Topeka, Kan. — Overland Park, Kan.-based Darland Construction Co. has completed the conversion of a former Kmart store in Topeka, Kan., into Wanamaker Hills Shopping Center. The 108,546-square-foot retail property is now home to Ulta, Old Navy, DSW, Five Below and Petco. Equity Investment Group (EIG), a Fort Wayne, Ind.-based developer, bought the property in 2014 and worked with Darland Construction to renovate the structure, secured permits for signage and landscaping and negotiated leases. Schwerdt Design Group was the project architect. Ulta Beauty, Petco and Five Below are already open. …
construction and design
Kansas City, Mo. — Full-service commercial real estate firm Block & Company, Inc. Realtors has completed the first phase of its Kmart redevelopment project in Merriam, Kan., with the opening of a new Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers. The more than 4,000-square-foot building is now one of Freddy’s largest locations in the United States. Block & Company handled the construction management of the project on behalf of the property ownership group. Construction details of the new Freddy’s included an almost complete tear-down of the existing building. Various structural elements and …
Chattanooga, Tenn. — CBL Properties has made significant year-end progress on its strategy to transform its properties through redevelopment and the addition of new uses. In 2019, CBL completed a dozen projects totaling approximately 650,000 square feet, with an additional five projects totaling approximately 490,000 square feet currently under construction. Each redevelopment plan is unique and customized based on market demand. Strategies range from repurposing expansive parking fields to add new uses such as hotels, restaurants and self‑storage facilities to backfilling anchor vacancies with exciting concepts that resonate with today’s …
Tampa, Fla. — BTI Partners, a real estate development firm, has closed on the sale of a 1.6-acre site slated to become a waterfront restaurant in Tampa Bay’s Westshore Marina District. The deal adds a boat-up restaurant to the District’s roster of specialty retail tenants to serve the Tampa Bay area. The parcel was sold to D&G WMD, LLC. The restaurant, named Paloma, will be located at the grand entrance of Westshore Marina District and will become a landmark for boaters and residents of Tampa/St. Pete as a destination waterfront …
East Rutherford, N.J. — IT’SUGAR, known for its over-the-top sweets, giant candy and absurdly wonderful sugar creations, will open on December 14, 2019 at American Dream, a 3 million-square-foot entertainment/shopping/dining destination under development in East Rutherford, N.J. At three stories and over 22,000 square feet, IT’SUGAR American Dream will be the world’s first department store of candy. The one-of-a-kind IT’SUGAR store will greet visitors with a three-story tall Statue of Liberty replica covered in over 1.5 million Jelly Belly beans, symbolizing the freedom to treat yourself. Once inside, customers can …
Orlando, Fla. — Based in Orlando, Fla., Organic Innovations Group, LLC has pioneered a fresh new concept coming soon to Orlando: Bowls & Berries Café. Bowls & Berries Café is a fast-casual lunch café with high-speed internet and a one-stop meeting destination for families and professionals alike. The café will be the first of its kind to offer different ordering stations to cater to the customer’s need and pace ranging from traditional face-to-face service, app ordering and pickup, self-service kiosks and a drive-thru option to make the customer’s experience more …
Cincinnati — The Yankee Candle Company Inc. unveiled a new store concept at its retail location within the Natick Mall outside of Boston on Black Friday. Designed by award-winning retail design firm FRCH NELSON, the new concept puts fragrance first and emphasizes who Yankee Candle is today, and what it wants to share with its customers. The space features a new merchandising strategy and an upgraded personalization station, complete with sensorial experiences, allowing customers to curate their own scent collection and enjoy a more immersive experience into the world of …
New York City — Bareburger, an award-winning restaurant specializing in clean comfort food, is celebrating its first decade in business. The restaurant is marking this milestone with the introduction of a location reflecting a refreshed design in the New York City neighborhood of Chelsea. The new Chelsea location at 184 8th Ave. has been added to a growing list of more than 44 Bareburger locations around the world. The grand opening was December 4, 2019. The new Bareburger location is stylish and environmentally responsible, with its interior doors and walls …
Lexington, Ky. — As A&W celebrates its centennial, the company is preparing for its next century with the recent opening of a new national learning center and prototype restaurant in Richmond, Ky. A&W, which was acquired by its franchisees from YUM! Brands in 2011, has welcomed more than 70 U.S. locations under the new leadership; a dozen more are in various stages of development. Located less than a half-hour from A&W’s headquarters, the Richmond restaurant is the first freestanding “Gen19” prototype that takes a holistic approach to guest engagement. The …
Raleigh, N.C. — Golden Corral, the nation’s largest grill-buffet chain, has launched an incentive for franchisees to remodel their current restaurants to the Golden Corral brand’s new Gateway design package. The comprehensive incentive program will support franchise owners with a reinvestment credit, a local marketing credit, and a people hiring and training credit. Currently, the company plans to remodel 60 franchise restaurants in 2020. Golden Corral first introduced the new Gateway restaurant design in December 2017, featuring a contemporary appearance with oversized windows, stacked stone fireplaces, redesigned buffet service areas, …