Development/Redevelopment

Houston — JLL announced it has expanded its retail capabilities into Houston with the addition of Mark Raines as a senior VP. Partnering with Dallas retail brokerage lead Clay Smith and Austin and San Antonio market lead Todd Wallace, Raines will focus on JLL’s retail business including tenant representation and agency leasing and will serve as Houston’s retail brokerage leader.

Smithfield, N.C. – Home South, a specialty home furnishings chain operated by Carolina Pottery, is opening a 30,000-sq.-ft. store in the Rock Hill Galleria shopping center in Rock Hill, South Carolina, in the fall. Rock Hill Galleria is anchored by Belk, Sears and J.C. Penney, plus offers a variety of specialty stores including Victoria’s Secret, Aeropostale, Hot Topic, Yankee Candle, rue21, Kay Jewelers and Bath & Body Works.

Boca Raton, Fla. – Office Depot has raised its full-year adjusted operating income forecast as cost savings from the closure of some U.S. stores related to its acquisition of OfficeMax are expected to be higher than previously anticipated. As previously announced, Office Depot plans to close at least 400 stores by the end of 2016, with about 165 closures in 2014.

A city with a booming population, one of the nation’s lowest unemployment figures, and an expanding presence on the national and international stage, Houston, Texas is on this rise. Already the fourth largest city in America, Houston has been recognized in recent years as a social and economic powerhouse that deserves to be considered alongside iconic cities like New York and Chicago. Unsurprisingly, Houston’s retail development growth has been a big part of its ascendance.

Plano, Texas -- J. C. Penney Company will open its first-ever store in Brooklyn, further increasing its New York City footprint, on Aug. 29. The all-new 124,000-sq.-ft., single-level store, located in Gateway Center, will provide a look at Penney's updated store model, which includes a new footwear format.  

Mountain View, Calif. – Google Inc. has unveiled its expanded office in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The 300,000-sq.-ft. campus, in the Kendall Square neighborhood, combines space in three buildings previously occupied by Google into one connected campus with a combined 12 floors of office and work space.

The office spreads across one whole building and parts of the other two. It features a public rooftop garden, and a private one for Google employees, along with an employee café offering free meals.

Kansas City, Kansas -- Bath & Body Works will open a 3,010-sq.-ft. store at designer outlet Legends Outlets Kansas City on Aug. 4.

Bath & Body Works will occupy the space next to Ann Taylor Factory Store by the Civic Courtyard Fountain.  

Other recent additions at Legends Outlets Kansas City include the only area Pizza Studio, Woody’s Automotive concept, Nail Envy spa and the Coach Factory pop-up location.