Despite a bump in big-box inventory in the wake of the A&P bankruptcy, the New Jersey retail real estate market continues to gain strength. Leasing activity remains robust, with strong suburban markets augmented by heightened urban activity. The inventory of properties for sale remains tight, while new development is highlighted by large-scale projects. This year’s major headline has been A&P’s bankruptcy. The sell-off of the grocer’s stores is ongoing, with Stop & Shop and Acme key bidders. Still, the stores remaining unsold are forcing landlords to think outside the box and/or redevelop their shopping centers, providing the opportunity to improve tenant mix and increase lease rates. Meanwhile, these immediate opportunities could slow down nearby projects in the works, including developments that could have come out of the ground in 2016 or 2017. Hot markets include Paramus, a perennial favorite. Also in the north, the redevelopment of Wayne Town Center has attracted Costco, Nordstrom Rack, Saks Off 5th, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and ULTA. In Bridgewater, Whole Foods signed a lease at Bridgewater Crossing, and negotiations are progressing with several major off-price and full-price specialty retailers. In Union County, Clark Commons opened with Whole Foods, LA Fitness, Home Goods, Michaels, Petco, ULTA, …
Dallas is on a hot streak. This is the best market Dallas has seen in years. Companies are expanding and corporate relocations are driving new development in office, industrial and retail. Based on the healthy, active market of 2015, the momentum should carry over and remain strong through the first half of 2016. Office Dallas has become a headquarters hub in the past few years with companies like Toyota and Liberty Mutual putting down roots in the Metroplex. Companies are doing well financially and are growing, which is great news for the office sector. Leasing activity is at an all-time high with all sizes of companies experiencing growth. Office expansions and mid-term lease extensions are becoming the norm. In November, GEICO’s regional headquarters relocated to a larger facility with the goal of hiring nearly 200 employees before year’s end. The insurance company leased 224,000 square feet at 2280 Greenville Ave. in Dallas, brokered by Tom Lynn and Nick Lee, CCIM, of NAI Robert Lynn and Griff Bandy of NAI Partners in Houston. GEICO’s former headquarters building in the North Dallas area is now on the market. We’re also seeing the employment industry shift from focusing solely on clients to employee …
When talking about the retail sector, the economy has to be part of the conversation. Trends in retail concepts follow consumer behavior. In 2010, when the recovery began, wealthy consumers were the first to return to the marketplace. Not surprisingly, luxury retail concepts followed these wealthy shoppers. To appeal to consumers who were experiencing a slower recovery and to address the concerns of consumers who were still budget-conscious coming out of the downturn, discount retailers and off-price concepts also flooded the market at the same time. These two ends of the spectrum have dominated the retail landscape, leading to challenges for the middle-priced retailers. Despite the acceleration of the economic recovery, these retailers will continue to face challenges as many consumers have maintained a fiscally conservative, or even frugal, mindset. E-Commerce Has Clout The prediction that the advent of the Internet would spell the death of the brick-and-mortar store has not come to fruition. However, e-commerce’s impact on retail is certainly undeniable. Although 75 percent of retail sales still take place in stores, consumers are becoming more educated about products and prices as a result of the Internet. Consumer surveys show that 75 percent of millennials use the Internet to …
New Orleans recently celebrated a significant milestone: the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina making landfall. Those familiar with the area’s commercial real estate market agree that the city continues to thrive in and around the metro area. Despite a low vacancy rate and shortage of commercial opportunities in downtown proper, competition is fierce for quality properties, and new-to-market retailers have moved into the area. From the market downtown to the immediate suburbs and surrounding parishes, the Big Easy is well-positioned for continuous, steady growth. Sharing a border with New Orleans, Jefferson Parish is the most populous parish in the state. Veterans Memorial Boulevard is a six-lane thoroughfare in Jefferson Parish, which remains the primary retail development corridor in the market with the 120-store Lakeside Shopping Center. One of the most desirable spans of commercial real estate, the seven-mile stretch of highway runs from the airport to the intersection of Jefferson Parish and Orleans Parish. After scouring the market for several years, Trader Joe’s recently announced its first New Orleans metro area store in one of the last undeveloped tracts on Veterans Memorial Boulevard. Another grocery retailer, The Fresh Market, opened its first Jefferson Parish store in July. In addition, the …
Economic indicators that support the retail market in Atlanta, like unemployment and the addition of non-farm payroll jobs, show positive signs that the sector has recovered from the economic downturn. Unemployment dropped to 6.1 percent in July 2015, compared with 7.6 percent a year earlier, and companies are showing no signs of slowing down on the hiring process. Non-farm payroll jobs in July reached 2.58 million, an increase of 85,000 jobs, or 3.4 percent, from a year ago. Atlanta’s vacancy rate continues to fall, dropping from 8.1 percent earlier this year to 7.9 percent in the second quarter, according to CoStar. While space is hard to come by, the good news is that some developments are popping up. In fact, during the second quarter, 12 buildings were completed totaling 208,524 square feet. Mixed-use projects featuring multifamily units are still active, particularly when a grocery store anchor is involved. Fuqua Development is building a six-acre project on Piedmont Road near Cheshire Bridge Road that will feature 300 apartment units, as well as 34,000 square feet of retail space. Sprouts Farmers Market will anchor the retail space with a 26,000-square-foot store. Fuqua Development also broke ground on Kennesaw Marketplace in June. Academy …
