Development/Redevelopment

If you’ve been reading this column over the last four years, let me first say, “thank you!” It’s gratifying to think that my musings about retail and retail real estate have kept your attention and interest. In this, my 100th and final (except for an occasional contribution) Retail Rap, I wanted to tackle the big question: What’s next? Where is the retail industry — particularly brick-and-mortar — headed in the months and years ahead?

Oakbrook, Ill. -- InvenTrust Properties Corp. announced a series of appointments to its senior management team. The new appointments, effective immediately, are as follows:

· James Christensen has been named senior VP of asset management.
 
· Chris Dykstra has been named senior VP of property management.
 
· Nicole Horne has been named VP of transactions.
 

Brooklyn, N.Y. -- The design of West Elm’s upcoming store was inspired by a armory.

The retailer will open its ninth New York store on July 23. The 10,600-sq,-ft. store is located at Culver Road Armory, in Rochester.

Houston -- Charming Charlie has appointed Melissa Boughton as senior VP of real estate & construction, where she is spearheading the retailer’s real estate, store planning, construction, facilities and lease administration functions.

New York -- Fresh off the opening of its store on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Apple is opening another location in New York City.

The tech giant will open a store on July 11, in the Queens Center mall, in the borough of Queens, giving it a total of eight locations in the city.  

The Queens store will reflect the diversity of the surrounding community. It will feature some 130 associates fluent in 24 languages apart from English.
 

Newport Beach, Calif. -- X Team International announced that partner Strategic Retail Advisors has been selected as a broker for the 81,658 sq. ft. of development surrounding a premium outlet center made up of shops and pads fronting Avenida Vista Hermosa in San Clemente, California.

Photo: Central Valley Marketplace, Ceres, California

Photo: Fernando’s owner Fernando Padilla with CityLine location general manager Omar Hernandez.