Mixed-use development is nothing new, but over the next several years, a handful of these high-stakes properties will emerge as clear winners. The post-COVID demand for custom, personalized experiences means that owners, developers and managers of these properties must find more scientific and innovative ways to understand and attract the right kind of shopper.

The largest mixed-use properties like Miami’s Plaza Coral Gables are mini cities within themselves— beacons in their communities, drawing people in and inviting them to stay. A collaborative approach is fundamental to managing a mixed-use property of this scale, and it works even better if there is a property manager or general manager serving as an impartial “maestro” orchestrating a holistic cross-property strategy. But it’s the retail that sets the tone—the heartbeat of the property that, when done right, makes the idea of living, working or spending time there more appealing.

Retail has the power to drive up to 32% higher office and resident rents, according to JLL’s 2025 Lifestyle Office Markets research report. Retail also has the potential to increase demand and cachet of the property, and support the hiring and retention of the best hospitality-minded staff the industry has to offer. But retail done well can no longer be a guessing game. It takes a sophisticated strategy to connect with the consumer of the future.

A mindset shift, plus powerful data

In retail, success used to be measured with very basic metrics, like sales per square foot and traffic counts. There was very little intel on who was shopping in any given center, and why. It’s becoming clear that for mixed-use developments to succeed today, they must operate differently and bring a much more scientific approach to consumer behavior. This data-backed approach should have one primary goal: understanding each shopper’s productivity.

Location and mobility analytics, coupled with AI, allows savvy property owners and managers to define a productive shopper versus just any shopper. Data today is so much more powerful than it was just two years ago, and it’s this data that allows operators to understand what their ideal consumer wants and be empowered to confidently deliver it.

Today, we’re equipped to answer questions like: “When they visit our stores, how long do they stay?” “How long do they stay at our competitor’s store?” “What do they spend online versus in our stores, and in what categories?” and “What does their age mean for their average spending?”

AI-enhanced mobility and behavioral analytics can answer all of these questions, and more. This information can be used to define target segment, justify specific tenants or anchors, and guide targeted marketing and events.

The reinvention of leasing

With a deeper understanding of the most productive shopper, there needs to be an aligning strategy for merchandising and tenant mix. Bringing in any retailer that is willing to sign a lease for the sake of high rents may work for the moment, but it doesn’t create an authentic vibe that people can feel and want to return to. Instead, blending local brands with national names, and adding food and beverage (F&B) options that match your audience preferences can go a long way toward earning customer loyalty.

At RocaPoint Partners’ Halcyon, a 455,000-square-foot mixed-use property in Forsyth County, Georgia, the perfect retail tenant mix was a top strategic priority, and it paid off. After defining the property’s identity, vision and target audience, it was important to do a deep dive into the needs of the local consumer. The result was the perfect blend of new-to-market concept retailers, authentic local brands, nationally established household names and fresh F&B concepts.

“A great example is BRASH Coffee Roasters’ vintage truck, ‘The Beast,’ which joined Market Hall this spring,” said RocaPoint Principal Phil Mays in an article originally published in Urbanize. “It brings a distinctive local flavor to the property and strengthens Halcyon’s walkable, social atmosphere. We don’t fill space for the sake of filling space. Every tenant must add something meaningful to the overall experience.”
Today, roughly two million people visit this 135-acre village each year to experience complete community and a true gathering place.
Minnesota mall uses data and loyalty to find new life

It’s not just massive mixed-used developments that must consider data-driven analysis and leasing strategy to succeed. Traditional malls, like Morgan Stanley’s Rosedale Center in Roseville, MN have demonstrated how placemaking, tenant strategy and consumer insights can drive success. This aging regional mall is centrally located between the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. A $50 million transformation resulted in a more relevant, resilient and market-dominant destination. At the core of the evolution was a redevelopment and re-merchandising strategy, fully aligned to data on the center’s primary customers.

The strategy was intently focused on using data to shape a whole new vision for the property. Strategic new anchors, upgraded F&B and community-driven placemaking brought new life to the center. Targeted zip-code-specific marketing and activation strategies were used. Rosedale’s most productive shoppers—the Boomer and Gen Z audiences with broad inclusive and ethnic diversity—were first identified, and then intentionally valued and publicly celebrated in the Rosedale placemaking experience.

Rosedale Center grew to be the #2 mall in the Twin Cities’ Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), second only to Mall of America, a national tourist destination. According to JLL’s PinPoint, powered by Alexander Babbage location intelligence, and foot traffic data from Placer.ai has shown double-digit growth in three of the last four years, and average dwell time has swelled to 90+ minutes. In 2025, 76.3% of Rosedale’s traffic was exclusive to that property only, and no other competitive shopping center in the MSA.

Placemaking and operations: Making the experience frictionless

Once a development is armed with valuable information about its most productive shopper, the journey can’t stop there. The role of property management is crucial for providing a frictionless, hospitality-driven experience.
A truly frictionless retail experience isn’t about spectacle. It’s about quietly removing every small obstacle between arrival and enjoyment. From the moment a shopper turns into the property, they should be guided by clear signage, well‑lit and intuitive parking, and a web presence that answers basic questions before they even step out of the car. A poor parking experience or confusing access alone can discourage future visits.

Once on site, the details that often get dismissed as “just operations” become the differentiators: clean, comfortable common areas, the right music level, good lighting, even how the space smells. Security and management staff function as frontline hospitality, helping people feel safe and welcomed rather than managed. A frictionless environment also extends to digital touchpoints—how easily customers can find events, navigate parking or validation, and understand where to go next. When all of these elements work together seamlessly, the property minimizes effort, maximizes comfort and frees visitors to focus on the experience itself, turning a routine trip into a habit.

The future demands an emotional connection

Consumers are responsible for the staggering pace of change in the retail and mixed-use experience that has occurred over the last five years. Now, with access to AI and more sophisticated data, the next five years should evolve at an exponentially faster pace. We’ll see the most forward-thinking owners and managers elevate their facility operations to data-informed lifestyle curation. They’ll make investments in research and operational excellence, not just a construction project. They’ll shift their mindset from “highest rent” to “best fit for the ecosystem.”

Properties that meet the higher expectations for hospitality-led environments head on, that understand and design for the productive shopper, and that use data and thoughtful placemaking, will come out ahead. But It’s not about replicating Disneyland. It’s about expertly blending property management, marketing, placemaking strategy and leasing with irrefutable knowledge of your ideal visitor, and what they will respond to. It’s about creating an emotional connection versus just a retail transaction.

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