Development/Redevelopment

Seattle -- Global architecture and design firm Callison has acquired New York-based Barteluce Architects & Associates.

The move expands Callison’s  luxury retail client base and strengthens its delivery capabilities, expanding its New York team to about 75 architects.

Santa Ana, Calif. -- The struggling housing market, weak job growth and ongoing consumer deleveraging caused the retail market to lag other property sectors in 2011, according to Grubb & Ellis Co.’s 2012 National Real Estate Forecast, which predicts a year of slow but continued growth for all commercial real estate property sectors.

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced plans to open a Nordstrom Rack in Huntington Beach, Calif.

The approximately 34,000-sq.-ft. location is scheduled to open during fall 2012 at Edinger Plaza, where it will join anchor tenants Dick's Sporting Goods, Michaels and PetSmart. The center is owned and managed by Watt Companies with Wilson Commercial Real Estate handling leasing.

When it opens, the Edinger Plaza store will be the fifth Nordstrom Rack in Orange County. Nordstrom also operates six full-line stores in the area.

Las Vegas -- Crystals Retail & Entertainment District at CityCenter has earned Gold sustainable design awards from the International Council of Shopping Centers. The awards were earned in ICSC's annual U.S. Design and Development Awards competition.

New York City -- Sears Holdings Corp. has identified 79 of the 100 to 120 Sears and Kmart stores it said last week it would close, with the preliminary list split almost evenly between the two chains.

Florida will be hit the hardest, with 11 stores to be shuttered, the Associated Press reported. Ohio, Michigan and Georgia are not far behind with six store closures planned in their states. Tennessee, North Carolina and Minnesota are set to lose four stores each.

Lompoc, Calif. -- Brixmor Property Group announced a 24,050-sq.-ft. lease has been executed with Marshalls at Lompoc Shopping Center, located in Lompoc, Calif. 

Marshalls will join other national retailers including Vons, Michael’s, Pier 1, Petco and Staples. 

Brixmor, based in New York City, is the owner of Lompoc Shopping Center.

Philadelphia -- Forever 21 recently relocated and expanded to a two-story location in the newly developed wing at Willow Grove Park, located in eastern Montgomery County just north of Philadelphia. The mall is owned and operated by Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust.

Walmart’s online business may have gained ground this holiday season, but Amazon.com doesn’t plan to cede its leadership position, and this week announced plans for two new distribution facilities.

New York City -- Chain Store Age columnist Jeff Green, in his latest piece “On the Upswing?”, observes that there are three broad categories of retail driving the current expansion buzz.

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I’m feeling pretty good about our industry after attending the ICSC New York Deal Making Conference earlier this month. In a marked change from recent years, the mood at the annual convention was noticeably upbeat. And, surprisingly — in a good way — there was an obvious buzz in the air about expansion plans. There are some intriguing new retail concepts in the pipeline and the recent influx of international brands making their brick-and-mortar entry into the U.S. market gives us what I think are genuine reasons for optimism in the New Year.