Real Estate

Restoration Hardware co-CEO Carlos Alberini has resigned his post, effective Jan. 31, 2014. He plans to continue serving as a member of the company’s board of directors and will remain a significant shareholder.

Alberini is heading to Los Angeles, where he will take the helm as chairman of the board and CEO of Lucky Brand, effective upon closing of the pending acquisition by Leonard Green & Partners.

Last week Walmart made headlines when it opened two stores in Washington D.C., drawing a small group of protestors and countless customers. But it seems like these Walmart locations are not quite like the others. BuzzFeed compiled a list of 19 things that make D.C.’s first Walmart stores stand out from the rest.

Click here to read the list.

Atlanta – The Home Depot plans to open new eight new stores and increase sales by approximately 5% during fiscal 2014. The retailer released guidance for both fiscal 2013 and 2014 on Dec. 10.

For fiscal 2013, Home Depot has reaffirmed guidance of 5.6% sales growth and 7% same-store sales growth.

Portland, Ore. – The online active lifestyle apparel retailer Respect Your Universe has signed a five year lease with General Growth Properties Inc. to open its initial flagship store in downtown Seattle at Westlake Center. The retailer has partnered with Los Angeles-based architect and retail strategist Richard Altuna to design the 2,082-sq.-ft. flagship store.

Washington, D.C. — ICSC has named EDENS the winner of two gold awards for its Mosaic development in Fairfax, Va. The awards were for the ICSC United States Gold Design and Development Award in the categories of New Development and Sustainable Design. ICSC announced the winners at the annual Retail Green and CenterBuild Conference in Phoenix.

Jupiter, Fla. — The Fresh Market has signed on as anchor tenant at The Shops at Fisherman’s Wharf in Jupiter, Fla., according to Elion Partners, a real estate investment firm that acquired the property in August. The specialty grocer plans to open in the summer of 2014.

Now under renovation, the 5.5-acre shopping plaza will soon resemble a European village with a pedestrian-friendly setting and a selection of new retailers.

Houston — Jones Lang LaSalle’s Capital Markets group has closed the sale of Northwest Crossing Centre, a 179,469-sq.-ft., fully leased shopping center in Houston. USA Properties purchased the property from Weingarten Realty. JLL secured 10-year, fixed-rate financing for the acquisition.

Seattle -- REI will open a store in Fairbanks, Alaska, in the spring of 2014.

The 30,000-sq.-ft. store will house a bike shop, and ski and snowboard shop offering assembly and repair services, and host free in-store classes.

"Whether hiking, skiing or practicing yoga, Alaskans are some of the most active people in the country," said Kevin Golic, REI retail director for the Washington and Alaska district.

REI has a long history in Alaska, dating back to its store in Anchorage, opened in 1979.

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office Depot has selected Boca Raton, Fla., for its global headquarters rather than the Naperville, Ill., corporate home of its merger partner OfficeMax.

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced plans to open a Nordstrom Rack at Livingston Center in Livingston, N.J. The approximately 32,155-sq.-ft. store is scheduled to open in fall 2014.

The developer for the project is G&S Investors.

"We're excited about the opportunity to open our third Nordstrom Rack in New Jersey at a great location in the Livingston community," said Geevy Thomas, president of Nordstrom Rack.