This Week's Chicago Deal Sheet: Clear Investment Group Raising $300M Fund
Chicago-based Clear Investment Group announced plans to raise a $300M fund to acquire multifamily housing projects across the country.
The Clear Opportunities Fund II will allow the company to expand its footprint and transaction volume. Its goal is to revitalize housing communities and provide high-quality, attainable living spaces in the workforce housing sector.
“Our strategy has always been to identify undervalued properties in emerging markets and transform them into high-quality housing communities,” said Clear Investment Group CEO Amy Rubenstein said in a release. “This new Fund will allow us to expand our reach, improve housing accessibility, and continue delivering value to both our residents and investors.”
Clear Investment Group has completed $600M in historical transactions comprising more than 150 different portfolio properties nationally.
PEOPLE
Marcus & Millichap hired Tyrell McGee as a senior associate in its Chicago office. McGee brings over a decade of experience in corporate sale-leaseback financing, build-to-suit financing and net-lease transactions. He has underwritten and facilitated more than $4.5B in domestic and international deals across industrial, retail and office assets.
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Kiser Group tapped Mike Mosher as its chief of revenue production. Mosher will lead the sales force, recruit, spearhead expansion into new markets and coordinate the integration of additional client services.
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The Laramar Group promoted Matt Kreikemeier to vice president of investments. Based in the firm's Chicago office, he has helped oversee the planning, sourcing and execution of acquisition and disposition activities for the company's portfolio of multifamily and medical office properties across the country. Kreikemeier joined Laramar’s acquisition team in 2013, previously serving as an analyst.
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W.E. O’Neil Construction made changes at the top of its leadership team, with Brian Ramsay transitioning from CEO to chairman of the board as John Finn steps in as CEO. Finn, who has been with W.E. O’Neil for more than two decades, led the California region through a decade of rapid growth.
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CenterPoint Properties appointed Jeff Thornton to lead its central region team as executive vice president. Thornton comes to CenterPoint from Ryan Cos., where he was president of the firm’s south central region.
SALES
Kiser Group closed the sale of three fully occupied multifamily properties in Edgewater for about $10.5M. The properties, at 1244, 1301 and 1325 W. Devon Ave., all sold to new entrants in the market: a doctor from Columbus, a 1031 buyer from the suburbs and a local retail investor purchasing their first mixed-use property. Kiser Group's Andy Friedman and Jake Parker facilitated the deal.
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A privately owned trucking company purchased an industrial outdoor storage property at 18424 NW Frontage Road in Joliet for about $4.6M. The 7-acre, fenced and secured site features an 11K SF repair facility with four repair bays and about 100 trailer parking positions. NAI Hiffman's Kelly Disser, Mike Freitag, Bill Byrne and TJ Feeney represented the seller, also a privately owned trucking company.
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GCB purchased a 22K SF food distribution building at 90 Rawls Road in Des Plaines for about $2.5M. Brown Commercial Group's Mason Hezner and Candace Scurto represented seller Athos Rawls Road in the deal, while Transwestern's Joe Karmin represented the buyer.
LEASES
BP signed a 240K SF lease extension at CME Center in the West Loop, extending its term through at least 2032. The company will maintain the same footprint it currently occupies on the seventh through 10th floors of 10 and 30 S. Wacker Drive. Building owner Tishman Speyer was represented in the deal by Ellen May of its in-house leasing team, while JLL's Matt Carolan, Andy Strand and Kevin Morgan represented BP.
CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
F.H. Paschen topped off the first phase of the Bellwood Gateway Development, a $43M workforce housing project in Bellwood. The four-story, 71-unit community at 2711 and 2712 St. Charles Road will also include 6,000 SF of ground-floor commercial space and is set to open in spring 2026.
