Finance & Capital Management

Company HQ: New York City

Company Website: www.brixmor.com

Project Owner: PREIT

Company HQ: Philadelphia

Project Location: Cherry Hill, New Jersey

Project Size: 1.3 million sq. ft.

Project Status: Open and operating

Company Website: www.preit.com

Project Owner: RPAI

Company HQ: Oak Brook, Illinois

Project Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland

Project Size: 258,000 sq. ft. of retail space

Project Status: Open and operating

Company Website: www.rpai.com

Some parts of the country are still waiting for economic recovery, but the Northeast is already enjoying a return to financial prosperity.

The Northeastern U.S. offers a consumer base that is better educated and wealthier than that of many other areas. As a result, vacancies in Northeast centers tend to be low, giving landlords leverage in determining rents and tenant mixes.

What year did you attend your very first SPECS?

Retail facilities are making the shift to LEDs, a more efficient, brighter and longer-lasting lighting option that saves energy and reduces operating costs. Its rapid return on interest makes LED retrofitting a smart, simple fix.

But what if LED lighting installations could also increase and guide purchasing decisions? What if thoughtful placement and controlled lighting could make customers feel more comfortable and safe, and make employees more productive?

While mobile payments are increasing, cash receipts still remain a healthy percentage of total sales and aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Fifth Third Bank’s John Bultema discusses the proper management of cash in retail stores and solutions aimed at improving store efficiency and reducing costs.

What is the current status of cash handling in retail stores? Are cash receipts in stores on the decline?

Imagine you are the general counsel at a retailer involved in sensitive M&A discussions. You receive an email from one of the deal’s outside advisers. He says he needs some information about your company the kind you’ve passed on before. You send it along, and later find that you were victimized in a sophisticated cyber attack aimed at stealing sensitive information.

There has been a bit of controversy lately regarding Urban Outfitters’ recent request that some of their salaried employees “volunteer” to fill normally hourly roles in fulfillment centers and retail outlets.

The ongoing quest of Sears Holding Corp. to leverage its vast real estate portfolio helped pave the way for British fast-fashion retailer Primark to enter the United States, giving the import access to space in malls throughout the Northeast.

In late 2014, Primark struck a deal with Sears to lease a total of approximately 520,000 sq. ft. in seven Sears mall-based locations. All the space is expected to be delivered to Primark by the end of 2015.