Among the retailers that recently signed leases that bring the figure to nearly 90% are Paris Baguette, one of the largest bakery franchises in the world; the Vitamin Shoppe; the national Hana Grill chain; and several others.

Paris Baguette will locate a gourmet, quick service bakery and restaurant at the Pasadena Collection, while the Vitamin Shoppe will open one of a number of Southern California stores that the discount retailer of vitamins and nutritional supplements has been launching in the region of late. Hana Grill, a national chain offering Cal/Asian cuisine, will operate a restaurant and sake bar at the development, where other retailers signed on earlier this year. The recent deals were brokered for Champion by Vic Montalbo of Epsteen & Associates.

Bob Champion, who heads the development firm, says the new retailers will complement existing shopping options in the area. The Pasadena Collection, in the midst of the city's South Lake Avenue District, provides a mix of retail, housing and commercial office space. It is composed of two four-story towers featuring street-level retail, 72 luxury apartments, 38 New York-style lofts and 18,000 sf of commercial space, which is being marketed as office condominiums. Construction has been under way for some time on the project, which is slated to open in January.