Thursday, April 9, 2026
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DevelopmentFeaturesRetailSoutheastSoutheast Feature ArchiveVirginia

CoStar: U.S. Retail Construction Activity Remains Stymied Through the First Quarter

by John Nelson

ARLINGTON, VA. — U.S. retail construction activity totaled 64.2 million square feet in the first quarter, down from 70 million square feet in first-quarter 2025 and well below the 10-year average (+90 million square feet), according to research from CoStar Group. Brandon Svec, national director of retail analytics at CoStar Group, points to multiple governors for new retail construction, including the popularity of e-commerce, competition from other property types and the previous cycles of broad-based expansion in the retail industry. Additionally, he says elevated costs for land, construction materials, labor and debt have made it difficult for retail developers to justify new construction. “The pullback in construction reflects a development environment that remains difficult to pencil in most markets,” says Svec. “Even in markets with strong population growth and leasing demand, achieving returns that justify ground-up construction has become increasingly challenging.” Data from the Arlington-based commercial real estate information and analytics firm shows that the nation’s retail development pipeline is sinking to levels not seen since the previous two cyclical lows: the early stages of the COVID-19 recovery and coming out of the Great Financial Crisis in 2011. Among markets tracked by CoStar, three Texas markets are leading the way …

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IllinoisMarket ReportsMidwestMidwest Market ReportsOffice

Three Narratives Shaping Next Chapter of Chicago’s Office Market

by Kristin Harlow

By Denes Juhasz, NAI Hiffman Two different star performers are emerging in Chicago’s suburban and downtown office markets. Practical Class B properties are gaining traction in the suburbs, while glitzy Class A+ trophy towers continue to outperform downtown. As the office sector adapts to post-pandemic workplace realities, the 278 million-square-foot metro Chicago office market ended 2025 with a 25.5 percent overall vacancy rate and 1.8 million square feet of negative net absorption.  The suburban market closed 2025 with positive net absorption totaling 282,285 square feet, while overall vacancy held steady at 26.2 percent, largely consistent with the year-end 2024 level of 26.3 percent. Downtown, tenant space reductions and relocations continued to take a toll, with nearly 2.1 million square feet of negative net absorption recorded in 2025. Vacancy rose to 24.9 percent, up from 23.6 percent at year-end 2024. Well-performing assets and a reduction in inventory are helping stabilize the market, albeit unevenly. Three distinct trends are emerging: an outperformance of well-positioned Class B suburban properties, a continued flight to trophy assets in the central business district (CBD) and the conversion of obsolete buildings to alternative uses across the region. Rise of suburban Class B One of the most notable …

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Scottsdale-Commons-Scottdale-AZ
AcquisitionsCompany NewsRetailTexasTop StoriesWestern

Ares to Acquire Whitestone REIT for $1.7B, Take Company Private

by Hayden Spiess

LOS ANGELES AND HOUSTON — Investment firm Ares Management Corp. (NYSE: ARES) has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Whitestone REIT (NYSE: WSR) to purchase the company. Ares will acquire all outstanding Whitestone common shares and operating partnership units for $19 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at roughly $1.7 billion.  Upon closing of the transaction, which is expected in the third quarter, Whitestone will become a private company and will no longer trade on the New York Stock Exchange.  Houston-based Whitestone is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on open-air neighborhood retail markets. As of March 2026, Whitestone’s portfolio comprised 56 retail properties totaling approximately 3.9 million square feet, including retail centers in Phoenix; Austin, Texas; the Dallas-Fort Worth metro; Houston and San Antonio.  “Whitestone’s portfolio provides an attractive opportunity to further diversify Ares Real Estate’s footprint with necessity-based retail centers in high-demand, supply-constrained metro regions across Arizona and Texas,” says David Roth, global head of real estate strategy and growth with Ares Real Estate. Whitestone’s board of trustees unanimously approved the transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Whitestone’s shareholders.  “We believe this transaction with Ares is a testament to the …

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DevelopmentIndustrialTexas

ICP Underway on 685,000 SF Industrial Redevelopment Project Near San Antonio

by Taylor Williams

WINDCREST, TEXAS — Cleveland-based investment and development firm Industrial Commercial Properties (ICP) is underway on a 685,000-square-foot industrial project in Windcrest, located just northeast of San Antonio. Phase I of Windcrest International Business Park, which is a redevelopment of the 1.2 million-square-foot former headquarters complex of local cloud computing firm Rackspace Technology, is nearing completion following infrastructure upgrades and structural improvements. ICP has partnered with the City of Windcrest and Bexar County on the project. Rackspace originally acquired the 66-acre property in 2007. JLL has been tapped as the leasing agent.

