Development/Redevelopment

New York - Uniqlo announced it will enter two new markets, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, starting this spring. The Japanese apparel giant will open three stores in the Philadelphia market and six stores in the Boston metro area.  In addition, Uniqlo will open a pop-up shop at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, early this summer.

Uniqlo will enter Pennsylvania with three stores in the greater Philadelphia area:

• King of Prussia Mall, King of Prussia (May 16)
• 1608 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia (Oct. 3)

Tustin, Calif. — Present Value Properties, a real estate brokerage and consultant, has appointed real estate veteran Bradley O. Whitaker executive VP. His responsibilities include expanding investment acquisitions and sales, develop partners and look for opportunities. In addition, he will open the firm’s first Utah office.

Indianapolis — Simon Property Group plans to distribute all of the common shares of Washington Prime Group Inc. to Simon stockholders. Following the distribution, Washington Prime will be an independent, publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “WPG.”

Washington Prime (www.washingtonprime.com) will own or have an interest in 54 strip centers and 44 smaller enclosed malls across the United States, comprising approximately 53 million sq. ft.

Las Vegas — Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino has begun planning efforts to convert a 60,000-sq.-ft. area on Harmon Avenue along the center’s south end into a dining and entertainment destination.

Hudson’s Bay Company has named Paul V. Beesley as CFO, effective June 2014.

Despite the Easter holiday shift, Whole Foods reported second-quarter revenue of $3.32 billion, a record increase of 10% from the prior-year quarter. But the record was not enough for Wall Street, which expected $3.34 billion.

The company’s earnings per share of 38 cents for the quarter also came in below expectations of 41 cents per share.

Las Vegas -- Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino has begun planning efforts to convert space Harmon Avenue, a 60,000-sq.-ft. area on Miracle Mile Shops’ south end that draws in heavy foot traffic from Las Vegas Boulevard into a restaurant and entertainment destination.

Lewisville, Texas — Kroger and retail developer Cencor Realty Services will break ground on a 123,000-sq.-ft. Kroger Marketplace this week. Slated to open in the first quarter of 2015, the new Kroger will anchor a community-regional-draw center located in the 2,500-acre master-planned community of Castle Hills, Texas.

In addition to the Kroger Marketplace, the center’s first phase will include 40,000 sq. ft. of in-line retail space and several ground sites for national restaurant concepts that have not been announced yet.

Alameda, Calif. — Charming Charlie has signed a 10-year lease for a new 5,570-sq.-ft. store at Alameda South Shore Center in Alameda, California. Cornish & Carey Commercial Newmark Knight Frank represented the landlord, Jamestown, the real estate investment and management firm, in the transaction.

Slated to open in September, the new Charming Charlie will join Carter’s and Crazy 8, two more recently signed tenants, in the 594,000-sq.-ft. open-air shopping center.

Chevy Chase, Md. — Formerly known as 2b Bebe, Bebe has rebranded at six Mills properties across the country.

Shoppers will find the new Bebe concept at Arizona Mills (Phoenix), Franklin Mills (Philadelphia), Great Mall (San Francisco), Ontario Mills (Los Angeles), Potomac Mills (Washington, D.C.) and Sawgrass Mills (Ft. Lauderdale/Miami).

The Mills, a hybrid outlet concept, is one of Simon Property Group’s five real estate platforms.