Retail rentals and occupancy are finally on the rise after a long stretch in the doldrums, according to Jones Lang LaSalle Retail Group (www.BDCnetwork.com/JLLRetail). Progress is slow, and glamorous projects are still few and far between, at least in North America. But some prestige work has recently been done, such as the 100,000-sf CUBES development—created by Shawmut and Equity Office Properties to bring needed retail space to an underserved section of Manhattan.
Katie Sprague, Senior Vice President in the Los Angeles office of RTKL, pinpoints vertical shopping developments, open-air retail zones, “slow-food” dining, interactive retail, and development in emerging markets as worldwide trends (http://bit.ly/13j8L9B). In particular, merchants are adding convenience features, including scan-it-yourself technologies, touch-screen kiosks, and hand-held checkout devices for store staff.
MJ Munsell, IIDA, Principal and Retail Market Design Leader at MulvannyG2, says consumers’ use of apps such as Pinterest is shaping ideas about personal branding; perhaps dressing room lighting, color schemes, and sound will become customizable at the touch of a screen.
TOP RETAIL ARCHITECTURE FIRMS
Company 2012 Retail Revenue ($)1 Callison $99,528,7412 Stantec $89,657,8783 Gensler $88,360,0004 MulvannyG2 Architecture $70,792,7505 RTKL Associates $61,225,0006 RSP Architects $39,327,0007 WD Partners $37,000,0008 MBH Architects $34,095,0009 Perkowitz+Ruth Architects $23,729,54710 Little $20,411,914
TOP RETAIL ENGINEERING FIRMS
Company 2012 Retail Revenue ($)1 Jacobs Engineering Group $146,400,0002 AECOM Technology Corp. $118,220,0003 Henderson Engineers $44,677,2994 URS Corp. $41,152,2405 Parsons Brinckerhoff $19,100,0006 Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates $17,310,0007 Bergmann Associates $13,000,0008 Wallace Engineering $9,250,0009 Buro Happold Consulting Engineers $7,176,00010 Arup $6,574,122
TOP RETAIL CONSTRUCTION FIRMS
Company 2012 Retail Revenue ($)1 Shawmut Design and Construction $314,900,0002 Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., The $307,373,1823 PCL Construction Enterprises $216,819,4944 Lend Lease $214,921,0005 Turner Corporation, The $201,890,0006 EMJ $200,300,0007 Power Construction $116,000,0008 Weitz Co., The $115,314,2169 Structure Tone $105,052,00010 Ryan Companies US $103,001,644
Figuring out how to deal with competition from online stores is a pressing concern for traditional retailers and the AEC firms that serve them. “We’re going to see a big rethinking of how retailers do their distribution,” predicts Omid Nabipoor, President of Interface Engineering. “Amazon has announced that they’re going to do more food and grocery distribution, and has a lot of grocers considering how they’re going to compete with that. How will they deal with distribution? How will they deliver in a day, as Amazon is promising?” Retail facility upgrades may be one response; development of new models for distribution centers may be another.
Some retailers are creating space for entertainment or classes to make the store a more compelling destination—always a popular tactic in home centers but now increasingly common in grocery, sporting goods, and tech stores. Chain restaurants represent another bright spot in the sector, with pent-up demand attributable to prior expansion delays, according to Thomas Goemaat, President/CEO of Shawmut. “Based on our backlog, we expect this trend to continue for the foreseeable future,” he says.
Read full 2013 Giants 300 Report
Related Stories
Architects | Mar 4, 2020
Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara receive the 2020 Pritzker Architecture Prize
As architects and educators since the 1970s, Farrell and McNamara create spaces that are at once respectful and new.
Education Facilities | Mar 3, 2020
Carisima Koenig, AIA, joins Perkins Eastman as Associate Higher Education Practice Leader
Perkins Eastman as Associate Higher Education Practice Leader
Architects | Mar 2, 2020
Two ‘firsts’ for Sasaki and LEO A DALY
Following an industry trend, the firms hire chiefs of technology and sustainability, respectively.
Architects | Feb 26, 2020
Seven architects aim to design the “newsstand of the future”
The winning project will be created and presented during Milan Design Week 2020.
Architects | Feb 24, 2020
Design for educational equity
Can architecture not only shape lives, but contribute to a more equitable and just society for marginalized people?
AEC Tech | Feb 22, 2020
Investor interest in the built environment not quite as avid in 2019
Builtworlds’ annual list of venture deals led by workspace providers.
Modular Building | Feb 16, 2020
On the West Coast, prefab gains ground for speedier construction
Gensler has been working with component supplier Clark Pacific on several projects.
AEC Tech | Feb 13, 2020
Exclusive research: Download the final report for BD+C's Giants 300 Technology and Innovation Study
This survey of 130 of the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms tracks the state of AEC technology adoption and innovation initiatives at the AEC Giants.
Office Buildings | Feb 11, 2020
Forget Class A: The opportunity is with Class B and C office properties
There’s money to be made in rehabbing Class B and Class C office buildings, according to a new ULI report.
Architects | Feb 6, 2020
NBBJ acquires immersive technology design studio ESI Design
NBBJ has acquired experience design studio ESI Design. The acquisition signals a new era where buildings will be transformed into immersive and interactive digital experiences that engage and delight.
