Deals

Philadelphia -- Jones Lang LaSalle announced Wednesday that it has closed the sale of Red Lion Plaza for Onyx Equities and Invesco Real Estate. A private buyer purchased the 229,204-sq.-ft. retail shopping center that is located in northeast Phildelphia, is 95% occupied, and anchored by Best Buy, Staples, American Signature and Planet Fitness.

Boston -- Boston-based The Wilder Cos. announced Wednesday that PetSmart will grand-open its new store on March 9 at Wilder’s Rochester Crossing, N.H., shopping center.

The opening of the 12,000-sq.-ft. store will bring the shopping center to 100% occupancy.

Rochester Crossing, at 304,500 sq. ft., also feature Kohl’s, Lowe’s, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft, GameStop, Tropical Smoothie and Buffalo Wild Wings.

City of Industry, Calif. -- Hot Topic announced it has agreed to be acquired by New York-based private equity firm Sycamore Partners for $14.00 per share in cash, or a total of approximately $600 million.

The agreement, unanimously approved by Hot Topic’s board of directors, represents a premium of approximately 30% over Hot Topic’s closing stock price on March 6, 2013.

Costa Mesa, Calif. -- Donahue Schriber announced that its major investors New York State Teachers’ Retirement System and J.P. Morgan Strategic Property Fund have approved an additional $100 million common equity investment for growth capital.   

The money will be utilized to help fund the company’s strategic growth plans over the next three to five years, according to chairman and CEO Patrick S. Donahue.

NEW YORK — JCPenney Co. continues to dominate the retail news as its shares dropped 10.6% yesterday to a four-year low after reports that one of its largest shareholders had sold a chunk of the troubled company’s stock. And in a late afternoon report, The Wall Street Journal said that a group of Penney directors is ready to get rid of CEO Ron Johnson, or push to sell the chain unless he can stop the company’s heavy bleeding this year.

New York -- Winick Realty Group announced that two of Columbus Square’s anchor tenants — Whole Foods and Michael’s — are expanding their footprints at the mixed-use development located in the heart of the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

“Both Whole Foods and Michael’s have seen such great success since opening at Columbus Square,” said Winick Realty director Kelly Gedinsky. “By expanding … they are now able to accommodate the high levels of foot traffic their location demands.”

Dallas -- SRS Real Estate Partners said that Cody Persyn has been named VP of the company’s Houston office.

Persyn will focus on disposition, investment sales, and land brokerage.

Dallas -- SRS Real Estate Partners announced that Sean Thomas has been named first VP of the company’s Phoenix office.

Thomas will focus on disposition and investment services in his new position.