Written by Daniel Offner Friday, 23 January 2015 00:00

Work is officially underway on the construction of The Lofta multi-million dollar transit-oriented development project in the heart of Farmingdales Main Streetthat will include 3,100 sq. ft. of retail space on the ground floor and 26 luxury apartments above.

One of two ongoing construction projects being developed by the Staller Associates, a Hauppauge-based company specializing in commercial and retail real estate, The Loft at 231

Main St. will include 17 one-bedroom apartments, 2 two-bedroom flats and 7 two-bedroom lofts for rent. In addition, the new development will feature 12 to 18 feet-high ceilings, LED lighting, custom cabinetry and polished concrete floors. Each of the apartment units will also come with a private balcony and a designated indoor parking space.

[The project] will be world-class construction, raising the bar of architecture in the village and offering luxury rentals, said Farmingdale Mayor Ralph Ekstrand. This project represents a multi-million dollar improvement to Downtown Main Street and we are all excited to see it come to life.

According to developers, the underground utilities and other infrastructure is virtually complete, new drainage has been installed and the parking lots have been regraded. With the first layer of asphalt in place, the lot will be reopen shortly with a final layer of asphalt to be installed when the weather improves.

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Lofty New Apartments Hit Main Street

Published: Tuesday, 1/20/2015 - Updated: 1 minute ago

BY JON CHAVEZ BLADE BUSINESS WRITER

The metro Toledo retail market saw considerable improvement in the second half of 2014, according to a year-end report by local commercial real estate firm the Reichle Klein Group.

The areas retail space vacancy rate dropped to 12.5 percent at years end from 12.9 percent at midyear 2014, the company said. The average lease rate rose to $7.60 per square foot in the second half from $7.43 at midyear.

The market had 25,293 fewer square feet of unused retail space when the year ended than it did July 1.

Finally, there was 301,260 square feet of new retail space under construction at years end, compared with 217,018 at midyear, Reichle Klein said.

I was kind of surprised how well retail has done the last two or three years, said Harlan Reichle, the companys CEO, said. I would say its clearly the best year that weve had since the crash.

Mr. Reichle said it is too soon to say if the retail market is fully recovered. I dont know if Id go so far as to say its all the way back or back to the levels before the crash. That was a pretty precocious pace we were on prior to 2007. But its the best it has been since the crash.

The report, which was prepared by Mr. Reichle, said the Kroger Co. played a huge role in 2014 in lifting the market by constructing its new Kroger Marketplace store in Holland. The 123,637-square-foot store, which is in the Orchard Center shopping strip, opens Thursday.

Reichle Klein said Kroger also boosted the market byacquiring the former Kmart space in Perrysburg to expand its store there into a marketplace store, and by placing under contract the Sisters of Notre Dame property at Secor Road and Monroe Street where a new Kroger may be built.

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Metro Toledo retail is showing promise

New Delhi, Jan 20:

The supply of retail space in shopping malls last year fell sharply by 79 per cent to about a million sq ft in the seven major cities of the country due to construction delays, property consultant CBRE said today.

The supply of organised retail space stood at 4.7 million sq ft in 2013 in the seven cities Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Pune.

New supply addition for the entire year remained sluggish, with just about a million square feet of organised shopping space across Bangalore and Chennai becoming operational, CBRE South Asia CMD Anshuman Magazine said.

A significant number of prominent retail projects were not completed till 2015 as projected earlier, mainly due to construction delays, he added.

CBRE noted that a number of shopping centres in Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Bangalore and other prominent cities were expected to be completed by 2014-end but they were delayed further.

A slowdown in the real estate sector has affected the cash-flow of developers, leading to huge delays in completion of housing and commercial projects.

According to CBRE, prominent global as well as domestic players such as Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Michael Kors, Brooks Brothers, Krispy Kreme, Naturals Ice cream, and Fab India expanded their presence across Indias leading cities.

Global retailers Burger King and Fat Burger made inroads into the country as well, with stores in Delhi. Sri Lankas premier spa lifestyle brand, Spa Ceylon, also made its India debut with a first outlet in Mumbai, the report said.

