Dell's Lincoln Facility Sells to Cole Real Estate Investments

Phoenix-based Cole Real Estate Investments has purchased Dell Marketing's Lincoln facility along with the CSAA Operations Center in Oklahoma City for a total of $51 Million. The seller in the deal was KDC Real Estate & Investments.

Dell's Lincoln facility, constructed in 2009 is approximately 150,000 square feet. It is net leased by Dell Marketing as a call center. It sold for $22 million.  The second property is the CSAA Operations Center in Oklahoma City which was developed in 2009 as a build-to-suit for the California State Automobile Association (CSAA) Inter-Insurance Bureau, an affiliate of AAA of Northern California. The CSAA net leases the entire building, which totals 147,107 square foot and is LEED-Silver certified.  It sold for $29 million.  (Source: REBusinessOnline.com and colecapital.com)

Grateful Greens Opening at 15th & O Streets!

Congratulations to Jim Larson who is opening Grateful Greens at 1451 O Street!  This locally-owned, independent restaurant will feature house designed salads or build-your-own with 4-6 types of greens and various toppings.  Soups are also included on the menu. 

Larson, who was born and raised in Lincoln, has spent time in California and other areas developing his love for cooking.  He worked for a number of years at a local organic grocerer where he made numerous contacts with local food producers in which he hopes to support in the restaurant.  Grateful Greens will be a similar concept as the popular restaurant Mad Greens in Denver, Colorado.

Grateful Greens is expected to be open in February.  This will be a nice addition to downtown eateries!  Tom Graf, NAI FMA represented Greatful Greens with their lease.

50 Stories for 50 Years

In 2011, we’re celebrating our 50th anniversary with 50 Stories for 50 Years.

Check back with us as we share stories that have helped shape what Lincoln is today.

The annual look at the top trends in small business - USATODAY.com

Steve Strauss with USA Today discusses what he sees as the top trends for small business.  Click on the link to read No.'s 6-10.  The annual look at the top trends in small business - USATODAY.com

New 2011 ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey Requirements

New requirements for ALTA/ACSM Land Title Surveys have been drafted and are set to take effect on February 23, 2011, replacing the 2005 requirements.  To download the new requirements, follow this link to the ALTA website: 2011 ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey Requirements

‘50 Happiest Companies in America’ List Puts Google at No. 1 | CareerBliss, Employee Reviews & Satisfied Employees | Business News Daily

CareerBliss took a survey to find the top 50 happiest companies in America.  Rankings were taken from 91,000 employee reviews and based on opportunities for growth, compensation, benefits, work-life balance, career advancement, senior management, job security and whether the employee would recommend the company to others.  Google ranked No. 1.  To read the entire list, click here.  (Source: Business News Daily)

New Life Sought for Tired Shopping Malls

The Journal Star article "New life sought for tired shopping malls" dated December 25th brings to light what many developers are contemplating when faced with empty store fronts around the US.  As national retailers pulled back from expansion plans over the last few years, property owners have changed gears and redeveloped old shopping centers into mixed-use areas where residential units/condos coincide with retail stores at the street level.  An example closer to home is the old Aksarben race track area where Omaha developers are turning it into a "village" with shops, movie theaters, apartments, and green space.

Lincoln has seen smaller redevelopment projects in the downtown area with such recent projects as:

• Lincoln Flats - $6 million mixed-use project at 1314 O Street.  The developer took vacant office space on the upper floors and created 24 condos.
• 1226 P Street - The owners, B & J Partnership, are currently redeveloping the upper floors into residential units and retail uses will remain on the street level.
• W.C. Shinn lofts - A former lightning rod factory has been transformed into 15 residential units at 126 N. 16th Street.

You might recall though this type of redevelopment happened before in Lincoln's history with the transformation of the Haymarket area from industrial to mixed-use. 

As a number of large vacant retail buildings (i.e. Gordmans, Hy-Vee at 70th & O Streets and the old K-Mart building at 56th & Hwy. 2) sit vacant in Lincoln it will take creativity, time and risk from developers to see those buildings change into a viable use again.