GURNEE, ILL. — Family entertainment tenant Sky Zone has signed a 40,103-square-foot retail lease at Gurnee Mills Mall in the northern Chicago suburb of Gurnee. Sean McCourt and Alex Corno of CBRE represented the landlord, Simon Property Group. Gurnee Mills Mall is home to more than 200 retail, dining and entertainment options.
DES PLAINES, ILL. — Greenstone Partners has brokered the $3.6 million sale of a newly constructed, single-tenant retail building occupied by Guzman y Gomez in the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines. The quick-service restaurant specializes in fresh Mexican cuisine. Founded in Australia, the brand has expanded to more than 250 restaurants across Australia, Singapore, Japan and the U.S. The Des Plaines property at 2741 Mannheim Road marks the sixth U.S. location. Brewster Hague and Danny Spitz of Greenstone represented the seller, an Illinois-based developer, and procured the buyer, a local private investor.
OAK BROOK, ILL. — DesignPac, a subsidiary of 1-800-Flowers.com Inc., has inked a long-term lease for 17,447 square feet of flex office space at 2100 Swift Drive in the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook. Corey Chase of Newmark represented the tenant, which is a provider of gourmet gift baskets and sets for major retailers across North America. The new space will support the company’s multifaceted operations, including its design studio and showroom, product packaging and light manufacturing. Experimental Holdings owns the three-story, 58,010-square-foot property, which underwent a significant renovation in 2017. Ownership is adding an overhead door to the first floor to create a flex space that will enable the tenant to efficiently move products in and out of the facility. Patrick Kiefer and Dan O’Neill of NAI Hiffman represented the landlord.
By Chris Collins, Marcus & Millichap The Minneapolis–St. Paul apartment market is currently experiencing a transformation, shaped by shifting economic conditions, changing demographics and evolving public policy. Having strong fundamentals in past multifamily housing development, the Twin Cities have entered a period of recalibration. After years of record-breaking development numbers, the construction pipeline has slowed dramatically, while demand remains across the metro. Like many markets, the Twin Cities face affordability challenges, aging populations and regulatory uncertainty. A major factor of the current market is the sharp decrease in new apartment construction. Following a peak in multifamily housing permits of more than 15,000 in 2022, the Twin Cities saw a sharp decline to just 7,400 from April 2024 to March 2025. This steep reduction is largely driven by public policy such as rent control, operating costs and rising construction costs, which now average in the low to mid-$300,000 per unit, while the market value of newly built apartments hovers near $250,000. As a result, many developers find it financially unfeasible to break ground on new projects without substantial public subsidies. The construction pipeline has declined by more than 50 percent from its peak, and the number of units under construction will …
By Eric Taub When Bluetooth burst on the scene, Procter & Gamble thought it would be a great idea to incorporate the technology into its Oral-B toothbrushes. We can see how well that went over. And now that we can buy what is claimed to be the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI)-powered office chair from Backrobo, you’d be forgiven for thinking that our obsession with this latest technology is another prime example of irrational exuberance. AI has entered the “inflated expectations phase” of the so-called hype cycle, the point at which a new technology is touted as being able to solve everything. Unfortunately, that’s typically followed by a backlash of disillusionment, as AI companies fail and solutions don’t work. The rapid growth of AI makes this an ideal time to take a rational look at how the technology is applied to senior living. Industry observers and executives believe that, if done right, AI holds great potential to improve senior living operating efficiencies as well as the well-being of its residents. Several factors are generating heightened interest in the role of AI in senior living. Aging and Health Technology Watch, a market research and analysis platform focused on the intersection of …
RALEIGH, N.C. — Commercial real estate owner and operator KBS has completed the disposition of Park Central Apartments, a luxury high-rise multifamily property located in Raleigh. San Diego-based Fairfield Residential acquired the asset for $132.5 million. KBS developed Park Central Apartments in a joint venture with locally based Kane Realty Corp. Construction on the project began in 2015 and was completed in 2017. Totaling 286 apartments, the building also features 36,000 square feet of retail space. Current tenants at the property include food-and-beverage concept Happy + Hale, fitness studios Midtown Yoga and Orangetheory, ice cream shop Kilwins and Jabala Coffee. Amenities at the community include a sky deck with a saltwater pool, clubhouse, sauna, dog spa, fitness center, conference center and a dedicated parking garage. Situated in the North Hills district, the property features access to I-440 and walkability to a grocery store, multiple fitness concepts and dozens of restaurants, entertainment venues and retailers. Park Central Apartments is also located in proximity to downtown Raleigh and North Carolina State University. “Each project we’ve developed in North Hills has outperformed our underwriting, reinforcing our conviction to this live-work hub and our strategy,” says Allen Aldridge senior vice president at KBS and asset …
KILLEEN AND EDINBURG, TEXAS — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the sale of two Texas self-storage facilities totaling 802 units. Hallmark Mini Storage, located in the Central Texas city of Killeen, was built on 2.4 acres in 2002 and totals 36,350 net rentable square feet of space across eight buildings and 275 units. Superior Self Storage, located in the Rio Grande Valley city of Edinburg, was built on 3.9 acres in 2004 and totals 50,692 net rentable square feet of space across seven buildings and 527 units. The properties traded as part of a portfolio deal that included a 294-unit facility in Las Cruces, N.M. Stacey Gorman, Sam Slocum and Grace Folger of Marcus & Millichap represented the undisclosed seller in the transaction. The trio also collaborated with Marcus & Millichap’s Cameron Bradford to procure the buyers. An undisclosed investment group purchased Hallmark Mini Storage, and Wentworth Property Co. bought Superior Self Storage.
HOUSTON — Dallas-based multifamily developer Palladium USA has completed a $35 million mixed-income housing project in northeast Houston. Palladium Houston Ella is a three-story, 146-unit building that houses one-, two- and three-bedroom units. About 78 percent (115) of the units are reserved for renters earning between 30 and 60 percent of the area median income, and the remainder will be rented at market rates. Amenities include a pool, fitness center, conference center, dog park, computer lounge, kid’s play area and a clubroom. Palladium developed the project in partnership with the Harris County Housing Finance Corp. HEDK Architects designed the property, and Brownstone Construction served as the general contractor. Construction began in early 2024.
HOUSTON — CDC Houston, a subsidiary of New York City-based Coventry Development Corp., has completed the renovation of two hotels totaling 253 rooms within City Place, a 2,000-acre mixed-use development on the city’s north side. The 128-room Residence Inn Houston City Place, which opened in 2015, now features a redesigned lobby and public spaces with modern seating and improved lighting, as well as contemporary guestroom furnishings. The 125-room Courtyard Houston City Place, which opened in 2016, now features plush seating throughout guestrooms and public areas. Between them, the hotels offer multiple pools and fitness centers, as well as meeting and event spaces and onsite dining options.
EL PASO, TEXAS — Realterm, a Maryland-based investment manager focused on the transportation industry, has purchased a 34.1-acre industrial outdoor storage (IOS) facility in El Paso. Developed in 2017, the facility at 11090 Gateway Blvd. features 14,148 square feet of maintenance shop space with six drive-thru bays, 12,684 square feet of office space and 3,800 square feet of warehouse space with four dock doors for transloading. The facility was fully leased at the time of sale to TFA Logistics. The seller and sales price were not disclosed.
