Rituals Steps up Expansion in Spain with New Store Openings in Almería and Lanzarote
Dutch wellness brand Rituals is opening two new stores in Spain—one in Almería’s Gran Plaza and another in the Lanzarote Open Mall. The Almería boutique spans 129 sqm (82 sqm sales floor) and the Lanzarote location 123 sqm (83 sqm sales floor). The openings raise Rituals’ Andalusian footprint to about 15 stores and bring its Canary Islands count to seven, part of a network of nearly 120 stores across the Iberian Peninsula. In 2025 the group posted €2.43 billion (≈$2.67 billion) revenue, up 16 % year‑over‑year, with €545 million (≈$600 million) EBITDA.
Fit-Out Costs Escalate as High Energy Prices Impact Labor and Materials: JLL
JLL’s 2026 Global Fit‑Out Cost Guide shows North American fit‑out expenses climbing to an average $3,200 per square metre, the highest level worldwide. Year‑over‑year costs rose 4.2%, spurred by surging energy prices, a 26‑30% jump in copper, and persistent skilled‑worker...
AI Firms Go On 375K SF London Office Leasing Tear
AI developers are rapidly expanding their London footprints, leasing a total of over 375,000 square feet in the city this spring. Anthropic signed a 158,000‑SF lease at One Triton Square, enough for roughly 800 employees, while OpenAI added 89,000 SF at...
Union Square Retail Occupancy Surpasses 91% in Q1 2026: Report
Union Square’s retail occupancy climbed to 91.4% in the first quarter of 2026, edging up from 91% at year‑end 2025. The district added 27,000 square feet of new leases, driven largely by food‑and‑beverage concepts and the grand opening of Uniqlo’s...
These 2 Cities Enacted Upzoning Policies to Boost Housing Development. It’s Working, Study Says.
A new Urban Institute study finds that upzoning reforms in New York and Philadelphia have spurred measurable housing development. New York’s neighborhood‑level upzoning produced roughly 4,000 additional units over four years, while Philadelphia’s upzoned districts are issuing about 4,000 permits each year....
Homeownership Varies by Job Type — but Affordability Still a Factor
A new National Association of Realtors analysis shows that while managers and business professionals continue to top homeownership rates, service‑occupation owners have made the biggest gains over the past decade, rising from 42.7% in 2014 to 45.5% in 2024. Real‑estate...
Clar Preferential Offering Closes with 74.5% Valid Acceptances; Total Applications at 244.2%
CapitaLand Ascendas REIT closed its non‑renounceable preferential offering with 74.5% valid acceptances, representing 96.1 million units out of 129.1 million offered. Total applications reached 244.2% of the offering, driven by excess demand of 219.3 million units. The raise targets roughly S$300 million (~$222 million) to...
DFW Still Leads U.S. In Corporate Relocations, But Momentum Slows
Dallas‑Fort Worth remains the nation’s top destination for corporate headquarters relocations, but its momentum slowed in 2026 as rival metros such as Miami, Charlotte and Phoenix intensify competition and rising home prices curb appeal. The market added over 100 HQs...
Galeria Is Asking Property Owners to Defer Rent Payments
German department store chain Galeria has asked landlords to defer rent payments for April and September 2024 interest‑free. The retailer proposes to repay the deferred amounts in April and October 2027. Some landlords have refused, citing three bankruptcies in the...
Jeffrey Epstein’s Brother Seeks to Sell Five-Story Office Building
Mark Epstein, brother of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, has listed a 60,000‑square‑foot office building at 515 Greenwich Street in Hudson Square for sale, with estimates suggesting a $75 million price tag. The property, purchased in 1995 for $1.8 million, is fully...
Portland Approves Expedited Permitting for Multifamily Housing on the Eastside
Portland’s city council approved a resolution to fast‑track zoning changes on the Eastside, aiming to boost multifamily housing production. The measure requires the city administrator to deliver a 90‑day report outlining how to accelerate rezoning, with a target to enact...
Equinix Opens SP6 Data Center in São Paulo, Brazil
Equinix has opened its newest data center, SP6, in the São Paulo metropolitan area, investing $114 million in a 2,975 sqm facility. The first phase delivers 1,125 racks and is engineered for liquid‑cooling and AI‑driven workloads. With SP6, Equinix now operates nine data...
