Real Estate

New York City -- Robert K. Futterman & Associates said that it represented buyer The Georgetown Co. in the acquisition of 35 North State Street, a 60,000-sq.-ft. building in Chicago, for $23 million.

The building is currently net-leased to Old Navy and serves as the retailers’ Chicago flagship. 

New York City -- Information on Tuesday confirmed that private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners LP is considering an offer to acquire BJ’s Wholesale Club.

Leonard Green, which already as a 9.3% ownership stake in the wholesale club operator, said in an SEC filing that it is examining confidential information provided by BJ's as it evaluates an offer.

BJ's revealed in February that it was considering selling itself.

Orlando, Fla. -- Jones Lang LaSalle said Tuesday it has appointed Carson Good to lead the firm’s retail capital market business throughout Florida.

Johannesburg, South Africa -- A Tuesday report by Bloomberg said that hearings on a Wal-Mart Stores bid to acquire control of Massmart Holdings Ltd. will be adjourned to May 9, following an earlier announcement on Tuesday that the hearings would proceed this week.

After announcing that it will hear evidence from labor unions and Wal-Mart and Massmart this week and from the government on May 9 and May 10, South Africa’s Competition Tribunal now say the hearing has been adjourned to May 9.

Retailers’ growth plans in the United States are up 40% over last year’s levels, according to ChainLinks' Retail Advisors Spring 2011 National Retail Report. The report, which details trends impacting retail commercial real estate in more than 40 of the nation’s top markets, credits the surge in expansion to two key factors: the return of optimism within the retail sector; and the desire to expand quickly now -- before retail fundamentals improve enough for rents to start climbing again.

New York City -- Dollar General Corp. reported Tuesday that its fourth quarter profit more than doubled over last year, boosted by increasing sales and traffic. The discounter generated a higher-than-expected profit of $222.5 million for the quarter ended Jan. 28, up from $87.2 million in the year-ago period. The company also gave a full-year forecast that topped analysts’ estimates.

Sales increased 9.4% to $3.49 billion, and same-store sales rose 3.8%.

The nation’s capital tops a list of the healthiest retail markets for 2011. The ranking, “ChainLinks/Terranomics Retail Power Rankings for 2011,” is based on the general overall health of a marketplace and includes such factors as overall economic indicators, income growth, ongoing construction, rental rate trends, and the amount of retail demand in the market.

New York City -- British footwear and apparel retailer L.K. Bennett plans to open 30 to 40 stores in the United States during the next three to five years, Women’s Wear Daily reported.

The company will open its first U.S. stores this spring, with British footwear and apparel retailer L.K. Bennett plans to open 30 to 40 stores in the United States during the next three to five years, Women’s Wear Daily reported.locations in Chicago and Atlanta.