Luxury jewellery brand Bvlgari re-entered India with a store at DLF Emporio, Delhi.

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Shopping malls supply in 2014 dips 79% on construction delays

As part of Apples expansion in China, the company pulled the wraps off its West Lake retail store in Hangzhou Tuesday. Its one of five stores Apple plans to open in the country before Chinese New Year, Apple's retail chief, Angela Ahrendts, told Cnet.

Prior to the unveiling, the West Lake store was shrouded with white barriers bearing a red Apple logo and a Chinese poem painted by calligrapher Wang Dongling. But before the barriers were removed, Apple posted a video on its website to commemorate Wangs calligraphy.

The two-story retail space resembles the tech giant's new flagship store being built in San Franciscos Union Square, designed by architecture firm Foster + Partners. The firm is also responsible for the design of Apples spaceship Campus two, currently under construction in Cupertino, California.

Over the next two years, the company plans to grow its retail presence in China from 15 stores to 40, Apple CEO Tim Cook said in October.

The first of the five stores opened earlier this month in Zhengzhou. Though the wraps have been removed from its West Lake store in Hangzhou, its not open just yet. Apple plans to officially open the retail space this Saturday, Jan. 24, at 9 a.m. local time.

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Apple Inc. Just Pulled The Wraps Off Its Second Retail Store In China In Hangzhou

Newsha Tavakolian for The New York Times Retail space at Palladium mall is reportedly $330 a square meter. The owner said, We cater to what people desire to do: spending money, buying stuff and enjoying themselves as they shop.

TEHRAN The low rumble of powerful engines reverberated against the high-rises of Zaferanieh, an upmarket neighborhood, as Porsches and Mercedes lined up to enter the multistory parking lot of a fancy new shopping mall, the Palladium, the latest addition to Tehrans shopping scene.

Iran may be facing a dangerous economic abyss, with an empty treasury, historically low oil prices and the continuing damage of Western economic sanctions, but one indicator is going through the roof: Developers have broken ground on a record 400 shopping malls across the country, 65 in Tehran alone.

In part, the malls are a lagging indicator, a testament to a not-so-distant past when Iran was raking in record oil profits, earning more than $700 billion in the last decade. Awash in money, with a relatively strong currency, Iranians developed a taste for luxury, setting off a boom in construction projects to host new shopping experiences.

But the mall-building boom also reflects other factors, as construction and investment companies affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards Corps and the police have led the way.

Under sanctions, with nowhere else to invest, building shopping malls is the only lucrative business in Iran, said Jamshid Edalatian, an economist. The Guards, the police and other institutions are the ones who have money, so it is logical for them to invest in what makes a profit.

Together with banks, wealthy individuals and powerful foundations, tax-exempt organizations that are supposed to care for the poor, Irans security forces are building malls with Western-sounding names such as Rose, Mega Mall and Atlas Plaza. Their bright neon letters stand in sharp contrast to the revolutionary slogans painted on murals in surrounding neighborhoods, labeling consumerism a Western illness and taboo under Irans rigid ideology.

Newsha Tavakolian for The New York Times Kouroosh mall in Tehran has several cinemas and Western shops.

Not so long ago, shopping in revolutionary Iran was a dull experience, with hole-in-the-wall stores offering the same clothes, electronics and furniture. Shopping was considered a necessary evil meant to support a life of religious piety. Commercials, once banned on state television and billboards, are now allowed, but only for Iranian products.

The new malls represent a departure from all this. Customers can stroll past Nike and Massimo Dutti stores, order freshly baked baguettes in the ground level supermarket or work out at the penthouse gym overlooking the city and its majestic Alborz mountain range.

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Lavish Malls Sprouting Up to Attract Iranian Elite

A hotel, restaurant, skate park and glass-blowing studio all are part of a second life for Central Florida's retail destinations as malls remake themselves to attract shoppers.

The next 12 months will see the continued reinvention of Artegon Marketplace with new retailers. Orlando Fashion Square mall will add a hotel and restaurant, aiming to make the central Orange County destination a big draw once again.

The malls, in particular, are facing intense pressure in the retail world, experts say.

