CHICAGO — Duke Realty Corp. has signed five leases with industrial tenants for four of its properties within metro Chicago. The leases total 860,296 square feet. Susan Bergdoll and Casey Grant of Duke represented the company in all the lease transactions. At Airport Logistics Center in Romeoville, RJW Logistics leased the entire 543,780-square-foot speculative building that delivered in August. Dominic Carbonari and Frank Griffin of JLL represented the tenant and Jason West and Sean Henrick of Cushman & Wakefield marketed the property for lease. Coda Resources leased all of the 183,296-square-foot speculative building known as 990 North Avenue in Glendale Heights. Frank Melchert of Cawley Chicago represented the tenant, while Kelly Disser, Eric Tresslar and Michael Freitag of NAI Hiffman served as listing brokers. At 375 W. South Frontage Road in Bolingbrook, Battery Systems signed a new lease for 17,850 square feet and Corrosion Materials renewed its 17,850-square-foot lease. Brian Kling and John Bolster of Colliers International represented Battery Systems. Ryan Earley and Terry Grapenthin of Lee & Associates were the listing brokers. Lastly, Black Horse Carriers signed a 97,520-square-foot lease at 1835 West Jefferson in Naperville. George Pappas of Hartford Associates represented the tenant and Brian Kling and David …
GLEN ELLYN, ILL. — Pete’s Fresh Market has opened at Baker Hill in Glen Ellyn, about 25 miles west of downtown Chicago. The store occupies 72,397 square feet at the shopping center owned by Phillips Edison & Co. Inc. (PECO). It is the regional grocer’s 15th location in the Chicagoland area. Since 2017, PECO has executed a comprehensive redevelopment at the property in partnership with the village of Glen Ellyn. In addition to the opening of Pete’s, improvements at the property include LED lighting, two electric vehicle charging stations and a new roof. Other tenants at the 135,355-square-foot Baker Hill include Orangetheory Fitness, Learning Express and Massage Envy.
CHICAGO — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the sales of two multifamily properties on Chicago’s North Side for a combined $7.5 million. Kyle Stengle of Marcus & Millichap marketed the properties on behalf of the sellers. The first property, 1044 W. Newport Ave., is a two-story, nine-unit building in the Lakeview neighborhood. It sold for $4 million. Both the buyer and seller were local partnerships. The second property, 3507-3511 N. Elston Ave. in the Avondale neighborhood, is a four-story, 12-unit building. It sold for $3.5 million. Chicago-based Brennan Investments purchased the building from a California-based seller.
LIVONIA, MICH. — Gerdom Realty & Investment has arranged the sale of a 23,900-square-foot retail and office property in Livonia for an undisclosed price. The two-building asset is located on Middlebelt Road between 5 Mile and 6 Mile roads. Larry Siedell, Michael Murphy and Tjader Gerdom brokered the sale. A local investor purchased the property with plans to complete an exterior renovation. Gerdom will remain as the listing broker.
Chicago real estate has been the subject of considerable pessimism from local and national investors due to a variety of factors. Much of this can be blamed on our unfunded pension liability, which is expected to significantly increase real estate taxes across the area in the coming years. Many institutional multifamily investors claim that their data says to avoid Chicago. Instead, they seek multifamily properties at far lower returns and cap rates in places such as Nashville, Austin and Denver. While I believe those cities offer phenomenal investments, investors across the country are missing an amazing opportunity to invest in Chicago apartment properties. Real estate taxes Everyone seems to agree that real estate taxes will rise significantly in Chicago in the coming years. Who pays real estate taxes? Homeowners, commercial landlords and some businesses. Noticeably absent from this list are apartment renters who are generally unaffected by an increase in real estate taxes. In fact, a significant rise in residential real estate taxes should create even more demand for rental apartments in the Chicagoland area as would-be homeowners shift into the rental pool. Effect of high tax rates Do Chicagoans leave the city because of high tax rates? The data …
PARK FOREST AND UNIVERSITY PARK, ILL. — JLL has arranged the sale of Central Park Apartments and Governor’s House Apartments for $25.7 million. David Gaines, Wick Kirby, Mark Barnes and Kevin Girard of JLL represented the seller, a joint venture between Buligo Capital Partners and Ferndale Realty Group. Bender Cos. was the buyer. Jason Bond and Trent Niederberger of JLL originated $20.5 million in acquisition financing through Fannie Mae. The 220-unit Central Park Apartments is located at 11 Fir St. in Park Forest and the 96-unit Governor’s House Apartments is located at 871 Burnham Drive in University Park. Both communities are approximately 30 miles south of downtown Chicago.
SHERBURN, MINN. — Environmental Liability Transfer Inc. (ELT) has purchased the retired Fox Lake generating station from Alliant Energy. The purchase price was not disclosed. The transaction included the purchase of real estate assets, machinery and equipment and the assumption of legacy environmental liabilities associated with the site. ELT will oversee the decommissioning and demolition process as well as environmental remediation obligations going forward. The facility is located in Sherburn along the south bank of Fox Lake. Coal-fired operations began at the plant in 1950 before it was converted to natural gas in the 1990s. The generating station provided power to more than 100,000 homes in Martin County before it was retired in 2017. The timeline for completion of environmental remediation and demolition projects is three years, at which point the site will be marketed for reuse.
MAPLE GROVE, MINN. — Hanley Investment Group Real Estate Advisors has negotiated the sale of a two-tenant retail building in Maple Grove for $9.2 million. Bank of America and Crave American Kitchen & Sushi Bar occupy the newly built property, which is situated at the intersection of Elm Creek Boulevard and Main Street. Jeff Lefko and Bill Asher of Hanley represented the seller, OneCorp. Jim Batlle of Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT represented the buyer, a California-based private investor. The sales price represents a cap rate of 5.66 percent.
TROY, MICH. — L. Mason Capitani CORFAC International has arranged the sale of the Coventry Place office property in Troy for an undisclosed price. The building is located on West Big Beaver Road and is fully occupied by 23 tenants. Mason L. Capitani and Al Shulin of L. Mason Capitani represented the seller, Summit Coventry LLC. Mason L. Capitani represented the buyer, California-based LSTC. L. Mason Capitani will continue to oversee leasing at Coventry Place while the firm’s affiliate company, Liberty Property & Asset Management, will manage the property.
NILES, MICH. — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the sale of Niles Plaza in southwest Michigan for $2.6 million. The 15,128-square-foot retail property is located at 2010 S. 11th St. It is fully leased to Wings Etc., Verizon Wireless, Anytime Fitness, Edward Jones, Allied Cash Advance, H&R Block and Joe’s Barber. Jesse Limon, Damien Yoder, Julia Evinger and Steven Chaben of Marcus & Millichap marketed the property on behalf of the seller, a local family investment company. A Las Vegas-based limited liability company purchased the asset.