West Palm Beach (Aug. 7, 2008) -- The Goodman Company, which has been developing retail facilities since the 1950s, has nearly completed lease-up of two retail projects that total 1.3 million square feet of space and the company is currently eyeing retail development opportunities in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia and Texas.

"We are cautiously optimistic right now in the southern U.S.," said John W. Dowd III, senior vice president of development at The Goodman Company. "Region-wide, retail leasing activity in the southeast has slowed, but some local economies are thriving and we are pursuing several major development opportunities," Dowd explained. "The Texas markets are particularly interesting."

At Landstown Commons in Virginia Beach, the Goodman Company recently opened the final phase of the 509,192 square foot retail village that is now 85 percent leased with anchors Kohl's, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, Office Max, Ross Dress for Less, PetSmart, A.C. Moore and Books A Million.

A Walgreen's Drug Store facility - the last major construction at Landstown Commons - will open in November. The Goodman Company recently completed a ground lease with Fulton Bank and a restaurant ground lease is pending.

In October, The Goodman Company will open a 750,000 square foot lifestyle center at Wiregrass Ranch, a 5,022 acre planned, mixed-use development in New Tampa that includes a medical center, elementary, middle and high schools, a national tennis center, golf courses, municipal offices and more than 16,000 residential units.

Dowd said The Shops at Wiregrass is already more than 85 percent leased and anchors include Macy's, Dillards and J.C. Penney.

The Goodman Company is partnering with Forest City Enterprises of Cleveland to develop the Shops at Wiregrass, Dowd said.

"We are fortunate to work with some of the best development and land partners in the U.S.," Dowd said. "We take a very personal, hands-on and conservative approach to development, with a market-driving eye for retailers and restaurateurs. We expect development activity to come back strong after this cycle, with lots of pent-up demand, and we've identified markets where it will come back the strongest," he said.

For more information, contact:
John Dowd, Senior VP of Development, The Goodman Company, 561-833-3777
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142