LAKELAND, FL-In the highly competitive supermarket industry, experimentation could be seen as the quick path to elimination. But Publix Supermarkets is testing new chains, and even new in-store concepts, as well as beefing up its infrastructure, precisely to remain competitive. Publix will open slightly more than 30 stores this year, and has not yet made overall plans for 2007. The company is also testing Publix Sabor, a store geared more toward the Latino market.

ATLANTA-The $21.7-million, 91,000-sf build-to-suit class A office building will house operations of the US Department of Homeland Security. The project will be completed in the third quarter of 2007.

COLUMBUS, OH-Ferguson is taking 121,000 sf in the Capital Park East industrial park, while Redemtech has leases 145,000 sf at ProLogis' Brookham Distribution Center.