HOUSTON-As part of an expansion plan, Oak Brook, IL-based Ace Hardware Corp., through a Kingwood, TX-based operator, H&C Operations, has acquired 3.37 acres for development of a 17,000-sf hardware superstore.Though a groundbreaking date has not yet been determined for the property, located at the intersection of Timber Forest and Atascocita Drs., the anticipated completion date for the store is mid 2006.The property, purchased from a local trust represented by Colliers International's Houston office, had a list price of $7 per sf.According to David Stukalin, president of The Weitzman Group's Houston office, the transaction is just one of three Ace has executed in the Houston area during the past six months. Other activities have included an 18,520 sf lease at Highway 6 and Bissonet Rd., in Houston and a 23,569 sf site in Clear Lake, TX, the site of an old Sears store space."Ace is expanding its operations, and we're currently working on a few more deals for them," comments Stukalin who, with colleague Greg Slusky is representing ACE in its expansion efforts.Stulakin notes that, while ACE has completed expansion activities for this year, plans are already in place for more deals in 2006."We're looking at all properties," he tells GlobeSt.com, adding that the preferential property is inline retail. "The typical space would be 15,000 sf, we're looking at high-traffic areas and new growth in rooftops," he adds.