4 Southland Areas in Top 20 for New Retail Projects

More than $12 billion will be spent on new retail projects nationwide this year, and four of the top 20 areas are in Southern California, a survey by Chicago Title Insurance Co. said.

About $960 million will be spent on new retail developments in the Dallas-Fort Worth area this year, making it the busiest retail spot in the nation, the survey said.

Los Angeles, with a projected $490 million in retail construction, will be the second most active. Houston, Number 3 on the list, will see about $360 million in retail construction, Phoenix will have about $310 million, and $300 million will be spent on new retail projects in Washington, D.C.

The Riverside/San Bernardino area, with a projected $238 million in retail construction this year, is Number 8. Anaheim is 17th with an estimated $155 million in new projects, followed by San Diego with a projected $152 million.

Based on the number of each area’s existing households, Orlando, Fla., will be the busiest retail market in the nation. Developers will spend about 822 retail construction dollars on each of Orlando’s 310,000 households this year, Chicago Title said.

Another 365 retail construction dollars will be spent on each household in the seventh ranking Riverside/San Bernardino area, and $170 will be spent on each household in Los Angeles, Number 18.