Development/Redevelopment

There’s a new, farmers market-styled specialty grocer taking root in the Midwest: Fresh Thyme Farmers Market. With former Sunflower Farmers Market CEO Chris Sherrell at the helm, Fresh Thyme emphasizes organic foods and produce at value prices in a convenient neighborhood-store format. The company made its debut in April, in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, and went on to open six additional locations. A total of 60 stores are planned throughout the Midwest by 2019.

Houston – The Mansour Group has arranged the sale of the 99% leased, 223,223-sq.-ft. Almeda Crossing Power Center located in Houston, for more than $30 million. The seller was a Texas-based developer and The Mansour Group was able to deliver the property to a national REIT.

The center is leased to an array of national tenants including Ross, Marshall’s, Staples, PetSmart, Conn’s, Party City, Show Carnival, Dollar Tree, Anna’s Linens, Aaron’s and many others and is shadow anchored by a Walmart supercenter.

Beachwood, Ohio -- DDR Corp. announced that CEO Daniel B. Hurwitz will be leaving the company next year, as he and the board agreed not to renew his employment agreement, which expires December 31, 2015.

According to DDR, Hurwitz is expected to remain CEO through 2015 to facilitate a smooth leadership transition.

Hurwitz was named CEO on January 1, 2010, after serving as the company’s president and COO for two years prior. He has worked for DDR in various senior executive capacities since June 1999.

When the Grand Metropolitan Mall opened in 2013 in Bekasi, Indonesia, just east of Jakarta, it did so with an award-winning design.    

Canton, Mass. – Dunkin’ Donuts is continuing its development across India with its master franchisee, Jubilant FoodWorks, where it's on track to meet its previously announced development target of 500 Dunkin' Donuts restaurants in the long-term. Since signing its master franchise agreement with Jubilant FoodWorks in 2011, 36 Dunkin' Donuts restaurants have been opened in 12 cities across India, including its newest location, which opened Sept. 11 in the South Indian city of Bangalore.  

North Plainfield, N.J. — David Reiner has joined retail real estate services firm Levin Management as VP of leasing. Most recently, Reiner served as director of real estate for Body Central Stores Inc.

During the past 25 years, he has also has held executive- and management-level retail leasing positions with property owners such as Urban Retail Properties, Colonial Properties Trust, and Simon Property Group.
 

NEW YORK — 18 | 8 Fine Men's Salons has leased its first New Jersey locations in Somerset and Essex Counties. Winick Realty Group New Jersey broker Alison Cohen, the exclusive broker for 18|8 Fine Men's Salons in New Jersey, represented the salon in both transactions.

Phoenix — Vestar, a privately-held real estate company in the western U.S. that acquires and manages retail and entertainment destinations, has named Jenny Cushing as assistant VP of leasing. Cushing will be responsible for overseeing and growing the leasing efforts throughout Vestar’s California, Arizona & Nevada projects.