Jerome Village Update

(Image from Jerome Village Website)

Here is an update on Jerome Village, a new development under way in Union County (see original blog post). Nationwide Reality Investors has started constructing the infrastructure for what will be one of the largest residential developments in Ohio.  

Retail Traffic: Lifestyle Center Developers Apply Lessons Learned During the Downturn

(Image from Retail Traffic)

Interesting Retail Traffic article discussing the merits and pitfalls of lifestyle centers and their explosive growth over the past decade.  Two centers worth note and mentioned in the article will also be highlighted in upcoming posts:  Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio and Levis Commons in suburban Toledo.  Stay tuned.


Article from Retail Traffic:
Lifestyle Center Developers Apply Lessons Learned During the Downturn

  

Baltimore's State Center

(Rendering by Mithun)

(Rendering by Mithun)

(Rendering by Mithun)

Another project back on track after a 2 year delay is State Center in Maryland. State Center is located in the Midtown District of Baltimore and is said to be the largest concentration of state government offices in Maryland.  So with that population of workers in mind (3,500 currently), as well as being a major mass transit node (metro and light rail stations are both located in or adjacent to the project), the 28 acre site will be redeveloped across five phases over 15 years that will include additional office space, housing, retail as well as green space. Phase 1 was given the unanimous approval to move forward and will include 500,000 sf of office space and 70,000 sf of retail (including a grocery store).


Total investment of this project will be $1.3 Billion with $215 million being spent on the initial phase.  The final project will consist of one million sf of office space, 3,000 mixed-income housing units, 500,000 sf of retail, a 200 room hotel, various restaurant and dining options, 60,000 additional sf of institutional office space, 3+ acres of green space, 3,000 additional parking spaces and plans for a movie theater.


Ekistics, LLC, the developer of the project, has also committed to a LEED Silver certification.  Three firms have partnered to design State Center including Design Collective and Cho Benn Holback + Associates, both of Baltimore and Mithun of Seattle.  


This is a massive project when you consider the complexities of an urban core, existing buildings, rail lines, infrastructure, and then creating a comprehensive development plan.  It will be an interesting project to follow.  Please send me your thoughts or your photos as it comes out of the ground.  Check out the books at the bottom.  Look Up, Baltimore is a walking tour of Mount Vernon Place which is a neighborhood adjacent to this project.  


Here is a article from the Baltimore Business Journal:
State Center Redevelopment to Start in Fall, Include Grocery Store


State Center Website:
http://statecenter.org


  

23 Up and Coming Retail Concepts

As many of you may know . . . I also contribute to a sister blog called Coffee + Trace which has a focus on left and right brain design inspiration.  My most recent post on that website was all about new retail concepts.  Rather than repeat them here (all great, by the way), I will just send you there as they certainly have relevance on this blog,  All Things Retail Development.  . . . 


23Up and Coming Retail Concepts

  

Hunters Point Naval Shipyard is a Go

(Photos from Lennar Urban)

I blogged recently about South Weymouth Naval Air Station and the plans to convert that closed government facility to Southfield - a 1,500 acre mixed development south of Boston.

San Francisco has just approved the redevelopment of the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, a similar project to Southfield, located just north of San Bruno Mountain State Park on San Francisco’s Bay.  This site has been undergoing 20 years of environmental cleanup that started several years after the base was closed in 1974. Because of the toxic nature of the site, $700 million dollars in Superfund dollars were used to bring the site to EPA standards.

The new 700 acre development will be completed in two phases on one of the last large tracts of land in the San Francisco Bay area ; Parcel A will be a 63 acre neighborhood that will include 1,400 homes, 25 acres of parkland, and over 9,000 sf of retail and commercial space.

Phase II, dubbed Candlestick-HP II will include 10,500 homes, 300 acres of parks and recreation areas, two million sf of retail and commercial as well as a potential future site for the new San Francisco 49ers stadium and a green technology research hub.

Lennar Urban, the developer of the project plans a total investment for both phases of almost $8 Billion and 10 to 20 years to complete.

Read more about Hunters Point:

Associated Press

San Francisco Approves Giant Redevelopment Project

The Bay Citizen

SF Board Says "Yes" to Lennar

2008 Hunters Point Urban Design Plan

   

Grand Opening: Santa Monica Place

(Photos from Macerich, Co)

It's open . . . and if first impressions mean anything - its a hit!  Santa Monica Place.  
See original post and related articles here:  The Rebirth of Santa Monica Place


PR Newswire:
Macerich's New Santa Monica Place Opens with Bloomingdale's and 50 + Retailers and Restaurants

LA Times:
Shoppers Swarm Remodeled Santa Monica Place Mall


  

The Rebirth of Santa Monica Place

(Photo from Macerich Co.)

Santa Monica Place celebrates its Grand Re-Opening this week after a 29 month of renovation to transform what was a traditional mall into a three level open-air lifestyle center.  Originally designed by Frank Gehry, the mall opened in 1980 and has had two subsequent renovations.  Macerich Co., the current owner and developer of the mall purchased the property in 1994 and worked with the international design firm, Jerde Partnership on the 550,000 sf, $265 million reinvestment project.

Fifty-Two retailers are included in their current store directory with Nordstrom and Bloomingdales as the main anchors and 21 food establishments from traditional mall fare to white table cloth dining.

As we have discussed in this blog on many occasions – the Lifestyle Center has become the soup du jour for developers looking to develop a compelling shopping experience.  Whether it is a sound development strategy or another passing fad will remain to be seen, however, Lifestyle Centers are resonating with both retailers and their consumers.  Let me know what you think.

Here are a few articles highlighting some of SMP's history and details of the 30 year old development.

LA Times:

Santa Monica Place Set to Reopen as Upscale Outdoor Shopping Venue

LookOut News:

Santa Monica Place to Usher in New Era