Development/Redevelopment

Bentonville, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is closing its Moscow office but said it is still interested in the Russian market.

The retailer said Monday that it has been looking to enter the Russian market through an acquisition, but has not found a near-term opportunity so it does not need the Moscow office at this time.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. - TJX Companies announced that it will consolidate its A.J. Wright division by converting 91 A.J. Wright stores into T.J. Maxx, Marshalls or HomeGoods stores and by closing the remaining 71 stores, A.J. Wright’s two distribution centers and its home office. This action is expected to improve the overall profitability of the company, and will allow TJX to focus its managerial and financial resources on its larger, more profitable businesses, all of which have major growth potential, as well as to serve the A.J.

Yamaguchi City, Japan -- Fast Retailing Co. said Friday it aims to open at least 200 Uniqlo stores in the U.S. by 2020.

Asia’s largest clothing chain said it seeks to raise sales sixfold in a decade.

“The United States is one of the most important markets for us,” Shin Odake, CEO of Uniqlo’s U.S. unit, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. “We want to become the number one retailer in the world.”

Smyrna, Ga. -- Westchester, Ill.-based Tri-Land Properties announced that it has received zoning and financing approval for The Crossings at Four Corners in Smyrna, Ga. Tri-Land has sold eight acres of the project to Cincinnati, Ohio-based Kroger Co.

Cole Taylor, a Chicago based lender, is providing the construction financing for the project.

Houston -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased retail space in Houston at Woodway Collection to Appleton Learning Center.

Specializing in tutoring services, group classes, student testing and other related services, Appleton Learning Center has leased 2,440 sq. ft. and is slated to open in February 2011.

The 111,165-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by Randalls alongside national retailers such as Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Pearle Vision and Chase Bank.

Mansfield, Conn. -- LeylandAlliance, master developer for Storrs Center, announced that Charter Realty & Development Corp. has been named the exclusive retail leasing broker for Storrs Center.

Storrs Center is a $220 million, mixed-use town center and Main Street project located in Storrs, Conn. The public-private partnership is being developed in cooperation with LeylandAlliance, the Mansfield Downtown Partnership, and Education Realty Trust.

Santa Ana, Calif. -- Grubb & Ellis Co. announced that Susan E. Calvert and Joe I. Munoz have joined the company’s Lease Administration group.

Calvert, who joins as manager, Lease Administration, spent two years as a real estate administrator with SRS Real Estate Partners, where she was responsible for commercial portfolios spanning approximately 350 locations. Munoz, who will also serve on the lease administration team, spent seven years with SRS Real Estate Partners, ultimately rising to the position of lead real estate administrator. 

Burlington, Mass. -- Centro Properties Group announced that Golf Galaxy has opened a 15,200-sq.-ft. store at Burlington Square, located in Burlington, Mass.

New York City-based Centro Properties Group is the owner of Burlington Square.

Tampa, Fla. -- Tampa, Fla.-based RMC Property Management Group announced that athlete training facility Elite Game Speed has opened a 9,000-sq.-ft. facility in South Tampa, Fla.

The space was previously occupied by Creative Loafing, and its new use as a state-of-the-art training facility for amateur and professional athletes by Elite Game Speed will serve as the largest indoor training facility of its kind in Tampa. The facility opened on Nov. 30.

Philadelphia -- Michael Salove Co., an X Team partner based in Center City Philadelphia, announced that it has completed two lease transactions in the Greater Philadelphia market with Qdoba Mexican Grill.

Qdoba will open a 2,600-sq.-ft. unit in Providence Town Center in Collegeville, Pa. and will open a 2,300-sq.-ft. unit in Wynnewood Square in Wynnewood, Pa.