Overview

Meritex, a Twin-Cities based CRE investment company, was looking for off-market acquisition opportunities in the south metropolitan area, and asked Phil Simonet, Principal of Forte, to help uncover options within the office/warehouse market. Phil identified Lexington Corporate Center, a 76,000 sq. ft. vacant office warehouse property in Eagan, as it was going back to the lender and ready to be sold at auction.

Challenge & Strategy

Using comps and the submarket vacancy, Meritex was the successful bidder acquiring the property in 2009. Since then, it has stayed nearly 100% leased until two years ago when two tenants moved and vacated nearly 30,000 sq. ft.

One of the vacant suites was on a corner making it difficult for most warehouse tenants to use efficiently. Phil reviewed the competitive properties and the current possible tenants touring the market. He recommended the owner demolish the 10,000 sq. ft. of office space within the suite to reconfigure the space into 26,000 sq. ft. of warehouse/storage space and 4,600 sq. ft. of office space. That change, while costing nearly $1 million in renovations, made the space much more attractive – a lease was signed for all 30,000 sq. ft. following construction completion.

Results

The new tenant, a printing company that moved from less than a mile away, put another $1 million into equipment and improvements and signed a 10-year lease.