A&G Real Estate Markets 78 Walgreens Properties Across 22 States
A&G Real Estate Partners is marketing 78 Walgreens locations across 22 states, comprising 60 leasehold stores, eight fee‑owned former Walgreens sites, eight undeveloped parcels and two additional fee‑owned properties. The assets range from 2,070 to 23,509 square feet for stores...
Canadian Shopping Centre Performance Trends (2023–2025)
New ICSC data for 2023‑2025 shows Canadian retail sales per square foot becoming increasingly concentrated in a handful of high‑traffic malls. Yorkdale, Toronto Eaton Centre and Pacific Centre posted sales above $1,300 psf, while many mid‑tier assets linger below $700 psf, widening...
Wesley Housing Completes $62M Fort Totten Project: The D.C. Deal Sheet
Wesley Housing completed a $61.5 million expansion of One Hawaii at 1 Hawaii Ave. NE, doubling the building from 34 to 70 affordable‑housing units in Washington, D.C. The development, financed through a blend of federal and D.C. low‑income housing tax credits, solar...
The Weekly Closeout: Allbirds’ ‘AI-Washing’ and Nike’s Ongoing Exec Turnover
Ulta Beauty named Agustina Sartori head of agentic commerce, signaling a push to embed AI into its loyalty and e‑commerce platforms. Meanwhile, Allbirds secured a $50 million investment and announced a dramatic pivot to AI compute infrastructure under the NewBird AI brand,...
Dream Industrial REIT Q1 2026 Financial Results Release Date, Webcast and Conference Call
Dream Industrial REIT (TSX: DIR.UN) will publish its Q1 2026 results on May 5, 2026, followed by a conference call on May 6 at 11:00 a.m. ET. The call will be accessible via toll‑free audio and a live webcast, with a 90‑day replay available. The...
Pasadena Approves Plan for 710 Stub but Tables Restorative Justice Elements
Pasadena’s city council voted to adopt most of the Reconnecting Pasadena vision, a redevelopment blueprint for the 50‑acre “710 stub” that was seized by Caltrans in the 1970s for a never‑built freeway extension. The approved elements include a California Environmental...
Runwal Enterprises Launches Runwal Meadows, A New Luxury Project in Kanjurmarg
Runwal Enterprises has launched Runwal Meadows, an 8‑acre luxury residential phase completing its 36‑acre Runwal City Centre township in Kanjurmarg, Mumbai. The development will feature multiple high‑rise towers overlooking a 5‑acre central park and will offer 2‑, 3‑ and 4‑BHK...
BJ’s Wholesale Club Makes TX Debut With New Store In Forney
BJ’s Wholesale Club entered Texas on April 24 with a new Forney location, its 264th club nationwide and 202nd gas station. The retailer launched a one‑day fuel promotion offering regular gasoline at $2 per gallon, limited to 30 gallons per member....
Home Depot Eyes Same-Day, Next-Day Delivery Site in New York
Home Depot has filed an application to build a 414,000‑square‑foot distribution center in Yaphank, New York, designed for same‑day and next‑day delivery of bulky building materials. The project would cost about $157 million to construct, with an additional $11 million for site improvements,...
Count of Second Homes Declines in 2024
U.S. second homes declined to 6.2 million in 2024, representing 4.3% of the housing stock, down from 6.5 million in 2022. The drop signals a modest cooling after the pandemic‑driven surge. Florida remains the leader with nearly 944,000 units, while eight states...
Singapore-Listed REIT Buys Dutch Logistics Asset for €43m
Frasers Logistics & Commercial Trust (FLCT), a Singapore‑listed REIT, has purchased a logistics asset in the Netherlands for €43 million (approximately $47 million). The acquisition lifts the trust’s total portfolio value to near S$7 billion, roughly $5.2 billion. The deal adds a European warehouse...
The Spice & Tea Exchange Signs New Franchise Deals Across Oklahoma and Virginia
The Spice & Tea Exchange, a specialty retailer based in St. Augustine, Florida, has signed franchise agreements for seven new stores in Oklahoma and Virginia. The deals include one location in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and multiple three‑unit developments in Fredericksburg, Charlottesville,...
