LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles-based Tauro Capital Advisors, on behalf of borrower IBF Properties, has facilitated a $149.7 million, one-year, floating-rate bridge loan for a 24-property Walgreens portfolio. The stores are located in nine states across the United States, primarily in Tennessee, Wisconsin and Alabama. The borrower is purchasing retail assets occupied by investment-grade tenants and plans to create a REIT to hold and operate the portfolio of income-producing real estate. Matt Bucaro, Eric Alvarez, Michael Bucaro, Matthew Ingle and Garryn Laws of Tauro Capital Advisors arranged the financing transaction. Benefit Street Partners was the lender. Totaling 314,852 square feet, the borrower purchased the portfolio in 2021. After acquisition, longer leases were negotiated for the majority of the tenants, which provided stability for those investors purchasing dividends within the REIT and offering a level of commitment by Walgreens to the sites and a low probability of leaving.
ST. CHARLES, MO. — Contegra Construction has completed a 70,000-square-foot headquarters and manufacturing facility for Diode Dynamics at Fountain Lakes Commerce Center in St. Charles, a northwest suburb of St. Louis. Diode Dynamics, an automotive LED lighting manufacturer, is relocating from Earth City and plans to add 36 new positions over the next five years. The company currently employs 90 people. The new property in St. Charles features a showroom, two drive-in engineering bays, an electronics manufacturing area, engineering laboratory, two-story office space and a warehouse with a clear height of 30 feet. Joining Contegra on the project were Remiger Design, BAX Engineering, SSC Engineering, Kaemmerlen Electric, O.J. Laughlin Plumbing Co. Inc., Wiegmann Associates and Bi-State Fire Protection Corp. Bank of Franklin County provided project financing. James Delgado of Cozad Commercial Real Estate and David Zobel of Danna McKitrick PC represented Diode Dynamics.
WEST ST. PAUL, MINN. — Colliers Mortgage has provided a $25.2 million HUD 223(f) loan for the refinancing of The Winslow in West St. Paul. The 172-unit affordable seniors housing community rises four stories. Units are restricted to persons age 62 and above and who earn up to 60 percent of the area median income. Amenities include a clubroom, theater, fitness center, salon, game room and outdoor deck. An entity doing business as WSP Senior Housing I LLLP was the borrower. The fixed-rate loan is fully amortized over 35 years. Colliers Mortgage previously provided a construction loan for the property in 2018.
CHICAGO — Skender has completed the interior office buildout for Milwaukee Tool at the Old Post Office in Chicago. The 70,000-square-foot space is located on the third floor and features 10,000 square feet of research and development lab space as well as 60,000 square feet of open and private offices. The office component also includes a large collaboration area called the Beehive, plus a training room and multiple conference rooms. The office is Milwaukee Tool’s first outside of Wisconsin. Skender collaborated with owner’s representative JLL, architects Nelson and SPS and engineering firm McGuire. Skender also entered into an official partnership with Milwaukee Tool to streamline access to its power tools and products for future projects.
MADISON, WIS. — Milwaukee-based developer Klein Development, in partnership with Hintz Holdings, has acquired a three-story building located on Madison’s Capitol Square. Located at 14 W. Mifflin St., the property was originally constructed in 1924 as Baron’s Department Store. It is currently home to Rare Steakhouse on the ground floor. The building’s second and third floors boast roughly 20,000 square feet of vacant commercial space. Klein plans to reposition the property with assistance from Eppstein Uhen Architects. Renovations will be made to the first-floor lobby and restrooms on the second and third floors. Chase Brieman of CBRE will handle leasing. The seller and sales price were undisclosed.
MINNEAPOLIS — Canteen One has signed a 43,672-square-foot office sublease at 700 N. 5th St. in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis. The company, which provides micro food markets, pantries and vending services for offices, is relocating from Golden Valley with 200 employees. Jim Damiani and Andrew Commers of Newmark represented Canteen One. Joe Conzemius, Ann Rinde and Larissa Bodine of CBRE represented the sublandlord, Solera.
CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has selected Bally’s Corp. as the preferred company to redevelop a former Chicago Tribune printing plant into a gaming and entertainment destination. The 30-acre site is located at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Halstead Street along the Chicago River in the city’s River West neighborhood. The $1.7 billion proposal calls for the city’s first casino featuring 3,400 slots; 170 table games; 10 food and beverage venues; a 500-room hotel tower with rooftop bar; 3,000-seat, 65,000-square-foot theater; 20,000 square foot exhibition hall; outdoor music venue; and outdoor green space including an expansive public riverwalk with a water taxi stop. Mayor Lightfoot announced Thursday that Bally’s had won the project over competing bids from Hard Rock International and Rush Street Gaming. State regulators and the Chicago City Council will need to approve the plan before work can begin. The city’s evaluation report said the Bally’s proposal provides the most economic value to taxpayers, including an upfront payment of $40 million and annual payments to the city totaling $4 million. The project is expected to generate more than $800 million in gaming revenue on an annual basis, a substantial portion of which will support the city’s …
CHICAGO — Interra Realty has brokered the sale of Astoria Tower in Chicago’s South Loop for $82.5 million. The luxury apartment tower rises 30 stories with 248 units. Built in 2009, Astoria Tower features one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans. Amenities include a fitness center, indoor pool, sauna, spa treatment room, billiards room, movie room, business center and two rooftop decks. The seller, Miami-based Crescent Heights, converted the property from condominiums into apartment units in phases completed in 2010 and 2019. Brad Feldman of Interra represented the buyer, Chicago-based 3L Real Estate, which plans to add additional amenities and offerings to increase rents.
CHICAGO — The Park Hyatt Chicago hotel at 800 N. Michigan Ave. is scheduled to reopen this summer following a $60 million renovation that began early this year. Reservations are now available to book for stays beginning July 1. The renovation project included 23 new suite additions, reimagined guestrooms, enhancements to the lobby and library, new art selections, and updates to the food and beverage programs as well as the spa. Design firm Anderson/Miller Ltd. worked on the modernization of the guestrooms and suites. Sheedy DeLaRosa Interiors designed the lobby and library on the ground floor to complement the new art selections. NoMI Kitchen will reopen with Executive Chef Terence Zubieta at the helm.
MELROSE PARK, ILL. — CEVA Logistics and Expeditors International have signed leases at Bridge Point Melrose Park, an industrial property currently under development in the Chicago suburb of Melrose Park. Bridge Industrial owns the property. CEVA, a supply chain management firm, signed a long-term lease agreement for a 707,953-square-foot warehouse. Expeditors, a logistics and freight forwarding firm, will occupy a 669,914-square-foot facility. The project team includes architecture firm Cornerstone, general contractor ARCO Murray and civil engineer SPACECO Inc. CIBC provided project financing last year. Bridge plans to construct one final building that will span 225,009 square feet. Dan McGillicuddy, Charlie Kenning and Brian Carroll of JLL represented Bridge in the lease transactions. Jason Lev and Jimmy Kowalczyk of CBRE, along with Jeffrey Kernochan and Andrew Mager of Fischer, represented the tenants.