Office

5550-Macadam-Portland-OR

PORTLAND, ORE. — ScanlanKemperBard and WHI Real Estate Partners have completed the sale of 5550 Macadam, an office building located in Portland. The name of the buyer and acquisition price were not released. Renovated in 2019, the three-story, 43,151-square-foot building features updated common areas, locker rooms and restrooms; a modern, light-filled lobby; and lush landscaping. The property offers 14,000-square-foot floor plates and was 89 percent leased at the time of sale. Buzz Ellis, Logan Greer and Adam Taylor of JLL Capital Markets represented the seller in the transaction.

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NAPLES, FLA. — Forefront Collier Venture LLC has purchased an approximately 75,875-square-foot office, warehouse and flex property located at 1030, 1035 and 1040 Collier Center Way in Naples. The sellers were Star Investments Inc., Collier Center Way Development Inc. and Business Lane Development Inc. David Stevens of Investment Properties Corp. and Clay Winfield of WBDC Inc. represented the sellers in the transaction. Brock Rasmussen of Lee & Associates represented the buyer.

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11-Avenue-de-Lafayette-Boston

BOSTON — A joint venture between owner-operator MC Real Estate Partners LLC (MCRE) and an affiliate of New York City-based Taconic Capital Partners LP has acquired 11 Avenue de Lafayette, a 57,000-square-foot office building in downtown Boston. Scott Dragos and Tim Mulhall of CBRE represented the seller, nonprofit educational travel organization Elderhostel, in the transaction. As part of the deal, Elderhostel will now occupy a full floor of the five-story building via a sale-leaseback. The remaining 40,000 square feet of space is available for lease.

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NEW YORK CITY — Tishman Speyer has opened two new spaces for Studio, the locally based landlord’s coworking concept, at 11 W. 42nd St. and 175 Varick St. in Manhattan. The first location spans approximately 40,000 square feet, and the second one comprises three floors with the potential to grow to 80,000 square feet. The spaces feature private offices of various sizes, and members have access to an on-demand and onsite suite of amenities created by Tishman Speyer. Those amenities include in-person and virtual wellness and fitness programs, backup childcare, food delivery and onsite medical services.

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DALLAS — Locally based owner United Development Co. has completed renovations of Park Forest, an office building located at 3530 Forest Lane in Dallas. The project began in 2018 with the relocation of office tenants from two one-story buildings to a three-story, 66,299-square-foot building. The project also included upgrades to the new building’s common areas, amenity spaces and exteriors. The two one-story buildings were demolished, and a Lone Star Self Storage facility will open in their place in June.

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Art-Gensler-SanFran-CA

SAN FRANCISCO — M. Art Gensler Jr., founder of San Francisco-based global design firm Gensler, passed away on Monday. At the age of 85, Gensler died at his Mill Creek, Calif., home following an 18-month battle with lung disease, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. In 1965, along with his wife Drucilla Cortell Gensler and James Follett, Gensler co-founded the design firm M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates in San Francisco. Since its founding, the firm has grown from a three-person operation to more than 5,000 employees across 50 locations globally. “Art didn’t want to be a ‘starchitect,’” says Andy Cohen, Gensler co-CEO. “In fact, what he built was a constellation of stars by hiring smart people and getting out of their way. It’s why Gensler is a pioneer in our industry, and Art’s legacy will remain embedded in our firm’s unique culture.”

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Weston Corporate Center

WESTON, FLA. — KBS has sold a two-building, 149,103-square-foot office campus in Weston, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale in Broward County. The Class A property, Weston Corporate Center, was sold to an affiliate of Banyan Street Capital for $52.3 million. Christian Lee and José Lobón of CBRE represented KBS in the sale transaction. KBS acquired Weston Corporate Center in 2015 and implemented upgrades to the center, including updated atrium lobbies with new furniture and a coffee bar, as well as a full renovation of all the multi-tenant restrooms in both buildings. In addition, the KBS previously implemented significant structural enhancements, including a new roof section on Weston Corporate Center I, substantial HVAC and LED lighting upgrades, a resealed and restriped parking lot and an updated exterior sitting area. Weston Corporate Center is located at 2500 Weston Road and 2700 S. Commerce Parkway, and is located close to Interstates 75, 595 and 95 and the Florida Turnpike. Built in 1997 and 1998, Weston Corporate Center comprises two four-story buildings that were a combined 94 percent leased at the time of sale.

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BEDFORD, MASS. — A partnership between boutique investment manager Optimum Asset Management, Boston-based developer Redgate and AEW Capital Management LP has purchased a 52-acre commercial campus in Bedford, located northwest of Boston. The new ownership plans to convert the existing 288,000-square-foot anchor office building into a life sciences facility. The site also has the capacity to support another 300,000 square feet of office, lab and manufacturing space. The seller was not disclosed. Matt Sherry and Jon Schneider of JLL brokered the sale. JLL is also marketing the property for lease.

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LEAWOOD, KAN. — Torch.AI, a global artificial intelligence firm, has unveiled plans to expand its operations in Leawood and create nearly 500 full-time jobs over five years as part of a $27 million tax incentive package awarded by the Kansas Department of Commerce. The firm plans to hire more than 100 new professionals this year alone. Torch.AI is also making a significant capital investment in collaborative workspaces for its employees. The announcement comes on the heels of Torch.AI’s $30 million raise in Series A funding to accelerate its overall growth strategy. WestCap Group, a San Francisco-based investment firm, led the funding.

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NEW YORK CITY — Macy’s Inc. (NYSE: M) has unveiled plans to overhaul its flagship Herald Square store at the corner of 34th Street and Seventh Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. The plan would add a commercial office tower atop the store. The size and design features of the office component were not disclosed. The plan includes a private investment totaling $235 million by Macy’s that would modernize the public spaces around the flagship store, including upgraded subway access, improved transit connections and pedestrian-friendly and car-free streetscapes at Broadway Plaza and Herald Square. Macy’s would improve Herald Square Subway Station’s entrances and add publicly accessible elevators at Seventh Avenue, Broadway, 34th Street and 35th Street that are compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The renewal plan is expected to generate $269 million annually in new tax revenues for New York City, support 16,290 annual jobs and spark $4.29 billion in annual economic output, according to Macy’s. “Today’s announcement is a resounding vote of confidence for Manhattan and the entire state, and a strong indication that New York’s retailers and consumers will drive this economic recovery,” says Melissa O’Connor, president and CEO of the Retail Council of New York State, the …

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