Entries by Tracy Willis

Belgian Chocolatier Shutters All North American Stores

The forthcoming flood of retail closures is starting.  Godiva is closing 128 storefronts and cafes across North America by the end of March. Their chocolate will continue to be available online and in partnering retail and grocery stores. With the bulk of profits stemming from tourism, special occasion and impulse buying, the decrease for in-person […]

Commercial Real Estate Faces Existential Crisis

When compared to the 20 bankruptcies that were filed per month over the last year, the 11 companies who filed for bankruptcy over the past month could point to a slow down. Cheap money/capital have helped troubled companies stay afloat, slowing the bankruptcy filings. However, the retail, office, and hotel sectors are particularly vulnerable. The […]

New Midtown Development Details Emerge

Farmington Hills-based City Club Apartments, LLC, has a $95 million vision for its Midtown development. The Detroit Planning Commission will consider a rezoning request for a 2.3 acre chunk of land at a February 4 hearing. The development will include a 16 story tower with 273 apartments, a complementary building with 77 apartments and 12,500 […]

Former Real Estate Executive Charged with Wire Fraud

Viktor Gjonaj, former head of the Troy-based Imperium Group, LLC, has been charged with bilking at least two dozen investors of $26.4 million to fuel his Michigan lottery habit. Gjonaj promised investors that he would buy, develop, and resell real estate for a profit, but did not promise a specific rate of return. Of the […]

Real Estate Transactions Secure Permanent Trail Easements

 Michigan’s DNR purchased 67 miles, with a price tag of $985,969, in an effort to secure permanent trail easements and improve existing trail connectivity. The purchase spans Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron and Ontonagon counties in the Upper Peninsula. The purchases were funded, in part, by the Michigan Permanent Snowmobile Easement Fund. The bulk of the […]

Air Cargo Is Booming During COVID-19

The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, also known as CVG,  has 15,000 fewer arrivals and departures since the start of the pandemic. That doesn’t mean their runways are clear. Their air cargo business is booming. Amazon Air is completing a 798,000 square-foot sorting center, a seven-level parking structure, and acres of concrete to accommodate 20 aircraft. […]

Manhattan Residential Leasing Is Booming, But Is It Enough?

With the presidential election behind us and the COVID-19 vaccine on the horizon, renters feel a bit more certain about the market. But is this boom point to a recovering leasing market? Leasing trends were already on a downturn when the pandemic hit in March. Manhattanites were leaving for suburban living. Rental rates spiraled downward […]

Allen Park’s “The Hill” Welcomes New Aldi Store

Allen Park’s Fairlane Green Shopping Center, otherwise known as “The Hill”, is slated for an Aldi store. The exact date of the renovations or start of the project is unknown at this time. The new Aldi store will take the place of the Staples Office Supply store. In addition, Crafty Crab restaurant, Aspen Dental, and […]

Thousands of St. Louis Evictions Promise a Wave of Homelessness

Thousands face eviction in St. Louis, Missouri. The backlog of eviction suits threatens to leave many homeless, especially low-income tenants. An eviction defense program and hotline that was set up in August 2020 has received 60% more calls than normal, and many of those calls concern illegal lockouts. The backlog of eviction suits is concerning, […]

Postponed Detroit Projects Dependent on Pandemic Effects

The pandemic brought Detroit area projects to a screeching halt. By summer, many of them had resumed. The outcome of these projects, ranging from apartment developments to a small-format Meijer, hinges on how many office workers return to Detroit, how soon sports fans will feel safe at sporting events, if restaurants and hotels will fill […]