BREVARD, N.C. — Northmarq’s Atlanta office has brokered the $4.3 million sale of Shoppes at Brevard Place, a retail property located in Brevard, roughly 30 miles southwest of Asheville. Built in 2020, the property totals 11,801 square feet. Tenants at the center, which was 76 percent occupied at the time of sale, include Starbucks Coffee, Jersey Mike’s, Salsarita’s, Mommy & Me and AT&T. Billy Benedict of Northmarq represented both the buyer and seller in the transaction.
Retail
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. — Mel Sembler, founder of St. Petersburg-based retail real estate development firm The Sembler Co., has passed away at the age of 93, according to a statement from the company. Sembler founded his eponymous real estate company in 1962. To date, it has completed more than 350 developments totaling 29 million square feet. Additionally, the company manages and leases 10 million square feet of retail real estate and has offices in St. Petersburg, Atlanta and Puerto Rico. In a prepared statement, The Sembler Co. stated “his indelible mark will continue to guide us as we honor his legacy. He was the truest friend and leader to all.” Currently, The Sembler Co.’s portfolio includes Belmont Shopping Center in Ruskin, Fla., and North Macon Plaza in Macon, Ga. Sembler is also underway on the development of The Preserve Marketplace in Odessa, Fla., and West Villages Marketplace in Venice, Fla. In metro Atlanta, the company developed The Prado in 2008 and Town Brookhaven in 2010. The retail centers total 345,000 and 441,217 square feet, respectively. Sembler also previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Australia and Nauru from 1989 to 1993 and to Italy from 2001 to 2005. He also served …
HOUSTON — Locally based developer Levcor has completed renovations at Post Oak Plaza, a retail power center in Houston’s Uptown neighborhood. Capital improvements included updates to building and store facades, new lighting, upgraded landscaping and widened pathways. Additionally, three new tenants have signed leases at the center: scratch kitchen Local Foods (3,016 square feet), mattress retailer Saatva (4,000 square feet) and furniture provider Arhaus (22,201 square feet). Renovations were first announced in mid-2021.
Cushman & Wakefield Brokers $10M Sale of Las Tunas Plaza Retail Center in San Gabriel, California
by Amy Works
SAN GABRIEL, CALIF. — Cushman & Wakefield has arranged the sale of Las Tunas Plaza, a neighborhood shopping center in San Gabriel, an eastern suburb of Los Angeles. The property traded for $10 million, or $572 per square foot. The names of the seller and buyer were not released. Situated on 1.3 acres at 805-841 W. Las Tunas Drive, Las Tunas Plaza offers 17,473 square feet of retail space. At the time of sale, the property was 90 percent leased to a variety of tenants, including 7-Eleven, Golden Deli and Bopomofo Café. Joseph Lising, Mitchell Neff and Maureen Gitto of Cushman & Wakefield’s Southern California Retail and Capital Markets team represented the seller in the deal.
Benson Capital Partners Joins $2.2B MidCity District in Huntsville as Investment Partner
by John Nelson
HUNTSVILLE, ALA. — Benson Capital Partners, an investment firm founded by New Orleans Saints owner and New Orleans Pelicans governor Gayle Benson, has invested in MidCity District, a $2.2 billion mixed-use development in Huntsville. The New Orleans-based company has provided a $5.7 million equity investment via its real estate fund, Benson Capital Real Estate I LP, for MidCity Placemakers Retail II, a retail component within MidCity spanning 82,669 square feet. Additionally, Randy Wolfe of Northmarq arranged a $13.8 million loan for MidCity Placemakers Retail II. RCP Cos. is the principal owner of MidCity District, which will ultimately comprise 1,865 residential units, 925 hotel rooms, shops, restaurants, entertainment retail and Class A offices, along with outdoor gathering spaces, including the Orion Amphitheater. “We are excited to further RCP’s vision for MidCity, redefining community spaces,” says Keith Schneider, managing director for Benson Capital’s real estate fund. “MidCity District represents a pioneering vision that aligns with our commitment to investing in transformative projects.”
KATY, TEXAS —Poag Development Group has welcomed four new tenants to LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch, a shopping center located in the western Houston suburb of Katy. Confectionary Kilwins is scheduled to open a 1,104-square-foot store before the end of the year. Nando’s will open 2,754-square-foot restaurant in January 2024, followed by the launch of athleisure retailer lululemon in February. Lastly, IKEA will open a 5,500-square-foot store for placing and picking up furniture orders. JLL manages the center.
SANDUSKY, OHIO AND ARLINGTON, TEXAS — Sandusky-based Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. (NYSE: FUN) and Arlington-based Six Flags Entertainment Corp. (NYSE: SIX) have entered into a definitive merger agreement to combine in a merger of equals transaction. The all-stock deal values the combined company at approximately $8 billion, including debt. Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, Cedar Fair investors will receive one share of common stock for each unit they own, and Six Flags shareholders will receive .58 shares for each share they own. Following the close of the transaction, Cedar Fair unitholders will own approximately 51.2 percent and Six Flags shareholders will own about 48.8 percent of the combined company’s equity. “Our merger with Six Flags will bring together two of North America’s iconic amusement park companies to establish a highly diversified footprint and a more robust operating model to enhance park offerings and performance,” says Richard Zimmerman, president and CEO of Cedar Fair. The combined company will operate a portfolio of 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks and nine resort properties across 17 states in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The companies expect the merger to …
GENEVA, ILL. — Mid-America Real Estate Corp. has arranged the sale of Randall Square in Geneva, a western suburb of Chicago. The sales price was undisclosed. The 226,029-square-foot shopping center is home to Marshalls, Michaels, Ulta, Old Navy, PetSmart, Men’s Wearhouse and more. Joe Girardi, Rick Drogosz and Ben Wineman of Mid-America represented the seller, IRC Retail Centers/DRA Advisors. Viking Partners was the buyer. Pine Tree served as property manager.
INDIANAPOLIS — Colliers has brokered the sale of Northview Mall, a 48,028-square-foot retail center located at 1700 E. 86th St. in Indianapolis. The sales price was undisclosed. Situated on four acres, the property is fully leased to 20 tenants. Some of the tenants include Fit Flex Fly, Moody’s Butcher Shop, Nutrition Hub, Indy Sports Massage, Parkside Linen, Willow and Star Flowers. Alex Cantu, Alex Davenport and Rachel Patten of Colliers represented the buyer, an affiliate of Podell Partners. The seller was a local private investor.
CHICAGO — Heisler Hospitality has signed a 10,000-square-foot lease to occupy the entire building at 165 N. Morgan St. in Chicago’s Fulton Market. Heisler, led by entrepreneur Matt Eisler and designer Kevin Heisner, plans to open Pizza Lobo in the space in summer 2024. The lease marks Heisler’s fourth establishment in Chicago. The restaurateurs also operate Nights & Weekends and Lone Wolf in the West Loop and Estereo FM in Fulton Market. Fulton Street Cos. (FSC) owns the building at 165 N. Morgan St. along with partner Fred Latsko of Latsko Interests, which brought Guinness Open Gate Brewery to Chicago. FSC purchased the single-tenant property in December 2021 from a private investor. Previously housing the corporate offices of Tenzing Wine & Spirits, the building features a private, 2,500-square-foot outdoor courtyard.