From our email bag

Here are some tidbits from the email bag. . .

Hines, the owner of Fifty South Sixth in downtown Minneapolis, has received Gold certification under the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED for Existing Buildings Rating System.

The 29-story, Class A office tower was completed in 2001 and has 698,606 square feet of rentable space.

Green features implemented at the property include energy-efficient lighting with reduced mercury content, use of environmentally sensitive cleaning products and practices, reduction of indoor potable water use through low-flow fixtures, and a comprehensive recycling program.

"Fifty South Sixth achieving LEED Gold demonstrates our commitment to the environment, our tenants and the community. Energy savings, equipment efficiencies, water conservation and recycling programs directly benefit the tenants in terms of lower operating costs," said Hines Managing Director Steve Luthman, in a statement.

Hines said the building's tenants played an important role in achieving LEED Gold by participating in transportation and comfort surveys, tracking green purchases and increasing recycling efforts. Major tenants in the building include BMO Harris Bank; Deloitte; Dorsey & Whitney, LLP; Dunham Associates.

Plymouth-based Dominium has sold the 65-unit Hanley Place Apartments in Hudson, Wis., for $3.8 million. The buyer of the 17-year-old property at 222 Hanley Road was Minneapolis-based Hornig Cos.

As Lux noted, Cassidy Turley has sold six properties for Dominium, including the 175-unit Oakdale Village, for a total of nearly $24 million.

Built in 1996, Hanley Place features studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments and offers seniors (ages 50 and over) affordable housing through the Section 42 federal program. The apartments are located in a recently developed neighborhood with access to St. Croix river trails, and is close to the Hudson Hospital and Clinic, retail stores, commercial services and schools. The building is 99 percent occupied.

The historic Northwestern Building in the North Loop is getting a facelift.

Once the home of a glass factory, the 99-year-old building at 219 N. Second St. N. is now being used as an office building for several tenants.

Minneapolis-based RJM Construction is leading the renovation effort, including restoring windows, repairs to the roof and exterior, mechanical system improvements, elevator upgrades and new finishes in the 26,000-square-foot common area. Completion is expected by summer 2014.

RJM will also renovate space for tenant Yamamoto, an ad agency, which will occupy 12,000-square-feet of space on the second floor. This will be completed by November 2013. Partners in this effort include Colliers International and the architect, Gensler.

The Northwestern Building is the third historic building RJM Construction has renovated in the North Loop. The company completed its renovation of Ford Center in 2011, and is currently working on renovations to the Loose-Wiles building, where RJM has its offices.