"Grocery spending per capita is up in many areas, and in growthmarkets, which include most Florida metropolitan centers, demandfor neighborhood retail centers is predictable and reasonablydependable," Crossman tells GlobeSt.com in a new marketassessment.

"Continued low interest rates, mediocre stock market returns andpoor performance in other commercial real estate sectors mean moreinvestment capital for retail development," Crossman says. "Theoffice (investment) market is still reeling from the tech collapseand may not see full recovery for several years."

However, he cautions that "improvements in the nation's overalleconomic picture could put the damper on major retail developmentgrowth" because "as the economy recovers and investors startlooking again at the stock markets, competition for developmentcapital will certainly have an impact."