CARROLLTON, TEXAS — Henry S. Miller Cos. has arranged a 5,000-square-foot industrial office lease for WaterCentric at 4720 Dozier Road in Carrollton. Fred Dumlao of Henry S. Miller Cos. worked on behalf of the landlord, Larry Osterman, in the leasing negotiations. WaterCentric provides long-term water strategies, water rights permitting and alternative source implementation for clients.
THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS — Fogo de Chão, a Brazilian steakhouse, has signed a lease agreement to open a new location in Restaurant Row at Hughes Landing, a 66-acre mixed-use development offering views of the 200-acre Lake Woodlands. This will be the second Houston-area location for the steakhouse. Rob Rowe of Sierra U.S. and Jack Breard of CBRE | UCR represented Fogo de Chão, and Rip Reynolds of The Howard Hughes Corp. represented The Woodlands Development Co. in leasing negotiations.
Cleveland will host the Republican National Convention in July 2016. In response, hospitality firms have steadily expanded payrolls with the addition of 9,200 workers, the biggest relative gain among all employment sectors. The overall labor force will expand 1.6 percent this year, or by 16,500 new workers. Thousands of these newly employed workers are seeking rental housing, particularly in the urban core where housing prices are much higher than the metro average. In addition, the urban core’s transformation to a 24-hour city has created its own momentum. Demand Exceeds Supply High net absorption outpaced construction during the past four quarters, putting downward pressure on vacancy. Last year, average vacancy dropped 160 basis points as tenants absorbed more than 3,400 units. In the last 12-month period ending in June, nearly every Cleveland submarket posted a drop in vacancy. Net absorption is expected to end the year more than 40 percent higher, with vacancy projected to slide 50 basis points to 3.4 percent, one of the lowest levels in the country. Builders have responded by expanding the project pipeline. More than 1,700 rental units have already come on line during the past year. However, compared with almost any other major metro in the country, this is just a drop in the bucket. …
MEDINA, OHIO — The Cooper Commercial Investment Group has brokered the sale of Stonegate Center, a retail center located at 3735 Stonegate Drive in Medina. The 15,300-square-foot center sold for $1.3 million. Built in 2000, the property is shadow anchored by Walmart Supercenter, Kohl’s and Hobby Lobby. Bob Havasi and Dan Cooper of Cooper Group represented the seller, an Ohio-based private investor. The Ohio-based buyer acquired the property for 95 percent of the list price representing a 7.5 percent capitalization rate.
MENDOTA HEIGHTS, MINN. — HD Supply has signed a lease for a 31,000-square-foot industrial building located at 1400 Commerce Drive in Mendota Heights. The industrial distributor will move into the single-story office warehouse building later this year. The company plans to operate its specialty construction and industrial division at the location, which will expand its reach into the greater Minneapolis area. Tony DelDotto of Cushman & Wakefield|NorthMarq represented the landlord, United Properties, while Matthew Dornak of Stream Realty and Eddie Rymer of Carlson Commercial represented the tenant in the transaction.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. — NAI Wisinski of West Michigan has brokered the lease of 9,160 square feet of retail space in Grand Rapids. Dollar Tree will occupy the space at Remembrance Landing retail center located at 3500 Remembrance Road. The space is currently is being renovated with an anticipated opening date of mid- to late January 2016. Rod Alderink of NAI Wisinksi represented the undisclosed landlord in the transaction.
CHICAGO — KTGY Group Inc. has opened a new office in downtown Chicago to expand its services in the Midwest. Veteran designers Craig Pryde and David Kennedy, both former principals of PPK Architects, will head the new studio. Pryde has designed and managed commercial and residential projects of all sizes, from new construction to renovation, adaptive reuse and expansion of existing buildings, including historical structures. Kennedy has extensive experience in the design of mixed-use residential projects and urban infill development projects, including large-scale commercial and low-, mid- and high-rise residential developments. The new office is located at 343 W. Erie St., Suite 220 in Chicago.
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. — China Railway Rolling Stock Corp. has broken ground on its 200,000-square-foot facility in Springfield. Situated on 40 acres, the $60 million facility will be used to manufacture 284 subway cars for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). MBTA awarded the China-based company a $566 million contract to supply care for Boston’s Red and Orange subway. The company purchased the former Westinghouse-owned land for $12 million. China Railway Rolling Stock Corp. was recently formed through a merger between China North Locomotive and Rolling Stock Industry Corp. and the China South Locomotive and Rolling Stock Corp. The company plans to begin production next year and deliver its first cars in 2018.
PHILADELPHIA — A joint venture between affiliates of Alterra Property Group and Stockton Real Estate Advisors has acquired an office building located at 1760 Market St. in Philadelphia’s Center City. Located at the corner of 18th and Market streets, the 15-story, 126,000-square-foot property is occupied by Allied Barton, GSA Federal Transit Administration and The Philadelphia Trust Company, among others. The partnership plans to reposition the building as a premier location for Philadelphia’s business community. The repositioning will include retrofitting the exterior with LED lighting and upgrades to the lobby and common areas to give the building a more contemporary look. Stockton Real Estate Advisors will assume on-site leasing and management responsibilities on behalf of the joint venture. The sales price was not disclosed.
HANOVER, N.J. — Vision Realty Estate Partners and Rubenstein Properties have topped off the steel structure for the development of MetLife Investments’ global headquarters at 67 Whippany Road in Hanover. Situated on 14 acres, the 185,000-square-foot office facility has been designed to meet LEED Gold Core and Shell and LEED Platinum Interiors standards. The building will feature an open floor plan with collaborative workspaces and breakout rooms, a town hall with technologically advanced conference facilities, a fitness center, an employee food court with indoor and outdoor seating, and a café. Additionally, the property will offer 4.5 parking spaces per 1,000 feet of rentable area through a combination of surface, structured and underground executive parking. The building, which will house more than 900 MetLife employees, is slated for delivery in the third quarter of 2016.