REAL ESTATE

CBRE awarded asset management, lease admin contract for Standard Chartered Bank
Los Angeles -- CBRE Group, Inc. has been appointed by Standard Chartered Bank to provide asset management and lease administration services across the bank’s commercial property portfolio.
The Villagio at Cinco Ranch lifestyle center changes hands
Houston -- Marcus & Millichap announced the sale of The Villagio at Cinco Ranch, an 111,963-sq.-ft. lifestyle shopping center in Katy, Texas. The asset had a list price of $31,290,000; however, the terms of the sale of were not released. Derek Hargrove, senior associate, and Justin Miller, vice president investments, had the exclusive listing to market the property on behalf of the seller, The Marcel Group.

Canadian brand Arc'teryx to open fourth U.S. store

Washington, D.C. -- Canadian outdoor brand Arc'teryx will open its first East Coast location, and fourth in the U.S., in CityCenterDC, downtown Washington, D.C.'s new mixed-use development.
DDR exits joint venture in Buffalo

Beachwood, Ohio -- DDR Corp. announced the sale of an 11-property portfolio--located primarily in the Buffalo MSA that was previously held in joint venture with Kuwaiti Financial Centre II--for a total of $154 million. The portfolio was comprised of small-format traditional grocery-anchored centers and single tenant non-prime assets.
Skechers opens 1,000th store; 35 to 40 more locations to open by yearend

Manhattan Beach, Calif. -- Skechers is celebrating the opening of its 1,000th retail store. The company, which operates in more than 75 countries, hit the milestone mark with the opening of a new store in Mexico City on Wednesday, preceded by an additional store opening in Mexico earlier this week and two in California last week.
Venture Commercial completes sale of two Burlington Coat Factory buildings

Dallas -- X Team International announced that partner Venture Commercial Real Estate completed the sale of two properties in Richardson, Texas and Waco, Texas, representing more than 150,000 sq. ft. of retail space.
Chelsea Bagel leases second Manhattan location

New York City -- Chelsea Bagel, operating on West 14th Street for the past five years, has leased its second Manhattan location.
Retail vacancy rate in central New Jersey at six-year low

Old Bridge, N.J. -- An improved picture in both ‘big-box’ and smaller store spaces combined to push the retail vacancy rate along central New Jersey’s major shopping corridors to a six-year low of 7.6% from 9.8% in 2013, according to the latest study by R.J. Brunelli & Co. Looking back over the past 10 years, the 2014 figure compared with the high of 10.5% in 2011 and low of 3.4% in 2006.
Mall Marketing Spotlight: GGP unveils reimagined Santa experience

General Growth Properties has unveiled Adventure to Santa, a DreamWorks DreamPlace first-of-its-kind holiday experience that starts with Shrek, ends with Santa and seamlessly blends storytelling with cutting-edge technology.
Global Franchise Group names Andrew Kmiec as VP of Real Estate

Atlanta -- Global Franchise Group, the brand management company and franchisor behind Great American Cookies, Pretzelmaker, Marble Slab Creamery, MaggieMoo’s Ice Cream & Treatery and Hot Dog on a Stick, has hired Andrew Kmiec as VP of Real Estate. Kmiec will be responsible for directing GFG’s real estate team in the areas of strategic site selection, lease negotiation and store design for franchisees and corporate owned locations.