I want to begin brainstorming so I can learn as much as I can before making any sort of recs to anyone.

Though your money is probably safe as the market probably won't bottom out in any but the worst crashes. 

I've called a legal hotline and I'm waiting to hear back but if anyone can provide some sort of clarity because it seems as if they are cutting agents out of the transaction as a whole since majority of landlords do NOT offer compensation. 

They hooked it up to the house panel of my center and reimburse the utility costs which is sort of a pain in the butt. 

That will require the ability to instill some sort of confidence in others that you know what you're talking about before they give you money.

I take it that this is a pure investment for you and not some sort of live-in, house hack?

What some of the more optimistic folks will say is that the general non-taxable treatment given to contributions into LLCs taxed as partnership under sec 721 and the carryover of basis of the property into the LLC make it hard for  service to argue that a contribution of that sort would be taxable simply because it falls at the end of a 1031 exchange (Their words  not mine:).And since the exceptions that would make it taxable are 1.a disguised sale (not if both contribute equally into the LLC), 2. a contribution of not property (not is both contribute real estate and cash), 3. a gift (doesn't sound like this is the case),  or 4. a contribution that results in a reduction of the taxpayer liabilities (doesn't sound like that here either).   

Instead of 3 of those I’d go after a multiplex of some sort personally: much easier to meet the 1% rule with those, and better suited for cash flow investing long term.

If you don’t know what Sphere of Influence means, it’s just basically everyone you already know and have some sort of relationship with.

*Unless they have some sort of provision in the lease that says it won't transfer with ownership changes.