• Grant Ideas, an advertising agency at 101 Wood Street, Downtown, will relocate about May 1. The agency occupies 7,500 square feet; that will increase to 10,000 square feet when it moves to the 11-story First and Market building, 100 First Ave., Downtown. The move will allow the firm to have all 22 employees on one floor, Bryan Ward, chief executive officer, said.
• Erdman Anthony, a Rochester, N.Y., company that specializes in infrastructure engineering and support services, has leased space in Twin Towers, 4955 Steubenville Pike, Robinson. CADVenture, an Ohio-based technical training and support company, has leased 1,380 square feet at Park West Two, 2000 Cliff Mine Road, Moon. Graham Kukucka of Massaro Properties LLC handled both transactions.
• Duquesne University will seek approval from the Pittsburgh Zoning Board of Adjustment on Thursday to permit use of a business identification banner sign for the Red Ring Bar & Grill, 600 Forbes Ave.
• Family House Inc., has leased floors five through eight in the recently renovated former University Club at 123 University Pl., Oakland, and has increased its guest rooms by 48 to bring capacity to 160 rooms, said John Fedele, a University of Pittsburgh spokesman. Family House is contributing $3.2 million towards the $20.2 million renovation. Pitt, which owns the building, will use it for banquets and conferences, along with public meetings. It will have a members-only faculty and staff club, with dining and a cocktail lounge, a library and reading room with Internet, and a fitness center. The Brioche Doree French Cafe will be open to the public. Pitt purchased the University Club for $3.1 million in 2005.
• The 297-unit Cork Factory loft apartments in the Strip District is among 25 "outstanding developments" selected as finalists in the Urban Land Institute's Awards for Excellence. The complex, which includes an adjacent building with 43,000 square feet of retail space, is owned by McCaffery Interests Inc. of Chicago and local individuals. The winners will be announced at the Institute's Spring Council Forum April 24 in Atlanta.
• A Builders Home Show sponsored by Prudential Preferred Realty and Signature Homes will be held from noon to 5 p.m. April 18-19 and April 25-26 at The Fields of Nicholson, Nicholson Road, Franklin Park. Two decorated models are open and five units are available for immediate occupancy. Carriage homes start at $539,900, Villa homes at $359,900. Onsite are a swimming pool and clubhouse.
• The Executive, an office building at 8150 Perry Highway, McCandless, has been purchased by Michael Lock of Lockamp Holdings LLC from S&T Bank for $1.3 million, according to a deed filed in Allegheny County. The building, 60 percent occupied with 12 tenants, will undergo a major upgrade, including replacement of windows and mechanical systems and refurbishing the common areas, Lock said. His company renovated the Stevenson Center in the North Hills, which it purchased from S&T Bank in May.
• A 10,500-square-foot retail center at 616 S. Pike Rd., Freeport, Butler County, has been sold for $1.31 million to a private investor. The seller, Sarver Properties LLC, opened the center in 2004; tenants include Curves and Century 21. David Sallen of Century 21 American Heritage Realty represented the seller; Robert Johnson of the same firm represented the buyer.
