LAS VEGAS—Retail is not standing alone as much anymore. Rather, it is now being supported and organized in a way that seamlessly integrates residential and office to build a community. Those thoughts are according to Kevin Zak, a principal at Dorsky + Yue, who recently chatted with GlobeSt.com about all things retail surrounding the recent ICSC RECon event here in Las Vegas.

According to Zak, this willingness to integrate other uses is driven by the desire to create a sustainable and established planning approach that creates a memorable experience for communities.

“With a diverse portfolio of work spanning from shopping centers to hospitality, offices and residential throughout the country, we are seeing this evolution first hand. A prime example of this is the work we have done in New York at the Shops of Nanuet for Simon Property Group,” he says. “We took an underperforming mall and transformed it into an open-air lifestyle center flourishing due to a sound relationship with the community.”

There are opportunities for underperforming developments without having to build a whole new city, he continues. “It may be needed in some cases, but others, it can be created through engagement with the community through the architecture and public space.”

Another trend Zak is seeing is essentially building a street life beyond store operating hours. “As a result, different tenants are taking different spaces, and we are working with a greater variety of tenants,” he says. “The food hall concept is a perfect representation of this as they are emerging as robust, central figures in the retail environments that are serving as a great support for retailers.”

Zak expects that going forward, we will continue to see an evolution of how retailers are serving the community. “Where there are vacancies, there will be opportunities to repurpose that did not exist before,” he tells GlobeSt.com. “Companies succeeding architecturally are creating social spaces tailored to their local community where people want to come to hang out.”

Local retailers, restaurants and even national chains are creating unique shopping experiences by infusing more of the local feel and flair into its architecture, he continues. “We are seeing an increase in social eating experiences being created, like food halls, which in many cases, are becoming the heart of shopping centers and repeat destinations for experience-driven people to socialize and meet up.”

A solution that has been discussed in the past year or so that is now becoming a trend, according

to Zak, is seeing quick pick up locations for online orders implemented into retail and grocery

stores. That, he adds, is changing the way his company plans and designs retail centers.

“Consumers are looking for the conveniences that retail environments offer to be infused into

their everyday lives, including shopping center concierge services, which allow you to continue shopping without your bags and have valet place them in your car when finished. Services like Instacart and Google Express are changing the way people shop offering curbside or even home delivery, and we are adjusting designs to allow this to be seamlessly integrated into the architecture.”

For other thoughts from experts who attended the ICSC RECon event here in Las Vegas and to learn more about panel coverage from the event, check out the articles below.

How Foodie Culture Has Changed the Way Brokers Think

Attract the Retail Store of the Future to Your Community Now

Retail Expert: The Future is the Carful Curation of Space

What Brick and Mortar Retailers Need to Do

Caruso's Key to its Success, What Retailers are Looking for

A Closer Look at Retail Lending, Investment

Retailers Now Have Tremendous Options in “New Submarkets”

Experts at ICSC's RECon Say It's All About Fitness, Beauty, Food and Service

Will Food Halls be Retail's Hottest Growth Story?

Food and Beverage's Role in New Real Estate

Authenticity Is Critical to Food Hall Development

Upclose With Franklin Street at ICSC's RECon 2017