Emeryville-based Western is bringing 62 properties totaling morethan 5.5 million sf to the table. If the merger is approved at theNov. 9 meeting, the Pan Pacific name would survive and have nearly14.6 million sf of retail and community shopping center space underits belt.

In the first half of the year, Western's net income rose 15% to$9.2 million. Over the last year, shares in Western Property Trusthave been on a steady climb, finishing up 17.5% over the last 52weeks. With a market cap of $211.4 million, Western PropertiesTrust has 17.3 million shares outstanding.

Pan Pacific Retail Properties of Vista, CA, is also on theupswing. The company's stock is up 13% over the last year, andrevenues rose in the first half of this year by 13%. The mergerwould make Pan Pacific the largest West Coast shopping center REIT,with a combined market cap of $1.3 billion.