REAL ESTATE

Chicago -- Englewood Construction announced its retail group has recently completed an interior build-out for Chicago Cruise Lines and begun work on two new projects, including an American Girl Store in Orlando, Florida.

Washington, D.C. — Regency Centers plans to redevelop Kings Park Shopping Center in the Northern Virginia town of Burke. The work will include a facelift, enhanced common areas and structural expansion.

New York – Soupman Inc., parent company of specialty restaurant chain The Original Soupman, is partnering with the Atlanta Franchise Group, a franchise development company brought on to grow The Original Soupman's franchise presence across the country.

Santa Monica, Calif. — Macerich is collaborating with HGTV, a home and lifestyle cable network, to create Santa HQ, an interactive holiday experience, at 10 Macerich malls. The initiative aims to add digital and social media to the traditional holiday experience of visiting Santa.

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. — Mid-America Asset Management Inc. has announced that the firm recently secured new retail leases on behalf of three shopping centers in Chicago’s northwest suburbs.

Fruitful Yield has taken 6,630 sq. ft. in North Tower Plaza in Elmwood Park, Illinois. The 26,088-sq.-ft. center features Super Cuts, Great American Bagel and Subway. Mid-America represented the landlord, while JLL represented the tenant.

New York -- DreamWorks Animation is looking to bring a little bit of Hollywood magic to the nation's shopping malls. The film studio has developed a high-tech Santa Claus  experience, billed as "DreamHouse," that it hopes to roll out to malls for the holidays, with two developers, Forest City and General Growth Properties already buying in, the New York Times reported.
    

Short Hills, N.J. — Visit Machu Picchu in Peru at The Mall at Short Hills this summer. In partnership with PromPeru: The Commission on the Promotion of Peru for Export and Tourism, The Mall at Short Hills will feature Peru-themed promotions from June 13 through July 10.

Highlights include:

An interactive exhibit of Machu Picchu: The centerpiece of the effort is a 20 X 30 ft. exhibit of the fabled Machu Picchu, the Incan citadel named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a 2007 international Internet poll.