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New shopping center construction may be in a nationwide lull, but not in Tarrant County, Texas, where a developer is poised to break ground on a 90-acre parcel flanked by two other sizeable centers.   A partnership controlled by the De La Vega Group will begin building a mixed-use project called The Citadel across Interstate 35 from Alliance Town Center and adjoining the newly opened Presidio Town Center north of Fort Worth. Upon its completion, retail space will top 2 million sq. ft. in the submarket.  

One of Minnesota’s highest-volume malls is about to get a $76 million renovation that will give it new retail space and sight lines and – more rare these days – a new department store tenant.   Rosedale Center, a 1.14-million-sq.-ft. property situated between the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, will soon break ground for a two-level Von Maur store and parking deck with 1,100 spaces, according to owner JLL. Macy’s and J.C. Penney already do business there.  

Construction is underway at a planned 185,000-sq.-ft. center that will bring a top-level roster of value retailers to the western Kentucky town of Hopkinsville. Thompson Thrift is the developer.   Hopkinsville Town Center, located just north of Clarksville on the Tennessee border, will count Hobby Lobby, TJ Maxx, Ross Dress for Less, Ulta, Burke’s Outlet, Hibbett Sporting Goods, and Rack Room Shoes among its tenants when it opens in late 2017 or early 2018.  

Bonobos opened its fifth Manhattan store this week on Madison Avenue, surrounded by neighbors that include Porsche Design, Tourneau, Dino Baldini, and Lladro.   Called the Bonobos Guideshop NYC, the store inhabits a 1,725-sq.-ft. ground floor space with all-glass frontage on the southwest corner of 52nd Street in the shadow of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The deal was brokered by RKF.   

It houses one of the nation’s premier jazz performance centers, as well as Michelin-star restaurants, so New York’s Time Warner Center couldn’t have any old pop-up shops lining walkways with spectacular views of Central Park South.  

Gilbert Bankston, who’s managed shopping centers for both Simon Properties and General Growth Properties joined Levin Management as VP of property management.   Ten of his 13 years in commercial property management were spent at GGP, where Bankston rose to senior general manager with a focus on maximizing net operating income. At Levin, he is charged with delivering best-in-class service in property management and maintaining positive tenant-landlord relationships.  

JLL has been selected to manage retail leasing for Woodmore Towne Center in Glenarden, Maryland, which is being expanded into a 245-acre mixed-use development.   Under construction at the location east of Washington D.C. off the Capital Beltway are 1,100 residential units, two hotels, and a million sq. ft. of office space. Expansion of the retail space, which has drawn Nordstrom Rack to the center, will bring it to a total of 800,000 sq. ft.  

Pacific Commons, located in the famed Gold Rush town of Fremont, California, will be getting a refresh, said owner Vestar.   The 1.2 million-sq.-ft. lifestyle and power center will be refurbished with new indoor-outdoor dining areas, trellis-enhanced landscaping, stone and wood seat walls, a fountain, and a gathering area with fire pits.   

Forever Flawless, a global skin care company that puts diamond dust in its creams, has opened a flagship store at Westfield World Trade Center in New York.   The company, which claims to bring celebrity skin care methods to consumers, sells Black Diamond Age Defying Series, Pink Diamond Collagen treatments, and 24 Karat Gold therapy.   Forever Flawless fields stores in Hong Kong, London, Madrid, Miami, London, and Syndey, among other locales.

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Forest City Realty Trust has announced the completion of an agreement with Arlington County, Virginia, to transform Ballston Common Mall in a mixed-use project to be renamed Ballston Quarter.   The public-private partnership will open up the existing enclosed mall, create a public plaza in the space, and add a 406-residence residential tower adjacent to the retail center. The plan also calls for infrastructure improvements including a renovated pedestrian bridge and new landscaping