Development/Redevelopment

Queens, N.Y. — A CVS Pharmacy and The Boulevard, a new family restaurant, have leased space in the Francis Lewis Boulevard Shopping Center in the Whitestone section of Queens, N.Y.

The CVS transaction is a lease renewal for an existing 13,500-sq.-ft. pharmacy. The Boulevard has taken 4,000 sq. ft. and plans to open by the end of March.

The Francis Lewis Boulevard tenant lineup also includes McDonalds, First Savings Bank, Kumon and Aphrodite Sweets.

Bolingbrook, Ill. -- Ulta Beauty’s fiscal fourth-quarter earnings rose 9.5% on better-than-expected sales. The fast-growing beauty products retailer plans to add 100 net new stores, expanding square footage by 15% and remodel 12 locations in its current fiscal year.

“Ulta Beauty achieved excellent top line growth in the fourth quarter,” said Mary Dillon, CEO. “We delivered earnings growth consistent with our expectations and made significant progress with our key growth strategies.”

New York -- When building an urban store, be prepared for anything, and make friends with your local Economic Development Corp. early, advised retailers and a developer at the “Setting Up Shop Downtown” session at Chain Store Age’s 50th annual SPECS conference in Grapevine, Texas (March 9 -12, 2014). The session was particularly timely given that more and more retailers are targeting urban areas for growth — and the trend is likely to accelerate going forward.

Amazon plans to open a nearly 1 million-sq.-ft. fulfillment center in Kent, Wash. This will be the company’s fourth fulfillment center in the state. Amazon’s other Washington fulfillment centers are located in Sumner and Bellevue, and a DuPont site is near completion.

New York -- Dollar General, Ross Stores and Dick’s Sporting Goods are bullish on expansion. For 2014, Dollar General has budgeted $450 million to $500 million for capital expenditures, and plans to open 700 new locations. This follows a record year of square footage expansion during which the extreme-value discounter opened 650 stores. Ross Stores also continues to expand in 2014. The off-price apparel and home fashions retailer is on track to open about 95 new locations in 2014, comprised of about 75 Ross Dress for Less and 20 dd's Discounts.

After a 15% fourth-quarter same-store sales decline, Aeropostale is looking to accelerate the pace of previously announced store closures, further reduce an already limited store expansion program and has secured new financial flexibility from a private equity firm.

Seattle -- Amazon said it will open a 1-milllion-sq-.ft. distribution center in Kent, Wash., which will be its fourth in Washington state. IDS Real Estate Group and Clarion Partners are building the site as part of a joint venture. Amazon’s other Washington fulfillment centers are located in Sumner and Bellevue, and a DuPont site is near completion.