Although better known for its work as an industrial real estate brokerage, Colliers Barry recently received a deal of the year award from the
Commercial Association of Realtors Wisconsin (CARW) for a retail project in Portage County.
Since 2002, Colliers Barry represented Portage County to help the county develop a 350-acre business park at County Highway HH and Interstate 39 in Plover, near Stevens Point.
County officials were frustrated that only about seven acres of land in the business park was being sold per year to businesses moving into the park. So, Colliers Barry suggested that the county needed to do more to attract people to the business park. The firm recommended that the county purchase a 150-acre potato farm directly south of the business park and turn the potato farm into a retail development.
The county purchased the farm, and Colliers Barry represented the county in selling the farm to TOLD Development Co. Colliers Barry also represented TOLD to attract retailers to the development.
So far, Colliers Barry has helped TOLD reach agreements with Kohl’s, Lowe’s, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Petco, Sports Authority, Michaels, McDonalds, Hudson Grill, Golden Corral, Charcoal Grill, Subway, Starbucks and M&I Bank for the development.
With the retail development, interest has picked up in the business park. About 100 acres of land has been sold in the business park in the last 2-? years, said Bill Quinlivan, president of corporate services for Colliers Barry.
“We got everybody on both sides of the street smiling pretty good,” he said.
