Lowe's

New York City -- For a fifth consecutive year, Ace Hardware ranks highest in satisfying home improvement retail store customers, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study(SM). The study, now in its fifth year, finds that home improvement store shoppers are more satisfied with store facilities, merchandise and pricing in 2011, compared with 2010.

Chicago -- Jones Lang LaSalle said Monday that, on behalf of Monroe Investment Partners LLC, it has closed the sale of a 13.5-acre parcel on Chicago’s South Side to Walmart, which purchased the shovel-ready pad in the Chatham Market shopping center to build a 155,000-sq.-ft. supercenter.

This will be the first of six new full-scale stores Walmart has announced it plans to build in the City of Chicago.

Tilden, Pa. -- Metro Commercial Real Estate announced Wednesday that Tilden Ridge, a 400,000-sq.-ft. regional shopping center located in Hamburg, Pa., and anchored by a Wal-Mart Supercenter and Lowe’s Home Improvement, had its grand opening on March 15.

The shopping center, owned by West Conshohocken, Pa.-based Ironwood Property Group, is 98% pre-leased and includes, besides Walmart and Lowe’s, Five Guys Burgers & Fries, Logan’s Roadhouse, GameStop, Pet Supplies Plus, Sleepy’s and Schuylkill Valley Sports.
 

Redwood Shores, Calif. -- A survey released Tuesday by Oracle and Art Technology Group, which Oracle acquired in November 2010, found that mobile commerce is experiencing dramatic growth.

Redwood Shores, Calif. -- Oracle on Wednesday announced that it has completed the acquisition of Art Technology Group (ATG).

With the addition of ATG, Oracle can now provide best-in-class cross-channel CRM, Retail and Commerce that enables unified marketing, merchandising, service and order management, supply chain, and a seamless, personalized customer experience.

Mooresville,  N.C. -- Sales at Lowes.com are running about 35% ahead of last year, according to CEO Robert Niblock, who spoke to analysts during the retailer's recent Analyst and Investors Conference. Still, the Mooresville, N.C.-based home improvement giant has ideas on how to improve its digital business.

During the event, Niblock explained an important part of the retailer's vision: "Whenever, wherever the customer wants to interact with us, we're going to try and make it convenient for them."
 

Los Angeles -- Commercial real estate investment banking firm George Smith Partners, has completed a $17.2 million, two-phase, construction loan transaction in Oxnard, Calif., for Upside Investments.