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Wells Fargo Center in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS — A joint venture between Cross Ocean Partners, Neuberger Berman Special Situations client funds and Onward Investors has acquired Wells Fargo Center, a 57-story office tower located at 90 S. Seventh St. in Minneapolis’ downtown commercial district. The 1.2 million-square-foot trophy building traded hands for an undisclosed price. Wells Fargo Center is the third tallest building in Minneapolis. Major tenants include a Wells Fargo branch bank, Colliers, the law firm of Faegre Drinker and the local office of accounting firm KPMG. The building contains an indoor pedestrian promenade that houses a 100-foot-high domed ceiling rotunda on one side and a lobby on the other. The building also features The Reserve, which houses amenities such as a fitness center, reservable wellness rooms, lounge with coworking and focus rooms, conference center and catering kitchen on the seventh floor. The property also offers private car and bicycle parking. Wells Fargo Center was 62 percent leased at the time of sale, with up to 110,000 square feet of contiguous availability. The building has averaged roughly 95 percent occupancy since 1988, according to Onward Investors. “This acquisition epitomizes our fundamental value investment strategy of opportunistically capitalizing upon market dislocation and demonstrates Onward Investors’ continued commitment …

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Chick-fil-A

ELSMERE, KY. — Chick-fil-A Supply, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chick-fil-A Inc. that handles the restaurant chain’s logistics and warehousing, has announced plans for a new, $100 million distribution facility in Elsmere, roughly 10 miles outside Cincinnati in Northern Kentucky.  Upon completion, the 270,000-square-foot development will be situated on a 28-acre site within 10 miles of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Construction of the facility is currently underway, with the distribution center expected to be operational in 2026. According to a press release issued by the office of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, the facility is expected to create more than 178 new permanent, full-time jobs over the next five years.  The new Chick-fil-A Supply facility will be located within the C5 Airport East Logistics Center, according to Link NKY. The newspaper also reported that Niagra Bottling will move into the same complex in 2026. Atlanta-based Core5 Industrial Partners is the owner of the industrial park, according to the company’s property page.  Chick-fil-A Supply currently operates nine distribution centers located in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Ohio, Kansas and Texas. The centers support Chick-fil-A restaurants logistically and deliver ingredients and supplies. The Elsmere facility will support roughly 150 restaurants within the region.  Originally …

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SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio International Airport (SAT) has broken ground on a new $1.2 billion terminal. The project will feature up to 17 gates, more than 800,000 square feet of new terminal space, 35,700 square feet of concessions and 29,000 square feet of club lounges. SAT says the groundbreaking represents a significant step in its commitment to meeting the increasing demands of global air travel. Featuring a modern, accessible design, enhanced passenger amenities and the latest technology, the terminal “will expand SAT’s capacity and deliver an elevated travel experience for millions.” The construction of the new terminal is part of the airport’s Terminal Development Program (TDP), which will guide future development of the airfield, terminal facilities, ground access and support infrastructure over the next 20 years. TDP is the cornerstone of Elevate/SAT, a $2.5 billion expansion and capital improvements plan to enhance SAT, the customer experience and the San Antonio region. Elevate/SAT is the largest capital improvement plan that the City of San Antonio has undertaken, according to a release. Over its lifespan, the economic impact of TDP is estimated to be $2.8 billion and is anticipated to generate more than 16,000 new jobs. TDP is the result of …

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AUSTIN, TEXAS — Cousins Properties (NYSE: CUZ) is under contract to acquire Sail Tower, a trophy office building located at 601 W. 2nd St. in downtown Austin. The Atlanta-based REIT agreed to a net purchase price of $521.8 million for the 804,000-square-foot property. Sail Tower was delivered in 2022 and its offices are fully leased to a Fortune 20 company through 2038, according to Cousins. The tenant name was not disclosed, but multiple media outlets report that Google is the occupant. The seller was also not mentioned, but Dallas-based Trammell Crow Co. developed the tower, which was formerly known as Block 185. The name “Sail Tower” derives from its curved appearance. The LEED Platinum property is situated near Austin’s Second Street entertainment district and offers unobstructed views of Lady Bird Lake. “We are thrilled to add this iconic office property, with a strong investment grade customer, to our Austin portfolio,” says Colin Connolly, president and CEO of Cousins. “This exciting transaction enables Cousins to enhance the quality of our leading lifestyle office portfolio and is immediately accretive to earnings.” Cousins’ existing downtown Austin office portfolio is situated near Sail Tower and is currently 93 percent leased. The assets include 300 Colorado, …

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Roeschlaub-Pull-Quote

MIAMI — Newmark has arranged two loans totaling $1.75 billion for the refinancing of a pair of hotel resorts in Miami. Jordan Roeschlaub, Jonathan Firestone, Nick Scribani and Tyler Dumon of Newmark arranged the loans on behalf of the borrower, national hospitality owner-operator Fontainebleau Development. In the first deal, the Newmark team arranged a $1.2 billion loan through Goldman Sachs for Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Originally developed on 22 acres in 1952, the beachfront property totals 1,594 guestrooms across four towers and features a newly built convention center. Amenities include 11 pools with luxury cabanas; nine food-and-beverage outlets; three nightlife and lounge venues; 200,000 square feet of meeting and event space; and a 40,000-square-foot spa with a 5,800-square-foot fitness center. In the second transaction, the quartet of financial intermediaries placed a $550 million loan through J.P. Morgan for the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa. Built in 1967 and renovated and expanded in 2019, the 270-acre resort comprises 685 guestrooms; two golf courses with a private country club; 120,000 square feet of meeting and event space; six restaurants and lounges; a waterpark; and a 25,000-square-foot spa. “These financings underscore the enduring appeal of South Florida’s premier hospitality assets,’’ says Roeschlaub, …

