MENOMONEE FALLS, WIS. — Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) has announced plans to increase its investment in brick-and-mortar with the addition of 100 new, smaller-format locations over the next four years in previously untapped markets. This expansion follows the pilot of 20 stores featuring the company’s smaller-format design, which averages around 35,000 square feet versus the traditional 80,000-square-foot iteration. In June, the Menomonee Falls-based company will be opening a smaller-format shop in Bonney Lake, Wash., and in the fall, stores are set to open in San Angelo, Texas; Morgantown, W.Va.; Tacoma, Wash.; and Lenox, Mass. Alongside the addition of these new locations, Kohl’s will be modernizing its existing 1,165-store portfolio by transforming the flow of its interiors to include dedicated discovery zones with products from diverse- and female-owned companies. The company will also be expanding its partnership with beauty retailer Sephora through the addition of 850 of its Sephora at Kohl’s shop-in-shops by 2023. Sephora at Kohl’s shops, which typically occupy 2,500 square feet toward the front of the store, offer an expanded collection of the San Francisco-based retailer’s make-up, skin- and hair-care, and fragrance offerings. Kohl’s has also announced plans to roll-out omnichannel initiatives over the next year, including the ability …
Midwest
Wichita experienced considerable retail and restaurant expansion throughout 2021, with other new stores planned for 2022. The two biggest new players to Wichita include Top Golf at 29th Street and Greenwich Road, now under construction, and Scheel’s entering the market with a new 220,000-square-foot store to be located in the former Sears space at Towne East Square. Top Golf is anticipated to open in late 2022, spurring more retail activity on North Greenwich. Furniture stores have been actively backfilling big boxes, including Bob Mills who took the former Michael’s, and Wichita Furniture, a strong regional player, taking the former 100,000-square-foot Kmart building on West Kellogg/US-54. Discount stores have continued to find a way to open more locations to increase their footprints in the market, both new construction and conversion of former retail spaces. Ollie’s Bargain Outlet opened its west store at Central and Ridge roads, and is also opening a store at Brittany Center. Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) have been active, including two new locations opening in 2022 for Dunkin’ and several new Dutch Bros Coffee locations as they enter the market as well in late 2022 and 2023. Tropical Smoothie Café opened a location last year and Smoothie King …
Capitalizing on a changing marketplace and employing technology to streamline processes are essential strategies in helping small balance clients meet their goals. Ana Ramos, managing director and regional production head at Walker & Dunlop, emphasizes the importance of speed, creativity and using technology to assist in mortgage lending processes. She also emphasizes the centrality of teamwork, company ethos and technology to put a big emphasis on small balance loans. Walker & Dunlop defines “small loan” as up to $15 million for multifamily properties with five or more units. These clients are usually composed of smaller individual investors who need attention and education when it comes to mortgage lending. “It’s really hard for a large producer to think small, but it’s really easy for small producer to think big,” Ramos says. “It’s difficult for producers who are accustomed to institutional lending, with its higher fees and complex vesting structures to consider the credit parameters that are necessary in small balance loans. Small loans is a niche type of mortgage lending, and it only works if you have a company within a company, like Walker & Dunlop with its dedicated small loan team that works together through application, underwriting and closing.” Tech’s …
CHICAGO — EQ Office, the U.S. office portfolio company wholly owned by Blackstone, has completed its more than $500 million renovation of Chicago’s Willis Tower. The 110-story tower is now certified LEED Platinum and is the largest building in the U.S. to achieve that designation, according to EQ Office. Part of the transformation is Catalog, a 300,000-square-foot retail, dining and entertainment destination at the base of the tower. The name Catalog is a nod to the Sears Roebuck Co. and its printed catalog. Designed by Gensler, Catalog features restaurants such as Tortazo by Rick Bayless, Shake Shack, Joe & the Juice, Foxtrot, Starbucks, Brown Bag Seafood Co., Do-Rite Donuts & Chicken, Sushi-San and Sweetgreen. Kindling, a two-story restaurant concept from Chicago’s 50/50 Group, as well as Urbanspace, a food hall, are both slated to open in late summer or early fall. A 30,000-square-foot outdoor terrace sits atop Catalog. The Skydeck observatory at Willis Tower also underwent a renovation through partnerships with exhibit design firms Thinc and SOM. An interactive “best of Chicago” museum-like exhibit celebrates the personality, history and neighborhoods of Chicago. Gensler designed the building’s new exterior façade at the base. SKB Architecture and Design handled the design of …
KOKOMO, IND. — Stellantis N.V. and Samsung SDI have formed a joint venture with plans to invest more than $2.5 billion to build an electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant in Kokomo, about 50 miles north of Indianapolis. The facility is expected to become operational in 2025 with an initial annual production capacity of 23 gigawatt hours. The total capacity is expected to increase further as demand for Stellantis electric vehicles is expected to rise, according to a news release. The joint venture says the project will create 1,400 new jobs in Kokomo and surrounding areas. Construction is expected to begin later this year.
WEST JEFFERSON, OHIO — Stonemont Financial Group and The Pizzuti Cos. are co-developing a 1.1 million-square-foot speculative industrial project in West Jefferson, about 18 miles west of Columbus. Stonemont will acquire the facility upon completion, which is scheduled for the end of this summer. Named West Jeff One, the Class A project sits directly off I-70. The development features 209 car parking spaces, 110 trailer parking spaces and a clear height of up to 40 feet. The project marks Atlanta-based Stonemont’s first in the Columbus area.
AURORA, ILL. — BH Management Services has acquired Legacy at Fox Valley in Aurora for an undisclosed price. The 272-unit apartment community was built in 1998. The property recently underwent renovations to the amenities, major building systems and more than half of the unit interiors. Amenities include a clubhouse, event kitchen, outdoor heated pool, dog park and volleyball court. John Jaeger and Justin Puppi of CBRE represented the seller, White Oak Partners.
EVANSTON, ILL. — Kiser Group has arranged the sales of two multifamily properties in Evanston for $9.1 million. In the first transaction, a 12-unit building at 1901 Sherman Ave. sold for $5.1 million. The property is situated in close proximity to Northwestern University and has historically been fully occupied. The second building comprises 15 units at 1326 Chicago Ave. and sold for $4 million. Twelve of the units have been renovated. Kiser Group’s Danny Mantis, Matt Halper and Lee Kiser brokered the transactions. Buyer and seller information was not provided.
OVERLAND PARK, KAN. — Sentinel Real Estate Corp. has acquired Lexington Farms Apartments in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park. The 404-unit, garden-style apartment complex was originally constructed in 1997. Units average 972 square feet. Two-thirds of the units were recently updated, and Sentinel intends to renovate the remaining units. Amenities include a lounge area, coffee bar, two pools, tennis court, fitness center, dog park and barbecue area. The seller and sales price were not provided.
INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MINN. — A joint venture between PCCP and United Properties has broken ground on InverPoint 2, a 96,000-square-foot speculative industrial building in the Twin Cities suburb of Inver Grove Heights. The property will be situated at 8450 Courthouse Blvd. within the InverPoint Business Park. Completion is slated for late 2022. InverPoint 2 will feature a clear height of 28 feet, 12 dock doors, four drive-in doors, 108 surface parking stalls and five entrances. The facility will be able to accommodate tenants ranging in size from 16,000 to 96,000 square feet. InverPoint Business Park will include five buildings spanning 475,000 square feet upon full buildout.