SEATTLE — Kevin Johnson, president and chief operating officer of Starbucks Corp. and a seven-year member of the Starbucks board of directors, will assume the role and responsibilities of president and chief executive officer, effective April 3, 2017. Also effective April 3, 2017, Howard Schultz, chairman and CEO, will be appointed executive chairman and will shift his focus to innovation, design and development of Starbucks Reserve Roasteries around the world, expansion of the Starbucks Reserve retail store format and the company’s social impact initiatives. In this new role Schultz will continue to serve as chairman of the board. As president and chief operating officer since March 2015, Johnson has led the company’s global operating businesses across all geographies as well as the core support functions of Starbucks supply chain, marketing, human resources, technology, and mobile and digital platforms. Johnson has been a Starbucks board member since 2009, and will continue to serve as a member of the Starbucks board of directors. Johnson’s career spans 33 years in the technology industry, which included a 16-year career at Microsoft and a 5-year tour as CEO of Juniper Networks. Founed in 1971, Starbucks Coffee Co. has more than 25,000 stores around the globe.
LOS ANGELES — Meridian Capital Group, on behalf of Decron Properties, has arranged a $10 million loan for Playa Lincoln, a shopping center located at 8701 Lincoln Blvd. in Los Angeles. The grocery-anchored center features 73,000 square feet of retail space. Additionally, Meridian secured an $88 million loan for Playa Del Oro II, a multifamily property located at 7280 W. Manchester Ave. in Los Angeles. The asset features 260 apartment units and 5,000 square feet of retail space. The 10-year loans, provided by a life insurance company, feature five years of interest-only payments. Seth Grossman and Sarah Kuebler of Meridian Capital Group arranged the financing for the borrower.
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — Regency Centers Corp. will develop Chimney Rock, a ground-up retail property in Bridgewater. The $70 million development will feature 218,000 square feet of retail space, anchored by Somerset County’s first Whole Foods Market. Additional retailers will include Nordstrom Rack, Saks Off 5th, Ulta and The Container Store. Construction is underway, with completion slated for summer 2018.
NEW YORK CITY — A10 Capital has provided a $27 million bridge loan for the refinancing of a retail and multifamily property located in Manhattan’s SoHo district. The five-story, 14,500-square-foot property features ground-floor retail space, which is leased to a brand name national clothing line, and four loft-style 2,500-square-foot apartments on the upper floors. The two-year, floating rate bridge loan refinanced the undisclosed borrower’s existing $23.5 million loan and provided an additional $2 million in proceeds to the borrower at closing. Cary Pollack and Judah Neuman of Meridian Capital Group arranged the financing for the borrower.
NEW YORK CITY — Nike Inc. has signed a 15-year lease for retail space at 650 Fifth Ave. in New York City’s Plaza District from landlord SL Green Realty Corp. and partner Jeff Sutton. The retailer will occupy 69,214 square feet, covering seven floors, which is the entire retail component of the 36-story office building. According to the New York Post, the transaction is valued at more than $700 million across the lease’s 15-year term.
ORLANDO, FLA. — Morgan Wiseman CRE, an Orlando-based retail broker, has arranged the $9.5 million sale of Pine Hills Marketplace, a 268,000-square-foot shopping center located on West Colonial Drive in Orlando. Built in 1965, the property was 70 percent leased at the time of sale and includes three outparcels, which are ground leased. The buyer, a private investment group based in Asia, purchased the property from AIG Investments in an off-market transaction. Florida Bank of Commerce provided acquisition financing in the deal. Morgan Wiseman represented the buyer, and AIG Investments was self-represented in the transaction.
KENT, OHIO — The Cooper Commercial Investment Group has arranged the sale of Corners and Village at The Cascades of Brimfield in Kent, northwest of Akron, for $15.8 million. The center is anchored by Walmart Supercenter, Kohl’s and Lowe’s, and includes other tenants such as Dollar Tree, Marshalls and Petco. Dan Cooper represented the seller, a private investment group based in Ohio. A New-York-based investment group was the buyer.
STERLING HEIGHTS AND TROY, MICH. — Colliers International has negotiated the leases for two new locations for Naf Naf Grill, a Middle Eastern-style restaurant, in Sterling Heights and Troy. The 2,481-square-foot building in Sterling Heights is located at 14796 Hall Road. The 2,388-square-foot building in Troy is located at 624 W. Big Beaver Road. The Chicago-based chain plans to continue expanding in the Midwest with locations in West Bloomfield, Southfield and other cities throughout metro Detroit. Brian Whitfield and Lou Frango of Colliers International Detroit arranged the leases on behalf of Naf Naf Grill.
BOERNE, TEXAS — Cordillera Ranch Development Corp. has started the construction of an Outfitter Center at Cordillera Ranch, an 8,700-acre master-planned community in Boerne. Slated for completion in early 2017, the facility will house the River Club and its river and fishing equipment and provide a retail shop fully stocked with fishing, kayaking and outdoor equipment. The River Club is one of the seven resort-style clubs at Cordillera Ranch. Cordillera Ranch Development Corp. is a subsidiary of Texas-based DH Investment Co.
LOS ALAMITOS, CALIF. — A joint venture between Lincoln Property Co. and Long Wharf Real Estate Partners LLC is set to begin construction of Village 605, a 113,880-square-foot shopping center located roughly 23 miles outside Los Angeles in Los Alamitos. The open-air center will consist of seven one-story buildings. 365 by Whole Foods Market will anchor the property. The development will also feature a large community gathering area, outdoor seating and landscaped walkways. Construction is expected to begin in early 2017 with an anticipated opening set for early 2018. The project architect is KTGY Group Inc., and Strategic Retail Advisors is handling leasing.