DALLAS—HFF has secured mortgage financing for Casa Linda Plaza shopping center,  the second oldest retail center in Dallas.

The 326,868-square-foot, grocery-anchored center in the densely populated Lakewood area is located at Garland Road and North Buckner. HFF, led by director Adam Herrin, placed the loan with GE Capital Real Estate on behalf of the borrower, AmREIT Casa Linda LP.  AmREIT Casa Linda will utilize the four-year, floating-rate loan to refinance an existing CMBS loan and for capital to lease up the remaining vacant space.

Population growth and AmREIT's strategic leasing plan has increased leasing significantly in the center over the past 24 months, says HFF. Casa Lina Plaza is currently 84% leased and recently signed tenants include Torchy's Tacos, Pei Wei, Raising Cane's and Nothing Bundt Cakes.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area grew by nearly 23,000 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2013 alone, and increased by 3.1% in the last 12 months. The Central Dallas retail submarket is one of the smaller in the Metroplex, yet, the area retail is 94.9% occupied, notes CBRE in a quarter report.

AmREIT Casa Linda, LP, who could not be reached for comment, is owned by Houston-based AmREIT. AmREIT Realty Investment Corp., wholly-owned subsidiary of AmREIT manages and leases the Casa Linda.