For the fourth consecutive year, there still is not enough ground-up shopping center construction to justify the "Fastest-Growing Developers" ranking that was Chain Store Age standard fare for two decades.

But we may be edging closer to resurrecting a ranking based on who is building new (or, more accurately, newly repurposed) space. Closer, but still not there.

Here’s an interesting take on pop-up stores by Felicity Pogson, associate design director, interiors, Dalziel & Pow, London:

If there is one booming business inside the shopping center industry, it’s that of third-party management. 

Shopping center management — whether you’re talking operational control, marketing programs and strategies, or leasing — is growing by leaps and bounds, as owners find alternative ways to fill the coffers when new construction is at a standstill.

In its eighth year, the annual Top Redevelopers survey continues to underscore the country’s emphasis on refurbishing and repositioning over building anew. Just as in the prior seven years, shopping center owners are concentrating on existing assets — sometimes tweaking, sometimes refreshing, sometimes razing sections and rebuilding. For all, however, the goal is to maximize exposure and returns for all the tenants involved.