L.A. County Office Building Adds Glass Exterior at 550 S. Vermont Ave. In Koreatown
Los Angeles County is renovating the former Department of Mental Health headquarters at 550 S. Vermont Avenue, adding a glass curtain wall and expanding the 12‑story building. The $210 million project will increase office space from roughly 155,000 to over 240,000 sq ft...
Mixed-Use Complex Unwrapped at 1430 Lincoln Blvd. In Santa Monica
Tishman Speyer has unveiled 1430 Lincoln Boulevard, a five‑story mixed‑use complex in downtown Santa Monica. The development will deliver 97 apartments ranging from studios to three‑bedrooms, topped with roughly 5,900 sq ft of ground‑floor retail and a 295‑car underground garage. Designed by Studio T‑Square 2, the project...
Flight to Quality Drives U.S. Downtown Office Market in 2025
CBRE’s analysis of the 100 largest U.S. office leases signed in 2025 reveals a pronounced shift toward downtown, premium‑class space. More than half of the deals—54%—were in central business districts, representing about 59% of the total square footage, while prime...
Affordable Housing Planned at 5640 Riverton Ave. In North Hollywood
HVN Development has submitted plans for a five‑story, 75‑unit affordable housing project at 5640 Riverton Avenue in North Hollywood, just half a mile from the Metro station. The development, designed by Stockton Architects, will feature painted‑stucco exteriors and will not...
You Have Some Options for Dealing With Rising Property Taxes
Property taxes rose 3% in 2025, pushing the average single‑family home bill above $4,400. The increase reflects higher home values and, in many jurisdictions, higher tax rates as local governments grapple with inflation‑driven costs and reduced federal aid. The Northeast...
Weak Confidence Weighs on Canada’s Spring Housing Season
Canada’s spring housing market opened 2026 on a muted note, with the national average home price slipping 2.0% year‑over‑year to C$812,900 (about US$593,000). Quarter‑over‑quarter prices were flat, edging up 0.7%, hinting at a possible price floor despite lingering consumer hesitancy....
U.S. Homeowners Are Remodeling Instead of Relocating
A Redfin‑commissioned survey of 4,000 U.S. adults shows that roughly two‑thirds of recent home renovators chose to upgrade their current house rather than move. Overall, 43% of homeowners renovated in the past year and another 33% plan to do so...
Commission Changes Haven’t Killed Deals, but ‘Worrisome Trends’ Loom
A new Consumer Federation of America report, released April 16, finds that real‑estate commissions have barely changed since the National Association of Realtors settlement, with only 7% of housing counselors noting lower fees. First‑time and low‑income buyers still struggle with affordability,...
Virginia Officials End Support for Proposed Data Center Next to Civil War Battlefield
Virginia officials in Prince William County voted to end support for a proposed 2,100‑acre data center adjacent to the Manassas National Battlefield Park. The project, which would have added 22 million square feet of space across 34 buildings, required a controversial...
Birkenstock Opens First Swiss Store
Birkenstock opened its first Swiss store on Zurich's Storchengasse, marking the brand’s 30th European location. The 70‑square‑metre shop blends modern retail with alpine‑inspired design, featuring end‑grain wood tiles, pine displays and stone‑carpet sand flooring. Interior elements reference historic Swiss motifs,...
The Infrastructure Capital Recycling Machine in Action
Prologis' first‑quarter report shows a notable shift of its development capital toward data center construction, reflecting broader investor interest in digital infrastructure. Blackstone has filed to launch a $2 billion data‑center REIT, while the partnership between Prologis and GIC creates a...
Westfield Stratford Refinancing Set to Boost Europe’s 2026 CMBS Issuance
Westfield Stratford, a premier London shopping centre, is launching a £750 million (about $960 million) securitisation to replace its senior debt with a new CMBS tranche. The refinancing extends loan maturities, reduces interest expenses, and frees cash for upgrades and tenant incentives....
ZoloStays Reports Rs 342 Cr Revenue in FY25; Margins Improve
ZoloStays, the Bengaluru‑based co‑living platform, posted FY25 revenue of Rs 342.3 crore (≈$41 million), a 67% jump from the prior year’s Rs 204.4 crore. The firm’s operating loss narrowed 38% to Rs 35.2 crore (≈$4.2 million) and, after a one‑off Rs 100.47 crore (≈$1.2 million) gain from selling its student‑housing unit,...
