REAL ESTATE

Houston — Jones Lang LaSalle’s Capital Markets group has closed the sale of Northwest Crossing Centre, a 179,469-sq.-ft., fully leased shopping center in Houston. USA Properties purchased the property from Weingarten Realty. JLL secured 10-year, fixed-rate financing for the acquisition.

Portland, Ore. – The online active lifestyle apparel retailer Respect Your Universe has signed a five year lease with General Growth Properties Inc. to open its initial flagship store in downtown Seattle at Westlake Center. The retailer has partnered with Los Angeles-based architect and retail strategist Richard Altuna to design the 2,082-sq.-ft. flagship store.

Washington, D.C. — ICSC has named EDENS the winner of two gold awards for its Mosaic development in Fairfax, Va. The awards were for the ICSC United States Gold Design and Development Award in the categories of New Development and Sustainable Design. ICSC announced the winners at the annual Retail Green and CenterBuild Conference in Phoenix.

Jupiter, Fla. — The Fresh Market has signed on as anchor tenant at The Shops at Fisherman’s Wharf in Jupiter, Fla., according to Elion Partners, a real estate investment firm that acquired the property in August. The specialty grocer plans to open in the summer of 2014.

Now under renovation, the 5.5-acre shopping plaza will soon resemble a European village with a pedestrian-friendly setting and a selection of new retailers.

New York -- Identified as a 2014 industry bellwether, this year’s New York National Conference and Deal Making is up 15% over last year, with some 7,000 people in attendance, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.

The increase bodes well for next year, according to Michael P. Kercheval, president and CEO. When attendance is up, he said, the industry grows the following year. When it’s down, a decline has always followed.

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced plans to open a Nordstrom Rack at Livingston Center in Livingston, N.J. The approximately 32,155-sq.-ft. store is scheduled to open in fall 2014.

The developer for the project is G&S Investors.

"We're excited about the opportunity to open our third Nordstrom Rack in New Jersey at a great location in the Livingston community," said Geevy Thomas, president of Nordstrom Rack.  

Ankeny, Iowa – Casey’s General Stores’ net income rose more than 24% during the second quarter of fiscal 2014, to $41.3 million from $32.8 million. The company also boosted revenue 5% to $2.01 billion from $1.91 billion.

Seattle -- REI will open a store in Fairbanks, Alaska, in the spring of 2014.

The 30,000-sq.-ft. store will house a bike shop, and ski and snowboard shop offering assembly and repair services, and host free in-store classes.

"Whether hiking, skiing or practicing yoga, Alaskans are some of the most active people in the country," said Kevin Golic, REI retail director for the Washington and Alaska district.

REI has a long history in Alaska, dating back to its store in Anchorage, opened in 1979.