METAIRIE, LA. — The Richards family, the longtime owner and operator of Clearview Shopping Center in Metairie, has unveiled plans to transform the 700,000-square-foot regional mall into a mixed-use destination. Located at 4436 Veterans Memorial Blvd., the new Clearview City Center sits on a 35-acre site approximately six miles northwest of downtown New Orleans.
The $100 million project will add a hotel, 260 upscale apartments, open-air restaurants with rooftop seating, 100,000 square feet of office space and green space for outdoor events and concerts.
“This is what the next-generation consumer is looking for in a mixed-use development, and we’re bringing it here to the heart of Jefferson Parish,” says Thomas Richards, managing partner of Richards Clearview LLC.
The redevelopment will create over 1,600 jobs and is expected to have a $123 million economic impact during construction alone, according to an analysis conduced by Greater New Orleans Inc. Once all phases are complete and Clearview City Center opens, it will support 420 total jobs and deliver $26 million in annual economic impact.
Construction on the first phase of the Clearview City Center development is expected to begin in mid-2020, with the shopping center remaining fully operational throughout. The Richards family and management team announced the redevelopment during an anniversary commemoration of Clearview Shopping Center, which opened 50 years ago in 1969.
Clearview Shopping Center originally opened in 1969. (Photo courtesy of Richards Clearview LLC)
“As we celebrate the past 50 years, we also look ahead to the next 50 as we work to transform this site into a thriving destination that meets the evolving needs of residents in the greater New Orleans area,” says Tara Ledoux, general manager of Clearview Shopping Center. “Opportunities at the new Clearview City Center will be endless — with natural amenities, visual streetscapes, open spaces, festivals, food trucks, farmers markets, office towers, restaurants, nightlife and more all part of the vision for this site.”
Kirsten Early of SRSA Commercial Real Estate is leasing the retail and office portions of the new project to add to Clearview Shopping Center’s current tenant roster, which include Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and AMC Theatres. Duplantis Design Group is the lead designer and civil engineer for Clearview City Center.
— Sarah Daniels and John Nelson