FALLS CHURCH, VA-Edens & Avant is redeveloping a shopping center here--the Shops at West Falls Church, located at 7135 Lee Highway. Earlier this year, it announced plans to redevelop another local retail center--Arlington Ridge--with plans to deliver those renovations by this fall.
Common to both renovations is an emphasis on local neighborhood retail and amenities. The upgrades to Arlington Ridge include pedestrian-friendly walkways, outdoor-dining spaces and landscaping. There are similar enhancements being done at the West Falls Church center, along with a major remodeling of anchor tenant Safeway.
These plans are part of a larger strategy by Safeway to strengthen its existing stores in the DC area, according to Timothy Baker, Eastern Division vice president of real estate for Safeway. "This particular location exemplifies one of our lifestyle prototypes currently under development throughout our Mid-Atlantic portfolio," he said in a prepared statement. Edens & Avant did not return a call to GlobeSt.com in time for publication.
The redevelopment by the Columbia, SC-based retail developer- and Safeway, for that matter--illustrate the growing rebound of retail after the recession. While the DC area has been an exception to national trends--its population is underserved by retail-- nationwide, retailers scaled back redevelopments and certainly new developments in the past year.
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Erika Morphy
Erika Morphy has been writing about commercial real estate at GlobeSt.com for more than ten years, covering the capital markets, the Mid-Atlantic region and national topics. She's a nerd so favorite examples of the former include accounting standards, Basel III and what Congress is brewing.
