Update on Whole Foods’ Mandeville Location and Addition of Forever 21 Red
While no small feat, we are inching closer to the opening of Whole Foods in a portion of the former Albertson’s grocery at Premier Centre! The anticipated opening date is late April 2016. We are equally as excited at the newest addition to Premier Centre with Forever 21 Red occupying the balance of the space with an amazing pre-Thanksgiving Holiday opening to the public.
This will be the first Whole Foods and second Forever 21 Red on the Northshore occupying a total of 60,000 square feet.
Premier Centre, a 273,000-square-foot shopping center near the intersection of U.S. 190 and North Causeway Boulevard in Mandeville, Louisiana, opened in 1998. Whole Foods and Forever 21 Red will join Stein Mart, Bed Bath & Beyond, T.J. Maxx, Barnes & Noble, Old Navy and other national and local retailers in the shopping center.
Shreveport-Bossier City Retail Market Survey
Stirling Properties is pleased to present the first semi-annual Shreveport-Bossier City Retail Survey. This report, compiled by Stacy Odom and Karen Hannigan, Broker Associates of our Shreveport office, is intended to give the reader a broad understanding of the market as well as specific information about the available square footage, occupancy and rental rates of each retail center greater than twenty thousand (20,000) square feet. It was created to be a resource for agents as well as tenants, landlords, developers, lenders, fellow brokers and anyone else looking for information about the Shreveport-Bossier City retail market.
In compiling this mid-year 2015 retail survey, it was noted that vacancy rates on existing inventory are falling, lease rates are increasing and retail investment sales are in high demand. Overall market rates are increasing due to new product and lack of second generation space, as well as many new restaurant and service concepts entering the market to take advantage of co-tenancy opportunities. The majority of retail growth is still occurring in South Shreveport and North Bossier, adding to the market’s most heavily concentrated and demanded retail areas. Phase I of the three new Community Center developments will be predominantly pre-leased before opening. It will be interesting to see if the high demand for retail growth continues and if, as a result, the additional, future phases of these developments will come to fruition.
Please click here to view and download the PDF of the complete Shreveport-Bossier City Retail Survey.
Coastal Revenue Sharing: A Letter to the Editor
As chairman of the Coalition for Coastal Resilience and Economy (CCRE), which was formed last year under the umbrella of Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO Inc.), our primary mission is to use our business led coalition to ensure that the funds earmarked for coastal restoration are used for that intended purpose. While there are many other very critical needs of the state including infrastructure, none represents the existential threat of coastal restoration.
Please click here to read letter to the editor from our CCRE group.
New Orleans’ Office Market Taking Shape
Gaines Seaman, Sales and Leasing Executive for Stirling Properties, recently contributed an article for Southeast Real Estate Business magazine’s Market Highlight section. The insightful article, entitled “Following Massive Conversions, New Orleans’ Office Market Is Taking Shape,” profiles the bustling office market activity in downtown New Orleans. Check out the excerpt below and click here to read the full article.
“In the past 12 to 18 months, more than 1 million square feet of what used to be considered office space in downtown New Orleans has been converted to retail, hotel, residential or multifamily use. Projects such as 225 Baronne Street, the 1100 block of Tulane Avenue, 600 Carondelet Street, Factor’s Row redevelopment and approximately 130,000 square feet of space at 1250 Poydras Street (a 423,000-square-foot, Class A tower) are just a number of examples. More of this space was unoccupied than occupied at the time of the conversions. The most recent of these conversions, 600 Carondolet Street, resulted in the largest absorption of Class A office space in the market. Additionally, URS, now AECOM, leased approximately 70,000 square feet of space in 1515 Poydras, a 530,000-square-foot building located across from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. In the central business district (CBD), Class A office occupancy is a healthy 90 percent and average rental rates have increased in the past 12 to 24 months to approximately $19 per square foot. Recently, notable longterm commitments to New Orleans include Shell Oil Co. and FM Services (Freeport McMoRan), both through 2026. Shell Oil anchors One Shell Square, the largest office tower in New Orleans, and committed to occupy half of the 1.3 million-square foot building in 2015. FM Services occupies 210,000 square feet of the 510,000-square-foot Freeport McMoRan Building, also on Poydras Street. Ochsner Health System recently finalized a deal to lease the entire Lord & Taylor Building, measuring 115,000 square feet. The building will be retrofitted, against the current trend in the CBD, from former retail space to office space for Ochsner’s occupancy. The term is estimated to commence in late 2016.”
New Orleans Named Among 2016 Markets to Watch
At the recent Urban Land Institute (ULI) Fall Meeting held in San Francisco, the keynote speaker Andy Warren of PwC presented the Emerging Trends in Real Estate® 2016. This year’s release marks the 37th edition of the Emerging Trends in Real Estate®, which is undertaken jointly by PwC and ULI based on insights from hundreds of industry leaders.
Mr. Warren included the below slide in his presentation on the Real Estate Markets to Watch in 2016. The New Orleans region was included on that list. I have attended these meetings for many years and this is the first time that New Orleans was included in such a list. This is yet another validation of the confidence that investors are showing in our region.
Stirling Properties Announces Promotions in Property Management Department
Stirling Properties is excited to announce two promotions in its growing Property Management Department. Patrick Malik has been appointed Vice President of Property and Risk Management after 14 years as Operations Manager. Lindsey Palmer, Property Manager, has been promoted to Director of Property Services.
Patrick Malik‘s role has evolved from Operations Manager to overseeing all aspects of the Property Management Department including supporting Asset Management, Development and Acquisitions, new business development and integration and ongoing property operations of over $1.2 billion in real estate assets. In addition, he handles risk management and insurance for Stirling Properties and its clients, including sourcing coverage options, negotiating policy terms, insurance claims, management of Captive Insurance Program, disaster preparedness and emergency response. Mr. Malik has over 25 years of Property Management experience across commercial real estate sectors in a variety of roles. He graduated from the University of West Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Management. As Director of Property Services, Lindsey Palmer will oversee all aspects of Property Services and its staff, providing support for Property and Asset Management of over 17 million square feet commercial real estate. Ms. Palmer will continue her responsibilities as Property Manager of 2.3 million square feet of properties, including Fremaux Town Center in Slidell and Hammond Square and in Hammond. Ms. Palmer joined Stirling Properties 9 years ago after graduating from Southeastern Louisiana University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Master in Business Administration.
