Development/Redevelopment

New York -- Canadian retailer Aritzia will open its largest store to date, a 13,000-sq.-ft. flagship on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

The apparel retailer is taking over a space previously occupied by Esprit. The location is in a building that is part of Rockfeller Center.

NEW YORK — With the Nordstrom name often associated with high fashion, it is surprising that the retailer does not already have a flagship in New York City. In 2018, however, that will all change when the first full-line Nordstrom's store opens in the Columbus Circle area of Manahttan.

The store is being built by Extell Development Company and will occupy 285,000 square feet.

New York -- Confirming the rumors that have swirled for the last few days, Seattle-based Nordstrom said Thursday that it has found a site for its full full-line department store in New York City.

The 285,000-sq.-ft. flagship will open along the 57th Street corridor at 225 West 57th – between Broadway and Seventh Avenue – at a site owned by Extell Development Co.

The store is expected to open in 2018.
 

Abilene, Kan. -- Duckwall-Alco said Thursday it is officially changing its name to Alco Stores, Inc. An amendment at Wednesday’s annual shareholder meeting was approved. The company’s ticker symbol on NASDAQ is now “ALCS.”

The 111-year-old chain has 216 locations in 23 states, mostly in small-town environments. Plans are on tap to open five new stores in fiscal 2013 and eight underperforming stores are slated to be closed.

Matthews, N.C. -- Family Dollar Stores Inc. reported Thursday that profit for the quarter ended May 26 rose 12.1% to $124.5 million, compared with $111.1 million in the year-ago period.

Sales increased 9.6% to $2.36 billion, just missing Wall Street’s forecasts of $2.37 billion in sales. Same-store sales climbed 5%.
   

I mentioned briefly in my last column that I’ve been a little puzzled by what seems to be an industry-wide reluctance to design and develop, and in many cases redevelop centers into, true mixed-use venues. It’s not that our industry doesn’t get excited about mixed-use spaces — they clearly do. But, something is getting lost between the glamorous articles and design concepts, and the real-world execution.

Fort Worth, Texas -- Fort Worth-based Trademark Property Co. said Tuesday that Dick’s Sporting Goods will open at Alliance Town Center, located in North Fort Worth.

The 50,000-sq.-ft. store will anchor a 140,000-sq.-ft. Phase 2 of the center. Construction on Dick’s is scheduled to begin in July with opening set for summer 2013.

Alliance Town Center, currently 800,000 sq. ft., is a joint venture of Hillwood and Trademark, and is part of the 17,000-acre Alliance, Texas, master-planned community.

Edgewater, N.J. -- North Plainfield, N.J.-based Levin Management Corp. announced that HomeGoods, a TJX Cos. banner, will anchor the 100,000-sq.-ft. retail component of Edgewater Harbor, a mixed-use waterfront redevelopment in Edgewater, N.J.

HomeGoods has leased 24,000 sq. ft. and will join newly opened CVS Pharmacy, Moe's Southwest Grill, AT&T, Beach Bum Tanning, Epique Massage and Edgewater Dry Cleaners.

Chestnut Hill, Mass. -- WS Development said that Pottery Barn, along with Swedish children’s apparel retailer Polarn O. Pyret and locally based Treat Cupcake Bar, will open at its Chestnut Hill Shopping Center.

The new stores are scheduled to open in spring 2013 in a new building at the site of the former Macy’s.
 
Other new stores to open in the 406,000-sq.-ft. shopping and dining destination include The Sports Club/LA, Cinema de Lux, Shake Shack, Pinkberry, and gourmet Asian restaurant Bernard’s.

St. Paul, Minn. -- Jones Lang LaSalle said it has been selected by the Ramsey County (Minnesota) Regional Rail Authority as the exclusive property management and retail leasing agent for St. Paul Union Depot.