GA Keen Realty Advisors, a division of Great American Group Inc., has been appointed as marketing and disposition agent for 22 leased retail properties and two warehouses formerly operated by Pierre Deux, a French furniture chain. Pierre Deux filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in late June.
The chain’s portfolio includes stores across 13 states, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. The spaces range from 1,600 square feet to 5,000 square feet. The two warehouse buildings, measuring 18,810 square feet and 38,720 square feet, are located in Secaucus, N.J.
“While we expect there will be more interest in the spaces from furniture and apparel retailers, the sizes of the properties may appeal to other potential tenants beyond these retail segments,” said Co-President of GA Keen Realty Matthew Bordwin in a statement.
The bid deadline has been set for Aug. 24.
Jones Lang LaSalle Racks Up New Leasing, Management Assignments
Jones Lang LaSalle has been appointed as the leasing and managing agent for Chico Mall in Chico, Calif., Providence Marketplace in Providence, Tenn., The Shoppes at Live Oak in Tampa, Fla. and Temecula Town Center in Temecula, Calif.
- Chico Mall is a 505,314-square-foot regional mall. Forever 21, JC Penney and Sears anchor the property.
- Providence Marketplace is a 103-acre shopping center that serves as gateway to Providence, a 1,000-acre master-planned community. Belk, Best Buy, JC Penney, Kroger and Target anchor the property.
- The Shoppes at Live Oak is an 11,750-square-foot open-air center. Firestone Complete Auto Care anchors the property.
- Temecula Town Center is a 550,000-square-foot open-air center. CVS, Target and Vons anchor the property.
In addition, Jones Lang LaSalle has been tapped as managing agent for StoneCrest at Piper Glen in Charlotte, N.C., The Shops at Greenridge in Greenville, S.C. and Toringdon Market in Charlotte, N.C., as well as leasing agent for the Village at Fairview in Collin County, Texas and Uptown Village at Cedar Hill in Cedar Hill, Texas.
- StoneCrest at Piper Glen is a 419,914-square-foot open-air lifestyle center. Borders, Harris Teeter, Regal Cinemas and Target anchor the property.
- The Shops at Greenridge is a 611,369-square-foot power center. Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Marshall’s and Lowe’s anchor the property.
- Toringdon Market is a 60,435-square-foot neighborhood shopping center in Charlotte, N.C. EarthFare anchors the property.
- The Village at Fairview is a 1-million-square-foot mixed-use center. Dillard’s, Macy’s, JD Penney, The Container Store and Whole Foods Market anchor the retail portion of the property.
- Uptown Village at Cedar Hill is a 615,000-square-foot master-planned development. The retail portion of the project features Dillard’s, Barnes & Noble, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Old Navy.
Jones Lang LaSalle will also provide accounting services for Fashion Crossing in Attleborough, Mass., Marketplace at Hamden in Hamden, Conn. and Taunton Crossing in Taunton, Mass.
SRS Real Estate Launches Line of Urban Services
SRS Real Estate Partners launched a new line of service in SRS Urban. The division will focus on providing end-to-end strategic urban and locally-focused services, from the business planning process to grand openings.
“With local expertise throughout a network of offices across the United States, we have a refined team of professionals who have a deep understanding of urban retail complexities to help create a win/win situation for our clients: a strategic site selection for the retailer, as well as the knowhow to build the ideal merchant mix for our landlords and owners that draws the masses in a saturated urban market,” said SRS Real Estate CEO Chris Maguire in a statement.
In a separate announcement, SRS hired Lenny Eterno as senior associate in its South Florida office. Eterno has 18 years of experience in the real estate industry. Prior to joining SRS, he worked at SRS’ affiliate Cypress AutoGroup LLC. SRS also hired Karen Meyer as senior research consultant in its Denver office. In her new position, Meyer will support the Denver brokerage team with geographic and market information. Previously, she worked as the manager of the geographic information system and mapping department at ProLogis.
Regency Brings New Tenants to Centers in Tennessee, Ohio
Petco signed a lease with Regency Centers for an 11,120-square-foot store at Peartree Village in Brentwood, Tenn. In addition, NeighborMD Urgent Care signed a 3,736-square-foot lease, Serenity Nail Spa signed a 2,339-square-foot lease and First Watch signed a 3,586-square-foot lease. David Baker, of Baker Storey McDonald Properties Inc., represented Petco and NeighborMD in the leases. Charles Warner represented First Watch, and Lynn Barrington, of Christian Commercial, represented Serenity Nails.
