Restaurant

Houston -- Baker Katz announced that construction on an 8,000-sq.-ft. building that is 100% leased to AT&T, Frost Bank and Chipotle is underway.

Baker Katz acquired this property last year with plans to revamp the property into a multi-tenant destination. The property is located in Houston, Texas at the intersection of I-10 East and Haden Road in business district and ship channel area.

Checkers Drive-In Restaurants is employing a high-tech solution to help it expand throughout the United States.

The fast-casual chain has partnered with Buxton to identify growth opportunities for Checkers & Rally's restaurants. The company, which operates and franchises both Checkers and Rally's restaurants, currently has more than 800 locations nationwide.

Richmond, Va. -- Divaris Real Estate announced the completion of four leases totaling 14,367 sq. ft. of commercial space in the metropolitan Richmond, Virginia market.

Without light, design doesn’t exist and cannot be seen or experienced. Increasingly, light goes beyond pure function, performing an aesthetic role in assuming center stage. Much of this enhanced role is a by-product of almost limitless possibilities in its placement or flexibility, changeability and even practicality of using light sources in places and ways that were previously inconceivable.

Pop-ups. They have become a phenomenon in several major cities. From pop-up shops that capitalize on holiday sales to pop-up restaurants that are impressing foodies from coast to coast, this trend is here to stay — even in traditional office buildings.

Kansas City -- Taubman Centers and The Macerich Company announced a joint venture for Country Club Plaza location in Kansas City, Missouri from Highwoods Properties. The mixed-use retail and office property was purchased for $660 million cash, excluding transaction costs. Taubman and Macerich each own a 50% interest in the center.

Starbucks is giving customers a front-row seat on the famed Las Vegas Strip.

The coffee giant has opened a 3,200-sq.-ft. location in Grand Bazaar Shops at Bally’s Casino complex. The store is unusual in that, instead of the typical tables with chairs, it offers theatrical stadium seating (for 30 to 40 people) in the center of the store and surrounding bench seating.

There may be debate among presidential candidates about whether experience is a positive or negative attribute, but for open-air centers, experience is a must. With the ease of online shopping, today’s consumers need a reason beyond the chance to visit their favorite stores to make a trip to their local center.