"The market is splitting into luxury goods at the high end to the high-value offerings at the lower end," said Steve Kirn, executive director of the University of Florida's David F. Miller Center for Retailing Education and Research. "People in the middle are struggling, and malls are right in the middle of that."

Orlando Fashion Square is working to reestablish itself as the preferred shopping destination for the central part of the metropolitan area, said mall manager Brian Smalls.

The mall added a bowling alley and entertainment center in 2014 called Strikeouts. The business also includes a caf and arcade, which is part of the mall's plan to bring in customers with entertainment destinations to complement the retail stores.

This year, the mall plans to start major construction on a new Element by Westin hotel, to be built on the south side between Macy's and Panera Bread.

"It's really about making this the place to go for people that live immediately around the mall," he said. "We have great neighborhoods like College Park and Baldwin Park, and we have to show them that this is their mall."

A new T.G.I. Friday's restaurant is part of that plan and a new Noodles and Co. is also under construction on Fashion Square property on Colonial Drive.

Anchor department store Dillard's changed its strategy at the mall with a clearance center that sells discounted merchandise. High end retailers are trying to diversify their base of customers, pushing stores such as Dillards to follow the lead of Saks 5th Avenue and Nordstrom rack in opening centers that feature lower prices, Kirn said.

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Orlando's aging malls aim for retail comeback

Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch Exterior of Glenn's Sporting Goods at its new location in the Mack and Dave's building on Friday, Jan. 16, 2015, in downtown Huntington.

Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch Jim Brumfield, President of Glenn's Sporting Goods, at the store's new location in the Mack and Dave's building on Friday, Jan. 16, 2015, in downtown Huntington.

Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch Glenn's Sporting Goods at its new location in the Mack and Dave's building on Friday, Jan. 16, 2015, in downtown Huntington.

Jan. 18, 2015 @ 11:20 PM

HUNTINGTON - Two of Huntington's largest and oldest downtown retail businesses are now operating under the same roof.

Glenn's Sporting Goods has moved one block from the corner of 4th Avenue and 11th Street to the east side of the Mack and Dave's building, on the corner of 3rd Avenue and 11th Street.

The move has allowed Glenn's to expand its retail showroom, consolidate its warehousing and other operations into one location, and grow all of its operations, which also includes providing athletic equipment, uniforms and logo apparel for teams, businesses and other organizations, as well as supplying clothing, shoes and other gear for 70 percent of the nation's federal prisons.

The move was made possible by Mack and Dave's compressing some of its operations into a smaller space and allowing Glenn's the convenience of being all in one spot and staying within the city limits, Glenn's President Jim Brumfield said. The retail portion of the stores are connected with an open doorway between the two businesses.

Glenn's has been operating for 45 years and Mack and Dave's for 65 years, making 110 years of retail experience in one building, Brumfield said.

"I think it's a great move, and the customers will benefit from having the two together, with the different things they sell," said Mack and Dave's owner David Cohen. "Both stores have credit accounts and layaways. We're looking forward to the future of both stores."

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Glenn's Sporting Goods relocates

LEED stands for green building leadership. LEED is transforming the way we think about how buildings and communities are designed, constructed, maintained and operated across the globe.

LEED certified buildings save money and resources and have a positive impact on the health of occupants, while promoting renewable, clean energy.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices. To receive LEED certification, building projects satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of certification. Prerequisites and credits differ for each rating system, and teams choose the best fit for their project.

Each rating system groups requirements that address the unique needs of building and project types on their path towards LEED certification. Once a project team chooses a rating system, theyll use the appropriate credits to guide design and operational decisions.

There are five rating systems that address multiple project types:

Within each of the credit categories, there are specific prerequisites projects must satisfy and a variety of credits projects can pursue to earn points. The number of points the project earns determines its level of LEED certification.

requirements, while not a credit category, promote reaching across disciplines to incorporate diverse team members during the pre-design period.

credits reward projects within relatively dense areas, near diverse uses, with access to a variety of transportation options, or on sites with development constraints.

credits encourage using sustainable building materials and reducing waste. Indoor environmental quality credits promote better indoor air quality and access to daylight and views.

credits promote smarter use of water, inside and out, to reduce potable water consumption.

