Retail

Redevelopment Drives Much of the Retail Story in Pittsburgh

by Camren Skelton June 14, 2017

Pittsburgh retail can be summed up in three words: location, location, location — and the original definition of great real estate has never been more pronounced than it is today in the Pittsburgh retail market. According to some publications, retail and retailers appear to be struggling almost everywhere for many different reasons, including online sales, too many stores, market conditions and oversaturation of product. However, as of year-end 2016, CoStar indicated that the overall Pittsburgh retail market occupancy rate was 96.8 percent. Pittsburgh has natural barriers to entry for retail due to its topography, which includes numerous hills and valleys, making it often times impossible to build a “newer, bigger, better” retail property across the street. As a result, many developers have successfully repurposed older centers through adaptive reuse, converting them in keeping with the latest and greatest retail trends. Other older centers have successfully withstood the test of time, replacing outdated retail concepts with today’s current concepts at significantly lower costs than building a new center. Adaptive reuse of Pittsburgh retail started decades ago when the May Company relocated Kaufmann’s Department Stores from four freestanding locations into the dominant regional malls, leaving one- and two-story 200,000-square-foot boxes vacant. Local …

June 14, 2017

Kansas Market Reports Midwest Midwest Market Reports Retail

A Growing Number of National Retailers Have Wichita on Their Radar Screen

by Kristin Harlow June 1, 2017

The pace of retail construction remains brisk in Wichita with national retailers showing an increased interest in the market. In the first quarter, developers started construction on nine buildings totaling 112,961 square feet, reports brokerage firm NAI Martens. Completions during the first quarter totaled 117,300 square feet. Notable store openings included Sprouts Farmers Market at Central Avenue and Rock Road; Save-A-Lot grocery store at 1640 S. Broadway; Cavender’s western wear store in Greenwich Place at K-96 and Greenwich Road; Andy’s Frozen Custard at NewMarket Square along 21st Street; and a freestanding Starbucks at Wichita State University on the school’s innovation campus. In short, developers in Wichita appear to be making up for lost time. As a result of the Great Recession, the local economy shed 30,000 jobs between 2009 and 2011, many of them related to the aviation industry, according to the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce. Commercial real estate activity ground to a halt at that point. “Between 2008 and 2012 and maybe into 2014, we just didn’t have much development at all. There were some plans on the drawing boards, but nothing really reached fruition,” recalls Thomas Johnson, president of NAI Martens. But consumer confidence gradually began to …

June 1, 2017

Alabama Market Reports Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Retail Activity Leads the Way in Birmingham’s Revitalization

by John Nelson May 30, 2017

The Birmingham retail market had an explosive 2016. Several large projects were announced or completed, while traditional indicators of market health also showed promising signs of growth. TopGolf will soon be coming to the Uptown District, while Regions Field, home of the Birmingham Barons minor league baseball team, continues to attract surrounding development. Breweries remain a mainstay in Birmingham’s social scene, and they have demonstrated a capability to revive entire neighborhoods. As the natural beauty of Alabama becomes more important to residents and newcomers, the Red Rock Trail System’s green space bicycle system, which encompasses over 200 miles of green space trails and over 600 miles of street-based paths connecting all corners of the Birmingham area, will continue to grow in importance and recognition. By the fourth quarter of 2016, retail vacancy had decreased to 5.4 percent, down from 6.1 percent at the beginning of 2016, while market rents for major submarkets held steady around $12.37 per square foot. Downtown Birmingham, which hasn’t been viewed as a major retail area for decades, is the site of resurgent interest and accompanying capital. Some of the revitalization is occurring due to a renewed interest in public greenspaces, such as the recently developed …

