Mergers & Acquisitions

Taubman Centers named Simon J. Leopold, treasurer and executive VP, capital markets, as CFO, effective Jan. 1.

Leopold will succeed current CFO Lisa A. Payne, who will continue as vice chairman until she leaves the company in March. Payne has been with the shopping center development and management company since 1997. Earlier, she was a vice president of Goldman, Sachs & Co.’s investment banking division.

Oak Brook, Ill. -- Inland Real Estate Acquisitions, Inc. announced the acquisition of three properties, located in Florida, California and Colorado, purchased in August on behalf of an Inland affiliate. The acquisitions collectively total more than $104 million for approximately 607,000 sq. ft. of commercial real estate.

Nothing will have a greater impact on the value of your shopping center than how you approach an anchor tenant lease expiration.

Chico’s FAS Inc. may be considering a sale to one of several private equity suitors.

“Now Trending” is an exclusive online series to chainstoreage.com, featuring trending topics that impact the retail real estate landscape.

At a time when the growing influence of millennials and the ongoing development, redevelopment and revitalization of urban communities continue to shape the commercial development landscape, the changes taking place in the hotel and multi-family sectors reflect many of those same demographic and development trends.

Toys“R”Us has looked to a Loreal veteran to take over its human resources division.

The retailer announced that it has named Tim Grace as executive vice president, global chief talent officer, effective immediately. In this role, the company says Grace will oversee all global human resources functions, including organizational design, talent acquisition, succession planning, learning, change management and labor and employee relations, as well as compensation and benefits. He will report to Dave Brandon, Chairman and CEO, Toys“R”Us, Inc.

A red-hot real estate market and sky-high property values have some retailers, including Macy’s and more recently, McDonalds, feeling the pressure to cash in on the value of their real estate assets. How? By spinning off store properties and/or land assets into a REIT and entering into a lease-back deal.

Ft. Myers, Fla. – Chico’s FAS Inc. may be considering a sale to one of several private equity suitors.

According to Bloomberg, Chico’s has been approached by Sycamore Partners and is also in talks with other private equity groups about a possible sale.