Several years after a punishing recessionary cycle, Michigan’s retail marketplace finds itself at somewhat of a crossroads. Steady and sustained economic growth and a robust retail recovery have things moving in the right direction. With few new large shopping centers opening in the last five to six years, these positive trends have led to the absorption of a great deal of available space. Consequently, demand for quality space has been picking up and retail rents have recently begun rising quite rapidly. At the same time, the relative lack of new construction presents its own challenges. It has prompted more tenants to commit to long-term renewals. In addition, with quality space in prime locations at a premium, more developers and retailers are electing to enhance or expand their existing stores. Fundamentally, the state’s evolving retail marketplace looks quite different than it did in the mid to late 2000s. The 2009 economic crash delivered a real blow to the lifestyle centers that were a big part of the pre-recession expansion, and those developments have had to scramble to adapt. Many have had to convert from a traditional lifestyle center model to more of a hybrid concept, integrating more middle-market and service-oriented tenants. …
