Retail
Disrupt and Interrupt: Thoughts from Retail Green
[Part 1 of a series of posts from ICSC’s RetailGreen conference.]
In the first General Session of the ICSC RetailGreen conference in Phoenix last month, I moderated a panel discussion called “Disrupt and Interrupt”. Since it was the beginning of the conference, we wanted to speak broadly about sustainability issues that retail developers encounter when planning projects and business initiatives. The panel consisted of Audi Banny of Estée Lauder, George Caraghiaur of Simon Property Group, Jim Hanna of Starbucks, and Riggs Kubiak of Honest Buildings. Some of my questions were pre-planned, but we had fun taking live questions through an email account and a scrolling twitter-feed which we projected above the stage. It all worked quite well. Audience members kept me well-stocked with comments and questions.
Speaking at ICSC RetailGreen
ICSC’s RetailGreen is the premier annual conference that gathers leaders in sustainability to focus on the retail development industry. Those of us on the programming committee have seen the conference grow, largely due to the interest shown by the developers and retailers in attending, and also because the program content is so strong. Along with highly technical workshops and “big-picture”…
Arrowstreet at the Bisnow Retail Summit
Arrowstreet Principal Scott Pollack recently moderated a panel of real estate giants at Bisnow’s Annual Retail Summit. Terry Brown, CEO of Edens, joined Barry Rodenstein, SVP of Brixmor; Michael Jammen, Principal of UrbanMeritage; Ed Mitchell of Legal Seafood; and Steven Kelly of Timberline Construction to discuss the current state of retail development. Panelists agreed that deals are happening, but financing…
Chestnut Hill Site Visit
This past week I was able to join an Arrowstreet group to get a tour of the Chestnut Hill site from Jason King and Mike Manship. The project has had a long history in the office but I’ve only recently joined the team, working on the 350+ space pre-cast garage scheduled to open in the fall of 2013. In addition to…
L.L. Bean Danbury Opens!
Arrowstreet and L.L. Bean teamed up again to open a new store at the Danbury Fair Mall, in Connecticut. Since recently acquiring the mall, Macerich has repositioned a vacant department store into a format of mid-size tenants, like Forever 21, Dick’s, Cheesecake Factory and now, LL Bean. Our task was to give the Danbury shopper a taste of the Maine company’s catalog of comfortable clothes and outdoor adventure. It starts on the porch with its heavy timber posts and beams, and continues inside where customers can try on Bean boots, polo shirts or even a colorful array of kayaks. We’ve designed many of LL Bean’s stores, but this one was special: the grand opening was July 13th, the week after L.L. Bean celebrated their 100th birthday. We’re honored to be a part of this celebration, and even more proud to be part of the team.
Magic Beans at the Prudential Center
Arrowstreet has been helping Boston Properties with retail tenant coordination at the Shops at Prudential Center for years, so when Magic Beans signed a lease in the retail mecca in the heart of Boston’s Back Bay we were happy to assist them. Magic Beans is a locally-owned mom & pop store that sells toys, strollers, car seats, and baby gear. Their brand is upscale, their service is high-quality and attentive, and their store design needed to match who they are. The space we designed for them is colorful and easily accessible, with the merchandise areas coded by their branded colors. It’s packed with toys and gear, but spacious where needed for equipment testing. And to occupy the little ones while mom is settling the bill, a set up of figurines in a full landscape is built into the cabinetry underneath the check-out counter.
Breakfast with Congressman Mike Capuano
In a talk that touched on Washington gridlock, the MBTA Green Line extension, and the Main Street Fairness Act, Congressman Michael Capuano spoke at the kick-off of the Somerville Chamber of Commerce’s new monthly “Government Affairs Breakfast Series”. The late January event was held in the Mount Vernon Restaurant, a short distance away from the new Assembly Row development and the future Orange Line T stop…
Nordica Theater Opens
After over a year of hard work, the Nordica Theater at Freeport Village recently opened. John, David Burn, and I were able to attend on Arrowstreet’s behalf, joining our friends Al Yebba and Mike Murphy of Berenson Associates and Mark Benvenuto from Belmont Capital. It’s always satisfying to see a building we designed in use, and this was no exception- though this was the first opening I’d been to that involved watching movie previews in 3-D! Nordica Theater is a success and a great addition to Freeport.
Finally Under Construction: Chestnut Hill
After more than a decade of work with New England Development to master plan, design, and permit the redevelopment of the former Omni Foods site on Route 9 in Chestnut Hill, MA, we can finally announce that the project is under construction. Demolition, blasting and removal of rock, and site excavation are well underway in preparation for the construction of this mixed-use development that includes retail, restaurants, a Wegman’s grocery store, health club, office, and a parking garage as part of the first phase. Stay tuned for more updates as the structures begin to take shape!
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…