Development/Redevelopment

Redmond, Wash. – Microsoft will open its first flagship location, on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

In addition, Microsoft plans to open 10 new stores across the U.S. in time for the 2014 holiday season, while the flagship New York store is being built. Microsoft has not given a specific timeframe for when the flagship will open, but said it has been planning the store for five years. It will open in a spot currently occupied by luxury accessories brand Fendi, a few blocks south of an Apple store.

Dublin, Calif. - Ross Dress for Less will open a new store in Hawthorne, California, in Los Angeles County, on Oct. 11. The store is located in the Hawthorne Town Plaza.

This new opening is part of the retailer’s 2014 expansion program, totaling approximately 75 new locations during the year.

Alpharetta, Ga. - McAlister's Deli has signed an agreement with new franchise group MidSouth Hospitality Inc. to open 10 locations in Middle Tennessee. Led by McAlister's veteran Charles Corley, MidSouth Hospitality will be opening its first McAlister's in early 2015.

The newly formed company plans to open a total of 10 new restaurants during the next seven years.

New York - MG Properties, the real estate investment and development arm of McCourt Global, is entering an equity and development partnership with Hines, the international real estate firm, on the development of its mixed-use project at 360 Tenth Ave. in New York City. MG Properties and Hines have selected SHoP Architects to design the project.

In 2013, 360 Tenth Avenue was purchased from Sherwood Equities for approximately $167.5 million. The property is zoned for up to 733,406-sq.-ft. of Total Zoning Floor Area (ZFA).

By Matthew K. Harding, president, Levine Management

Moving into the final months of 2014, the outlook for retail in the Northeast remains quite positive. We are seeing demand from national, local and franchise companies across a broad range of categories.
 

Over the last decade, U.S. airport in-terminal dining and retail programs have begun a transformation. As passengers’ time spent within terminals has increased, the demand for enhanced airport in-terminal experiences has equally increased. In turn, the state and local governments that own and operate all commercial service U.S. airports have shifted their retail and dining programs from generic offerings with minimal services to programs with a wide variety of specialty retail and dining brands, innovative technology and upscale amenities to respond to the new consumer expectations.

Mixed-use projects have become a consumer home base

The concept of a shopping center as a place where people simply show up to make a few purchases and leave is becoming passé. Increasingly, developers are building mixed-use centers that include residential, office and entertainment components, which turn them more into a consumer home base and less of a functional destination.

New York -- DSW Inc. is opening new stores in Watertown, New York, and Louisville, Kentucky, on Oct. 2. The Watertown store will be located in the Salmon Run Mall and the Louisville store will be located across from St. Matthew’s Mall.

DSW offers other features including the DSW Rewards loyalty program and the Shoe Lovers community on Facebook.