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LEED - U.S. Green Building Council

LIBERTY TWP.

The planned opening this fall of the $350 million Liberty Center will see construction on more than 1 million-square-feet of retail and dining, residential and office space completed and leased.

But thats only the projects first phase.

Future phases of construction at the Liberty Twp. site could more than double the floor space thats now under construction, according to executives for the projects developer Steiner + Associates of Columbus.

The site is really planned for future growth, Beau Arnason, executive vice president in charge of asset management for Steiner, said.

Liberty Center is the name of the mixed use mega complex being built in Butler Countys Liberty Twp. Construction first started last year. Three anchor tenants Dillards department store, dinner-and-movie theater CineBistro and Dicks Sporting Goods have been announced along with AC Hotels by Marriott.

Estimates are for Liberty Centers retailers, restaurants and other businesses to create approximately 3,500 new jobs in Butler County by 2018, according to Liberty Twp. Economic Development Director Caroline McKinney.

Additionally, Liberty Twp. Trustees Tom Farrell and David Kern said the centers opening will double the number of businesses operating in this fast-growing northern Cincinnati township from approximately 250 to 500 in one fell swoop.

While the first phase encompasses approximately 65 acres, Steiner owns another 35 acres of land for future expansion at the site, located at the crossroads of Liberty Way, Ohio 129 and Interstate 75 in eastern Butler County. In total, Steiner has local government planning approval to build over 2.5 million-square-feet, Justin Leyda, senior development executive for Steiner, said.

Yaromir Steiner, founder and chief executive officer of Steiner + Associates, has previously told Journal-News that the first phase of Liberty Center is already being built bigger than the companys prior developments were when they opened, including The Greene Town Center in Beavercreek and Easton Town Center in the Columbus area. Hes referred to Liberty Center as Steiners town center version 2.0.

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Mega-project Liberty Center already designed for future growth

Rendering of the proposed Station Park Green mixed-use residential development near the Hayward Park Caltrain Station in San Mateo.

The long-proposed residential and retail community known as Station Park Green is closer to construction as the San Mateo Planning Commission approved the proposal to redevelop the 12-acre site at a prime intersection near the Hayward Park Caltrain Station.

EBL&S Developments plans to construct a 1-acre park and up to 599 apartments, 30,000 square feet of retail space and 15,000 square feet of office space at the corner of Delaware Street and Concar Drive were approved by the Planning Commission Tuesday night and will now be up for City Councils vote Feb. 2.

The project, which was approved in 2011 but put on hold due to financing, was amended and required EBL&S, city staff and planning officials to iron out details over the last year. The proposal outlines four main buildings with residences wrapping around an enclosed, above-ground parking structure. The former proposal called for eight, smaller buildings and increased office and retail space.

I think working together with the Planning Commission and the staff, we came up with a better project and I think its going to be a project I can be proud of. Its sort of a legacy project for me, that will be here long after I am, said Alan Talansky, EBL&S senior vice president of development and a San Mateo resident. I think what were going to be able to do is set a standard for how these villages should be at [Caltrain stations] and I think theyre important for the future transit and growth of the area.

Should the council approve the proposal, Talansky said he anticipates starting demolition within three months at the former sites of Kmart and Michaels Arts and Crafts. Construction is likely to take about two years, he added. The Shell gas station has already been demolished.

An evolving juncture

The Hayward Park Caltrain station has served as the catalyst for several redevelopment proposals including the Hines complex, which will transform 3.3 acres into 292,400 square feet of offices directly across from Station Park Green, and Caltrain plans to construct a mixed-use residential complex on 2.7 acres of its surface parking lot.

Its a prime location because it had underutilized space. You had space that was old retail, that was really not that viable for the area, Talansky said. The whole impetus comes from the corridor plan that San Mateo did several years ago, so this was asked for by the city and the citizens a long time ago.

Planning Commission Chair Rick Bonilla said the city has long sought mixed-use projects like Station Park Green since approving the Rail Corridor Plan, which promotes transit-oriented developments, in 2005.

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Station Park Green plan heads to council: Planning Commission approves 599-unit residential development