CHICAGO-Lakeshore East, a new mixed-use development a block north of Millennium Park, has been selected as winner of the 2011 Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) Burnham Award for Excellence in Planning. Established in 1988, the award, named in honor of architect Daniel H. Burnham, encourages sensible growth by “honoring innovative planning efforts in the Chicago metropolitan region.” The award, sponsored by PNC, will be presented at MPC’s 2011 Annual Luncheon, featuring keynote speaker Thomas A. Mars, EVP and chief administrative officer, Walmart US on Monday, June 27, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

AURORA, IL-Follett Higher Education Group, a division of Follett Corp. that operates college bookstores in the United States and Canada, has entered into a long-term lease of Butterfield 550, its 551,200-square-foot warehouse/distribution building here. The building, which was delivered by Duke Realty in 2008, is in Butterfield Corporate Park, a master-planned development between the Route 59 and Eola Road interchanges on I-88. Follett will relocate its River Grove, IL operations here in November. Follett was represented by David Justh and Keith Puritz with CB Richard Ellis, while Duke was represented by John Suerth, Traci Buckingham and David Prell.

OAKBROOK TERRACE, IL-Ledcor Construction and Creta Farms USA have signed leases totaling more than 11,500 square feet at One Lincoln Center here. Jones Lang LaSalle’s Karla Harmon and Jamey Dix completed the transactions on behalf of the building’s owner, Arden Realty Inc. Ledcor will lease 7,937 square feet. The company, which is based in Vancouver, is moving its Chicago-area office from a nearby location, and was represented by Joe Perry with the Perry Group LTD. The European meat company Creta is leasing 3,564 square feet. The company, which was represented by Garrett Schultz and James Adler with NAI Hiffman, is opening its first US location here. Located at 18 W. 140 Butterfield Road near 22nd Street, One Lincoln Center is a 16-story, 307,000-square-foot.

ALGONQUIN, IL- Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services has arranged the sale of Harlem Furniture, a 34,950-square-foot, single-tenant net-leased property here, IL. The property at 2471 Randall Rd. sold for $3.6 million. Evan Halkias and Michael Marks marketed the property on behalf of the seller and represented the private investor buyer, who secured insurance debt on the property with 60% LTV and a 6% interest rate. The chain operates 19 stores in the Chicago area and a distribution center in Woodridge, IL.

CHICAGO-Beech Street Capital LLC has provided $6.5 million in Fannie Mae small loans to refinance two portfolios consisting of eight properties in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood. The transaction was originated by Gershon Friedman with Meridian Capital Group LLC and was financed by Beech Street Capital. The first portfolio, Tamid 2, totaled 57 units in three properties, while Tamid 3 totaled 84 units in five properties. Beech Street secured blanket loans as well as a noncontiguous parcel waiver for both portfolios. The proceeds are being used to pay off a first mortgage and pay down a second.

GENEVA, IL-Houston-based Charming Charlie Inc. recently signed a lease for 8,650 square feet at Geneva Commons here. According to Richard Spinell with Oakbrook Terrace-based Mid-America Asset Management Inc., the leasing representative for the 437,650-square-foot lifestyle center, the privately held women’s fashion accessories company plans to open a Charming Charlie store here later this summer. Mid-America VP Marget Graham represented the landlord in both transactions. Charming Charlie was represented by Kevin Vernick with Vernick & Associates Ltd. The center is on the southwest corner of Randall and Bricher Roads, and is anchored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, Barnes & Noble and Crate & Barrel.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL-Cohen Financial has secured $5 million to refinance loans for two “class B’ retail properties in the Chicago area. The Waterfall Plaza is a 22,000-square-foot retail strip center in Orland Park, Illinois and the Plaza Del Grato is a 40,000-square-foot retail strip center here. Both properties are well leased. Brandon Harrington originated the $2 million loan for Waterfall Plaza and the $3 million loan for Plaza Del Grato. The lender is StanCorp Mortgage Investors LLC, a finance company. The borrower was a group of investors that own multi-tenant retail properties. “The loans on both properties were maturing, and the asset type and quality of both properties matched StanCorp’s lending profile,” said Harrington in a statement. “Both Waterfall Plaza and Plaza Del Grato have been historically well leased retail centers, and the borrower put additional equity into both to pay off the loans while new leases and tenant improvement were in the works. The borrower was extremely pleased with the more than 70 percent loan-to-value (LTV) we secured for the transactions.”