The Magic Formula: Ontario Should Follow Alberta’s Lead on Housing
Ontario’s housing starts dropped 12% to 65,376 units in 2025, while Alberta posted a record 54,858 starts, a 15% increase. The article blames high development charges, a 36% tax burden on new homes and slow approval processes for Ontario’s slowdown....
What’s the Difference Between a Tenant Broker and a Listing Broker?
The article clarifies the distinct roles of tenant brokers, who represent lease‑seeking tenants, and listing brokers, who act on behalf of landlords. It explains that both brokers are licensed, typically split a 4‑6% commission paid by the landlord, and that...
Holiday Homes in Moldovenești / MVAA
A new holiday‑home complex in Moldoveniști, Cluj County reinterprets the traditional Transylvanian courtyard for modern tourism. The development comprises a main residence, a guest house, and a converted barn serving as a remote‑working hub, arranged around a central courtyard. Sustainable...
Logistics Firm Cainiao Takes Last Space at Prologis Apex Park in Daventry
Cainiao, Alibaba’s logistics arm, has signed a 10‑year lease for the 150,911 sq ft DC4 warehouse at Prologis Apex Park in Daventry, completing the park’s occupancy. The refurbished space features LED lighting, solar panels and EV‑charging, earning an EPC “A” rating. Cainiao’s...
Converted Toilet Bar Listed for £45,000 in Essex
A former public toilet in Rayleigh has been converted into a craft‑beer bar and is now on the market for £45,000 (about $57,000). The 402‑square‑foot venue seats roughly 18 patrons inside, offers a decked forecourt, and comes fully fitted with...
Condo Investors Might Have a ‘Buy the Dip’ Opportunity in the GTHA Right Now
The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area condo market entered its fifth year of decline in Q1 2026, with sales plunging 52% YoY to just 246 units. Unsold, completed inventory surged to a record 4,295 units, creating roughly 92 months of...
NewRiver Closes £240m Refinancing, Returns to Unsecured Structure
NewRiver Commercial Real Estate has completed a £240 million (≈$305 million) refinancing that returns the company to an unsecured debt structure. The new facility, funded by its existing lender syndicate, extends loan maturities by up to five years and trims borrowing costs...
$2 Million Homes in Vienna
A four‑bedroom, 2,761‑sq‑ft hillside residence in Hof am Leithaberge, just 28 miles south of Vienna, is listed for $2.3 million (≈€1.97 million). Built by a local construction owner, the concrete‑glass home blends earth‑sheltered design with geothermal heating and a ceiling‑cooling system for high...
Bellway Submits Plans for 120-Home Merseyside Development
Bellway Strategic Land has lodged an outline planning application for up to 120 homes on a 10‑acre site in Cronton, Merseyside, with 40% earmarked for affordable housing. Almost a quarter of the land will become public green space, and the...
Eurofund Strengthens UK Living Platform with New Senior Hire
Eurofund announced a senior‑level appointment to spearhead growth of its UK Living platform, which focuses on co‑living and rental housing assets. The new executive will oversee portfolio expansion across London, Manchester and other high‑density markets. Eurofund aims to capitalize on...
Switcher.ie Reveals Ireland’s Most Affordable Places for First Time Buyers as Deposit Saving Time Soars
Switcher.ie’s 2026 First‑Time Buyer Affordability Index shows the average Irish couple now needs 7 years 2 months to save a 10 % deposit, up from 4 years 7 months last year. Longford remains the most affordable county for joint buyers, with a deposit saved in just 2.3 years...
Nextensa and Promobe Seal €120m Deal for Luxembourg Office Project
Nextensa and Promobe have signed a €120 million (approximately $131 million) agreement to develop a new office tower in Luxembourg’s central business district. The project will deliver premium grade‑A office space, with Citi committing to lease the top floors under a long‑term...
Anthropologie to Open Store in London’s Coal Drops Yard
Anthropologie, the Urbn‑owned lifestyle retailer, is set to open its 21st UK store in London’s Coal Drops Yard. The 2,300 sq ft shop will replace the former Beyond Retro space and will feature the brand’s own lines alongside third‑party labels such as...