Project of the Month: Charter Realty and Acadia's 256,000 s/f White City Shopping Center renovations complete

The White City Shopping Center located at 20-120 Boston Tpke. along the heavily trafficked Rte. 9 corridor was acquired by a joint venture between Charter Realty & Development Corp. and Acadia Realty Trust in December 2010. The neighborhood center comprised of 256,000 s/f of gross leasable area on 27 acres is anchored by Shaw's (64,000 s/f), Planet Fitness (19,300 s/f) and Dress Barn (10,300 s/f). The center has undergone a complete transformation since its purchase in 2010. The shopping center originally developed in the 1960s and owned by the same family until its sale in 2010 was in need of significant updating. Upon acquisition new ownership immediately began an extensive renovation of the center including new clapboard facades featuring natural colors, new dimensional trim and arches, columns with stone veneer and reconfiguration of interior spaces. Generous canopies with skylights and under-canopy lighting were created. The parking lots were redone and new improved parking lot lighting, curbing and landscaping was completed. As part of the redevelopment and branding of the White City Shopping Center a new signage program was introduced featuring halo-lit façade signs, upgraded pylons, new gateway signage and new stone walls to provide a welcoming and attractive entry to the center. The major redevelopment also involved the introduction of a new traffic signal and the reconfiguration of drive lanes to improve the site layout and unify the White City and White City East shopping experience. Upgrading and enhancement of the tenant mix at the center was an integral part of the redevelopment effort. The improved White City Shopping Center physical plant and the enhanced shopping experience generated significant new tenant interest. Eighteen new tenants were introduced to the center and a number of existing tenants relocated to larger premises within the center. The anchor premises at White City East were filled by a new 19,300 s/f Planet Fitness facility that opened to rave reviews in 2012 and continues to draw a strong membership. Premier national restaurant chains including Five Guys and Noodles & Co, and strong regional chains including Bertucci's Two Oven's and b.Good have opened in the Center. National tenants including GNC, Great Clips, Elements, Ideal Image and UPS have brought a variety of appealing uses. In 2013 Bridgestone, an existing tenant at the center, signed a new 20-year ground lease for 8,000 s/f. As part of the deal they demolished their outdated building and built a premier state of the art facility. In the final phase of the redevelopment Shaw's will remodel and renovate their store and rebrand as a Star Market. This will involve a new layout and color palette, updated food cases and an emphasis on high-quality fresh foods in order to offer customers an enhanced shopping experience. We are in final negotiations with an exciting national chain for the remaining 18,300 s/f anchor premises at White City.