Development/Redevelopment

Rochester, N.Y. -- Wegman’s Food Markets, said Thursday it has broken ground on a 123,070-sq.-ft. grocery supermarket in The Village at Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pa.

A lease has also been signed for Next Door Bar & Grill, a restaurant concept owned by Wegman’s Food Markets for 12,000 sq. ft. on an adjacent parcel in the mixed-use development.

Teen apparel retailer rue21 is celebrating the opening of its 700th store, in New Braunfels, Texas. The chain is on track to open 110 locations this year. Commented president and CEO Bob Fisch: “We remain one of the fastest growing retailers in the nation. I would like to thank our real estate, construction and field teams and recognize their hard work, which allows us to celebrate another significant milestone for rue21."
 

Warrendale, Pa. -- Rue21 said Thursday it has opened its 700th store, located in New Braunfels, Texas.

The store is Rue21's 80th in the state. Year-to-date, the retailer has opened 63 stores and said it is on target to open 110 new stores and convert 35 existing stores to its larger etc! format in fiscal 2011.

Long-term growth strategy includes opening in strip centers, regional malls and outlet centers, and the New Braunfels location is Rue21's 360th strip center location.

San Francisco -- Gap announced Wednesday that it will open its first Gap store in Egypt this July, and its first Gap and Banana Republic stores in Morocco in October.

The move is part of the retailer’s global expansion strategy that calls for doubling its franchise stores to 400 by fiscal year 2014.

Gap started shipping to Egypt, Morocco and South Africa in 2010, but these stores are the first on the continent.

New York City -- O'Neill Clothing, a surf, snow and youth lifestyle brand, will open a flagship in Santa Monica, Calif., on July 8.

Inspired by the oceanfront home of company founder Jack O'Neill's, the store is designed to offer an authentic environment to illustrate the brand’s lifestyle. Window displays showcase one-of-a-kind artwork from O'Neill employees and friends, and the interior is lined with various photography from past decades and current advertising campaigns.

New York City -- Centro Properties Group announced the recent lease execution for two Ulta stores; an 11,000-sq.-ft. store will be joining Lakes Crossing, located in Muskegon, Mich., and a 10,895-sq.-ft. store will open at Florence Square, directly across from Florence Mall in Florence, Ky.

New York City-based Centro Properties Group owns both shopping centers.
 

Costa Mesa, Calif. -- Donahue Schriber announced Wednesday the promotion of three executives to senior VP status.

In their new roles, Henry Avila, senior VP asset management, Heather Beal, senior VP leasing, and Scott Lawrence, senior VP construction, will work closely with Donahue Schriber’s executive committee on future decisions affecting the company.

Orlando, Fla. -- Boston-based The Wilder Cos. said that Bealls will open a new department store at Loop West, located in the southern portion of the Orlando, Fla., market.

Loop West, along with adjacent center The Loop, make up an 840,000-sq.-ft. shopping complex housing 14 specialty anchors and 55 shops, services and eateries. Anchors include Kohl’s, J.C. Penney, TJ Maxx, Bed Bath & Beyond, DSW Shoes, Regal Cinema and more.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Wednesday unveiled plans to establish deeper roots on its home turf with its “Chicago Hometown Investment Initiative,” a plan that will create an estimated 600 new jobs in the city over the next two years and quadruple the number of Walgreens’ food oasis stores.

Columbus, Ohio-based Steiner + Associates announced that the city of Hampton, Va. has been awarded the 2011 Donald E. Hunter Excellence in Economic Development Planning Award by the American Planning Association for the Peninsula Town Center. Located in Hampton, Va., the Peninsula Town Center represents the successful redevelopment of an enclosed mall into a vibrant town center, providing approximately 2,400 new jobs and significantly increasing the taxable sales base in the city. The site has been effectively transformed from the Coliseum Mall into a regional destination.