TUCSON, Arizona (Oct. 8, 2026) — A shopping center may appear to spring to life when construction equipment arrives, but developers say groundbreaking follows years of planning, investment and negotiations that largely occur outside public view.

An October 7 article by Joe Gose in ICSC’s Commerce + Communities Today examines common misunderstandings about retail development, from construction timelines and tenant selection to what an empty storefront says about a property’s health.

Kean Thomas, senior vice president of development at Vestar, said preparation can take two to five years before construction begins. During that period, developers may invest millions of dollars in design, zoning approvals, engineering, legal work and other requirements while assembling leases and financing.

Vestar’s $275 million Verrado Marketplace in Buckeye illustrates the timeline. Preparation began in 2021 for the 500,000-square-foot shopping center. Target and several other businesses opened in May, with additional stores and restaurants continuing to open through 2026. When complete, the center is expected to include more than 55 retailers and businesses, along with a community green, performance stage and other public amenities.

Zoning approval is an important milestone, but it does not necessarily mean construction can begin immediately. Developers still must complete design and permitting, establish construction costs and secure enough tenant commitments to satisfy lenders and equity partners.

Financing and infrastructure can also change a project’s schedule. Higher borrowing costs may require developers to revise financial assumptions, while delayed utility improvements can postpone construction even when prospective tenants are ready to proceed.

In Victorville, California, NewMark Merrill pushed back the development timeline for Desert Sky Plaza II after a power line was delayed. The approximately 300,000-square-foot center’s planned tenants include Target, Ross Dress for Less and Burlington.

For Southern Arizona, the example highlights the importance of coordinating retail development with power, water, transportation and other infrastructure. A project’s readiness depends on both its approvals and the systems needed to serve it.

Developers interviewed by ICSC said early communication can help residents understand those dependencies. Trademark Property Co. meets with local officials and neighborhood groups before formal planning and zoning hearings, explaining proposals and seeking input on features such as parks and gathering spaces.

That outreach also creates an opportunity to explain which retailers a community can realistically attract. Residents may envision upscale department stores or popular restaurants, but tenant decisions depend on population, household spending, customer demand and the maturity of the surrounding trade area.

A new shopping center serving an emerging community may support a different mix of businesses than an established urban location. Developers must balance residents’ preferences with retailers’ requirements and the economics of the project.

The same considerations apply when replacing a tenant. Finding a business willing to lease space is only part of the process. Owners also evaluate the space’s size, the surrounding customer base and how a prospective tenant complements the center’s other businesses and long-term direction.

Justin Stein, executive vice president and chief revenue officer at Tanger, cautioned against treating an isolated vacancy as evidence that an entire property or retail market is struggling. A center’s performance also reflects ownership strategy, investment, merchandising and consumer demand.

Renovations and changes in use can be part of that strategy. Tanger is renovating a 555,000-square-foot property in Foley, Alabama, with plans for additional green space, walkable breezeways, food and beverage offerings and shaded seating.

For Tucson’s retail market, the article offers a useful reminder that development should be evaluated across its full timeline. Announcements, zoning approvals, financing, construction and store openings represent different stages, each with its own requirements.

Clear explanations of those stages can give residents more realistic expectations and help developers build trust. They can also help communities assess proposed projects based on their design, infrastructure needs and market potential.

Source: “What Consumers Misunderstand About Retail Development,” by Joe Gose, Commerce + Communities Today, ICSC, October 7, 2026.

TUCSON, Arizona (Oct. 7, 2026) — GRP 829 W Silverlake LLC, an affiliate of Maryland-based Greenspring Realty Partners, purchased the industrial property at 829 W. Silverlake Road in Tucson for $3,267,000. The investment sale closed September 4, 2026.

The seller was Tucson Silverlake LLC c/o Craig Hughes, member. The buying entity is managed by Dan Flamholz, co-founder of Maryland-based Greenspring Realty Partners.

Greenspring Realty Partners is a family-owned industrial real estate investment firm with offices in Baltimore and Miami. The company specializes in industrial outdoor storage, heavy industrial properties and the acquisition and redevelopment of brownfield sites. According to the firm’s website, it invests its own capital and targets established industrial markets, emerging growth areas and infill locations.

The Silverlake acquisition fits that focus, combining a leased industrial facility with a substantial fenced yard and freeway access. Greenspring already had a Tucson presence, with another leased industrial property on E. Tennessee Street.

The Silverlake property includes two buildings totaling approximately 13,781 square feet on 3.23 acres in Tucson’s south industrial submarket. The purchase price equates to approximately $237 per square foot based on the total building area.

MTM Transit LLC occupies the property under a single-tenant, triple-net lease. The company provides transportation services in partnership with Sun Shuttle Dial-A-Ride.

Improvements include an approximately 11,970-square-foot metal shop constructed in 2014 and an approximately 1,811-square-foot masonry office building dating to 1962. The facility features offices, a reception area, a breakroom and kitchen, approximately 21-foot shop clear height, two grade-level roll-up doors, and a fenced and gated yard.

Located less than half a mile from the Interstate 10 and Interstate 19 interchange, the property provides access to Tucson’s regional transportation network. Marketing materials describe annual rent increases of 3% and potential rental upside when the existing lease expires.

Max Schumacher of Rein & Grossoehme Commercial Real Estate (Phoenix) handled the transaction.

For more information, Schumacher can be reached at 480-214-9403.

Source: RED Comp #12709.

TUCSON, Arizona (Oct 7, 2026)— Leonardo Electronics US Inc. has been awarded a $30.15 million modification to an existing U.S. Army contract for research and development involving semiconductor diode laser arrays. The work will be performed in Tucson, with an estimated completion date of March 29, 2029.

Announced September 24, the $30,148,771 award supports research to develop, study and increase the power emitted in a single beam from a phase-locked semiconductor diode laser array. The modification, designated P00006, applies to contract W911QX-24-C-0012.

In plain language, the research concerns coordinating multiple semiconductor lasers so their light combines into a single beam. Increasing the power of that combined beam is the central objective described in the award.

The Army obligated the full modification amount at the time of the award using fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation funds. U.S. Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Leonardo Electronics US, a subsidiary of international aerospace, defense and security company Leonardo, develops high-power lasers and sensor technologies for defense, medical and scientific applications. Its Tucson operations manufacture laser products supporting advanced research and defense programs.

The award adds federally funded research activity to Southern Arizona’s optics and defense technology sector, with the announced work scheduled to continue into 2029. The contract notice does not identify a specific weapon system or disclose anticipated hiring, facility expansion or production requirements.

The $30.15 million represents the value of this modification, rather than the total value of the underlying Army contract.