Lifestyle Centers March On

The lifestyle landscape hasn’t been spared the winds of doom and gloom that have blown across the nation since late 2008. But the still-popular shopping center format has managed to persevere, fortifying itself with a combination of lessons learned, smart tenanting techniques and the flexibility to alter and enhance its form as the economic climate dictates. In this special real estate feature on lifestyle centers, Chain Store Age focuses on a company that has stayed true to the open-air concept, continuing to believe in lifestyle’s viability--beliefs not misplaced as evidenced by the success of their centers.

The Cordish Co., based in Baltimore, has a unique take on lifestyle--much of the acclaim generated by the company’s signature urban projects has been due to the sheer entertainment value of each. Cordish has clearly added the sizzle to the steak, injecting an ‘urban wow’ into lifestyle and lifting the format to exciting heights.

Kansas City Power & Light District, in Kansas City, Mo., has transformed nine city blocks in the heart of downtown into a mixed-use retail, entertainment, office and residential mecca. The development is drawing from a 300-mile radius--proof that no matter which way the wind blows, the right format in the right location, with the right mix of uses, has magnetic pull.

Lessons learned: The Cordish Co.'s lifestyle developments, which fall under the urban districting umbrella rather than the more standard suburban open-air format, lessons learned are all about elevating the outdoor environment.