IRVINE, CA—Residential, creative-office, museum, civic and healthcare uses are just a few of the innovative ideas for creating a dynamic 24-7 mixed-use environment out of empty big-box space, Simon Perkowitz, a principal with KTGY Architecture + Planning, tells GlobeSt.com. Perkowitz recently participated as a roundtable facilitator at the International Council of Shopping Centers' CenterBuild Conference in Scottsdale, AZ, presenting “What Should I Do With My Vacant Big Box?” We spoke with him about this concern and the best uses for vacant big-box space.
GlobeSt.com: How big of a problem are vacant big boxes for retail owners?
Perkowitz: The problem of vacant big boxes is wide-spread and big-box retailers are continuing to announce additional store closures for 2018. However, these empty big box stores represent a big opportunity for owners to reimagine their property in ways that they may not have in the past. For each company closing stores, 2.7 companies are opening stores, according to a report published by IHL Group.
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Carrie Rossenfeld
Carrie Rossenfeld is a reporter for the San Diego and Orange County markets on GlobeSt.com and a contributor to Real Estate Forum. She was a trade-magazine and newsletter editor in New York City before moving to Southern California to become a freelance writer and editor for magazines, books and websites. Rossenfeld has written extensively on topics including commercial real estate, running a medical practice, intellectual-property licensing and giftware. She has edited books about profiting from real estate and has ghostwritten a book about starting a home-based business.
