For real estate developers and investors, a time of transition and evolution within the retail world presents abundant opportunities to capitalize by acquiring and investing in underperforming spaces. With an infusion of capital, some strategic restructuring and re-tenanting with regional and national brands, a moribund center or underwhelming site can be transformed. Understanding the strategies deployed to effectively identify, acquire, reposition and re-tenant retail is an essential prerequisite for any commercial real estate professional looking to get involved in the process. The big picture The most critical step in the process is selecting the right opportunities to pursue in the first place. Identifying existing retail assets that are underperforming is one thing. Finding those that can be successfully reinvigorated and repositioned through an infusion of capital and the application of some expertise is a little trickier. It is a best practice to confine your search to well-established trade areas because you generally do not want a project on the fringe. The overall goal is to identify markets and trade areas where there is more demand than quality supply, and then work to find a creative and cost-effective way to deliver that supply. Once you identify those areas, familiarize yourself with …
Retail
WASHINGTON, D.C. — PetSmart Inc. has opened a new 12,000-square-foot store at 2484 Market St. N.E. in Washington, D.C. The new store is the first location for the pet retailer inside the Washington, D.C., metro area. Located within The Shops at Dakota Crossing shopping center, the new PetSmart will feature pet food, pet products, training classes for dog owners and a full-service grooming salon for dogs and cats. PetSmart Inc. operates 1,477 pet stores in North America and employs roughly 53,000 associates.
IRVINE, CALIF. — Wet Seal will open 13 pop-up locations during the 2016 holiday season at GGP regional shopping centers throughout the United States, including Arizona and Washington. The temporary locations are slated to open simultaneously on Nov. 3. The stores will range from 3,000 to 5,000 square feet. The Tucson Mall in Tucson, Ariz., will receive a pop-up shop, as will Northtown Mall in Spokane, Wash. The Wet Seal LLC is an Irvine, Calif.-based specialty retailer of young contemporary women’s apparel and accessories with over 160 stores in the United States. Chicago-based General Growth Properties, Inc. (GGP) is an S&P 500 company focused on owning, managing, leasing and redeveloping high-quality retail properties throughout the United States.
ST. CLOUD, MINN. — Mid-America Real Estate-Minnesota LLC has brokered the sale of Division Place, a 130,000-square-foot shopping center in St. Cloud. Division Place is located on the corner of Division Street West and 27th Avenue South. Tenants include TJ Maxx, Dollar Tree and Famous Footwear. Joe Girardi and Mark Robinson of Mid-America Real Estate Corp. were the exclusive brokers in the transaction on behalf of the seller, Vanbarton Group. An affiliate of Core Acquisitions LLC purchased the center, and hired Mid-America Real Estate-Minnesota as the exclusive leasing and management firm.
KANSAS CITY, KAN. — Block & Co. Inc. has sold a 1.1-acre pad site at the Plaza at the Speedway development in Kansas City to Burger King. The pad site is located on the northwest quadrant of I-435 and Parallel Parkway in front of Sam’s Club and Kohl’s. The Plaza at the Speedway is an 850,000-square-foot retail shopping center located in the heart of a major tourism district. Other tenants include Walmart Supercenter, Taco Bell and Chick-fil-A. Anchor space, pad sites and small shop spaces are still available. Alex Block and David M. Block of Block & Company represented the seller, Plaza Speedway Development Inc., in the transaction.
OMAHA, NEB. — The Lerner Company has unveiled plans for Burlington Coat Factory to open its second store in Omaha at Eagle Run Shopping Center, located at 4004 N. 132nd St. The new store will occupy a portion of the former Kmart, which closed in December 2014. The new 40,408-square-foot store will open in spring 2017. The opening will bring approximately 50 to 100 new jobs to the Omaha community. Eagle Run Shopping Center is one of The Lerner Company’s joint venture entities.
HOLTSVILLE, N.Y. — Stalco Construction, as construction manager, has completed the expansion and renovation of H.O. Penn’s parts and service departments and retail area at the company’s 42,000-square-foot building, located at 660 Union Ave. in Holtsville. The scope of the 5,000-square-foot project included relocating the entrance of the retail and parts departments, updating the reception lobby, the demolition of preexisting offices and retail area and the installation of a new storefront-type entrance, retail section, customer support counter and a new office for the department manager. Additionally, the renovated sales floor features seven desks for sales staff and a private manager’s office. The project team included Rosebery Architectural Studio, The Maude Group, 2 Gang Electric and KK Signs.
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CALIF. — Faris Lee Investments has arranged the sale of Plaza El Paseo at Rancho Santa Margarita Town Center, located at the corner of El Paseo and Alma Aldea in Rancho Santa Margarita. K&G El Paseo 1 & 2 LLC sold the property to Plaza El Paseo Center LLC for $56.6 million. Built in 2002, the 107,000-square-foot property is anchored by Bed, Bath & Beyond, BevMo and Wood Ranch BBQ. Rick Chichester, Nicholas Coo and Chris DePierro of Faris Lee represented the seller and buyer in the deal.
MONROVIA, CALIF. — Calmwater Capital has provided $19.8 million in financing to 723 EHD LLC for the acquisition and lease-up of Shamrock Center, a retail center located at 723-727 E. Huntington Drive in Monrovia. The financing consists of a $9 million senior term loan for the acquisition of the property and $10.8 million in additional potential funding for future leasing and tenant improvements. At the time of sale, the 98,000-square-foot property was 90 percent vacant due, in part, to the loss of its anchor tenant, a 70,000-square-foot Albertson’s that closed as a result of a consolidation strategy.
Newmark Realty Capital Arranges $10M in Acquisition Financing for Gelson’s Market in California
by Nellie Day
LAGUNA BEACH, CALIF. — Newmark Realty Capital has arranged $10 million in financing for the acquisition of Gelson Market’s in Laguna Beach. The 34,478-square-foot grocery store is located on Pacific Coast Highway. George Mitsanas and Doug Tisdale of Newmark arranged the fixed-rate, non-recourse financing for the borrower, a Beverly Hills-based developer. The 10-year loan, provided by a life insurance company, features interest-only payments during the first five years and a 30-year amortization schedule.