The transactions bring occupancy at the center to 100 percent.
Regency Centers also signed two new retailers at Hyde Park Plaza in Cincinnati, Ohio. Doctors Express signed a 3,474-square-foot lease and Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt signed a 2,406-square-foot lease. The transactions bring occupancy at the center to 96 percent. Both tenants plan to open in the fall. Edge Real Estate Group represented Doctors Express in the transaction, and Midland Atlantic Development Co. represented Orange Leaf.
California’s the Shops at Dos Lagos Will Undergo Revitalization
Managing agent Cypress Equities will revitalize the Shops at Dos Lagos in Corona, Calif. The project will include new signage, the addition of a children’s play area and enhancements to the storefront walkways and amphitheater plaza.
The center features more than 60 stores and restaurants, including Anthropologie, Chico’s and Trader Joe’s, and a 15-screen movie theater.
Mid-America Re-Tenants Former Museum Building in Chicago
Mid-America Real Estate Corp. signed three new leases at 237 E. Ontario St., a 26,876-square-foot retail building in Chicago that formerly housed the Museum of Contemporary Art and The Film & Tape Works Studios. Noodles & Company signed a deal for 3,307 square feet of space, Five Guys Burgers and Fries signed a lease for 2,520 square feet of space and 7-Eleven agreed to take 1,861 square feet of space. Steve Frishman and Brian Adams, of Mid-America Real Estate, represented the landlord in the transaction. Marc Rubin, of CR&M Commercial Realty, represented Noodles & Company. Steve Frishman represented Five Guys Burgers and Fries and Adam Cody, of SRS Real Estate Partners, represented 7-Eleven.
Big Lots to Open Baltimore Store
Big Lots signed a lease with Inland Western Retail Real Estate Trust Inc. to occupy a 35,000-square-foot store at Reisterstown Road Plaza in Baltimore, Md. The transaction brings the center’s occupancy to 92 percent. The retailer plans to open its new location in the fall.
Cole Real Estate Signs Multiple New Leases in First Half of 2011
Cole Real Estate Investments signed leases totaling 278,000 square feet at its retail properties through the first half of 2011, including 129,000 square feet in new leases and 149,000 square feet in renewals. The new transactions included a 39,500-square-foot Bally Total Fitness lease at a former Circuit City property in Aurora, Colo. and a 28,000-square-foot Ross Dress for Less lease at Lincoln Place in Fairview Heights, Ill.
KeyPoint Partners Negotiates Leases for Staples, Old Navy, Pier 1
KeyPoint Partners LLC negotiated retail leases totaling more than 254,000 square feet through the first half of 2011. The leases involved properties in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine. Tenants included Staples, Old Navy, Chipotle, Pier 1, Sovereign Bank, Dots, Spirit Halloween, Zoots, Massage Envy and Jenny Craig.
Transwestern Expands its Atlanta Team
Transwestern expanded the tenant advisory services team in its Atlanta, Ga. office. The firm hired Jim Simpson and Harrison Morris as senior vice presidents, George Cowgill as director of project/construction management and Adam Simpson as associate vice president of tenant advisory services.
Simpson has 37 years of experience in real estate. Prior to joining Transwestern, he worked for Grubb & Ellis’ Atlanta office. Morris has more than 15 years of experience. He was also previously with Grubb & Ellis. Cowgill has 16 years of experience. Over the course of his career he has been involved in construction projects totaling more than 5.3 million square feet. Simpson was previously a sergeant in the U.S. Army.
“These additions are part of our strategic plan to grow our tenant advisory team in Atlanta,” said President of Transwestern’s Southeast region Bruce Ford in a statement. “Last year we focused on building our agency leasing group and recruited some of the top names in that field, which helped us significantly expand our property portfolio to nearly 27 million square feet in Atlanta and in Florida. This year, we’re committed to building up our tenant representation business and we’re very excited these experienced brokers elected to be a part of the Transwestern team.”
Voit Announces New Management Assignments
Voit Real Estate Services has been appointed as asset and property manager for 14 new properties throughout Western U.S. totaling 944,656 square feet. The centers are located in Orange County and San Diego, Calif., in Phoenix, Ariz. and in Las Vegas, Nev.
