764 units and 95 exterior drive-thru units, of which 13 are oversized for RV, boat or large vehicle storage.
CHICAGO — Google has shared new design renderings for the Thompson Center’s atrium in Chicago. The company announced plans to buy the James R. Thompson Center building in 2022. Google has also teamed up with After School Matters to commission a student-designed art piece for the retail concourse. Artist Sanford Biggers has been selected to create a sculpture for the plaza that will honor the Loop’s history of public art. Conceptualized with Architecture Plus Information (A+I), Google is expanding the central opening beneath the 17-story atrium, constructing a cascading staircase integrated with terraced seating and retail offerings. The activated atrium and plaza will feature food, retail and space for seasonal events. The project is slated for completion in 2028. Google opened its Chicago office in 2000 and has grown its employee base in the city to more than 2,000 employees. Google also announced that it will provide $1 million in funding to A Better Chicago to support student attendance.
BERKELEY, ILL. — Dermody has broken ground on the LogistiCenter at Berkeley, a 357,619-square-foot facility at 5300 St. Charles Road in Berkeley, a western suburb of Chicago. The project is a redevelopment of an older, functionally obsolete industrial building. The property will feature a clear height of 40 feet, 57 dock-high doors, 357 car parking spaces and 63 trailer stalls. The project is expected to be available for lease in the first quarter of 2027. Charlie Kenning, Jackie Shropshire and Dan McGillicuddy of JLL are representing Dermody.
CHICAGO — Interra Realty has brokered the $19.2 million sale of Paper Box Lofts, a 35-unit apartment building in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Joe Smazal and Mark Dykstra of Interra represented the buyer, an affiliate of Los Angeles-based Blatteis & Schnur Inc. The duo also represented the seller, an affiliate of Chicago-based developer Senco Properties Inc. Built in 1906 as a paper and box factory, the building operated as loft offices prior to the seller converting it into luxury apartments in 2024. Amenities include a fitness center, multi-level rooftop deck, storage lockers, a mail room and lobby.
ZIONSVILLE, IND. — The Boulder Group has arranged the $4.5 million sale of a single-tenant retail property net leased to CVS in Zionsville. The building is located at 6511 Whitestown Parkway near the interchange of I-65 and Whitestown Parkway. Randy Blankstein, Jimmy Goodman and John Feeney of Boulder Group represented the seller, a West Coast-based real estate fund, and the West Coast-based 1031 exchange buyer. Approximately 15 years remain on the CVS lease. The landlord has zero ongoing property management responsibilities under the triple net lease structure. CVS Health operates approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations across the United States.
KANSAS CITY, MO. — Gantry has secured a total of $50.8 million in two permanent loans to refinance post-construction bridge debt for a pair of recently renovated apartment communities in Kansas City. The 222-unit Palisades Apartments is situated in the Eastside submarket, and the 133-unit Mayfair Apartments is located in the city’s Woodbridge neighborhood. Mark Reichter and Alec Frook of Gantry represented the borrower, a private real estate investor. The CMBS loans feature five-year terms and fixed interest rates.
CHICAGO — Greenstone Partners has brokered the $4.4 million sale of 1276 W. Washington Blvd., a development site in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood. Danny Spitz and Malek Abdulsamad of Greenstone represented the buyer and seller. The property consists of a 14,850-square-foot parcel of land owned by a longtime Greenstone client. The buyer plans to build a condominium development on the site.
CHICAGO — Coworking concept Switchyards has inked two leases for additional locations in Chicago. JLL brokered both deals. Sarah Silva and Nicole Becker of JLL represented Switchyards and landlord Range Group in two simultaneous transactions — 2440 N. Lincoln Ave. in Lincoln Park and 1046 W. Kinzie St. in Fulton Market. Both clubs are scheduled to open Monday, Oct. 26.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation is expanding its real estate mentorship program to Indiana. Headquartered in the north suburbs of Chicago, the foundation’s mentorship program has worked with more than 2,200 college and university students and over 100 professionals. Students can now request mentorships from more than 50 industry leaders in the greater Indianapolis area at no cost to the student, college or university. Students will select their mentor, based on their interests and availability, to schedule a full-day job shadow experience. The mentors are experts in brokerage, capital/financial markets, development, investment and management. Luke Lonneman of JLL, Ralph Shiley of Scannell Properties and John Snell of Snell Real Estate Evaluation Co. serve as the leadership of the Eisenberg Foundation’s Indiana Mentorship Advisory Committee and will oversee the program. The expansion of the mentorship program into Indiana can be attributed in part to the success and growth of other programs hosted by the foundation. Last spring, university teams from Indiana University in Bloomington, University of Indiana in Indianapolis and University of Notre Dame participated in the Eisenberg Foundation’s Annual Real Estate Challenge, a case competition. Additionally, as many as 30 students from Indiana college and universities typically participate …
SKOKIE, ILL. — Draper and Kramer Inc. has arranged a $99.6 million loan on behalf of Fairbourne Properties for the acquisition of Village Crossing, a 724,400-square-foot shopping center on the border between Skokie and Niles. Built in 1988, the grocery-anchored property includes Jewel-Osco, AMC and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Bill Barry and Bill Stewart of Draper and Kramer’s Commercial Finance Group arranged the loan. In addition to funding the acquisition, the loan will be used for tenant improvements and leasing commission costs for new leasing at the property.