SYDNEY-A recovery in demand should push average occupancy here into the high-70% range this year, its strongest level since the mid 1990s, according to a new report by Jones Lag LaSalle.

BIRMINGHAM, AL-Noble Investment Group of Atlanta is developing a 122-hotel that will connect via skywalk to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital and Medical Facility. It is the first new hotel to rise in Downtown Birmingham in 15 years.

BARCELONA-The publicly traded adult entertainment company agrees to sell the first floor of its office building here for about US$2.2 million.

TORONTO-The locally based retail REIT is exercising its options to acquire interests in two new retail centers in Ontario for which it provided development financing.

KANSAS CITY, MO-Hines Suburban Office Venture with GE Real Estate makes its third acquisition, acquiring 2345 Grand here from a joint venture of San Francisco-based Shorenstein Co LLC and IBM.

PORTLAND-Gresham, OR-based Barton International subleases a 12,000-sf building here from Eagle Global Logistics and Top Shelf Distribution of Tualatin subleases half of a 20,000-sf building in Tualatin from Berg Properties.

SEATTLE-The locally based insurer hires a local corporate real estate brokerage firm to find a new home for its 1,200-employee life and investments business unit, which it is in the process of selling for $1.35 billion.

SAN FRANCISCO-Shogakukan, Inc., the creator of numerous action figures including Pokemon, acquires the 35,000-sf Old Northpoint Theatre here for $5.1 million.