• New York City’s mammoth mixed-use development Hudson Yards will include Snark Park, a permanent exhibition space at the project’s Shops and Restaurants at Hudson Yards district, developer Related Cos. announced. The 6,000-square-foot Snark Park will open in March near the center’s Cartier and Lululemon stores. Snark Park will include three museum-quality installations per year, together with a strong lineup of partnership programming. The public outpost aims to make design accessible to an expansive audience by offering a platform for both creative ideation and cross-disciplinary activation. “Snark Park will act as an incubator for a host of bold new concepts — a catalyst for our imagination of the future of cultural spaces,” said Snarkitecture Partner Ben Porto, in a press release. Snark Park will include a lobby experience with a food and retail component, Porto said. “Each installation will be accompanied by a unique retail experience, including an exclusive partnership.” Booth 2005

• Cushman & Wakefield announced that Phil Colicchio and Trip Schneck, co-founders and principals of food, beverage and entertainment firm Colicchio Consulting, have joined the company. Colicchio and Schneck will lead the firm’s food, beverage and entertainment procurement — all consulting services and offerings previously provided by Colicchio Consulting that are now available through Cushman & Wakefield’s Retail Services platform.

Colicchio and Schneck have long been regarded as leaders in creating elevated food and beverage and entertainment experiences for shopping center and mixed-use developers, sports and music venues, universities and hotel brands. The team is behind some of the largest luxury food-and-beverage projects and food halls to hit the market over the past decade and have collaborated with more than 75 leading hotels and over 50 James Beard Foundation Award–winning chefs, restaurateurs, beverage professionals, service professionals, and restaurant designers.

“There’s no question about it: retail is evolving,” said Katie Mahon, senior managing director and strategy and operations lead, Americas Retail Services at Cushman & Wakefield. “Today’s consumers clearly favor curated, locals-only experiences, and Cushman & Wakefield’s acquisition of Phil and Trip’s unique credentials underscores our unwavering commitment to meet that growing demand.”

In their new role with Cushman & Wakefield, the pair will guide clients in the strategic evaluation, selection and engagement of elevated food, beverage and entertainment options for projects ranging from food halls to signature restaurants and performance spaces. They will also assist hotel developers and operators in creating specialty concepts that improve and reposition unique properties.

“In an evolving retail environment, experiential and specialty food, beverage and entertainment concepts are critical to success,” Colicchio said. Schneck adds, “We work as true strategists and partners with our clients and from food halls to intimate performance venues, our team understands the importance of authenticity and intelligent programming. We’re thrilled to help clients take advantage of the changing real estate landscape in powerful ways.” Booth 2235

• CBL Properties says it has made significant progress in redeveloping its properties into town centers. “In 2018, we have executed redevelopments across the portfolio, effectively transforming our properties through the addition of new in-demand uses. Recent examples include entertainment offerings such as Dave & Buster’s, Round1 Bowling & Entertainment and Flix Brewhouse; new dining options such as The Cheesecake Factory and Portillo’s; fitness uses such as O2 Fitness and Gold’s Gym, as well as value-oriented retailers including HomeGoods, Five Below and Marshalls,” said CEO Stephen Lebovitz. “The success of our redevelopment program over the last year demonstrates the excellent demand for our properties and our ability to meet the ever-changing needs of our consumers.”

Over the course of 2018, CBL will complete nine redevelopment projects totaling approximately 260,000 square feet. Additionally, CBL has started construction on three projects totaling approximately 258,000 square feet. “We are adding innovative uses such as supermarkets and casinos to replace former department stores spaces. The addition of hotels, residential and storage facilities in under-utilized parking fields through joint-venture partnerships serves to densify our properties and diversify our income stream. “We anticipate announcing a number of additional redevelopment projects as details are finalized,” he said. CBL has also been successful in replacing anchor stores that require little to no investment by CBL. Two of these replacements are already open and operating while four other projects will begin construction in 2019. Booth 1521

• GID and North American Properties have formed a joint venture to develop High Street Atlanta, an 8 million-square-foot, mixed-use district scheduled for grand opening in 2019. GID will remain the master developer, while NAP will lead retail leasing, marketing and community engagement. Once complete, NAP will oversee retail property management and the programming of High Street Atlanta’s public realm. 

