CHICAGO — JLL Capital Markets has arranged a $153 million loan for the refinancing of 123 North Wacker, a 33-story office tower in Chicago’s central business district. The 550,000-square-foot building is situated in the West Loop submarket. The property has undergone more than $33 million in capital improvements over the past few years, including a reimagined lobby, a new tenant lounge and barista bar. Additional amenities include a conference center, fitness center, bike room and private rooftop terrace. The occupancy rate was not disclosed, but the property is home to 36 tenants. Keith Largay and Lucas Borges of JLL arranged the five-year, floating-rate bridge loan on behalf of the borrower, LaSalle Investment Management’s Income & Growth Fund Series. Mesa West Capital provided a $37 million mezzanine loan. LaSalle has owned the building since early 2017.
Midwest
ANN ARBOR, MICH. — Domino’s Pizza Inc. (NYSE: DPZ) reported that its global retail sales increased 12 percent in the fourth quarter and 10.4 percent in fiscal 2020. U.S. same-store sales grew 11.2 percent during the quarter and 11.5 percent for the year. However, the Ann Arbor-based pizza chain missed Wall Street’s estimates for its fourth-quarter earnings and revenue, according to CNBC. Pandemic costs weighed on profits and U.S. same-store sales growth slowed compared with prior quarters. Domino’s stock price closed at $364.59 per share on Wednesday, Feb. 24, down slightly from $368.66 per share one year ago. There are more than 17,600 stores in 90 markets worldwide. It is the largest pizza company in the world based on retail stores, according to the company.
RICHFIELD, MINN. — Domestic online sales for Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE: BBY) increased 89.3 percent in the fourth quarter on a year-over-year basis, according to the company. The Richfield-based retailer’s fourth quarter ended Jan. 30. “Online sales grew to a record $6.7 billion and made up 43 percent of our total domestic sales,” said CEO Corie Barry said in a news release. “Our stores played a pivotal role in the fulfillment of these sales, as almost two-thirds of our online revenue was either picked up in store or curbside, shipped from a store or delivered by a store employee.” Barry also announced that Best Buy would pay its employees a cash bonus in recognition of their efforts despite the pandemic. In the next few weeks, all hourly U.S. employees will receive $500 if they are full-time workers and $200 if part-time. The retailer is also encouraging its employees to get COVID vaccinations and will offer paid time off to do so. Best Buy’s fourth-quarter net income rose to $816 million, up from $745 million the year prior. Best Buy’s stock price closed at $113.24 per share on Wednesday, Feb. 24, up from $81.89 per share one year ago. There …
CHICAGO — Frontline Real Estate Partners LLC, Carr Realty Advisors LLC and Stillwater Advisory Group Inc. have formed a new joint venture known as Frontline Real Estate Partners- Shopping Mall and Lifestyle Division. The venture will provide its clients with receivership, property and asset management, and leasing and disposition services for malls and lifestyle centers. “We have all seen the downturn of malls in recent years, with low occupancy levels and retailers going into bankruptcy. The pandemic expedited that even more,” says Matthew Tarshis, principal of Frontline. “We felt the urgency to form this new joint venture to provide real estate solutions for the distressed portion of this niche asset class.” Tarshis is joined by Joey Carr of Carr Realty and Chris Facas of Stillwater. All three real estate firms are based in Chicago.
BROOKLYN CENTER AND BROOKLYN PARK, MINN. — Marcus & Millichap has negotiated the sale of two multifamily properties in suburban Minneapolis for $12.6 million. Built in the late 1960s, West Broadway Apartments in Brooklyn Park includes 59 units. Monthly rents range from $850 to $1,673. Sterling Square Apartments in Brooklyn Center features 54 units across four buildings. Units average 820 square feet and monthly rents range from $860 to $1,665. Abe Roberts of Marcus & Millichap marketed the properties on behalf of the seller and procured the buyer, a national investor.
Ralph Cram, president and manager of Envoy Net Lease Partners LLC, is responsible for providing strategy, marketing and investment advice on all aspects of net lease property investments. He believes 2021 will be a banner year for net lease, and that Envoy is particularly well suited when it comes to providing “one-stop shopping” for developers. Finance Insight: How is Envoy is different from a “normal” commercial real estate finance provider? Cram: Envoy’s focus is construction and bridge loan lending on single-tenant, net-lease properties in most commercial real estate segments such as retail, restaurant, medical and industrial properties. What differentiates us from most lenders is that first and foremost, Envoy can lend up to 100 percent of the total project costs. A developer receives all the project’s capital from one source without having to take on outside investors and time-consuming joint-venture (JV) and related agreements. Envoy’s “one-stop shopping” allows developers to concentrate on what they do best and provides the entirety of financing and other capital considerations for a given project. Second, the only thing we do is lend on net-lease properties, so we are experts. We don’t do an apartment loan one day and a PPP loan the next. We don’t leave, enter and then re-exit the net-lease market and …
DUBUQUE, IOWA — Alston Construction and Ware Malcomb have completed a new customer service center for Medline Industries Inc. in Dubuque. The 130,000-square-foot call center features more than 1,000 workstations. The project also features an outside patio as well as a 5,200-square-foot multipurpose room with a basketball court and fitness center. Medline, a manufacturer and distributor of healthcare supplies, has added more than 100 new jobs at the Dubuque facility. Alston served as general contractor and Ware Malcomb provided architecture and interior design services for the project.
MINNEAPOLIS — Blu Dot is expanding its headquarters in the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District to 60,000 square feet. Blu Dot, a furniture designer and retailer, will expand its onsite retail store and add creative office space for its employees. The company’s headquarters are located at the 20-acre Crown-Arts Center, which is owned by Chicago-based R2 Cos. Today, Blu Dot owns and operates 10 stores across the U.S. and three internationally.
URBANDALE, IOWA — Developer TWG is underway on construction of Lillis Lofts, a $10 million affordable housing project in Urbandale. TWG is developing the project with Dreamcatcher Inc., a Des Moines-based nonprofit that helps build housing for low-income individuals and those with disabilities. Located at 6313 Douglas Ave. near the Merle Hay Mall, the three-story Lillis Lofts is slated for completion this fall. It is the first affordable housing project in the area in more than two decades, according to TWG. The 43 units at Lillis Lofts will be designated for renters who earn between 30 and 60 percent of the area median income. Amenities will include a community room, fitness center and free internet connectivity. ID8 Architects designed the community. Polk County Housing Trust Fund contributed funds for the project.
EAST PEORIA, ILL. — Slumberland Furniture will open a new store at the former Gordmans space at The Levee District in East Peoria. The regional furniture retailer will occupy 50,221 square feet and will become an anchor tenant at the development. Slumberland offers a large selection of mattresses, bedding, living room furniture, recliners, tables, bedroom furniture, home entertainment and desks. Owned and managed by Cullinan Properties Ltd., The Levee District spans more than 86 acres with 650,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, as well as office, hotel and civic components.