Development/Redevelopment

New York -- Modell’s Sporting Goods will celebrate the grand opening of two of its newest locations on Aug. 30, giving it a total of 155 storefronts.

The new stores are located in Huntington Shopping Center, Huntington Station, N.Y., and in Fivetowns Shopping Center, Rosedale, N.Y. Both locations are on Long Island.

New York -- DSW plans to test a smaller-store format that will run about 10,000 sq. ft., down from its average 22,000-sq.-ft. model.

DSW did not disclose where the tests would be. But CEO Mike McDonald told securities analysts that, if successful, the small-format stores “will create a new growth vehicle for DSW, which could significantly expand our store count potential,” Columbus Biz Insider reported.

DSW is on track to open 30 stores in 2013.
 

New York -- Analysts project that Francesca’s, a junior apparel and accessories retailer, will have the retail industry’s fastest rates of growth during the next three years, Bloomberg reported.

Francesca’s plans to expand to 900 stores, or double its current store count, in the next seven years.  The chain is projected by analysts to grow sales by 80% during the next three years, faster than any other apparel retailer, according to the report.

Destin, Fla. — H&M and Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl & Grill will anchor a 100,000-sq.-ft. expansion of Destin Commons slated to open in mid-2014.

Construction is underway on the 20,000-sq.-ft H&M store, the first H&M in northwest Florida.

Uncle Buck’s, a concept by Bass Pro Shops, will offer casual dining and 16 lanes of bowling. Uncle Buck’s has also taken 20,000 sq. ft.

The expansion will include about 20 additional stores and restaurants.

San Francisco -- Williams-Sonoma on Wednesday reported better-than-expected second-quarter profit amid same-strong sales. The retailer raised its full-year forecast, but its profit outlook still fell short of market expectations.

The company also announced that it will expand its international presence, adding more stores in Australia and entering the United Kingdom later this year, and debuting in the Philippines in 2014.

New York -- Swedish fast-fashion giant H&M will open its largest location to date, a 63,000-sq.-ft. flagship in New York City’s bustling Herald Square. Scheduled to open in fall 2014, the four-level store will be located in Herald Center, a JEMB Realty property. The landlord’s broker is CBRE.
 

The New York press has been all abuzz over the latest news about Nordstrom’s new Manhattan digs – that the West 57th Street space is officially Nordstrom’s.    

Urbi et Orbi (The City and The World): The phrase is not just the theme of an annual speech from the Pope, but also summarizes what’s taking place in retail across North America: urbanization and globalization.  

Bayer Properties has announced that it will develop a third member of its signature Summit property brand: The Summit Lexington, a mixed-use shopping destination located in the Lexington, Kentucky’s retail hub. An outdoor fashion center, The Summit Lexington will offer specialty retail, restaurants and residences.

Purchase, N.Y. — National Realty & Development Corp. www.nrdc.com has announced that Old Navy and GNC will open stores at Orange Plaza, an 815,000-sq.-ft. power center in Middletown, N.Y. Old Navy has taken 13,500 sq. ft. GNC will occupy 1,500 sq. ft.

Wal-Mart Supercenter, The Home Depot, Kohl’s Department Store, Burlington Coat Factory, Marshalls, Bed Bath & Beyond and Staples anchor the center, which draws from a 12-mile radius with a population of 157,000.