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Seattle -- Callison announced today that John Jastrem has been appointed as chairman and CEO of Callison. He replaces James P. Rothwell, who is stepping down as CEO and returning to his previous role as principal in the firm running its commercial design practice. Callison’s chairman Robert J. Tindall, is leaving the firm.

Jastrem has served on Callison’s Holdings board (Callison Architecture Holding, LLC and Subsidiaries) since 2006 and as its executive chairman since August 2010.

New York City -- Though Walmart's desire to enter New York City is nothing new, its latest push shows that attitudes toward the retailer opening stores in the Big Apple are changing -- in Walmart's favor.

The company recently launched WalmartNYC.com, a "community forum for customers, associates, stakeholders and public officials who want to learn more about Walmart as it continues to evaluate opportunities across the city," according to a company press release.

New York City -- After coming off a strong November, retailers found their momentum waned in December, with many turning in mixed sales for the month. Industry experts said sales were impacted by a still-cautious consumer and the blizzard the crippled the Northeast in the days immediately following Christmas.

Thomson Reuters, which tracks same-store sales for a group of 28 national chains, said total sales for the group were expected to post a 3.4% increase in same-store sales for December, following a 5.6% bump in November.

NEW YORK - After coming off a strong November, U.S. retailers found their momentum largely waned in December, with sales impacted by a still-cautious consumer, early discounting and a blizzard that crippled the Northeast in the days immediately after Christmas. But while many chains missed Wall Street’s heightened expectations for December, the retail industry still turned in its strongest holiday performance since 2006.

San Mateo, Calif. -- DemandTec, the collaborative optimization network for retailers and consumer products companies, announced that it has acquired substantially all of the assets of Applied Intelligence Solutions, LLC (AIS), a developer of intelligent software solutions for the retail enterprise with a specific focus on softline retailers.

New York City -- Centro NP Residual Holding LLC said Friday it has sold a portion of its interest in 25 shopping centers and formed a joint venture with Inland American CP Investment, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Inland American Real Estate Trust.

The new joint venture has secured $310 million of term loans with J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs, which mature in 10 years and are secured by assets within the joint venture.

Gainesville, Ga. -- The Atlanta office of Dallas-based SRS Real Estate Partners said that Shoe Carnival recently opened a 9,165-sq.-ft. store in Gainesville, Ga., in the Village Shoppes at Gainesville.

Neighboring retailers include Marshalls, Ross Dress for Less, Old Navy and Publix.

The landlord of the center is Inland US Management, LLC.

Cleveland, Tenn. -- Atlanta-based Jones Lang LaSalle said it has completed the sale of Bradley Square Mall in Cleveland, Tenn., to Baton Rouge, La.-based MD Ruston Properties, LLC on behalf of a special servicer.

The 406,845-sq.-ft. regional mall is anchored by Belk, J.C. Penney, Sears and Kmart.