CLAYTON, MO-Newport Beach, CA-based KBS Real Estate Investment Trust acquires the 325,172-sf Plaza in Clayton office building.

CHICAGO-Shopping centers continue to be at the top of most investors' shopping lists and are also the product of choice for many lenders.

'This is the pure essence of the deal'

Shopping centers, especially those anchored by quality grocery stores, continue to be at the top of most investors' shopping lists and are also the product of choice for many lenders, according to a random survey of lenders, brokers and owners conducted by Debt & Equity Journal. New trends are also surfacing in retail development, including a shift from enclosed mall development to lifestyle and community and neighborhood centers, says Nat Zvislo, research director at the Chicago-based Real Estate Capital Institute.