Retail development due for another dip.(Industry Overview)

But some property types, including the enclosed mall, are showing signs of recovery

For retail owners and developers, the year 1998 ended much as it began, with too many properties chasing too few shoppers.

Consequently, investors currently have little enthusiasm for new retail development - and it shows. After declining by more than 5 percent in 1998, retail construction spending is expected to decline again this year, according to Cahners Economics.

However, an annual benchmarking study by the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) in Chicag