The relationship between retail real estate landlords and theirtenants has seen a shift in the last few years since the height ofthe recession. It's not enough to just make sure a shopping centeris fully leased. For long-term stability, shopping center ownersneed to have the right mix of tenants and adapt to the new economicand consumer realities of the times. Cheryl Todd,vice president of real estate management at SouthernCalifornia-based commercial real estate services firmCoreland Cos., told us about the changingrelationship between retail owners and tenants and how successfulshopping environments are managed today.

GlobeSt.com: Has the relationship between tenantsand landlords changed since the recession?

Cheryl Todd: I believe it has. Duringthe recession tenant retention was the No. 1 priority. Tenants hadthe upper hand as both owners and retailers alike were just tryingto stay above water. Thankfully, a much more collaborativerelationship exists today. Overall, tenants are healthier and manyare expanding, which has allowed landlords to regain a bit ofnegotiating power, or at least even out the playing field. I seelandlords re-engaging with their tenants and trying to betterunderstand a tenant's business to foster a stronger tenant mix.