Shopping Centers Today is the news magazine of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
Issue link: https://sct.epubxp.com/i/122387
THE COMMON AREA Whole Foods to grow produce on storeÕs roof The distance from farm to market is about to get a lot shorter. Whole Foods Market is building a 20,000-square-foot greenhouse on the roof of a store in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. There, in partnership with Gotham Greens, the grocery chain will grow pesticide-free produce for Whole Foods stores all over the city. "Gotham Greens has been a valued local supplier of high-quality, flavorful and fresh produce to Whole Foods Market since early 2011, making this greenhouse project a natural and extremely exciting next step in our relationship," said Christina Minardi, Whole Foods Market's Northeast regional president, in a press release. "We're particularly excited to partner with a local organization with roots right here in Brooklyn and a mission in line with our own, in that we both care deeply about providing local, fresh and sustainably produced food." The greenhouse will save trucking fuel, and an advanced irrigation system will use as much as 20 times less water than conventional farms do. The glazing and the electrical fittings are designed to be energy-efficient too. Gotham Greens operates a farm elsewhere in Brooklyn and is an "industry leader in urban and rooftop greenhouses," according to Whole Foods. "Talk about local! This project takes the discussion from food miles to food footsteps," said Viraj Puri, a Gotham Greens co-founder, in a press release. "Our greenhouse will provide Whole Foods Market shoppers with access to the freshest, most delicious leafy greens, herbs and tomatoes, year-round that will be grown right above the store's produce department. We're thrilled with this partnership and to be part of the growing national movement of farmers and food producers committed to providing consumers with high-quality, responsibly produced food." ability to connect with our customers in a way that we have never been able to do before," said Joe Boehm, Forest City's executive vice president of retail leasing. The 1.2 million-square-foot property, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this fall, is currently 95 percent occupied, though half its leases expire within the next 12 months. Anchors are Dick's Sporting Goods, Dillard's, Macy's and Nordstrom. The renovation is scheduled for completion early next year. "We intend to be talking to our customers on an ongoing basis about the design decisions we're making," said Lisy. If architects are focused on providing additional seating, for instance, while people say what they really want is a family restroom closer to the play area, the online platform can help address that. "We are going to be talking about things that make this the best renovation to meet the needs of our customers," she said. Forest City says it will keep the social-media platform up for an indefinite period, depending on the amount of feedback generated. SCT Forest City uses social media to find tenants Forest City Enterprises is giving customers a virtual sneak peek at its renovation plans for Short Pump Town Center, Richmond, Va. The mall owner is also using the Popularise social-media tool to solicit community feedback about the $10 million project. "The reason we are doing it is to gain the most interaction and insight from our community, and for them to define what a better experience looks like in our shopping centers," said Jane Lisy, Forest City's senior vice president of marketing. Popularise enables ownerdevelopers to introduce renovation plans and updates online and to interact with members of the community. Forest City's Drawing Board platform went live on Popularise.com in early April. "The social media and technology really give us the 40 SC T / M a y 2 0 1 3