Located 15 miles north of downtown, steps away from MARTA and at the nexus of Georgia 400 and I-285, the transit-oriented urban district features 10 city blocks developed around a pedestrian friendly street grid and active open space and event spaces. It will be highly walkable, with urban placemaking principles and modern architecture. At full build-out, the mix of uses includes approximately 1,500 apartments, 1,500 condos, 400,000 square feet of retail, 400,000 square feet of new office and 400 hotel rooms. 

“To bring High Street Atlanta to life, it was important for us to engage a local partner, particularly as it relates to retail, restaurant and entertainment leasing, who shared our vision for designing, programming and operating mixed-use destinations,” said James Linsley, president of GID Development Group, in a press release. “The NAP team has demonstrated success with curating best-in-class merchandise mixes, engaging the community and energizing spaces so that they become the community’s gathering place. We are excited to begin working with the NAP team and to apply their proven approach to High Street Atlanta’s street-level retail and public realm.” Booth 774

• If you’re looking for a treat, David Firestein, managing partner at SCG Retail in Manhattan, recommends the hazelnut chocolate cornetti with coffee at Princi near the corner of Broadway and 51st. The Starbucks-owned Italian bakery concept opened its first East Coast location here today. Founded in Milan in 1985, Princi already operates units in Seattle and Chicago. Starbucks bought Princi in 2016 and is positioning the brand for worldwide growth. Firestein helped Starbucks find the New York City location, a 2,864-square-foot unit in a building owned by Paramount. He’s represented the company exclusively here in the city since helping it find its first location in 1994. Firestein has one further suggestion: “The Verdure Grigliate (grilled vegetable focaccia Pizza) is a work of art.” Booth 663

• Metro Commercial Real Estate Inc.  has brokered a lease with Grand View Health at the 139,108-square-foot Lansdale (Pa.) Pavilion. The new, 6,030-square-foot medical office includes gynecology and orthopedics practices. Metro represented the landlord of Lansdale Pavilion, JC BAR Properties, Inc. Walsh Commercial Real Estate represented the tenant. “Metro Commercial has represented Lansdale Pavilion, a community center in the heart of Lansdale, for over five years,” said Greg Jones, senior vice president at Metro Commercial, in a press release. “Incorporating medical uses into traditional shopping centers is key to successful retail leasing today. Grand View Health not only complements the Pavilion’s existing retail tenants, it brings an added level of convenience for potential patients in the local area.” Booth 516

• MARTA (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) selected New York City-based RD Management and Kelco/FB Winecoff LLC as the preferred developers for a mixed-use project at the Atlanta transportation system’s Peachtree Center Station. The developers plan to build three stories of commercial space, designed by New York City–based S9 Architecture, on the southwest corner of the site, totaling 16,000 square feet. Discussions are underway to potentially add an additional 56,000 square feet of residential space above the retail. “The development at Peachtree Center Station provided an ideal opportunity to further expand our portfolio from retail to include larger mixed-use assets,” said Richard Birdoff, principal and president of RD Management and manager of Kelco/FB Winecoff, in a press release. “We’re always looking for innovative ways to leverage our expertise in retail development, and this opportunity allows us to add value and density to a small, underserved transit hub and incorporate the typical bustle and vibrancy of downtown Atlanta into this commercial corner.” To further connect the Peachtree Center MARTA stop with the site, RD Management plans to create a series of enclosed commercial bays that can operate as commercial retail micro-units and provide enclosed access to the transit stop, giving a better overall commuter experience. Booth 2463