Sustainability

Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust is repositioning its Moorestown Mall in suburban Moorestown, N.J., by bringing in tenants associated with urban life.

For instance, a number of new tenants include independent chef-owned restaurants like those found in urban edge neighborhoods.

The goal is to reposition the suburban mall with an urban environment.

Puma’s outlet-store prototype is streamlined, sporty and contemporary looking, with strong brand cues. The store model is built around sustainability and flexibility. It features a “design by subtraction” concept that is based on a mobile fixture kit of interchangeable stock parts that yield 30% lower energy consumption. A lack of partition walls results in fewer materials, and enables the entire store to be reconfigured without the need for permanent construction or installations.  

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Safeway, Inc. has reached a $600,000 settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Justice (DOJ) in regard to violations of the Clean Air Act. The government alleges that Safeway neglected to repair leaks of heat-trapping gas HCFC-22 from its refrigerators in a timely manner or keep proper records of refrigerator maintenance.

Chicago -- Whole Foods Market plans to open an 18,000-sq.-ft. store on Chicago’s South Side, in the impoverished Englewood neighborhood, in 2015. The store will be built as part of a larger development at the northwest corner of South Halsted and West 63rd Streets. The retail portion of the site is being developed by DL3.

New York -- Kimco Realty and NRG eVgo, part of NRG Energy, opened the Bay Area’s first electric vehicle charging station, at Westlake Shopping Center, Daly City, Calif.

By Tracy Knippenburg Gillis, [email protected]

The Rana Plaza building collapse in Savar, Bangladesh on April 24 that killed roughly 1,000 garment workers exposed a serious risk to the safety of workers in low-wage countries and to the reputations and bottom lines of retailers dependent on outsourced global supply chains.  

Two hundred Target stores will begin offering the EveryOne brand of organics and all nature health and beauty items from EO products.

The company bills itself as theoriginal and ultimate essential oil based personal care company and said its products are designed to meet the increasing demand for healthy body products at a great price. Target will offer EO’s EveryOne Soap in Citrus + Mint, EveryOne Soap in Coconut + Lemon, and EveryOne Lotion in Coconut + Lemon in a 32 ounce pump bottle that retails for less than $10.

New York -- Sam's Club will host a grand opening celebration on Thursday, Sept. 5, at its new location in Anchorage. At 145,000 sq. ft., the new club will be more than 50% bigger than the former Anchorage location.

The new club has been constructed to include many environmentally friendly features. Energy-efficient fixtures, including daylight-harvesting skylights, reduce the amount of energy required to light the club by up to 75% daily.

Seattle -- Recreational Equipment (REI) named Jerry Stritzke as the company's president and CEO, effective Oct. 1, following an extensive national search. Stritzke most recently served as president and COO for Coach, which announced his resignation, effective Sept. 2.

Millennials and boomers are driving an urban push

Generations after people deserted cities for the suburbs, young millennial-generation adults and older baby-boomer adults are moving back downtown.

Retailers aren't far behind, and new, seemingly instant neighborhoods — complete with housing, retail, offices and other forms of real estate — are springing up in redevelopment areas of cities across the country.