Real Estate

PITTSBURGH -- Local developer Millcraft Industries said it will be the chief architect of an upscale, European-style grocery concept by year's end, as part of a $40 million redevelopment of the former Lazarus-Macy's department store downtown here.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Publix Super Markets and franchise chain WS Bravo Supermarkets are among the retailers that have placed tentative bids for 15 of the 35 stores that bankrupt grocer Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. recently put up for sale.

PHILADELPHIA -- The New Progress Plaza redevelopment project at Broad and Oxford streets here received $5 million in grant funding. The estimated $11 million project will bring a 46,000 square-foot Fresh Grocer supermarket to the site, and allow room for existing retailers to expand and several new retailers to move in.

LOS ANGELES -- Yucaipa Cos. managing partner Ron Burkle, recently in the news for being the target of alleged extortion attempt by a New York Post gossip column contributor, has his eye on buying newspapers: the Newspaper Guild is considering Burkle's bid to back its plan to buy 12 newspapers being sold by Sacramento, Calif.-based McClatchy Co. as part of its $4.5 billion purchase of Knight Ridder, Inc., based in San Jose, Calif., according to published reports.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A federal bankruptcy judge yesterday approved the payment of about $16 million in fees for attorneys and consultants working with Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. here in its quest to emerge from bankruptcy.

BERKELY, Calif. -- A federal Judge of the Ninth circuit court yesterday denied Boise, Idaho-based supermarket chain Albertsons' request for a temporary restraining order against Grocery Outlet's use of the Lucky brand, paving the way for Grocery Outlet's plans to open future stores under the once-popular banner.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Maybe the fifth time will be a charm for Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. here. The bankrupt retailer filed a motion on Friday asking a federal bankruptcy judge to give it another 70 days to file a reorganization plan. (This is the fifth extension sought by the company.)

PARSIPPANY, N.J. -- After several abortive attempts, Marks & Spencer has once again lined up buyers for Kings Super Markets, the once family-held chain based here. The price is $61.5 million, about half the $110m the British retailer paid for the chain in 1988, while the buyers are an investor group consisting of private-equity firms Angelo, Gordon & Co. and MTN Capital Partners LLC, and retail industry veteran Bruce Weitz.