HOUSTON — GE Energy will invest $10 million into the development of a 50,000-square-foot oil and gas training facility, located at GE's Drilling System Technology Center in Houston. The facility is slated to open in the fourth quarter of 2012, and will create approximately 100 new technical jobs.
TEMPE, ARIZ — Hiring solutions provider Verifications has signed a five-year lease for 20,179 square feet inside the Warner Crossing Business Park in Tempe. The lease is valued at $1.3 million. Verifications plans to utilize this space, located at 8260 South Hardy Drive, as its new Western service center. The company was represented by Mike Beall of Cushman & Wakefield. The business park’s ownership group, a West Coast special servicing company, was represented by Scott Nelson and Troy Nelson of Voit’s Phoenix office.
COCONUT GROVE, FLA. — The 46,900-square-foot Grove Plaza, a vacant, seven-story office building located at 2900 SW 28th Terrace in Coconut Grove, has sold for $3.4 million. Helen Weissman and Suzanne Lopez of Brenner Real Estate Group represented the seller, 1st United Bank, in the transaction. Silvia Lorenzo and Chip Black of Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell Realtors represented Valor Investments, the buyer.
MILWAUKEE — Verizon Wireless has signed a lease for 10,681 square feet of office space at 2514 S. 102nd St. in Milwaukee. Ned Purtell and Patti Stevens of RFP Commercial represented the landlord, Westminster Lincoln LLC, in the transaction.
SECAUCUS, N.J. — The Children's Place (TCP), an apparel retailer, has completed a $2 million renovation of its national headquarters at 500 Plaza Dr. in Secaucus. The 28,000-square-foot project included expanding the design department to the second floor. The space will be used to create retail products for TCP and house private offices. River Drive Construction served as the general contractor for the project, which took approximately 8 weeks to complete. The building owner is Secaucus-based Hartz Mountain Industries.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Parkway Properties has entered into an agreement to acquire the 972,000-square-foot Hearst Tower, an office building located in Charlotte's Central Business District, for $250 million. The building is 94 percent leased, and Bank of America will enter into a new 322,000-square-foot lease as part of the transaction. Additionally, TPG has agreed to make a $200 million investment in Parkway at a price of $11.25 per share. The purchase of Hearst Tower will initially be funded using the cash received from TPG, combined with borrowings on the company's credit facility.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The Rockefeller Group has completed construction of a 325,000-square-foot office building for BASF Corp. at The Green at Florham Park. The building is home to BASF's new North American headquarters. BASF, a diversified chemical company, had been located in an adjacent property in Florham Park since 2004. Construction of the building began in 2010. The facility has been designed to achieve LEED double platinum certification. The Green at Florham Park is a 268-acre, master-planned development.
MIDDLETON, WIS. — U.S. Bank and The Livesy Co. closed on the $27.5 million loan that will finance construction of Spectrum Brands Holdings' new world headquarters building in Middleton, a Madison suburb. Spectrum, the maker of Rayovac batteries, Remington shavers and small appliances, was founded in Madison as Rayovac Batteries in 1906. The company has been headquartered in the greater Madison area ever since for all but six years. Spectrum's new 222,000-square-foot headquarters will house 600 employees and include a technology center. Construction of the building is already under way and is scheduled to be completed in late 2013.
FOREST PARK, ILL. — GENCON Building Corp. has been selected to renovate the Duranco Inc. office, located at 7400 Industrial Dr. in Forest Park. The company will also undertake a 4,500-square-foot office addition. Work is already under way and is expected to be complete this summer. Philip Prince and Associates is handling the architectural services. Duranco manufactures weather stripping and specialty tape for a wide range of industries.
CHERRY HILL, N.J. — A partnership between Time Equities and Bergman Real Estate Group has purchased 51 Haddonfield Rd., a 100,000-square-foot office building in Cherry Hill, for $3.4 million. The property includes a glass atrium, cafe, fitness center and ample parking. The new owners plan to upgrade the property, including the parking lot and lobby. As part of TEI's Art in Buildings program, the company will create a rotating art gallery of work by local and national artists. The building offers space ranging from 1,200 square feet to 22,000 square feet for immediate lease.
