It looks like the puzzle pieces aren't all here but lets see if we can put this together.

I view this as a gambling puzzle.

Anything missed will be Change order.Timing- weather, zoning, city, off sites, neighborsTeam Members:Good commercial agent who understand retail and land developmentGC with experience in retail developmentsArchitect - same as aboveMortgage Broker- who understand SBA and construction financingLeasing Agent to lease up balance of spaceEvery market is different and a big piece of the puzzle for your development would be zoning, access points, services (deep).On the scale of difficulty- what you're undertaking is about a 7-8 in difficult in commercial real estate.  

It has always been such a puzzle to me that so many people have not yet figured it out.

Staying informed on local laws and market trends is essential.So while that 5-star rating helps boost credibility, it’s just one piece of the puzzle.

It's puzzling that this market appears to support only a single dominant player. 

i work everyday at my alternatives and i feel this topic is doing just what i hoped it would do, that is bring forth ideas and solutions to the challenges that i am facing here in this state with my situation. i have had some attractive residential as well as commercial proposals thrown my way... i have even gone into negotiation to buy some and so far non have actually closed, but i AM still going at it daily. at this point i feel that a money partner would be an important addition to this puzzle. after i establish that i believe there will be momentum, and from there i feel i can get on the right road then work my way to the fast lane.

But it is one piece of the puzzle that perhaps isn't being utilized properly.  

However I am puzzled because I was under the impression that a person can 1031 one property into, at most, three new properties. 

Yes, it's only one piece of the puzzle, but you should know what your cash is making.