started the de-malling processearly last year.

He says tenants seem to appreciate the renovation, signingleases for four new stores. Nassimi says his company has a fewother companies in negotiation for more square footage. "We'vefinished a 10,000-square-foot out-lot, and filled it up, we onlyhave 1,500 square feet available there. By March-April, the frontsection of the center will have all the current stores facing tothe outside, and then we'll wrap around toward the J.C. Penney andWal-Mart side," Nassimi tells GlobeSt.com. His firm is completing amodernization program for the J.C. Penney, which has extended theirlease by five years. The 200,000-square-foot Wal-Mart opened in2005, shadow-anchoring the property.

New tenants include Deb Shops, DOTS, Hibbet Sports and SallyBeauty. A Verizon store will also join the center, and plans areunderway for development of additional junior anchor stores andinline spaces for the remainder for the shopping center. "Probablyby 2010, everyone will be moved to having an outside entrance,"Nassimi says. "We're a little less than halfway done, but the areasthat have been renovated are about 85% occupied."