In a separate announcement, Voit also added three new members to its Sacramento, Calif. office. The company hired Bob Keady as vice president, Rob Mora as office and industrial salesperson and Tracey Huntington as senior market research analyst. Prior to joining Voit, Keady worked as a broker with CB Richard Ellis, More worked at TRI Commercial Real Estate, and Huntingon was with Grubb & Ellis.
Goodwill, Metro United Bank Sign Leases at Centro Properties
Goodwill signed a lease with Centro Properties Group for a 16,500-square-foot store at League City in League City, Texas. Barkley Wedemeyer, of Wedemeyer Realty, represented the tenant in the transaction. Crystal Allen served as in-house representative for Centro.
Metro United Bank signed a lease for a 10,500-square-foot store at Centro’s Puente Hills Town Center in Rowland Heights, Calif. Jenny Yum, of Re/Max 2000 Realty, represented the tenant in the transaction. Brian Baker served as in-house representative for Centro.
In addition, Centro signed smaller leases with tenants including T-Mobile, Sprint, Smoothie King, China May, Casa Valadez and Meyerland Family Dentistry.
G&M Associates/White Spunner Break Ground on Mixed-Use Project in New Orleans
G&M Associates/White Spunner Construction broke ground on MLK, a $13 million, 92,000-square-foot mixed-use development in New Orleans, La. The development will combine 72,000 square feet of senior housing with 20,000 square feet of commercial and retail space. The project is scheduled for completion in July 2012.
Uniqlo Signs Temporary Lease on Fifth Avenue in New York City
Uniqlo signed an 11,500-square-foot temporary lease with Eretz Group at 155 Fifth Ave. in New York City. The retailer will occupy the space immediately and remain in the building through the fall of 2011. Karen Bellantoni and Brandon Singer, of Robert K. Futterman & Associates, in conjunction with Eretz’ Melissa Rose, represented the landlord in the transaction. Christine Emery and Yair Staav, of Lansco, represented the tenant.
Other Notable News
Summit Design + Build LLC will renovate 1601 N. Milwaukee in Chicago. The two-story, 15,500-square-foot building will house a Walgreens. Harshorne Plunkard Architecture is providing architectural services for the renovation.
GreenbergFarrow is designing 11 Broadway, a 161,570-square-foot mixed-use property under construction in Brooklyn, N.Y. When completed in late 2012, the building will include 160 rental units and 29,170 square feet of retail.
Avison Young hired Jack Kerrigan and Steve Cook as principals, Mark Coelho as vice president and Anne Flanagan as senior account manager. Kerrigan, Cook, Coelho and Flanagan will join the firm’s New England operations and will help grow its brokerage business and presence in the New England market. All four previously worked for Grubb & Ellis.
Glimcher Realty Trust appointed Joshua Lindimore as vice president of leasing. In his new position, he will assume responsibility for several key properties, including Jersey Gardens in Elizabeth, N.J. and SuperMall in Auburn, Wash. Lindimore joined Glimcher as senior director of leasing in November 2010. Glimcher also appointed Neil Van Winkle to vice president of legal leasing. Van Winkle has been with the firm since 2000, most recently serving as senior transactional attorney. His primary areas of practice include real estate acquisitions and dispositions, construction, permanent financing, new development and anchor tenant leasing.
Velocity Retail Group hired Chip Thor as vice president of its tenant advisory services division. Thor specializes in tenant representation. His clients have included Gold’s Gym, Rudy’s Bar-B-Q and Paradise Bakery, among others.
Holliday Fenoglio Fowler LP hired Nicholas Kucha as director in its Portland, Ore. office. In his new position, Kucha will focus on capital markets transactions for industrial, office and retail assets in the Pacific Northwest. Kucha has more than seven years of investment sales experience. Previously, he served as senior partner in the investment brokerage division at Nomad Commercial LLC.
Divaris Real Estate Inc. appointed Eric Bucklew as general broker for its Virginia Beach, Va. office. In his new position, Bucklew will focus on retail sales and leasing services to support Divaris’ portfolio in the region. He has 23 years of experience in commercial real estate. Previously, he served as principal broker and managing partner with Taylor CRES Inc.
Coyote Management L.P. hired Kirsten Boettcher as marketing director for the Lakeshore Mall in Gainesville, Ga. Boettcher has more than six years of experience in the shopping center industry. Previously, she worked as director of marketing and business development with Kravco Simon Co.