Cranston, RI – WS Development announced the acquisition of Rhode Island’s premier retail destination, Garden City Center. Spanning over 530,000 square feet, Garden City Center is home to a unique mix of shops, eateries and boutiques including leading national tenants such as Whole Foods, lululemon, L.L. Bean, Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Sephora, Williams Sonoma and more.
First opened in 1948 and recently celebrating its 70th year, Garden City Center is continuously evolving to serve Rhode Island and greater New England with its community-centric offerings and design. Strategically centered between two major highways, Interstates 95 and 295, and conveniently located only 10 minutes from Providence and minutes from T.F. Green Airport, Garden City Center anchors a super-regional retail cluster that is unlike any other in the state.
Privately-held, WS Development is one of the largest retail-led mixed use development firms in the country. Founded in 1990, WS’s portfolio includes more than 90 properties in twelve states and is well known for its commitment to building places where people want to be. With 23 million square feet under management and an additional eight million square feet under development, the firm owns, develops, operates, markets and leases its assets, including urban centers, lifestyle centers, power centers, community centers and mixed-use developments. WS has demonstrated its commitment to owning the best asset in strong and emerging markets, with a keen focus on community activation, retail mix, design, landscaping and public art. Garden City falls squarely into this category as the best of the best in a robust market.
“Garden City Center is a beloved and powerful hub with a long history of success. We believe that our experience creating retail gravity in similar markets will allow us to take something great and make it even better. We are looking forward to working with the existing tenants and community toward this goal,” stated Jeremy Sclar, President of WS Development.