Without question 2015 was a “great year” for the St. Louis retail market, says Adam Glosier, senior vice president with Colliers International. “New users entered the market and few vacated. The St. Louis retail landscape benefitted from the continued expansion of organic grocers, sporting goods operators, quick service restaurants and soft goods retailers.” At the end of the third quarter, the vacancy rate stood at 7.1 percent, unchanged from the prior quarter but down from 8.2 percent a year earlier, according to CoStar Group. Net absorption totaled 579,206 square feet during the third quarter, bringing the year-to-date total to just under 900,000 square feet. Six new retail buildings were delivered in the third quarter, which collectively brought 612,595 square feet to the market. The gross leasable area (GLA) of the 29 buildings under construction at the end of the third quarter totaled 915,751 square feet. “There was a lot of activity in 2015 in the freestanding and small retailer market, as well as activity from junior anchors,” says Christopher Zoellner, senior vice president of retail with Balke Brown Transwestern. “This has created strong activity and a good pipeline going into 2016.” IKEA Makes ‘Big Splash’ A few retailers opening new …
The retail market for Louisville has continued to improve over the past year. New ground-up developments, which have been virtually nonexistent the past five years, are now open for business. Vacancy rates are falling, new tenants are entering the market, and retail investment sales continue to be in high demand. The $2.5 billion Louisville- Southern Indiana Ohio River bridges project is on track for a 2016 opening. New developments in downtown and northeast Louisville, as well as Southern Indiana, are looking to capitalize on the new infrastructure. GBT Realty is looking to expand its presence in the market with a proposed 220,000-square-foot joint venture project across the river in Jeffersonville, Ind. The site is located within in the 170-acre master-planned Jefferson Town Center on Veterans Parkway. Menards is opening a new 200,000-square-foot property this fall across the street from GBT’s proposed development. In addition to GBT Realty’s newly opened Middletown Commons and Jefferson Commons in Louisville, the three projects are from developments that were planned before the Great Recession and now have new life. The Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass, located in Simpsonville, Ky., has been a major success since opening in late 2014. After just six months, an expansion …
Louisville’s retail market continues to experience a shortage of space in high-demand markets in spite of several new developments opening over the past year. During this period, two major retail developments have been completed with several smaller projects under construction or in the planning stages. Second-generation big box vacancy is virtually non-existent and finding quality shop space is becoming equally challenging. As a result, rents have escalated to historic highs. The most notable additions to the Louisville market are two neighborhood centers developed by Brentwood, Tenn.-based GBT Realty Corp. Nestled amongst a rapidly expanding residential community and PGA’s notable Valhalla Golf Club in eastern Louisville, the 240,000-square-foot Middletown Commons is anchored by Hobby Lobby, Academy Sports + Outdoor, Ross Dress for Less and Liquor Barn. Jefferson Commons, located in south Louisville, is anchored by Academy Sports + Outdoor, Hancock Fabrics, HH Gregg, Michael’s, Liquor Barn and several fast-casual restaurant concepts. In western Louisville, BC Wood Properties added Hobby Lobby and Goody’s stores at the 350,000-square foot Dixie Manor Shopping Center. Southwest of the city’s central business district, the redevelopment of Dixie Valley Shopping Center expanded its footprint to include additional soft goods retailers such as Marshalls, Ross Dress for Less, …
LOS ANGELES — Westfield Corp. (ASX: WFD) has sold five of its regional malls to a joint venture between Centennial Real Estate Co., Montgomery Street Partners, USAA Real Estate Co. and a real estate investment affiliate of Blum Capital Partners for $1.1 billion. The portfolio features more than 6 million square feet of retail space across four states. The acquisition includes the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, Conn.; Main Place Mall in Santa Ana, Calif.; Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills, Ill.; Fox Valley Mall in Aurora, Ill.; and Vancouver Mall in Vancouver, Wash. The malls have an average occupancy rate of more than 97 percent. Montgomery and USAA will act as the financial partners, while Westfield will maintain a minority equity interest. Centennial will oversee the malls’ daily operations. The existing on-site management teams will continue to operate the properties under Centennial’s direction. The JV plans to evaluate each property to determine where it can add value through enhancements and new tenants. “A mall can’t just be about shopping anymore,” says Steven Levin, Centennial’s CEO. “Understanding the needs of your market is the cornerstone of creating a one-of-a-kind experience that guests can’t get online or anywhere else. Our goal is …
Convenience, quality and experience are the key deliverables for today’s retail customer. Make it easy, of high value and enjoyable. Today’s shopper has less time, less money and less patience for retailers and developers to “get it right.” They want shopping to be an event and a social experience. They want a reason to get off the couch and go shopping instead of simply buying online. Although e-commerce still accounts for less than 15 percent of retail sales in the United States, it dramatically impacts consumers’ expectations and will increasingly influence retail trends. Shoppers are better informed, often having thoroughly researched the options and narrowed their choices before ever setting foot in the store. Salespersons must be better informed and prepared to successfully engage sophisticated consumers. Sales of consumer goods perceived to be commodities, some of which include books, electronics and office supplies, are continuing to migrate online. Retailers who are able to seamlessly integrate their brick and mortar stores with their online presence have been able to take advantage of shifting trends successfully, while those who haven’t struggle to compete. Omni-channel retailing is becoming more mainstream. Retailers that haven’t adopted omni-channel retailing are racing to catch up to businesses …