KATY, TEXAS — Locally based brokerage and development company NewQuest has signed leases with four food-and-beverage tenants at Texas Heritage Marketplace, the firm’s $400 million mixed-use development in the western Houston suburb of Katy. The tenants are Tex-Mex restaurant Escalante’s (5,005 square feet), pizzeria Tony C’s (4,900 square feet), Japanese food concept Aji Izakaya (2,800 square feet) and confectionary Kilwin’s (1,400 square feet). Bob Conwell led the lease negotiations for NewQuest.
DECATUR, GA. — Northwood Ravin plans to develop Halo, a 370-unit luxury apartment community in Decatur. The Charlotte-based developer plans to deliver first units next April and fully finish the five-story development by January 2027. Situated in the city’s East Decatur neighborhood, Halo will offer a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, as well as retail and plaza space and live-work units with street-level entrances. Northwood Ravin is partnering with Eric Carlton of Oakhurst Realty Partners on the retail tenant mix. The first confirmed retail tenant is Galore Market, a neighborhood market concept from the creators of O4W Market near Krog Street Market. Planned amenities at Halo include a rooftop pool, more than 3,000 square feet of fitness space, including a private yoga studio and exercise room, gaming lawn, pergola with covered seating, outdoor movie projector, fire pit, a hidden bar with full service and surprise cocktail events, sports bar, golf simulator, pet spa and a community coworking club with an embedded coffee shop.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Institutional Property Advisors (IPA), a division of Marcus & Millichap, has arranged the sale of a five-property portfolio of Food Lion-anchored shopping centers in the Carolinas. The assets span 248,030 square feet and include College Lakes Plaza in Fayetteville, N.C.; Eden Centre in Eden, N.C.; Kimberly Park in Carthage, N.C.; Kris Krossing in Conway, S.C.; and West Pointe Village Asheboro, N.C. Raleigh-based Genesis Properties purchased the portfolio from Richmond-based Capital Square for an undisclosed price. Dean Zang and David Crotts of IPA, along with Zach Taylor of Marcus & Millichap, represented the seller and procured the buyer in the transaction. Ben Yelm and Donald Gilchrist served as Marcus & Millichap’s brokers of record in South Carolina and North Carolina, respectively, in the deal.
TEMPE, ARIZ. — Indiana-based Thompson Thrift has broken ground on South Tempe Square, a 27,000-square-foot neighborhood shopping center located in Tempe, roughly 10 miles east of Phoenix. Nearly 75 percent of the property is preleased or under lease negotiations. Tenants who have already signed leases include BURN Total Body Conditioning, Pacific Dental, Look Lab, Luna Grill Restaurant, The Slice House by Tony Gemignani and GoodVets. A 4,500-square-foot restaurant pad and two inline retail spaces are still available for lease. A construction timeline was not disclosed.
PLAINFIELD, ILL. — Quantum Real Estate Advisors Inc. has brokered the $9 million sale of a 55,073-square-foot retail center in Plainfield within metro Chicago. Located at 12337 S. Route 59, the property was 97 percent leased at the time of sale to tenants such as Enterprise, One Main Financials, Chop’d and Khaos Brewcade and Kitchen. Brett Berlin of Quantum brokered the transaction. A private investor based in Illinois purchased the asset from a local family development company based in Chicago’s western suburbs.
— By Bryan Cunningham of JLL — The retail sector continues to be a bright spot for commercial real estate in San Diego County. Despite financial headwinds that include interest rates, construction costs, and increases in operating costs like labor and insurance, the resiliency of the consumer has allowed retailers and restaurants to continue to generate substantial sales volumes. Both national and regional retail and restaurant tenants continue to expand, although more cautiously than in years past. Retail vacancy rates in San Diego continue to hover around 5 percent, with the more desirable coastal communities closer to 3 percent. The lack of new development due to geographical constraints, as well as interest rates and construction costs, is driving expanding tenants to look purely at second-generation retail centers. While the retail tenant pool is somewhat shallow due to bankruptcies by Bed Bath & Beyond, 99 Cents Only, Party City, JoAnn Stores and the like, the lack of new product is keeping well-positioned shopping centers in high demand. Most grocery- and big box-anchored shopping centers are enjoying rents at record levels with very little vacancy. Retail centers continue to be at the forefront of interest from investors as well. While interest …
LAWRENCEVILLE, GA. — North Carolina-based Prudent Growth Partners has acquired Sugarloaf Village, a 32,000-square-foot shopping center located in Lawrenceville, for $7.3 million. The seller was not disclosed. Situated approximately 30 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta, the property was originally built in 2008 and features a mix of 17 tenants including lifestyle retailers and service providers such as a nail salon, pet groomer and barber shop. Other nearby retailers include AT&T, Starbucks Coffee, Publix, Target, Marshalls, Aldi, The Home Depot, PetSmart, Hobby Lobby and Panera Bread.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — JLL Capital Markets has arranged a $42.5 million equity placement for Papago Marketplace, a 55,500-square-foot mixed-use development located in the Phoenix suburb of Scottsdale. Patrick Dempsey and Quin Madden of JLL represented the developer, Pivot Development Co., in securing the equity placement on behalf of an undisclosed institutional advisor. A 23,343-square-foot Sprouts Farmers Market will anchor the project upon completion, which is scheduled for August 2026. Construction is expected to begin this month. Over the past five years, the development of Papago Marketplace has included a 276-unit luxury apartment complex, a 116-room hotel and a mix of retail tenants. The project is currently 80 percent preleased.
CASTLE ROCK, COLO. — Platinum Commercial Real Estate has arranged the acquisition of 600 and 695 Jerry Street in Castle Rock. PYFR LLC purchased the asset from RA Morrison LLC for $6.4 million. The property comprises a 25,380-square-foot, four-story mixed-use building and a 4,850-square-foot single-tenant restaurant. At the time of sale, the property was 93.7 percent occupied. Paul Cattin of Platinum CRE represented the buyer, while Campbell Davis, Parker Brown and Matthew Henrichs of CBRE represented the seller in the deal.
CINCINNATI AND CHICAGO — First Financial Bancorp. (Nasdaq: FFBC) has agreed to acquire BankFinancial Corp. (Nasdaq: BFIN) in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $142 million. Upon completion of the transaction, BankFinancial’s consumer, trust/wealth management and selected commercial credit lines of business will be incorporated into First Financial’s respective business lines, and all BankFinancial bank employees will become First Financial associates. The merger agreement has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter, subject to customary closing conditions, regulatory approvals and approval of BankFinancial shareholders. As of June 30, Cincinnati-based First Financial Bancorp. had $18.6 billion in assets, $11.8 billion in loans, $14.4 billion in deposits and $2.6 billion in shareholders’ equity. The company’s subsidiary, First Financial Bank, founded in 1863, provides banking and financial services to businesses and consumers. The company operated 128 full-service banking centers in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois as of June 30. Chicago-based BankFinancial is a commercial lender with 18 full-service banking offices located in Cook, DuPage, Lake and Will counties within Illinois. BankFinancial NA operates as a subsidiary of BankFinancial Corp.