Real Estate

Jacksonville, Fla. — Madison Hawk will conduct a real estate auction on Sept. 18 for a free standing retail building just east of downtown Jacksonville, Fla. The building is part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding.

Located at 1220 University Avenue, the 1.72-acre property contains a 15,070-sq.-ft. Walgreens Pharmacy that generates about $302,000 in net income annually. The Walgreens Co. lease is Double Net (NN) with the initial term running through 2019.

Lafayette, La. — Hungry Howie’s has opened a new pizza shop in Lafayette, La., near the University of Louisiana campus.

It is the third store for the young franchise. The other two stores are in nearby Baton Rouge.

New York — Noble Roman’s, the franchisor of Nobel Roman’s Pizza and Tuscano’s Italian Style Subs, has announced signed agreements for eight more stand-alone locations, brining the total of signed locations to 29.

To date, eight locations are open and 21 are under development.

Phoenix — The Habit Burger Grill is opening its sixth Arizona location in Scottsdale in the Promenade at Scottsdale Road and Frank Lloyd Wright.

The Irvine, Calif.-based restaurant also operates more than 60 locations in California and two in Utah.

Los Angeles — Hong Kong is by far the world’s most expensive city for global retailers, but prime rents in New York City, London, Tokyo and Zurich are on the rise, according to research from CBRE Group, Inc.

CBRE’s second quarter 2013 ranking of the top 10 prime global retail markets saw little change relative to previous quarters; however, four of the top 10 markets — New York City, London, Zurich and Tokyo — saw quarterly increases in prime retail rents. Only one market saw a quarterly increase in the first quarter.

New York -- CBL & Associates Properties has announced the appointment of A. Larry Chapman to its board of directors.

Chapman is a retired 37-year veteran of Wells Fargo. He most recently served as group head of the bank’s commercial real estate lending business, responsible for the group’s 75 nationally located real estate loan production offices and 1,500 full time employees.

New York — Finest Café & Marketplace has leased a storefront at 46 Trinity Place, between Edgar and Rector Streets in New York City’s financial district.

 It will be the casual dining and take-out restaurant’s fifth Manhattan location. Faith Hope Consolo, chairman, Joseph A. Aquino, executive VP, and Arthur Maglio of Douglas Elliman’s Retail Group represented the landlord and tenant.

Signs of a rebounding housing market were evident in Lowe's sales for the second quarter ended Aug. 2, which were $15.7 billion, up 10.3% from $14.2 billion in the same quarter last year.

Comp-store sales for the world's second-largest home improvement retailer were up 9.6%, as net earnings jumped 16.2% to $1.48 billion.