TUSTIN, CA—Retail centers with strongfundamentals are beginning to move away from the “just keep itleased” mindset by seeking better-quality tenants with synergiesthat more accurately serve their local markets, MattHammond, Corland Cos.' director of retailbrokerage, tells GlobeSt.com. The locally based firm has recentlybeen awarded four listing assignments by WattCos., one of which in particular calls for a focus onattracting these higher-quality tenants.

Santa Fe Springs Marketplace, a175,364-square-foot, well-located grocery-anchored communityshopping center in South Los Angeles County, is one example.Coreland has been tasked with finding more synergistic tenants tolease up the center, which features such national tenants asFood-4-Less, Rite Aid, O'Reilly Auto Parts andIHOP. Hammond and senior associate BenTerry will handle the leasingassignment.

“Over the last five years, the owner's plan was to just stayoccupied,” Hammond tells GlobeSt.com. “But now, as we've come outof that recession and have two very strong anchors, we'reevaluating how we can get better tenants in here. We're looking atcombining spaces, splitting spaces or relocating tenants, butoverall, we're looking for strategic opportunities to get bettertenants.”