REAL ESTATE

New York City -- The Feil Organization announced a lease has been signed with Morton Williams for a gourmet specialty food store at 140 West 57th Street in Manhattan.

Morton Williams will occupy three levels totaling 14,984 sq. ft. at the Landmark office building. The New York-based grocer operates 12 stores in New York City, Westchester and New Jersey. The 57th Street location will be the company's thirteenth store.

Madison, Ala. -- GBT Realty Corp. announced that three new tenants have signed leases at its Shoppes at Madison property, a Target-anchored center slated to open in March 2012.

The newest tenants include a 22,000-sq.-ft. Ross Dress for Less store, Massage Envy, and a 4,000-sq.-ft. freestanding Panera Bread.

Together, these tenants join Target and 13 additional local, regional and national retailers, to bring the shopping center’s occupancy to 95%.

New York -- Apple on Friday, opened its newest Big Apple store, a 23,000-sq-.ft. outpost in the landmarked Grand Central Terminal. The company said 2,500 people were waiting in line before the opening, and the store had nearly 4,000 visitors before noon.

The space had been previously occupied by a restaurant, which closed earlier this summer. It is Apple’s fifth location in Manhattan,

Paris -- Gap Inc. announced Thursday the opening of its first Banana Republic store in France, located in Paris on Avenue des Champs Élysées.

The 15,952-sq.-ft. space will house the brand’s women’s and men’s collections. “We are thrilled to open our first Banana Republic store in France -- a brand-building flagship in Paris -- and reach yet another important milestone for our international growth strategy,” said Stephen Sunnucks, president, International, Gap Inc.

Buffalo, N.Y. -- Lifestyle brand New Era said it has opened its eleventh global flagship store, located in the West Hollywood shopping district of Los Angeles.

The brand’s first West Coast retail space joins current U.S. locations in New York, Chicago and Atlanta. The 3,300-sq.-ft. store will house licensed and New Era branded headwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and kids.

New York City -- Forever 21 signed an agreement Tuesday to open a flagship in Beijing, China, one part of a plan by the fast-fashion retailer to expand into the world’s largest emerging consumer market, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Los Angeles-based chain will open a 24,000-sq-.ft. store in a multi-story mall located in Beijing’s central shopping district, Wangfujing, with additional stores set to open in Shanghai and Hong Kong, the report said.

Goodlettsville, Tenn. — Dollar General on Monday told analysts the company plans to open 40 DG Market concepts in 2012 in both new and existing markets based on the success of the concept.

Chicago -- Retail rents fell 1.6% year over year, and inched down 0.5% since the last quarter to the current national average of $14.65, according to Jones Lang LaSalle’s North America Year-end Retail Outlook. National retail vacancy levels posted a 0.1% quarter-over-quarter drop from 7.1% to 7.0%, with open-air centers at the high end with 10.9% vacancy, and general retail at the low end with 4.7%  vacancy.