CHICAGO — JLL Design worked with Shriners Children’s Chicago, a pediatric specialty care provider on Chicago’s far west side, to transform the hospital’s teen lounge and billiard area. The new family lounge and patient lounge balances functionality and visual appeal with a bright aesthetic. The redesigned space showcases textiles that meet rigorous healthcare standards. According to JLL Research, a top design trend for 2025 is “people-centric design,” focusing on the role of the built environment for experience, well-being and social interaction. JLL Design manages diverse projects spanning strategy, branding and interiors.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILL. — Encore Enterprises Inc. and AmCap Management Holdings LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of AmCap Management LLC, have purchased a 276,333-square-foot shopping center in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights. Named Northpoint Center, the grocery-anchored property is located at the intersection of West Rand and Arlington Heights roads. Tenants include Jewel-Osco, Ross Dress for Less, Marshalls, Chase Bank, Five Below and PopShelf. The seller and sales price were undisclosed.
CINCINNATI — Sonida Senior Living has expanded The Wellington at North Bend Crossing in Cincinnati with the addition of its new Vista building. The four-story building is now welcoming visitors for tours ahead of its anticipated summer opening. The Vista building adds 82 new assisted living and memory care apartments, supporting a maximum occupancy of 113 residents. The expansion will create nearly 65 new jobs in the area. The building features three outdoor spaces, a nearly 1,000-square-foot rehabilitation gym, fitness room, theater, game room, multiple dining venues, a salon and sunrooms on each floor. Responding to frequent requests from the community, Vista will introduce fully furnished assisted living apartments specifically available for temporary stays and respite care. This addition addresses a growing need among local families for flexible, supportive short-term living options. Vista also expands the community’s specialized memory care neighborhood, which utilizes Sonida’s Magnolia Trails program to provide engagement and purpose-driven experiences for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. With the addition of Vista, The Wellington at North Bend Crossing expands its continuum of care to include a total of 318 independent living, assisted living, memory care and temporary stay/respite care units.
LOMBARD, ILL. — A partnership between Capital Healthcare Properties and HSG Medical has acquired a 21,070-square-foot retail property in the Chicago suburb of Lombard for an undisclosed price. Immediately upon the acquisition, the partnership executed a long-term lease with Duly Health and Care that brings the freestanding property from 33 percent leased to fully occupied. Duly Health and Care is a Chicagoland healthcare provider with more than 1,200 primary care and specialty providers across 50-plus specialties with 150 locations. Located at 2830 S. Highland Ave., the building features additional tenants such as Potbelly and SimonMed Imaging. The buyers plan to make upgrades, including a new parking lot, new roof, enhanced front sidewalks, exterior tuckpointing and landscaping. The property was sold by a special servicer who was represented by Frontline Real Estate Partners. The asset was put under the control of a special servicing agent after the previous owner defaulted on its loan.
SOUTHGATE, MICH. — A soul food restaurant has leased 7,198 square feet of retail space at Eureka Plaza in Southgate, a southwest suburb of Detroit. The lease brings the shopping center to full occupancy. There is still proposed outlot availability at the property, with up to 2,500 square feet with drive-thru capability. Michael Murphy of Gerdom Realty & Investment represented the undisclosed landlord.
CHICAGO — SVN Chicago Commercial has brokered the sale of a 6,200-square-foot industrial building at 1802-1806 W. Chicago Ave. in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood for $1.3 million. The property is slated for an adaptive reuse conversion to multifamily. Tim Rasmussen and Marcus Sullivan of SVN represented the undisclosed seller.
By James Barry III, The Barry Company The Southeast Wisconsin industrial real estate market has been having a very good run for the past several years. Vacancy rates have continued to stay at historically low levels, absorption of space has declined a bit, but remains consistent, and rental rates and sale prices have climbed steadily upwards. According to the latest statistics gathered by the Commercial Association of Realtors – Wisconsin (CARW), the overall vacancy rate for industrial space in Southeast Wisconsin is 5.7 percent, well below the historic “natural” vacancy rate of 7 to 8 percent (see chart above). Certain major submarkets have astonishingly low vacancy rates: 1.3 percent in Waukesha County, 0.5 percent in Sheboygan County and 0.6 percent in Walworth County. These submarkets have almost no industrial space available, and any newly available space tends to be snatched up very quickly at premium lease rates or sale prices. Given the lack of available industrial land in many of Southeast Wisconsin’s submarkets and the lack of new speculative construction, this low vacancy environment promises to continue for the foreseeable future. South I-94 Corridor The major exception to this low vacancy rate scenario in Southeast Wisconsin is the South …
WATERLOO, IOWA — International Paper (IP) is building a new corrugated box plant in Waterloo that will replace its existing facility in the city. The project represents a $260 million investment and is expected to create more than 85 additional jobs for a total of 210 employees. According to the City of Waterloo, the project marks the largest box plant in the U.S. Construction is slated to begin this spring. Operations at the plant are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. Approximately 130 full-time jobs will be created during construction. IP is currently under contract with the city for the purchase of the land. The project team includes Miller Valentine Construction and Andrew Churchill Architect PC.
NEBRASKA — National Health Investors Inc. (NHI) has acquired a portfolio of six Agemark memory care communities located in Nebraska for $63.5 million. The seller, Agemark Senior Living, will continue to operate the properties, which total 205 units, on a 15-year master lease with two five-year renewal options. Agemark operates the communities under the CountryHouse brand, which was established in 1997 exclusively for residents requiring personalized memory care.
WEST LAFAYETTE, IND. — LV Collective has broken ground on Rambler Riverfront, a two-building student housing development near Purdue University in West Lafayette. The luxury project at 224 E. State St. is slated for completion in fall 2027. Plans for the 799,289-square-foot development include 583 units as well as retail space.