May 30, 2017

Market Reports Retail South Carolina Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Greenville’s Positive Economic Momentum is Catching the Eye of Retailers

by John Nelson May 29, 2017

The city of Greenville and the surrounding submarkets are exploding with growth. The once-sleepy textile town in the Upstate of South Carolina has now become a robust, diversified economy that is garnering interest from retailers that may have overlooked the market in the past. The change in the city of Greenville has not gone unnoticed; several publications and top ten lists have recognized Greenville for its thriving downtown. From the addition of Falls Park in 2004, an approximately 32-acre oasis in the West End of the city, to multiple mixed-use developments under construction, Greenville’s resurgence has brought new residents, new retail and new life to the region. Growth in the Greenville market has been largely driven by the addition of thousands of new jobs, a low cost of living and highly attractive lifestyle options. Greenville serves as the North American headquarters for BMW, Michelin and Hubbell Lighting, all of which have contributed to significant job growth in the region. As Greenville’s downtown has continued to draw national recognition, retailers have taken notice. In recent years, Greenville has attracted a multitude of national retailers new to the market. Hughes Development’s Project ONE kicked things off when it brought national retailers like …

May 29, 2017

Northeast Retail Top Stories

Urban Edge Properties Acquires Retail Portfolio in Northeast, Midwest for $325M

by Nellie Day May 26, 2017

NEW YORK CITY — Urban Edge Properties (NYSE: UE) has purchased a seven-property retail portfolio primarily within the New York City metro area and Missouri for $325 million. The portfolio contains a total of 1.5 million square feet. The acquisition includes Yonkers Gateway Center in Yonkers, N.Y.; Manchester Plaza in Manchester, Mo.; and The Plaza at Woodbridge in Woodbridge, The Plaza at Cherry Hill in Cherry Hill and 21 E. Broad Street/One Lincoln Plaza in Westfield, all in New Jersey. The portfolio is currently 83 percent leased. The tenant rosters contain a mix of big-box stores such as Burlington, Best Buy, DSW and Toys “R” Us; grocers like Aldi and Trader Joe’s; furniture outposts like Raymour & Flanigan and Bob’s Furniture; and restaurants like Five Guys, Cake Boss and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, among others. Occupancy rates range from 74 percent for The Plaza at Cheery Hill to 100 percent for the Westfield asset. New Jersey-based Acklinis Realty Holding LLC owned the portfolio for more than 30 years. The contributors exchanged their property interests for about $122 million of Urban Edge operating partnership units, which were valued at $27.02 per unit. Urban Edge assumed about $33 million of existing mortgage debt, …

May 26, 2017

Market Reports Retail Texas Texas Market Reports

Torrid Job, Population Growth to Fuel Fort Worth Retail in 2017

by Taylor Williams May 26, 2017

In DFW, retail real estate will experience its eighth consecutive year of performance gains as upward economic momentum strengthens consumption and bolsters the local retail sector. The national economy is operating at near full employment and the rate of job creation will start to slow, bringing two million new job opportunities to fruition in 2017. At least 100,000 of these jobs will be filled in DFW and these dynamics will affect retail property by driving up wage growth, increase rental rates and promote higher retail spending.” As a result, national retail sales are expected to increase 4 percent this year. In Fort Worth specifically, retail trade is one of largest employment sectors and accounts for more than 11 percent of all jobs. Dallas-Fort Worth is expected to see a fourth consecutive year of employers adding over 100,000 jobs as a number of large companies like Toyota, Liberty Mutual and many others expand their footprints in the metro. Advance PCS, Dean Foods, ExxonMobil, Kimberly-Clark, Neiman Marcus, Southwest Airlines and Texas Instruments are among the 21 Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the area. The relocation and expansion of these businesses will draw new residents to the area. Approximately 88,000 individuals are slated …

May 26, 2017

Market Reports New York Northeast Northeast Market Reports Retail

Retailers Take Advantage of New Opportunities in Manhattan

by Camren Skelton May 17, 2017

The news is rife with stories regarding retail bankruptcies, store closures, challenges facing conventional shopping centers, and consolidations by department and specialty stores. Although not immune to some of these challenges, the Manhattan retail environment has enjoyed much activity during the second half of 2016 and the first part of 2017. To be sure, some submarkets and certain retail corridors have seen an increase in vacancies and a corresponding fall in asking rents. However, a number of new retailers have entered the market and certain strong retail brands have right-sized or repositioned themselves in the market. One high-profile shopping center opened its doors, and there is considerable retail development underway. It’s a big story but here are some highlights. Lower Manhattan There has been considerable focus on Lower Manhattan in the past several years, and this continues. On the grand scale, the opening in August 2016 of Westfield’s World Trade Center was the culmination of years in planning, constructing and leasing this $1.4 billion development. This multi-level project contains an assortment of national and international tenants, including fast fashion and better retail stores, such as Victoria’s Secret, Sephora, H&M, John Varvatos and London Jewelers. A 60,000-square-foot Eataly is the principal …

