CHICAGO — Ready Capital has provided a $44.4 million loan for the acquisition and stabilization of a 473,000-square-foot Class B office building in Chicago’s East Loop. The nonrecourse, floating-rate loan will provide funds for the leasing costs associated with extending tenants long term and stabilizing the rent roll at market rents, according to Ready Capital. The loan features a 48-month term and a loan-to-cost ratio of 71 percent, with one extension option and flexible prepayment. The borrower was not disclosed.
Merchants Capital Secures $16M Construction Financing for Affordable Housing Property in Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS — Merchants Capital has secured $16 million in construction and permanent financing for The Redwell, a 109-unit affordable housing property in the North Loop District of Minneapolis. The financing includes a Merchants Bank of Indiana construction loan and a Fannie Mae mortgage-backed security as tax-exempt bond (M.TEB) forward loan. This type of Fannie Mae loan can be used to finance the new construction and rehabilitation of multifamily affordable housing properties. Financing also included $7.9 million in low-income housing tax credit equity. Schafer Richardson and WNC were the borrowers. The Redwell will rise six stories and include first-floor commercial space. The Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) will provide 22 Section 8 vouchers whereby households will pay 30 percent of their income toward rent, with the balance paid by federal subsidies administered by MPHA. The remaining units will be priced at the fair-market rate for 60 percent of the area median income.
BAYFIELD, WIS. — Stan Johnson Co. has brokered the $7.8 million sale of a 26,640-square-foot office building in Bayfield in upstate Wisconsin along Lake Superior. The National Park Service occupies the single-tenant building, which is located at 37705 Roys Point Blvd. The property serves as a marina, boat maintenance facility and field office for the 21 islands and 43,000 acres of public lands that make up the Apostle Islands National Park. Scott Briggs of Stan Johnson represented the seller, Wisconsin-based Roy’s Pointe LP. Delaware-based Bayfield WI I SGF LLC purchased the property.
CHICAGO — Tishman Speyer has released renderings for 320 N. Sangamon, a 13-story, 270,000-square-foot office project in Chicago’s Fulton Market District. Along with its co-developer Goodman & Associates, Tishman Speyer plans to break ground on the project on Thursday, Sept. 26. Completion is slated for the first quarter of 2021. The building will feature floor plates ranging from 25,000 to 28,000 square feet. Employees at the property will have access to ZO, Tishman Speyer’s offering of lifestyle services and amenities. Solomon Cordwell Buenz is the project architect. Ellen May and Joe Gordon of Tishman Speyer will market the property for lease.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — PCCP has formed a joint venture with The Pizzuti Cos. to develop a two-building industrial complex in Columbus totaling 539,094 square feet. Known as Rickenbacker West II and III, the speculative project will be situated adjacent to CreekSide Industrial Center. Completion is slated for mid-2020. The 277,692-square-foot Rickenbacker II will be situated on 16.9 acres while the 261,402-square-foot Rickenbacker III will be situated on 22.9 acres. Both facilities will feature a clear height of 32 feet, secure truck courts, LED warehouse lighting and ample parking.
DES MOINES, IOWA — Dougherty Mortgage LLC has provided a $26.7 million Fannie Mae loan for the refinancing of Soll Apartments in Des Moines. Constructed in 2018, the 165-unit apartment complex rises four stories and includes 12,996 square feet of retail space. Amenities include a fitness center, community room, rooftop patio, pool and bike storage. The 15-year loan features a 30-year amortization schedule. 2301 Ingersoll LLC was the borrower.
TOLEDO, OHIO — Cooper Commercial Investment Group has brokered the sale of a two-building medical asset anchored by Bon Secours Mercy Health in Toledo for $4.3 million. The property is fully leased. Dan Cooper of Cooper Group represented the seller, a private investment group. Cooper also procured the buyer, a Texas-based medical real estate company. The sales price represents a cap rate of 8.1 percent.
CHICAGO — International coworking company Offix has opened its first U.S. office at Catalyst Lofts in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. Offix occupies 6,394 square feet at 917 W. 18th St. Besides flexible workspace and private offices, Offix members have access to meeting rooms, business lobbies, a fully equipped kitchen and event lounge. Chad Schroedl and Adam Thomas of SVN Chicago Commercial represented the undisclosed landlord in the lease transaction. Leibel Moscowitz of Vandon Forbes Real Estate represented the tenant.
Our Twin Cities office market remains strong as the population of millennials and empty nesters continues to migrate to first- and second-ring areas, bringing revitalization and new investment into the city’s commerce and infrastructure. With vacancies remaining exceptionally low and fewer developments on the horizon, rents have shown consistent growth. We are seeing fewer new buildings under construction for single-tenant users. Most are geared toward multi-tenant, mixed-use concepts. Newly renovated buildings with many amenities are performing well in attracting and keeping tenants. With the metro’s unemployment right around 3 percent and employers with jobs to fill, tenants have the leverage. Offering modern and high-tech communal spaces with multiple amenities is key. Tenants and buyers are leveraging this trend, therefore spaces with the allure of contemporary and updated finishes are highly desired. It is imperative that landlords and owners renovate and update their buildings in order to stay relevant in today’s market. Many tenants are simply moving from one space to another nearby because it has been updated and improved upon. That is one of the bigger challenges — improvements that keep the space relevant. Space configurations Employers often offset higher rent costs by embracing space efficiency and flexible workspace strategies …
DEARBORN, MICH. — Ford Motor Co. has unveiled plans to transform its Research & Engineering Center in Dearborn into a high-tech campus for its thousands of designers, engineers and product development workers. The heart of the project will be a new central campus building, which will sit on the site of Ford’s 66-year-old product development center. Construction of the new building is slated for completion in 2025. The new facility will help Ford speed product and technology innovation and attract world-class talent, according to a news release. Ultimately, the master plan envisions a campus of interconnected buildings that could one day house more than 20,000 employees. The new master plan is the result of a two-year research and planning process led by architect Snohetta. Plans call for an increase in public spaces and shared pathways, as well as coffee shops and restaurants.