Shopping Center Closures Near 100 Million Square Feet

Retailers are focusing on their top-performing locations and shedding marginal stores with announced closures so far in 2018 totaling nearly 100 million square feet as demand for mall and shopping center space by retailers fell to its lowest level in six years in the first quarter.

This U.S. commercial real estate market balancing act, which includes Philly office space, Philly retail space and Philly industrial space, was reflected in the first quarter 2018 U.S. retail vacancy rate, which at 4.6 percent was unchanged from the fourth quarter of 2017 and just a tenth of a percentage point lower than a year ago.

Net absorption of retail space throughout the national and Philadelphia commercial real estate markets, fell to 11 million square feet, the lowest quarter for mall and shopping center demand since 2012, according to data presented in CoStar’s First-Quarter 2018 State of the U.S. Retail Market report.

This report on U.S. and Philadelphia commercial properties is being made through Philadelphia commercial real estate broker Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a Philadelphia commercial real estate brokerage firm.

“As the national retail vacancy rate has begun to flatten, the pace of the recovery has slowed. In fact, we can call an end to the recovery,” said Ryan McCullough, senior managing consultant for CoStar Portfolio Strategy, who co-presented the report with Director of Research Suzanne Mulvee.

While retailer demand for store space has slowed in the national and Philadelphia commercial real estate properties markets, it has not stopped, contrary to perceptions in the broader market fueled by headlines of closures and bankruptcies of big-box tenants like Kmart and Toys R Us.

Expansions by restaurants, grocery stores and other food-focused retail tenants, as well as health-care and other service providers and smaller local shopping center tenants throughout myriad U.S. and Philadelphia commercial real estate listings, continues to drive leasing and net demand growth for the retail sector, McCullough said.

The retail property segment of the U.S. commercial real estate market – including Philly office space, Philly retail space and Philly industrial space – is performing differently in different parts of the country. In recovering housing markets and other high-growth Sunbelt metros, retail vacancy has continued to decline and post strong leasing momentum.

The net in-migration throughout the national and Philadelphia commercial real estate listings has produced the kind of population, job and income growth that creates ready-made consumers and drives retail spending, the report noted. For more information about Philly office space, Philly retail space and Philly industrial space or other Philadelphia commercial properties, please call 215-799-6900 to speak with Jason Wolf (jason.wolf@wolfcre.com) at Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a leading Philadelphia commercial real estate broker that specializes in Philly office space, Philly retail space and Philly industrial space.

Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a full-service CORFAC International brokerage and advisory firm, is a premier Philadelphia commercial real estate brokerage firm that provides a full range of Philadelphia commercial real estate listings and services, property management services, and marketing commercial offices, medical properties, industrial properties, land properties, retail buildings and other Philadelphia commercial properties for buyers, tenants, investors and sellers.

Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a Philadelphia commercial real estate broker with expertise in Philadelphia commercial real estate listings, provides unparalleled expertise in matching companies and individuals seeking new Philly office space, Philly retail space or Philly industrial space with the Philadelphia commercial properties that best meets their needs.

As experts in Philadelphia commercial real estate listings and services, the team at our Philadelphia commercial real estate brokerage firm provides ongoing detailed information about Philadelphia commercial properties to our clients and prospects to help them achieve their real estate goals.  If you are looking for Philly office space, Philly retail space or Philly industrial space for sale or lease, Wolf Commercial Real Estate is the Philadelphia commercial real estate broker you need — a strategic partner who is fully invested in your long-term growth and success.

Please visit our websites for a full listing of South Jersey and Philadelphia commercial properties for lease or sale through our Philadelphia commercial real estate brokerage firm.