May 17, 2017

New Jersey Northeast Retail Top Stories

Urban Edge Properties Obtains $100M Loan to Refinance Tonnelle Commons in North Bergen

by Nellie Day May 12, 2017

NORTH BERGEN, N.J. — Urban Edge Properties (NYSE: UE) has obtained a $100 million loan to refinance Tonnelle Commons, a 410,015-square-foot retail power center in the New York City suburb of North Bergen. The Class A center is located at 2100 88th St. at the corner of Tonnelle Avenue. Tonnelle Commons is fully leased to 16 tenants. Anchors include Walmart, BJ’s Wholesale Club, PetSmart and Staples. Other tenants include Applebee’s, the Vitamin Shoppe, GameStop, SuperCuts and Mattress Firm. The property was built in 2009 less than 10 miles from Midtown Manhattan and four miles from the entrance to the New Jersey Turnpike. The center is situated at the northern edge of Hudson County, the most densely populated county in New Jersey. HFF’s debt placement team, led by Scott Aiese and Mike Tepedino , secured the 10-year, non-recourse, fixed-rate loan. Urban Edge Properties is a REIT that manages, acquires, develops and redevelops retail real estate in urban communities, primarily in the New York metropolitan region. The REIT’s stock closed at $24.93 per share on Thursday, May 11, down from $27.38 one year ago. — Nellie Day

May 12, 2017

Market Reports Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports Tennessee

Restaurants, Grocers, IKEA Headline Positive Retail Activity in Memphis

by John Nelson May 8, 2017

If it’s been several years since visiting Memphis, it’s time to come back and see the improvements. The city and suburbs have experienced large amounts of new construction and redevelopments, from the downtown Memphis Pyramid becoming the grandest Bass Pro Shops outside of their headquarters to the new Tanger Outlets in Southaven, Miss., and many more developments in between. The most active retail category continues to be restaurants, followed closely by grocers and service-oriented retailers. New restaurants have leased space across the market, varying from fast-casual options like Pimento’s Kitchen + Market to upscale options like Cheesecake Factory and Char, a steakhouse based in Jackson, Miss. In the grocery sector, Kroger, The Fresh Market and Whole Foods Market expanded their reach by adding new and redeveloped stores. Kroger, with its 125,000-square-foot Marketplace concept, is further solidifying market share and geographic footprint with Marketplace units in Hernando and Arlington and a 100,000-square-foot unit in Germantown. These locations were also joined by new-to-Memphis Sprouts Farmers Market. Trader Joe’s also announced plans to open a new store later this year. One of the most notable new Memphis-area retailers is IKEA, which opened its 271,000-square-foot store along Interstate 40 in late 2016. The store …

May 8, 2017

Market Reports New Jersey Northeast Northeast Market Reports Retail

Non-Traditional Retailers Are Behind Much of the Leasing Activity in New Jersey

by Camren Skelton May 3, 2017

Business was brisk in 2016 for retail real estate brokers in Central and Northern New Jersey. As online shopping continued to impact which retailers fill brick and mortar spaces, several trends emerged at malls and along New Jersey’s highways. The shrinking list of retail categories in which customers prefer or need to visit a store in person includes quick-serve and sit-down restaurants. Chick-fil-A opened new stores in Woodbridge and Jersey City; Chipotle in Holmdel; and Habit Burger in Eatontown, West Windsor, River Edge and Parsippany. Also on the list are gas stations, coffee shops, and convenience stores, including Street Corner, WaWa, Tim Horton’s, Quick Check, and 7-Eleven, which have all recently opened new locations, are under construction or are planning to open new stores throughout the state. Creative and art businesses also draw customers to brick and mortar locations. One River School of Art & Design, currently open in Englewood, is opening a second location in Allendale, and plans a roll-out nationally including a strong look at the Bell Works project in Holmdel. This art school for kids and adults and other creative concepts, such as the paint and sip retailers, remain very strong. School of Rock is another creative …

May 3, 2017

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