DALLAS — Corner Bakery, a national restaurant chain based in Dallas, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Delaware Bankruptcy Court after defaulting on its loans last year, according to reports from multiple media outlets, including The Dallas Morning News. The chain cited its reliance on traditional office workers seeking fast casual or grab-and-go meals, which has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels in many areas, as a key driver behind the move. Philadelphia-based Pandya Restaurant Growth Brands purchased Corner Bakery, which currently operates 140 locations in 20 states, in October 2020. Prior to its acquisition by Pandya, the chain was owned by Atlanta-based private equity firm Roark Capital Group.
KANSAS CITY, MO. — Co-developers Brain Group and Mercier Street are underway on the conversion of the former Westport Middle and Westport High School campuses in Kansas City into Park 39, a $250 million mixed-use development. The live-work-play campus will be situated on 16 acres at 39th and McGee streets in the city’s Midtown district. Anchoring the project is The Residences at Park 39, a 138-unit apartment community within the four-story former Westport High School. Upon completion, The Residences will include flexible work areas, a fitness center and mailroom, auditorium transformed into modules, conference rooms and library and event spaces for groups large and small. Individual residences will have open floor plans with high ceilings and modern finishes for kitchens, bathrooms and living areas. Each unit will have its own washer and dryer and will range from 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet in size, with expected monthly rents ranging from $950 to $2,000. The building’s new infrastructure will include smart technology and updated electrical, plumbing and fire alarm and protection systems. The original brick-and-stone façade and the front entry of the high school’s original 1908-era building are being preserved and restored, as are the original hardwood floors and …
NEW YORK CITY — Tishman Speyer has inked deals with chef Gabriel Kreuther and his business partners to open two new restaurants at The Spiral, the locally based real estate giant’s 65-story office tower in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards district. One concept will be a 5,700-square-foot full-service restaurant serving lunch and dinner that will be located on the corner of 34th Street and Hudson Boulevard. On the corner of 35th Street and Hudson Boulevard, the team will launch an all-day café serving breakfast and lunch. Both openings are slated for 2024.
NEW RICHMOND AND SPARTA, WIS. — Starbucks has signed two new retail leases in Wisconsin. Each lease totals 2,460 square feet. The first property is located at 124 Grant Way in New Richmond, about 45 miles northeast of Minneapolis. The other is at 630 S. Black River St. in Sparta, about 28 miles east of La Crosse. Tony Colvin of Mid-America Real Estate represented Starbucks. The landlords for both properties were Jacques Holdings LLC and OLH II LLC.
WANTAGH, N.Y. — The French Workshop has opened a 3,750-square-foot artisanal bakery and café at Willow Wood Shopping Center in the Long Island community of Wantagh. Robert Delavale of the Breslin Realty represented the landlord in the lease negotiations on an internal basis. Cary Fabrikant, also with Breslin Realty, represented the tenant. Other tenants at the center include Starbucks, Petco and Jovia Financial Credit Union.
EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the $2.3 million sale of an 8,276-square-foot restaurant property occupied by Buca Di Beppo in the Minneapolis suburb of Eden Prairie. The net-leased building is located at 7711 Mitchell Road. Tom Gommels of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller, a limited liability company. Alvin Mansour and Sim Liberow of Marcus & Millichap represented the buyer, a limited liability company completing a 1031 exchange.
AUBURN, ALA. — Birmingham, Ala.-based HPM has completed construction of the Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center at Auburn University. The dual-purpose, 142,000-square-foot property houses learning environments for culinary students, as well as a boutique hotel, the 1856 teaching restaurant, brewery and a food hall. HPM served as program manager on the project and provided project management support for Auburn University Facilities Management during the pre-construction and construction phases. Auburn alumnus and board of trustees member Jimmy Rane helped kickstart the project with a $12 million gift dedicated to the building’s construction. The board later approved naming the facility in honor of his parents, Tony and Libba Rane. The property is situated at the corner of East Thach Avenue and South College Street in downtown Auburn. HPM also oversaw the construction of a $10 million, six-story parking garage nearby before breaking ground on the culinary facility in 2019. The design-build team for the property include architect Cooper Carry, facility operator Ithaka Hospitality Partners, the Auburn University Facilities Management department and general contractor Bailey-Harris Construction.
WOBURN, MASS. — Teresa’s Ristorante will open a 12,500-square-foot Italian eatery in Woburn, a northern suburb of Boston. The space, which features private dining rooms and a patio, is currently being renovated, and the restaurant expects to open this spring. John Halsey and Steve Cusano of Cummings Properties represented the tenant in the lease negotiations. The name and representative of the landlord were not disclosed.
BATAVIA, ILL. — Marcus & Millichap has arranged the sale of a 2,225-square-foot retail building occupied by Starbucks in Batavia for $2 million. Constructed in 2022, the net-leased, build-to-suit property is located at the intersection of Randall Road and McKee Street. The building features a drive-thru and outdoor seating. Austin Weisenbeck and Sean Sharko of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller, a Chicagoland limited liability company. The duo also secured and represented the buyer, a Wisconsin-based private investor.
SCHAUMBURG, ILL. — Lee & Associates has negotiated the sale of a 12,500-square-foot property formerly occupied by Frankly Yours restaurant in Schaumburg for an undisclosed price. Rick Scardino and Michael Petrik of Lee & Associates represented the buyer, the Village of Schaumburg. Attorney Steven Dobrofsky represented the seller, Chicago Title Land Trust Co.