REAL ESTATE

New York -- Analysts project that Francesca’s, a junior apparel and accessories retailer, will have the retail industry’s fastest rates of growth during the next three years, Bloomberg reported.

Francesca’s plans to expand to 900 stores, or double its current store count, in the next seven years.  The chain is projected by analysts to grow sales by 80% during the next three years, faster than any other apparel retailer, according to the report.

Destin, Fla. — H&M and Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl & Grill will anchor a 100,000-sq.-ft. expansion of Destin Commons slated to open in mid-2014.

Construction is underway on the 20,000-sq.-ft H&M store, the first H&M in northwest Florida.

Uncle Buck’s, a concept by Bass Pro Shops, will offer casual dining and 16 lanes of bowling. Uncle Buck’s has also taken 20,000 sq. ft.

The expansion will include about 20 additional stores and restaurants.

Aventura, Fla. — Best Buy has signed a long-term lease renewal for 45,729 sq. ft. at Aventura Commons in Aventura, Fla., according to the Berkowitz Development Group, the landlord.

Other national tenants in the 267,000-sq.-ft. center include Target, Whole Foods, PetSmart and Ulta.

New York -- Modell’s Sporting Goods will celebrate the grand opening of two of its newest locations on Aug. 30, giving it a total of 155 storefronts.

The new stores are located in Huntington Shopping Center, Huntington Station, N.Y., and in Fivetowns Shopping Center, Rosedale, N.Y. Both locations are on Long Island.

New York -- Kite Realty Group has signed Gander Mountain into a 30,045-sq.-ft. space at Bayport Commons in Oldsmar, Fla., a northwest suburb of Tampa. CBRE represented Gander Mountain in the transaction.

A Super Target, Michaels and PetSmart. Anchor the 276,918-sq.-ft. center. About 64,400 people live within a three-mile radius of the center. The estimated average household income is $71,200.
 

New York -- DSW plans to test a smaller-store format that will run about 10,000 sq. ft., down from its average 22,000-sq.-ft. model.

DSW did not disclose where the tests would be. But CEO Mike McDonald told securities analysts that, if successful, the small-format stores “will create a new growth vehicle for DSW, which could significantly expand our store count potential,” Columbus Biz Insider reported.

DSW is on track to open 30 stores in 2013.
 

Old Bridge, N.J. — R.J. Brunelli & Co. has announced that it has been retained as exclusive real estate broker in several New Jersey counties for three fast casual chains: BurgerFi, Corner Bakery Café and Tommy’s Coal Fired Pizza. All three restaurants are seeking end-cap or freestanding pad locations with outdoor seating in lifestyle centers, power centers and other high-traffic locations, in areas offering high daytime and residential populations.

New York -- iPic-Gold Class Entertainment has announced that it will develop a mixed-use entertainment, office and retail project in Delray Beach, Fla.

Expected to open in 2015, the project includes a 529-seat eight-screen theater. iPic said the project would create more than 400 jobs and attract more than 400,000 visitors annually to downtown Delray Beach. The company currently operates nine theaters with 67 screens in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.