Real Estate

New York -- The Association for Retail Environments is bullish on the future.

The organization is predicting good days ahead for the U.S. economy in general and retail construction in particular. According to A.R.E.’s economic advisors, all indicators show that the 2016 economy in the U.S. will grow faster than it did in 2015. And while economic growth will slow in the back half of 2015, it will not be negative.

Saks Fifth Avenue is putting its best foot forward in a hot category.

The retailer plans to open its first-ever stand-alone 10022-SHOE store in Greenwich, Conn. Expected to open in fall 2016, the new 14,000 square-foot location at 20 East Elm Street will be dedicated to women’s footwear and will be just a short distance from the existing Saks Fifth Avenue location in downtown Greenwich.

New York -- Another retailer is going from clicks to bricks.

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. is making good on its pledge to spur job growth among “opportunity youth,” or young people aged 16 to 24 who don’t have jobs and aren’t in school.

Palm Coast, Fla. -- A transformation is underway. Branch Properties is in the midst of a $40.8 million redevelopment of the largest (and oldest) retail shopping center in Palm Coast, Florida.

Island Walk, once called Palm Harbor Shopping Center, is a 204,000-sq.-ft. center anchored by Publix Super Markets. Once completed in 2016, the upgraded retail destination will bring new and expanded tenants and amenities to the Palm Coast community in an effort to revitalize the city’s original core.  

After announcing in January that it would close all of its 127 retail locations, Jones New York is back -- at least in the Great White North.

New York -- Saks Fifth Avenue is going to open a freestanding store dedicated to a hot category.

The department store retailer plans to open a shoe store in Greenwich, Connecticut, in fall 2016, Women’s Wear Daily reported.

The store, whose name has not yet been revealed, will be located close to an existing Saks Fifth Avenue store, which will no longer sell shoes.

The new format will be modeled after Saks’ in-store 10022 shoe department, according to the report.

Chicago -- J. Crew Group’s new value-priced store concept has announced a second location.

Mercantile, which recently made its national debut at The Shops at Park Lane in Dallas, will open at The Mayfair Collection, in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.