The Main Event
In 15 communities from coast to coast, townspeople are cheering. And the joy is spreading, as more and more municipalities onboard a popular new shopping center format—the open-air Main Street or town center.
Whether these projects feature a blast-from-the-past Main Street design, with storefronts facing in toward an ultra-wide, tree-lined main boulevard, or a lushly landscaped and amenity-rich town-square look, the upscale lifestyle centers are drawing huge amounts of attention from retailers, municipalities and consumers. And, this month inChain Store Age, we’re celebrating the format as well.
On the following pages are 15 of the country’s most impressive Main Street and town-center projects. Some are highlighted with a small computer-mouse icon; be sure to check them out online at www.chainstoreage.com/realestate, where you’ll find additional information, including leasing details.
Imagine taking a stroll alongside a scenic tree-lined street. You pause to do a little shopping before continuing to a nearby cafe to meet up with friends. Afterwards, you walk upstairs to your loft and call it a night. Sound like the picturesque setting of a movie? Close—it’s a dynamic new mixed-use concept called Perkins Rowe.
Located in Baton Rouge, La., Perkins Rowe mixes the past and present to create the lifestyle of the future. Shops, cafes, restaurants, offices and residential living are carefully intertwined with entertainment venues to create a village environment where everything is a short stroll away.
The architecture is a blending of urban contemporary and old South. The goal was to create “urban authenticity,” where the natural evolution of a downtown area is recreated.
Perkins Rowe opens in fall 2007. To take a virtual tour of this “city within a city,” visit www.PerkinsRowe.com.
Perkins RoweLocation: Baton Rouge, La.Size: 2 million sq. ft., when complete, of retail, restaurants, office, residential, medical, hotels, theater and groceryDeveloper: JTSMajor tenants: 85% pre-leased, a short list of Perkins Rowe tenants includes Cinemark Theatres, The Fresh Market, Barnes & Noble, Z Gallerie, Guess, Anthropologie, Bally Total Fitness, BCBG Max Azria, Kona Grill, California Pizza Kitchen, Urban Outfitters, J.Crew and Sur La Table.Status: Completion date for Phase 1 is fall 2007; completion date for Phase 2 is fall 2008.
Shops on Main, a development by Regency Centers and Boyer Properties, is designed to be the premier shopping destination for residents in Northwest Indiana. Schererville and the surrounding communities continue to thrive as the location of choice for affluent residents in Northwest Indiana due to their quality of schools, cost of living and proximity to downtown Chicago. Shops on Main will represent an opportunity for these residents to dine and shop at upscale retailers and restaurants in a pedestrian-friendly environment not currently available in Northwest Indiana.
A carefully thought-out and functional layout ensure that shoppers will have the convenience of a quick shopping trip as well as the opportunity to spend the entire day amongst the terrific shops, restaurants and social gathering areas.
Shops on MainLocation: Schererville, Ind. (southeast corner of Route 41 and Main Street)Size: 350,000 sq. ft.Developer: Regency Centers and Boyer PropertiesMajor tenants: Lease negotiations are being finalized with Chico’s, White House/Black Market, Coldwater Creek, Lane Bryant, and numerous other upscale restaurants and retailers, including a national bookstore, soon to be announced.Status: Construction to start fall 2007, with an anticipated completion date of fall 2008.
For an incomparable shopping and leisure experience, Pearland Town Center offers, among its 1.2 million total sq. ft., a 710,000-sq.-ft., open-air lifestyle center anchored by Dillard’s and Macy’s. Conveniently located at FM 518 and Highway 288, Pearland Town Center will be situated on 147 acres of premium retail space within the greater Houston metropolitan corridor.
The signature open-air, mixed-use destination will provide a distinctly different lifestyle experience, featuring unique design elements and architecture influenced by Pearland’s heritage. Canopies, trellises, awnings and colonnades will frame the facade of the storefronts. Pearland Town Center’s warm and inviting pedestrian environment will be highlighted by tree-lined boulevards, convenient curbside parking, beautiful landscaping, a decorative water feature, a community events pavilion and walking paths.
The Courtyard by Marriott will add yet another reason for Pearland Town Center to become one of Houston’s leading destinations. The 110-room, four-story hotel will be located above the lifestyle center near Macy’s. The multi-family residential component of the development will be located above the retail, providing residents with the comforts of home and the convenience of urban living.
Pearland Town CenterLocation: Houston (Pearland), TexasSize: 1.2 million-sq.-ft. mixed-use center, featuring a 710,000-sq.-ft. open-air lifestyle center, Courtyard by Marriott, premium office space and a multi-family residential component.Developer: CBL & Associates PropertiesMajor tenants: Anchored by Dillard’s and Macy’s; and featuring Barnes & Noble along with more than 90 specialty retailers and restaurants including Chico’s, White House/Black Market, Ann Taylor Loft, Coldwater Creek, 346 Brooks Bros., Eddie Bauer and junior apparel retailers American Eagle/aerie, Aeropostale, Buckle, Forever 21, Hollister and PacSun.Status: Currently under construction and scheduled to open in August 2008.
The city of Burr Ridge, Ill., wanted to create its first and only central gathering place. Collaborating with village officials, Opus designed Burr Ridge Village Center, a mixed-use development that integrates retail, residential, office and public space.
Opus used new urbanism principles—human-scale design and pedestrian orientation—to design the center. Therefore, everything will be located within a five-minute walk, and there will be a variation in design themes, strong architectural elements, a defined street grid, public art, welcoming outdoor spaces and screened but easily accessible parking and service areas.
Another unique yet challenging aspect of this development is vertical stacking (e.g. first-floor retail and second-floor residential). Opus’ design-build approach, experience and in-house capabilities made it easy to address early-stage conflicts with structural, mechanical and architectural issues, and provide feasible solutions from marketing, construction and eventually residents’ perspectives.
Another special aspect of this center will be Kohler Waters Spa and store. Kohler’s two other spas are located in Kohler, Wis., and St. Andrews, Scotland.
Burr Ridge Village CenterLocation: Burr Ridge, Ill., a suburb located 15 minutes west of ChicagoSize: 20-acre, mixed-use/lifestyle center with 200,000 sq. ft. of retail, 33,000 sq. ft. of office condominiums and 193 residential unitsDeveloper: Opus Northwest; designed by Opus Architects & EngineersMajor tenants: Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Loft, Acorn, Banana Republic, Clarks Shoes, Coldwater Creek, Eddie Bauer, Kohler and Kohler Waters Spa, Limited Too, Lucy, Swoozie’s, Starbucks Coffee, Yankee Candle, Chico’s, White House/Black Market, J. Jill, Topaz, Cooper’s Hawk, Sunglass Hut