Development/Redevelopment

Marietta, Ga. -- LaVida Massage said it will open a new location in Marietta, Ga., on Lower Roswell Rd.

The newest location is slated to open Oct. 1 in 3,000 sq. ft., and is owned and managed by Georgia Master Developers Terry Sharp and Duane Goodwin.

San Francisco -- Grosvenor Americas said it has appointed Steve O’Connell to the position of development manager in the company’s San Francisco headquarters office.

O’Connell will oversee the development process from property identification and purchase through design, entitlement, construction, leasing, and stabilization. He was previously with Swinerton Builders in San Francisco as a construction project manager on large urban mixed-use projects.

Any early skepticism about the longevity of mixed-use has been silenced. The art of combining components to create a live-work-play project has evolved into a science. And those that have become particularly adept at building, leasing and managing mixed-use properties say that the right formula makes for a successful development. 
Chain Store Age talked with three top developers of mixed-use projects and uncovered several trends that are governing, and continuing to evolve, the format.


Trend #1: Adding local flavor 


New York City -- Office Depot will celebrate the grand opening of its new store in Austin, Texas, on Sept. 27.

The new store features a number of upgrades designed with the customer in mind, including colorful and clear signage, and carpeted floors for a warmer feel. The floor plan is simple to navigate with a layout that is intuitive, logical and convenient for the customer to shop.

Pittsburgh -- Dick’s Sporting Goods announced it is opening two stores this week, in Yonkers, N.Y., and Norcross, Ga.

The Yonkers location will be the retailer's 32nd store in the state of New York and their 458th nationwide. The Norcross location will be the retailer's fifteenth store in the state of Georgia and their 459th nationwide.

 

MINNEAPOLIS — Target's entry into Canada is nearing completion, as the company Friday finalized its real estate transaction with Zellers Inc. with the selection of 84 additional Zellers leases, bringing the total number of leases selected, including an initial group of 105 leases selected in May, to 189. From this second group, Target has acquired the leasehold interests for 29 locations, the vast majority of which will open as Target stores beginning in 2013. The remaining leases have been or will be sold to other Canadian retailers or back to landlords.