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Gable-Point-Apartments-Dallas
AcquisitionsMultifamilyTexas

IPA Negotiates Sale of 372-Unit Multifamily Portfolio in East Dallas

by Taylor Williams

DALLAS — Institutional Property Advisors (IPA), a division of Marcus & Millichap, has negotiated the sale of a two-property multifamily portfolio totaling 372 units in East Dallas. Creekstone is a two-story, 220-unit apartment complex that was built in 1982. Gable Point is a 152-unit property that was constructed in 1986. Both properties offer units with private patios/balconies, as well as pools and onsite laundry facilities. William Hubbard, Taylor Hill, Michael Ware, Drew Kile, Joey Tumminello and Jack Windham of IPA represented the seller, Pardue Cos., in the transaction, and procured the buyer, Clover Capital Partners.

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Galleria-Mall-Dallas
Leasing ActivityRestaurantRetailTexas

Trademark Welcomes Eight New Tenants to Galleria Mall in Dallas

by Taylor Williams

DALLAS — Trademark has welcomed eight new tenants to the 1.4 million-square-foot Galleria Mall in Dallas, which the Fort Worth-based owner-operator is currently redeveloping. The tenants are athleisure brand ALO, women’s apparel provider Aritzia, bridal and custom jewelry Helzberg 1915, Kids Foot Locker, French bakery Patissery and toy retailer Rolife, as well as apparel brands Urban Planet and Watson. All stores are either open or slated to open within the next six months.

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AcquisitionsFloridaGeorgiaIndustrialSoutheast

Basis Industrial, OneIM Acquire Industrial Portfolio in Orlando, Metro Atlanta for $144.6M

by John Nelson

DELRAY BEACH, FLA. — A joint venture between Delray Beach-based Basis Industrial and global investment management firm One Investment Management (OneIM) has purchased an industrial portfolio in the Orlando and Atlanta markets. The firms acquired the 839,001-square-foot portfolio from Boston-based Albany Road Real Estate Partners for $144.6 million as part of a multibillion-dollar programmatic joint venture between Basis Industrial and OneIM. The acquired portfolio spans multiple building within three properties: Lake Point Business Park (134,389 square feet) and Challenger South (146,538 square feet) in Orlando and Breck Exchange in Duluth, Ga. (558,074 square feet). Aaron Appel, Jonathan Schwartz and Michael Brown of Walker & Dunlop assisted in sourcing acquisition debt. Mo Beler, Jonathan Paine, Cory Elbaum and Jackson Irwin of Walker & Dunlop advised on the joint venture equity raise.

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DevelopmentGeorgiaHospitalityLoansSoutheast

Walker & Dunlop Arranges $104.5M Construction Loan for Ritz-Carlton Savannah Hotel

by John Nelson

SAVANNAH, GA. — Walker & Dunlop has arranged a $104.5 million construction loan for Ritz-Carlton Savannah, a 168-room luxury hotel located at 2 E. Bryan St. in Savannah. The hotel is a redevelopment of two obsolete office buildings built in 1911 in Savannah’s Historic District. Aaron Appel, Jonathan Schwartz, Keith Kurland, Adam Schwartz, Dustin Stolly, Ari Hirt, Sean Reimer and Jason Schwartzberg of Walker & Dunlop arranged the loan through The LCP Group LP on behalf of the borrower, TMGOC Ventures. Jay Morrow and Carter Gradwell of the Walker & Dunlop Hospitality Advisory team assisted and advised the borrower, which is utilizing federal and state historic rehabilitation tax credit programs to help fund the redevelopment. At completion, the Ritz-Carlton Savannah will feature multiple food-and-beverage options on the lower level, ground floor, second floor and rooftop.

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AcquisitionsOfficeTennessee

SVN | Wood Brokers Sale of 23-Story Riverview Tower in Downtown Knoxville

by John Nelson

KNOXVILLE, TENN. — SVN | Wood Properties has brokered the sale of Riverview Tower, a 23-story office tower located at 900 S. Gay St. in downtown Knoxville. Apex Bank purchased the building for an undisclosed price from an affiliate of Hertz Investment Group. George Brown and Taylor Thompson of SVN | Wood represented the seller in the transaction, which closed in approximately four months from the listing date. Riverview Tower spans 334,197 square feet of offices with floor-to-ceiling windows on every level. The acquisition includes an adjacent multi-level parking garage. Apex Bank has selected SVN | Wood to continue leasing the office tower.

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AcquisitionsIndustrialSoutheastTennessee

Matthews Negotiates $15.8M Sale of Industrial Facility in Columbia, Tennessee

by John Nelson

COLUMBIA, TENN. — Matthews has negotiated the $15.8 million sale of a 162,934-square-foot industrial facility located on 15.5 acres at 2206 Oakland Parkway in Columbia, a city in Middle Tennessee’s Maury County. Jay Reeves, Matthew Powell and Jonathan Ghertner of Matthews represented the seller, an unnamed national developer, in the transaction. Mike Havens of Havens Commercial represented the buyer, an undisclosed investment firm. According to the Matthews property website, the facility is fully leased to GCP Applied Technologies Inc., which recently signed a new 10-year triple-net lease at the property with 2.5 percent annual rent increases and two five-year renewal options.

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