The world's largest retailer of natural and organic foods isleasing 45,000 sf on two levels in the Avenue Road-Yorkville, alandmark building in the CBD. "The addition of Whole Foods is justthe beginning of our long-term plan to restore The Lanes to itsformer position as a regular shopping destination," says StephenChan, president of Max & Co. Development Inc., Hazelton Lanesowner. "The company is to food stores what another Texas company,Neiman- Marcus, is to department stores."

The Lanes is undergoing a repositioning and renovation of spacesfilled by high-end retailers. Among the plans is to make the areamore amenable to daily needs, without affecting its quality retaillineup, as well as occasional shopping trips, says Chan. Nearly10,000 residents now live in the immediate vicinity of TheLanes.

Whole Foods Market now has more than 117 stores in the UnitedStates plus subsidiaries involved in coffee roasting anddistribution, seafood processing and produce field inspection. Itemploys more than 17,000 people in 22 states and the District ofColumbia.