By Gregory Schaffer Pennsylvania property owners and tenants, who pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation, are no doubt aware of the annual deadline to file a property tax appeal. After all, one look at a new tax bill is often enough to make even the most seasoned tax manager scramble to contact their local tax counsel. However, very few taxpayers are aware that the assessment they may have accepted as favorable could easily trigger a reverse appeal filed by the local school district. Assessment appeals filed by the taxing entities, often referred to as reverse appeals, are increasingly common as cash-strapped school districts seek to fill their coffers. Just as a tax manager might view an inflated assessment as a reason to appeal, more and more school districts see potentially under-assessed properties as a much-needed source of additional revenue. To the bane of many taxpayers, this tactic has now reached the city of Philadelphia. Despite undergoing a citywide property revaluation for the 2014 tax year, with another currently slated for 2018, the Philadelphia School District recently decided to begin filing reverse appeals against properties it feels are under-assessed. On Sept. 15, 2016, for the first time, …
MEMPHIS, TENN. — The Shopping Center Group has arranged leases with five new tenants at Crosstown Concourse, a 1.5 million-square-foot mixed-use development in midtown Memphis. The project is a redevelopment of a former Sears distribution center constructed in 1927. The new retailers and restaurants joining the tenant lineup include Farm Burger, Area 51 Ice Cream, MEMPOPS, SunTrust Bank and Gloss Nail Bar. Existing tenants include Kitchen Next Door, FedEx Office, Crosstown Brewing Co., Curb Market, I Love Juice, Mama Gaia, French Truck Coffee, Madison Pharmacy, So Nuts and Confections and Hope Credit Union. Crosstown Concourse features 620,000 square feet of commercial and office space, 265 residential units and 65,000 square feet of first-floor retail space. Shawn Massey led The Shopping Center Group is leasing Crosstown Concourse’s retail portion on behalf of the ownership group, Crosstown Building Owner Master Tenant LLC.
WORCESTER, MASS. — David Cohen and Jim Cozza and Kelleher & Sadowsky Associates have brokered the $5.5 million sale of 225 Shrewsbury St. in Worcester. The 33,000-square-foot retail space is located on 2.4 acres. The property currently includes four current tenants and will be expanded this year.
OCEANSIDE, CALIF. — Kellermeyer Bergensons Services LLC, an Oceanside-based provider of retail and grocery technology, has purchased Image by J&K LLC, a provider of facilities maintenance services. Image was founded in 2006 and operates in 34 states. GI Partners, a private equity investment firm, is the majority owner of Kellermeyer Bergensons Services.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS — The Kase Group has closed the sale of a 3,896-square-foot restaurant property located at 3300 Hulen St. in Fort Worth. The building is currently leased to McDonald’s. Robert Walker of The Kase Group represented the seller, an undisclosed developer, and procured the buyer, a California-based principal.
MOUNT PROSPECT, ILL. — Adelphia Properties has arranged the sale of a newly constructed retail property in Mount Prospect, a northwest suburb of Chicago, for $3.4 million. The 5,904-square-foot building is located at 100 W. Rand Road across from Randhurst Village. Potbelly Sandwich Shop and American Mattress occupy the building. A Chicago-based developer was the seller. Simeon Spirrison and George Spirrison of Adelphia Properties represented the buyer, a private real estate investor.
MILWAUKEE — Baceline Investments LLC has acquired two retail centers in the North Shore of Milwaukee for $2.8 million. Point Plaza is a 13,840-square-foot shopping center located at 8333 W. Appleton Ave. Baceline purchased the property from R&D Point Plaza LLC for $900,000. Glendale Square is a 17,880-square-foot center located at the corner of N. Green Bay Avenue and W. Green Tree Road. Baceline purchased Glendale Square for $1.9 million from Buckmann LLC. Both sellers are Wisconsin-based companies. Combined, the properties are currently 86 percent occupied. Baceline is based in Denver.
HOLLAND, MICH. — Cherry Republic, a Michigan-based retailer of cherry food creations, will open a 2,745-square-foot store in Holland this month. The store is located at 29 W. 8th St., about 28 miles southwest of Grand Rapids. This is the sixth location for Cherry Republic in Michigan. The company operates other locations in Glen Arbor, Traverse City, Charlevoix, Ann Arbor and Frankenmuth. Todd Leinberger of NAI Wisinski of West Michigan assisted Cherry Republic in securing the Holland location.
KATY, TEXAS — NewQuest Properties has begun on the first round of fast food restaurants at Grand Morton Town Center, an 89-acre retail center located at the corner of Grand Parkway and Morton Ranch Road in Katy on Houston’s eastern outskirts. Taco Bell will open a 29,815-square-foot location and McDonald’s will operate a 67,894-square foot site, with both slated to open in late summer. Whataburger and Chick-fil-A will follow at year’s end with 42,574-square-foot and 59,699-square-foot ground-leased sites, respectively.
ST. PAUL, MINN. — Gander Mountain Co. and its subsidiaries have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The decision is the result of an in-depth review of the company’s strategic options undertaken in recent months to preserve the value of the company and position it for long-term success, according to a news release. St. Paul-based Gander Mountain, an outdoor retail network with stores across 26 states, will sell the company while continuing operations. An auction will be held in late April and the sale is expected to be complete by May 15. The company generally expects to conduct normal business operations during the restructuring period, but 32 underperforming retail locations will begin a shutdown process in the next several weeks. The company has obtained a committed debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing facility underwritten by Wells Fargo. Subject to court approval, this DIP financing, combined with cash from operations, is expected to provide sufficient liquidity to support the company’s continuing business operations and to minimize any disruption during the reorganization process. The petitions were filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota. Houlihan Lokey Capital Inc. is serving as financial advisor and investment banker to Gander Moutain. Lighthouse Management Group …