Principal Real Estate Investors has provided $121.2 million in debt financing to Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors LLC, the Glastonbury, Conn.-based real estate arm of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., for the company to purchase downtown Denver’s Hotel Monaco luxury boutique hotel for $61.8 million, or $327,131 per room. The purchase was part of a three-hotel package that also included Hotel Monacos in Chicago and Salt Lake City for a reported $190 million.

Ames-based Hydrogen Engine Center Inc. today announced that it has delivered and commissioned its hydrogen-fueled power generation system in combination with a waste remediation package from Startech Environmental Corp. The two companies united on March 19 to commence the development of the commercial project. The power generation system will be arranged for demonstrations by running on converted waste gases processed by the Startech Plasma Converter.

The 31st annual Des Moines Home & Garden Show is now accepting new exhibitor applications. The show will run Feb. 12-15, 2009, at the Iowa Events Center. For more information about exhibiting at the show, call (800) 466-7469 or visit www.desmoineshomeandgardenshow.com.

The Midwest Consumer Price Index decreased 0.3 percent in August from July but rose 5.4 percent from August 2007, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported yesterday. The decrease comes after seven consecutive months of increases, the bureau said in a release. The index was 209.351 in August, down from 210.071 in July.

Hy-Vee Inc. is giving away 200,000 trees to schools and organizations in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation. A number of community groups and more than 500 schools throughout Hy-Vee’s seven-state marketing region will participate in the project. The Colorado blue spruce and Norway spruce seedlings were selected as the trees of choice because they grow best in the Midwest. All the trees will be delivered to area schools throughout September.