CEDAR HILL, TEXAS — Grimaldi’s Pizzeria will open a 6,500-square-foot location at Hillside Village (formerly Uptown Village at Cedar Hill) in the summer of 2016. Grimaldi’s will be located in the former Patrizio’s space on the north side of the property. This fall, Hillside Village implemented a campaign to court a Grimaldi’s location in the development. More than 220 community members signed an on-property banner calling for Grimaldi’s and more than 600 expressed their support for a Grimaldi’s by posting comments and videos on social media using the hashtag #HVWantsGrimaldis. Hillside Village recently completed a multi-million dollar renovation at the property, which includes a new children’s play area, village green promenade, new property signage, new shaded seating areas, upgraded landscaping and lighting, public art and façade renovations. In April 2015, Trademark Property Co. rebranded the property Hillside Village.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS — Southside Magnolia Partners has acquired a mixed-use building located at 701 W. Magnolia Ave. in Fort Worth. Situated on the southwest corner of Magnolia Avenue and Hemphill Street, the building is the former headquarters of Fort Worth National Bank. The building features residential living, casual dining, retail and office space. Anchor tenants include Southside Bank and Shinjuku Station. There is a 4,000-square-foot site available for restaurant or retail, as well as five lofts on the second floor. Will Martin and Southside Magnolia Partners have a light restoration in plan for the property, but parts of the building still have original architectural features including exposed brick, hardwood floors and views of downtown Fort Worth. W. Martin and Co. represented the buyers and Grant Huff with Transwestern represented the seller.
ATLANTA — The Boulder Group has arranged the $4.8 million sale of a newly built Chick-fil-A restaurant located at 1100 Northside Drive in Atlanta’s West Midtown neighborhood. According to CoStar, the transaction represents the highest priced single-tenant Chick-fil-A property ever sold. The restaurant is situated within a half mile of Georgia Tech and Atlanta’s only IKEA location. Randy Blankstein and Zach Wright of The Boulder Group represented the buyer, a Midwest-based real estate developer, in the 1031 transaction. The seller was a partnership based in the Southeast. The ground lease is for 20 years and features rent escalations every five years, seven five-year renewal option periods and no landlord responsibilities. Founded in 1946, Chick-fil-A is a privately owned company based in Atlanta with more than 1,900 locations throughout the country.
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Construction for the first phase of Journal Squared in Jersey City has topped out at 563 feet. The 53-story building, which will feature 538 residential units, is part of the three-tower, mixed-use project that is revitalizing Jersey City’s historic Journal Square neighborhood. Scheduled for completion in late 2016, the first phase will feature a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom rental unit and more than 10,000 square feet of amenities, including a fitness center, golf simulator, children’s playroom, outdoor pool and entertaining space on the 53rd floor. Situated adjacent to the Journal Square PATH station, the three-phase project will also include a 60-story tower and a 70-story building. Upon completion, the project will bring 1,838 rental residences, 36,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, and a pedestrian-friendly public plaza to the neighborhood. Designed by HWKN and Handel Architects, the project is being developed by KRE Group and National Real Estate Advisors.
EAST MEADOW, N.Y. — Breslin Realty has arranged a lease at 1740 Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow for The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille. The newly constructed 6,500-square-foot free-standing restaurant will be the franchise’s second Long Island location. The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille offers American comfort food with an emphasis on local, regional and national sports. Judy Pascucci of Beslin Realty negotiated the lease transaction.
NEW YORK CITY — Eastern Consolidated has arranged the sale of a mixed-use building located at 157 E. 55th St. in New York’s Midtown East district. Goldie Moss Irrevocable Trust sold the 5,700-square-foot property to 157E55 Owner LLC for $10 million. The property features two vacant full-floor apartments on the top two levels and Darbar Grill, a popular restaurant, on the lower two levels. Additionally, the building features substantial air rights allowing for approximately 20,000 square feet of residential uses and 30,000 square feet of commercial or community facility space. Brian Ezratty and Scott Ellard of Eastern Consolidated represented the seller and procured the buyer in the sale.
Convenience, quality and experience are the key deliverables for today’s retail customer. Make it easy, of high value and enjoyable. Today’s shopper has less time, less money and less patience for retailers and developers to “get it right.” They want shopping to be an event and a social experience. They want a reason to get off the couch and go shopping instead of simply buying online. Although e-commerce still accounts for less than 15 percent of retail sales in the United States, it dramatically impacts consumers’ expectations and will increasingly influence retail trends. Shoppers are better informed, often having thoroughly researched the options and narrowed their choices before ever setting foot in the store. Salespersons must be better informed and prepared to successfully engage sophisticated consumers. Sales of consumer goods perceived to be commodities, some of which include books, electronics and office supplies, are continuing to migrate online. Retailers who are able to seamlessly integrate their brick and mortar stores with their online presence have been able to take advantage of shifting trends successfully, while those who haven’t struggle to compete. Omni-channel retailing is becoming more mainstream. Retailers that haven’t adopted omni-channel retailing are racing to catch up to businesses …
EULESS, TEXAS — The Boulder Group, a net lease investment brokerage firm, has completed the $2.7 million sale of a single-tenant Panera Bread ground lease located at 2911 Highway 121 in Euless. The newly constructed Panera Bread is an outparcel to the 194-acre Glade Parks development. Glade Parks’ tenants include Belk, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Dave & Busters, Michael’s and other national retailers. Randy Blankstein and Jimmy Goodman of The Boulder Group represented both the seller and the purchaser in the transaction. The purchaser was a private investor from Florida utilizing a 1031 tax-deferred exchange, and the seller was a Midwestern developer. The Panera Bread ground lease is for 15 years and features 10 percent rental escalations every five years.
HOUSTON — Roka Akor Steak, Seafood & Sushi has signed a lease for 6,591 square feet of ground floor space at 2929 Weslayan, a 40-story residential building at the northeast corner of Weslayan and West Alabama streets in Houston. This will be Roka Akor’s first location in Texas. Developed in 2015 by PMRG, 2929 Weslayan features 254 multifamily units and 11,880 square feet of retail and restaurant space. Property amenities include a 20-foot wall fountain in the lobby, stone and wood material palette throughout, a half-acre terrace, pool, fitness center and aqua lounge. Units range in size from 850 to 4,000 square feet. The building offers three penthouse levels, terraces, downtown views and direct-access elevators. James Namken, Kyle Knight and Edward Heap with The Weitzman Group represented PMRG in the lease. Mike Wheeler with Streetwise Retail Advisors represented the restaurant.
BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS — Hunington Properties Inc. has arranged the sale of a 4,826-square-foot Burger King restaurant located at 925 US-77 in Brownsville. The restaurant was rebuilt in 2014. The tenant is one of the largest franchisees in the Burger King system, operating 275 Burger King restaurants in Texas and Florida. The tenant occupies the property subject to a long-term triple net lease.