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PLEASANT PRAIRIE, WIS. — Eli Lilly and Co. (NYSE: LLY) has unveiled plans for a $3 billion expansion of the company’s pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Pleasant Prairie, located 37.5 miles south of Milwaukee. Lilly acquired the facility from Nexus Pharmaceuticals in April 2024. The Indianapolis-based company plans to start construction on the expansion next year. The expanded facility will focus on the production of injectable medicines, device assembly and packaging for medicines across numerous therapeutic areas. Lilly plans to implement automated features such as guided vehicles, robotics and production equipment in order to accelerate and increase the accuracy of medicine production. Lilly expects to add 750 jobs to the workforce at the facility, which currently comprises about 100 individuals. New jobs at the location will include operators, technicians, engineers and scientists. Additionally, the company states that more than 2,000 construction jobs will be created during the project’s development. “Today’s announcement represents our single largest U.S. manufacturing investment outside our home state of Indiana and will add to our ability to expand capacity to make both our existing and future pipeline of medicines right here in the Midwest,” said Edgardo Hernandez, executive vice president and president of Lilly Manufacturing Operations. Lilly states …

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Valley-Bank-Branch

MORRISTOWN, N.J. AND NEW YORK CITY — Valley National Bancorp (NASDAQ: VLY), the holding company for Valley National Bank, has sold $925 million worth of commercial real estate mortgage loans to Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM). Of the $925 million loan pool, $823 million had been previously identified and transferred to held for sale as of Sept. 30, 2024, as the firm sought to reduce its exposure to the commercial real estate sector. The loans were sold at a discount of 1 percent to value, which the bank expects will result in an immaterial net loss during the fourth quarter. Valley will retain customer-facing servicing responsibilities for the financings following the transaction.  “The sale of this performing commercial real estate loan pool has helped to accelerate progress toward our strategic balance sheet goals,” says Ira Robbins, chairman and CEO of Valley.  Valley is a regional bank with over $62 billion in assets under management. The company operates retail branch locations and commercial banking offices across New Jersey, New York, Florida, Alabama, California and Illinois.  The Morristown, N.J.-based bank’s stock price closed on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at $10.48 per share, up slightly from $9.29 a year ago. Morgan Stanley & Co. …

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ANN ARBOR, MICH. — LV Collective has partnered with Harrison Street to build Rambler, a 1,009-bed luxury student housing development across the street from the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor. The 484,587-square-foot project will feature 273 units across a variety of floor plans ranging from studios to six-bedroom residences. The ground floor of Rambler Ann Arbor will include a lobby with an integrated café named Daydreamer. The study mezzanine will offer spaces for coworking and private study rooms. Residents will also enjoy outdoor terraces, a clubroom and gameday lounge, rooftop pool, hot tub, fitness facility, yoga studio, flex studio, red light sauna and resident lounge. Site work began in October, and completion is slated for fall 2027. The project is pursuing LEED Gold certification and will also include a payment of $7.2 million to the city’s affordable housing fund. Kennedy Wilson and Forum Investment Group provided construction financing. “With the University of Michigan’s rising enrollment and Ann Arbor’s status as a premier college town, creating high-quality living spaces that match this growth and enhance students’ overall experience is essential,” says Thomas Whitesell, head of the debt investment group at Kennedy Wilson. The development team includes Turner Construction Co., …

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KOKOMO, IND. — StarPlus Energy LLC, a joint venture between global automobile manufacturer Stellantis N.V. and South Korean battery maker Samsung SDI Co. Ltd., has secured a conditional commitment for federal funding to finance two new lithium-ion battery cell and module manufacturing plants underway in Kokomo. The plants were announced by the manufacturers in 2022 and 2023. As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Investing in America” agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO) announced a conditional commitment for a loan of up to $7.5 billion ($6.8 billion in principal and $688 million in capitalized interest) to StarPlus Energy. The company must satisfy certain technical, legal, environmental and financial conditions before the DOE funds the loan. If finalized, the loan would be offered through LPO’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) program, which provides loans to support U.S. manufacturing of advanced technology vehicles, qualifying components and materials that improve fuel economy. The output from the Kokomo facilities will be sold to Stellantis for use in electric vehicle (EV) models that will be sold in North America. One goal of the federal funding is to help “ensure the United States can meet domestic demand and remain a global leader …

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500-Park-Ave.-Manhattan

NEW YORK CITY — Local real estate giant SL Green Realty Corp. (NYSE: SLG) has entered into an agreement to purchase the former PepsiCo. headquarters building in Manhattan for $130 million. A timeline for closing was not disclosed, nor was the name of the seller, although multiple news outlets report that the latter was Morgan Stanley. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the 11-story, 201,000-square-foot building is located at 500 Park Ave. at the corner of 59th Street. The property was originally constructed in 1960 as the beverage maker’s headquarters and has been institutionally owned and managed ever since. Tenants at 500 Park Ave. include Vera Wang, The Georgetown Co. and Friedland Properties. In addition, the building’s corner retail space is home to high-end furniture provider FRATO as its flagship New York City store and showroom. “Park Avenue is the best performing office market in New York City with historic low vacancy, and 500 Park Avenue will continue to benefit from opportunities in this fortress corridor that attracts top tier tenants and triple-digit rents,” says Harrison Sitomer, SL Green’s chief investment officer. Adam Spies, Doug Harmon, Adam Doneger, Joshua King and Marcella Fasulo of Newmark acted as advisors on the …

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