Development/Redevelopment

Salisbury, N.C. -- Discount grocery chain Bottom Dollar Food announced Monday plans to enter the greater Pittsburgh and Youngstown, Ohio, markets.

The expansion includes 14 stores that will open in 2012 and slated to create more than 600 jobs.

Goodlettsville, Tenn. -- Dollar General Corp. announced Monday that Kathleen Guion, division president of store operations and store development, will retire from the company effective July 31, 2012.

According to Dollar General, during her tenure Guion oversaw more than 9,500 stores in 35 states and revamped the company’s real estate strategy. Before assuming her current role in November 2005, Guion served as executive VP store operations. Prior to joining Dollar General in 2003, she served as president and CEO of Duke and Long Distributing Co.

By Michael Havdala, [email protected]

When the Circuit City and Linens N’ Things spaces began to go dark in 2008, many landlords wondered who would step up to take their places. These concerns only deepened as the economic downturn cast doubt over retail leasing prospects.

New Milford, Conn. -- Westport, Conn.-based Charter Realty & Development Corp. said it has arranged a lease for 28,000 sq. ft. for a HomeGoods store in the Kohls Plaza, located in New Milford, Conn.

HomeGoods will be a part of Litchfield Crossings, which is a new, 282,000-sq.-ft. development that is being built by Scalzo Realty.

Clifton, N.J. -- North Plainfield, N.J.-based Levin Management Corp. said that Compare Supermarket has signed on to anchor Clifton Plaza in Clifton, N.J.

The 16,000-sq.-ft. lease commitment and Clifton Plaza’s transition to a grocery-anchored property coincide with Levin’s renovation/expansion at the 80,127-sq.-ft. shopping center.

Katy, Texas -- Houston-based developer Vista Equities Group reports a rise in lease activity and interest for its mixed-use town center development in Katy, Texas – LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch. The remaining 3,100 sq. ft. of phase one retail space and almost 6,000 sq. ft. of existing office space has been leased.

New retailers include Another Round and Flip Flop Shop. Businesses relocating or adding locations in LaCenterra include Amerejuve Med Spa, Retina Consultants of Houston and Eventsia Group.

Shelby Township, Mich. -- Centro Properties Group US announced that Ulta will open a 9,405-sq.-ft. store at Hall Road Crossing, located in Shelby Township, Mich.

Centro Properties Group, based in New York City, is the owner of Hall Road Crossing.
 

Costa Mesa, Calif. -- Costa Mesa, Calif.-based shopping center developer Donahue Schriber announced it has successfully completed the final piece of a $1.2 billion balance sheet recapitalization.

The recapitalization occurred through several transactions.  The final piece was a $365 million refinance with a bank syndicate led by Bank of America and also included Wells Fargo Bank, U.S. Bank, PNC Bank, Union Bank and City National Bank. 

Dallas -- Venture Commercial Real Estate announced the completion of several transactions that will bring new Carl’s Jr. restaurants to Garland, Balch Springs, Lufkin, and Beaumont, Texas, by the end of the year.

With the addition of these four locations owned and operated by RWJP Star Enterprises, the total number of Carl’s Jr. restaurants in Texas will be 48.

Walmart is among a group of retailers who further aligned themselves with a key Obama administration initiative this week by committing to open more than 1,500 stores in urban and rural markets defined as food deserts. The initiative is part of the Obama administration’s Let’s Move! campaign designed to address the nation’s weight problem by improving access to fresh foods.

Here are the facts:

• Walmart will open between 275 and 300 stores in food deserts by 2016.