New space in 241,000 square foot shopping center offers “perfect location, roadside visibility, strong co-tenancy, endcap space, loading docks, and familiarity with existing customers”
(Photo credit: Continental Realty Corporation)
Faced with the challenge to vacate its current location due to the redevelopment of Fox River Mall, Habitat for Humanity did not have to look far to find the perfect shopping venue in which to relocate its ReStore retail outlet. The non-profit organization signed a lease with Continental Realty Corporation (CRC) for 24,115 square feet of space within Fox River Commons, a 241,000 square foot shopping center positioned directly across the street. Habitat for Humanity, which operates three ReStore facilities in the DuPage County region, intends to occupy the spaceby late summer or early fall of this year and anticipates the store will be staffed by approximately 10 employees. CRC’s Blake Dickinson, Anchor and Development Leasing, together with Cherene Keenan, Commercial Leasing Manager, represented the landlord and Adam Johnson of NAI Hiffman represented the tenant in this transaction.
Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore accepts quality new and gently-used furniture, appliances, and building materials and then sells these household goods to the general public, contractors, and DIYers. This effectively diverts tons of reuseable materials from local landfills. The organization uses the proceeds to build affordable housing throughout the country. Last year, the DuPage and Chicago South Suburbs Habitat for Humanity delivered more than 20 housing units in the local area to support the community.
According to Jennifer Taff, the group’s Executive Director, Fox River Commons filled every essential real estate need required by the non-profit organization, and its location adjacent to its current store will facilitate the retail outlet’s ability to maintain relationships with corporate partners and the general public.
“We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to be relocating to Fox River Commons,” Taff explained. “The size and layout of the space fulfills our exact needs from an operational standpoint, as we will be able to achieve a large display area in the front of the store and a warehouse in the back. The end-cap location with a side easement and the rear loading dock will also make it easier to drop off large item donations. Fox River Commons features strong anchor and inline tenants and we are counting on a steady stream of consumers to fuel our sales,” she added.
CRC, a Baltimore-based real estate investment and management company, acquired Fox River Commons in 2022 as part of a portfolio of five shopping centers in the suburban Chicago real estate market comprising more than 900,000 square feet of space. Located at 704-944Illinois Route 59 near W. Ogden Avenue (Route 34), the center is anchored by family-owned grocery store International Fresh Market, and features a mix of retail stores and restaurants, including Amish furniture Gallery, Ball Factory, ENTOURAGE, Galleria Lighting, and VAI’s Italian Inspired Kitchen + Bar.
National pickleball venue The Picklr chose Fox River Commons as the site of its first location in the greater Chicago area, and recently opened at the center in a 27,333 square foot space.
More than 271,000 consumers reside within a five-mile radius of Fox River Commons, with an average household income approaching $130,000. Ingress and egress are facilitated by five access points, three of which are serviced by traffic signals. Nearly 60,000 vehicles pass the site daily via Route 59, with an additional 36,000 passing via W. Ogden Avenue.
“We are elated to accommodate Habitat for Humanity at Fox River Commons and enable this group to continue serving the greater Naperville marketplace,” said CRC’s Blake Dickinson.“Habitat for Humanity is a highly-regarded organization with tremendous leadership and we deeply appreciate their mission to provide essential housing to the local community. The ReStore concept is extremely unique and is a strong traffic generator that will benefit the entire tenant mix at Fox River Commons. With two large leases secured in the past year, we are making swift progress toward leasing the vacancy inherited when we acquired this project, while also adding a variety of new and compelling users to the center.”
Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland and founded in 1960, Continental Realty Corporation is a full-service commercial real estate and investment company focused on acquiring and operating retail and multifamily properties. The privately held firm owns and manages a diversified portfolio of retail centers consisting of nearly eight million square feet of commercial space and over 9,000 apartment homes across 11 states, with a portfolio value exceeding $3.7 billion. For additional information, visit www.crcrealty.com
