By Cara Aliek
Uptown Village at Cedar Hill
Cedar Hill, Texas
(March 12)
The recently opened Uptown Village at Cedar Hill was birthed 4 years ago when veteran retail developer Buddy Herring of MGHerring Group went down to Cedar Hill to check out JCPenney’s new prototype store, one of the first in the nation to open up. He had been hearing about the Trade Area of Cedar Hill/DeSoto/Duncanville/Lancaster, all just south of Dallas and decided to look around the area while on that trip. After putting more than 200 miles on his car, Herring discovered that based on the housing, income and growth of the area, the residents of Cedar Hill needed a major department store, more retail and upscale restaurant options. And so Uptown at Cedar Hill was born.
Gar Herring, Buddy Herring’s son and president and COO of MGHerring Group, says that the open-air shopping center is aimed at providing a place for residents to meet at and relax.
“One of the features we’re really proud of is Uptown Village being a hub for the community. We have a Village Green with an interactive water fountain, a stage and a park for families and people to congregate and not necessarily shop,” says Gar Herring.
Details of the project include:
Total Size: 725,000 square feet
Anchors: Dillard’s, Barnes & Noble and Dick’s Sporting Goods
Retail: Chico’s, Victoria’s Secret, American Eagle, Lane Bryant and Ann Taylor Loft
Restaurants: Matt’s Rancho Martinez, Italia Express and Razzoo’s Cajun Café
Office: 27,000 square feet
Unique Features: 2,500-square-foot children’s play area, interactive water fountain, Village Green, over-sized checker/chess set and outdoor air-conditioning units
“I hope people see a center that is above and beyond what they imagined in terms of quality, amenities and shopping. I also hope people realize that the MGHerring Group is serious about taking it to another level above what the strong demographics and growth justify,” Gar Herring said.
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Biltmore Village
Asheville, North Carolina
(April 2008)
Located at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains in historic Asheville, Hill Partners, Inc. is developing Biltmore Village, a 70,000-square-foot mixed-use project. Phase I, scheduled to open in mid-April, includes 36,000 square feet of retail space and 34,000 square feet of second level Class A office space.
Bob Spratt, president of Hill Partners, Inc., says that the development is going to be more than a shopping destination.
“Biltmore Village is a ground up development located in an existing pedestrian friendly district, Historic Biltmore Village, that was created back in the 1890s by the Vanderbilt Family,” he says. It is the main entrance into the Biltmore Estate, which is the Vanderbilt’s 250-room Chateau in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the largest non-castle in the world. It attracts about 1 million people per year and is a working village. The development is positioned to cater to both the affluent population and the tourists visiting the Biltmore Estate.”
Details of the project include:
Approximate Size: 70,000 square feet
Retail: Phase I will feature 36,000 square feet; Phase II (opening in 2009) will feature 26,000 square feet
Office: 34,000 square feet of Class A space will overlook the historic district
Retailers: Talbots, Coldwater Creek, Chico’s, Williams-Sonoma, J.Crew and Pi Salon.Spa, an Aveda salon.
Parking: Approximately 160 below-grade, climate-controlled parking spaces
Project Partners: Asheville, N.C.-based The Bell Company.
“We are hopeful that the Biltmore Village development underscores our ability to develop or redevelop in historic areas. Our goal is also to deliver a superior product for the market that creates the premier place to shop, eat, stay, work and live in Asheville,” Spratt says.
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Tapestry Park
Jacksonville, Florida
(April 2008 – June 2009)
A new mixed-use project also taking shape is Tapestry Park in Jacksonville. Phase I of this urban village will feature 52 townhome-style condos, 275 multifamily urban rental units, a 96-room Hotel Indigo, 41,000 square feet of retail, 20,000 square feet of office condominium space, a classic diner restaurant and a lakeside restaurant.
The 52 townhome-style one-, two- and three-bedroom condos, developed by Birmingham, Ala.-based Arlington Properties, will feature garage parking, tile flooring, stainless steel appliances, laundry rooms with washer/dryer included and granite countertops. Upgraded features includegarden tubs and walk-in showers with ceramic tile enclosures. The townhomes are expected to start coming on line by end of April.
Zieg Hospitality is developing Hotel Indigo, which is slated for completion in November. The 96-room boutique hotel will be the third in Florida, with one in Sarasota and the other in Ft. Myers. Zieg Hospitality will own and operate the property and vice president Don Steimle says the development is a great fit.
“Hotel Indigo is designed to appeal to style savvy, lifestyle focused guests who desire affordable luxury, genuine service and an alternative to traditional hotels without sacrificing any of the business amenities they have come to expect. Hotel Indigo is a perfect complement for Tapestry Park,” Steimle said.
Details of the project include:
Total Residential: 52 condos (Closings will start April and will continue until all units are sold); 275 multifamily units
Retail: Phase I (Opening July/August); Phase II (Opening June 2009)
Hotel: Hotel Indigo (November)
Restaurant: 9,000-square-foot Village Tavern
Office Condominiums: 20,000 square feet of office space; Genesis Group, ICC and Joyce Development Group will be the first to close in May/June.
Retailers: Dental Health Group and Rio Hair Studio are currently signed up with storefronts on the main street. Other interested retailers include a wine-bar, women’s apparel, a jeweler, children’s boutique and two more restaurants
Unique Features: Expansive lake views with boardwalk, miles of Deerwood Park interconnecting jogging/walking trails, recreation space and located near St. Johns Town Center, the beaches and downtown.
Project Partners: Jacksonville-based Joyce Development Group is serving as the primary developer of the retail, restaurant and office aspects of Tapestry Park. Arlington Properties is developing the townhomes and urban rental project.
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Fountains at Roseville
Roseville, California
(June 2008)
Slated for a June opening, Fountains at Roseville is set to be one of the first lifestyle centers in the Sacramento region. The Peter P. Bollinger Investment Co. is developing this 52-acre project that will feature a main street shopping experience with 320,000 square feet of specialty retail, restaurants and office space.
New retailers to the area will include: Anthropologie, West Elm, Smith & Hawken, Sur La Table, DSW Shoes. Restaurant choices will include: California Pizza Kitchen, Peet’s Coffee, Big Spoon Yogurt, Boudin Bakery and McCormick & Schmick’s.