All Topics
RetailGreen: Presentation and Debate
The International Council of Shopping Center’s (ICSC’s) annual “RetailGreen” Conference was recently held in Phoenix, Arizona. It’s the only green conference that exists primarily to serve the retail development industry. In planning meetings for the event, my colleagues and I on the Program Committee spent a lot of time conjuring up panel presentations and roundtable discussions on the sustainability topics most relevant to ICSC members…
L.L. Bean Openings
L.L. Bean had a busy fall opening three new stores, and at Arrowstreet we helped them develop some new store models along the way. King of Prussia Mall, just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was L.L. Bean’s first venture into a smaller (16,000 SF) in-line store, and opened on September 30th. On October 20th, they followed with a more typical stand-alone store (22,000 SF) in Westchester’s Ridge Hill in Yonkers, New York; L.L. Bean & Arrowstreet modified previous layouts to make this floor plan much more flexible for their various seasonal displays. Their last opening at Paramus Park Mall was a bit of a combination of the two models – a mall store with both a mall entrance and exterior face; the store (15,000 SF) opened on November 18th…
Nordica Theatre at Freeport Village
The new Nordica Theatre is sure to provide an exciting evening alternative in Freeport, Maine, where spending a night out at the movies hasn’t been possible in many years. Less than 10,000 people live in Freeport, but with a regional draw from outlying areas there has long been strong interest in bringing a movie theater to the center of town. The only challenge has been…everything. Who would build it? Where? Who would operate it? Most importantly, who would come…
LEED for Homes: Multifamily Midrise
In late 2010, the United States Green Building Council expanded the LEED for Homes certification with a new Multifamily Midrise category, in order for 4-6 story residential buildings to pursue LEED certification. As the original LEED for Homes certification was designed for single family and low rise multi-family, the program did not accommodate the special demands of the slightly taller projects, especially with the increased density of living units…
Tree-hugger!
Ten years ago, using the word sustainability in conversation likely won its speaker the ignoble title tree-hugger. Five years ago, the term garnered friendlier reactions while its institution was more of a “nice to have.” But today, sustainability is not just normal; it’s imperative…
Centerbuild Reflections
Attendance was up this year at ICSC Centerbuild, the end-of-the-year retail and design conference held in Phoenix. After two years of declining attendance and pessimistic moods, the crowd was bigger and more enthusiastic about their prospects. In the conference keynote, Bill Taubman said consumers are back and shopping for apparel, not just one-time purchases of electronics. Sales numbers from October, November and “Black Friday” support his thesis, and indeed after the conference, retailers across the country had excellent holiday seasons…
Repositioning Retail at ICSC Centerbuild
I’m moderating a panel presentation for the ICSC Centerbuild conference in Phoenix, in December. After presenting this topic last year to a packed auditorium, the program committee has asked me to update it and re-present it. I’ve asked Laura Fullington, an Associate VP of Research for Macerich Corporation, and Jon Cowen, a broker from Cushman & Wakefield in Phoenix, to join me on the panel. The topic is called “Repositioning Existing Properties”…
Freeport Fly-By
In a recent fly-by, an aerial photographer captured the view from above of Freeport Village Station in Maine. Arrowstreet’s use of white roofs on the project helps reduce air-conditioning demand for the building occupants by keeping the roof surface cool…
TV Debut
I had my television debut when I appeared on Portland, Maine’s Fox TV local affiliate to present a design for a new movie theater in Freeport, Maine, with Al Yebba of Berenson Associates. Surrounded by bright lights and cameras, and not much else, we were thankful for “Good Day Maine” co-host Erin Ovalle for leading us through the 5 minute interview…