Retail
We believe in retail without boundaries. It’s why we’re integrating shopping, dining, entertainment, and more to revolutionize retail experiences everywhere.
We are committed to supporting the neighborhoods which we are fortunate to serve. Across our portfolio, we strive to create a lasting benefit through corporate charity initiatives and property-led community events. In 2019 alone, our retail assets hosted over 500 community events.
For the 47th year in a row, The Mall in Columbia in Columbia, Maryland, hosted the Howard County Public School Art Exhibit in 2019. This exhibit was held throughout the common areas of the mall and featured over 3,000 works of art from 72 Howard County public schools.
Additionally, Family Fun Day has been in existence at The Mall in Columbia for nearly 25 years—a long-standing tradition and family favorite. This event is free to the community, where parents and caregivers alike are welcome to bring children to participate in the activities while learning in a fun environment. The activities include singalongs, story time, magic acts, puppet shows, and more. Miss Julie, a retired schoolteacher, has hosted this beloved event since its inception.
In 2019, our Chicago office showed its support for multiple nonprofit groups that focus on educational needs within the local area. This included educational donations and support for Countee Cullen Elementary School, employee volunteer sessions with Open Books, and participation in the Ronald McDonald House Pop Tab program.
Throughout our second year of supporting Countee Cullen Elementary School we:
In 2019, Ridgedale Center partnered with the University of Minnesota’s “Master Gardener” Program to open one of the first community gardens at a U.S. mall property. The garden features native plants, including two different varieties of Minnesotan apple trees which were developed, in part, by the University of Minnesota. Customers are welcome to harvest and enjoy items from the garden. In addition to maintaining and enhancing the garden, we hope to further engage the local community in sustainability through additional initiatives, such as the establishment of an organic recycling program at the property.
In 2019, our Summer Garden Celebration showcased the opening of the garden with multiple community events, including a floral mural painted by Atlanta-based artist Niki Zarrabi, live modeling, and a succulent bar.
In addition to improving our waste operations, 2019 marked the commencement of a food waste pilot program at three of our properties in the Atlanta market—Cumberland Mall, Perimeter Mall, and North Point Mall. We engaged with food tenants at our malls to promote the donation of surplus food to local charities as an alternative to merely discarding it.
This program connects food tenants with local charities and creates an easy and direct way to donate leftover food to communities in need. Through our pilot program we’ve contributed to three organizations in the area: I Care Atlanta, Second Helpings, and 7 Bridges to Recovery. We are looking to expand this program to other markets and are excited by the additional opportunity to positively impact the communities we serve.
2019 was a year full of recognition for our property teams’ commitment to sustainable operations. The results of their hard work and dedication were submitted to the Institute of Real Estate Management's (IREM) Certified Sustainable Properties (CSP) program, which provides a meaningful distinction for existing buildings and, upon certification, highlights our commitment to sustainable property operation. This holistic program allows our properties to demonstrate success in five categories across energy, water, recycling, health, and purchasing.
community events hosted in 2019
sq. ft. certified by IREM's CSP program
consecutive GRESB Green Star in 2019