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL-Arrow Plastic Manufacturing Co. has renewed its lease on 129,079 square feet of space within a 250,000-square-foot industrial building here at 2521 Allen Dr. here. The company, which was founded in 1961, designs, manufactures and distributes hydration, tabletop, kitchen, cleaning, garden, storage and juvenile specialty products. Elise A. Couston, a principal with Paine/Wetzel • ONCOR International, represented Arrow in the transaction and Pat McCourt and Chris Zukel with CBRE worked on behalf of the building owner, Chancellery Business Park LLC.

WESTMONT, IL-Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada has signed healthcare service provider Centene Corp. to a long-term lease at their 117,841-square-foot office asset at 999 Oakmont Plaza Dr. here. Centene will occupy 22,966 square feet, which brings the occupancy of the building to 86%. Patrick Kiefer, executive director with NAI Hiffman, represented Sun Life in the transaction. Joe Dvorak with Colliers International and Scott Bazoian with Cassidy Turley represented Centene. Sun Life purchased the building in 2004 from a local investor. Other tenants in the building include UPM-Kymmene and Consolidated Buying Co.

ELMHURST, IL-Alliant Capital recently closed a $22.2 million refinance of a maturing Freddie Mac loan for Elmhurst Terrace Apartments, a 315-unit property located in Elmhurst. Alliant provided an early rate lock through its DUS license, navigated a master lease with a local college of over 20% of the units and closed the deal in 33 days.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL-McShane Development Co. has completed a single-story, 26,833-square-foot office for NSK America Corp. at 1800 Global Pkwy. at the Huntington 90 business park here. The occupier, a manufacturer of machine tool spindles, hand tools and dental instruments, is a subsidiary of the Japanese firm NSK Nakanishi Inc. The headquarters contains a large showroom, private offices, conference rooms, open workstations and lunch room, in addition to customized repair and testing areas for NSK’s product line.

MINNETONKA, MN-KBS Capital Advisors has signed a direct lease with tenant Altair Global Relocation for approximately 7,600 square feet at 601 Tower at Carlson Center. The long-term lease brings the 15-story, 288,458-square-foot building to 95% occupancy. The property is part of the KBS REIT II portfolio. An international full-service relocation management company headquartered in Plano, TX, the tenant has maintained close to 2,000 square feet on the 10th floor of the 601 Tower under a sublease for two years. Looking to significantly expand its presence in the market, the firm will relocate to a 7,580 square-foot space on the fourth floor on a direct basis with KBS. John Lorence with Jones Lang LaSalle’s represented the tenant, and Brian Wasserman with CBRE represented KBS.

CLEVELAND-Simon Property Group is putting out a 10-property shopping center portfolio for sale for $72 million. The local office of Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services has the listing. The properties, which encompass approximately one million square feet and are 86% leased, are located in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio and Texas. The retail assets may be purchased together or separately. James Stonehill and Scott Wiles in Marcus & Millichap’s Cleveland office, along with Erin Patton in the Columbus office, are representing the seller.

GRAND FORKS, ND-David Garfinkel, SVP and managing director with NorthMarq Capital, arranged a $7.6 million mortgage for Carrington Court Townhomes, a 156-unit multifamily property at 2225 S. 34th St. here. Financing was based on a 10-year term with a 30-year amortization schedule and was arranged for the borrower by NorthMarq through its relationship with Basis Investment Group – CMBS Platform. The borrower was coming off a conduit loan, but we were still nervous about doing a conduit loan in the new market and economy,” Garfinkel said in a statement.

CHESTERFIELD, MO-LS Power Development, LLC extended their lease of 10,987 square feet for 61 months at 400 Chesterfield Center here. The owner of the office is Four Hundred Chesterfield Center Inc. Robert Busch with Gundaker Commercial Group Inc. represented the tenant in this transaction. Sachs Properties represented the landlord.

WHITE LAKE, MI-Mid-America Real Estate-Michigan Inc. has arranged a 5,000 square foot lease in Village Lake at the southeast quadrant of Elizabeth Lake Road and M-59 for the Root Restaurant. Gabe Schuchman and Tony Schmitt represented the landlord GKMS LLC in this transaction.

SOUTHFIELD, MI-A 1,200-square-foot Bread Basket Deli recently opened at Southfield Plaza. Centro Properties Group is the owner and was represented by Robert Saggese.