REAL ESTATE

Aurora, Ill. — Simon has launched construction of its expansion of Chicago Premium Outlets, adding 50 new stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, and including a comprehensive renovation of the Chicagoland center.

East Peoria, Ill. -- Cullinan Properties said that Noodles & Company will be opening a new restaurant in November at the Levee District in East Peoria, Illinois.

Rockford, Mich. -- Wolverine Worldwide said it plans to close about 140 stores, primarily under the Stride Rite banner,  over the next 18 months as part of a strategic realignment plan to accelerate growth and improve overall profitability.  About 60 stores will close by the end of the current fiscal year, with the rest to be shuttered by the end of 2015.

Brooklyn, N.Y. -- Home furnishings retailer West Elm will open in New Orleans on July 24.

Located in the Lower Garden District, the approximately 10,000-sq.-ft. store is designed with installations inspired by New Orleans culture and will feature a local assortment made by Louisiana-based artisans that includes art, leather goods, vases and stationery.

Dublin, Calif. -- Ross Dress for Less (“Ross”) will open a new store in Utah on July 19, in The Shoppes at Lake Park in West Valley City. This increases the number of stores in the state to 16 locations.
      
The opening is part of the retailer’s 2014 expansion program, totaling approximately 75 new locations for the year.

Together, Ross Dress for Less and dd’s Discounts currently operate over 1,300 off-price apparel and home fashion stores in 33 states, the District of Columbia and Guam.

Dallas -- X Team International partner Venture Commercial Real Estate has completed leases for two LA Fitness locations in Austin and McKinney, Texas.
 
"As LA Fitness continues to expand its footprint into North and Central Texas, our focus remains on identifying prime locations that will both meet the club's needs and generate increased foot traffic," said Venture Commercial Partner John Zikos.   
    

Conshohocken, Pa. -- Ikea is submitting plans to Clark County, Nevada, for a Las Vegas-area store that would increase the Swedish retailer’s presence in the western United States.

The application marks the beginning of an approval process that could lead to the store’s opening as early as summer 2016.

Chicago -- Mid-America Real Estate Corporation’s Investment Sales team recently brokered the sale of Gateway Square in Hinsdale (Chicago MSA), Illinois. The 39,710-sq.-ft. center was purchased for $10 million, excluding closing costs and adjustments, by Buffalo Grove, Illinois-based C P Management, LLC.