Property Types Retail
Prime Retail to Debut $300M Expansion of Orlando Shopping Center
May 14, 2008
By: Barbra Murray, Contributing Editor

The former Prime Outlets Orlando will emerge from its $300 million makeover as the 778,000-square-foot Prime Outlets International Orlando next week. Owner Prime Retail upgraded and expanded the property, which now holds the distinction of being the largest outlet center in the southern region and the biggest in the nation.



Prime Outlets International Orlando sits in a coveted and well-traveled spot surrounded by the major tourist attractions such as Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. Prime Retail came into possession of the property in 2006 when it acquired the 700,000-square-foot Belz Factory Outlet World and the 200,000-square-foot Belz Designer Outlet Centre for $180 million from Estein & Associates USA Ltd. The new and improved premier shopping destination will offer 175 outlets, including the sole Neiman Marcus Last Call store in Central Florida.

The retail market in Central Florida is booming, according to a first quarter report by real estate services firm Colliers Arnold, and Orlando's tourist corridor accounts for a big part of its success. The vacancy rate in the submarket is a low 4.1 percent, compared to an average 6.3 percent for Central Florida. Shopping center expansions and upgrades appear to be the trend. The 450,000-square-foot Pointe Orlando was recently upgraded and re-merchandised, and has now evolved into a top dining and entertainment locale. And the former Mercado retail complex is being redeveloped into a 340,000-square-foot mixed-use property, The Square, at a cost of $400 million.

Based in Baltimore, Prime Retail is the parent company of Prime Outlets. The company is one of the largest retail property owners in the country with a portfolio of more than 8 million square feet of space across the United States and in Puerto Rico. Prime Retail’s portfolio is on track to go grow significantly over the next few years, with the addition of 2 million square feet planned.

 
Recent Retail Headlines
Bankrupt Filene's Basement Assets Snapped Up by Men's Wearhouse in $67M Auction
Clothing retailer Men's Wearhouse has emerged victorious from a feverish nine-hour auction of assets belonging to off-price chain Filene's Basement, which fell victim to the retail market's downward spiral and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early May, just two weeks after its purchase by Buxbaum Group affiliate FB Acquisition II. Acting through its affiliate, K&G Acquisition Corp., Men's Wearhouse put forth the winning bid of $67 million for 17 to 20 of Filene's store leases, as well as the leases on the company's Massachusetts corporate headquarters and distribution center, its Maryland storage facility and-- possibly most important--the Filene's Basement trade name.
Economic Update - Starwood Eyes Distressed Sector with $500M Fund
Yet another deep-pocketed real estate entity has jumped into the grave-dancing game—only please, don’t call it that, but rather strategic investment in distressed properties. The player is a newly formed investment company called Starwood Property Trust Inc., a creation of Starwood mogul Barry Sternlicht, which filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission late last week for a public offering that aims to raise half a billion dollars to do the distressed-property boogie. It will invest in not only physical properties, but mortgages and mortgage-backed securities.
Economic Update - Retailers See May Malaise
May comparable-store sales numbers are filtering down from various retailers, and the results aren't inspiring confidence in the prospects for recovered consumer spending. Actually, most analysts expected average retail same-store sales to decline in May 2009 when compared with May 2008, but the trouble was they declined more than expected.