Introducing the newest Ramshaw property: Champaign Village

Sperry Van Ness/Ramshaw Real Estate's Jerry Ramshaw and Alex Ruggieri closed a deal in late February that brought Champaign Village into the firm's portfolio of commercial properties. Located on Glenn Park Drive between Mattis Avenue and Country Fair Drive, the 143,120-square-foot Champaign Village is a retail complex anchored by a County Market grocery store and Apria Healthcare.

"It's really a fantastic piece of property, and it was an incredible opportunity," Ramshaw said. "We're very excited about the potential Champaign Village holds for the very near future." Ramshaw's team will be focused on developing and leasing the large space formerly used by Hobby Lobby, along with five smaller retail spaces. A massive 60,000 square feet, the old Hobby Lobby space will most likely be converted into about three smaller spaces.

Negotiations with potential Champaign Village tenants are already underway. Popped Bliss, which has been operating a specialty popcorn shop in Downtown Champaign, will be the first new tenant when it takes over the old Baskin-Robbins space. "There's no reason retail spaces in that location are vacant," Ramshaw said. "And they won't be for long." The firm's development division will be heavily involved in the build-out of the different spaces as new tenants come on board, as well as refurbishment of the building exterior, roof, and parking lot.

In addition to the building itself, Champaign Village includes a massive amount of parking and over 13 acres of land. It has excellent visibility, high traffic counts, and immediate access to Interstates 72 and 57, not to mention its location directly between Country Fair Drive and Mattis Avenue.

Champaign Village hosts huge charity effort

Champaign County volunteers utilized the old Hobby Lobby space at Champaign Village in late April to help pack more than 1 million meals to send to impoverished residents of earthquake-ravaged Haiti. It's the largest relief effort of its kind outside a major city.

"We were more than happy to volunteer our space for this cause," Ramshaw said. "It's a testament to this community that such an effort could come together."