Mall anchor to open early
Jonesboro Sun
Grover Welch
1/11/2006
JONESBORO -- Dry conditions during the summer and fall have enabled one of The Mall at Turtle Creek's anchors to open its doors earlier than expected.
The new 155,000-square-foot Dillard's store will open during the first week in March, according to a release issued by the company. The store originally planned to open in late March, but the opening moved forward as construction on the 750,000-square-foot retail establishment has entered its final phase. The entire mall is slated for a March 29 grand opening.
Dillard's will continue to work on its new location and staff through mid-April in what the company hopes will be a premier store design, said Julie Bull, director of investor relations for Dillard's.
"There is a lot of shopping excitement packed into the new Dillard's store," Bull said.
The store will feature an expanded assortment of upscale and contemporary fashions, a new home store and a new store design, including an updated presentation of ladies' shoes, intimate apparel and handbags, Bull noted.
Dillard's will anchor the mall which includes Aeropostale, American Eagle, Bath & Body Works, Christopher & Bank, Hot Topic, Shorty Small's and several others announced in October.
No tenants have been announced since then. However, mall officials have said the accelerated pace of construction will necessitate a late January announcement.
"The construction on the exterior is coming to a close, and finishing on the interior is under way, as several tenants have begun construction on their store fronts," Whitley said. "Tenant contracts are progressing well."
Mall officials said a new Web site has been created to allow potential employees to seek out employers.
"The Web site is a central location for people to apply for jobs at the mall operation level and will soon have listings for tenants that will occupy the mall," said Jason Whitley, manager for the mall.
A press release dated Monday announced the site, www.turtlecreekjobs.com.
The mall is expected to create more than 900 new jobs.
"Target and JC Penney have currently opened in the mall to great success," said Jeff Chastain, operations manager. "When the full mall is opened the amount of activity related to day-to-day operations will necessitate a large staff, besides the tenant staff. Those positions will be filled by applicants through the Web site."
Looking ahead to March
A tour of the new mall Tuesday highlighted the rapid pace of construction.
"The general construction is complete on most of the project and now fixtures and finishing work are being added," Chastain said. "The food court, as well as the whole mall, will feature extensive internal landscaping. The design is one that emulates a downtown open-air market."
Features such as black olive trees in the food court will aid in a more open outdoor feel, he said. A design element that capitalizes on a window corridor runs the length of the mall.
"Tile is being placed on the main corridor, and many of the tenants are currently finishing their respective areas," he said.
A store front design allows an extra 2 feet of corridor space that tenants can customize.
The mall, announced in 2005, will be the only enclosed mall to open in the United States in 2006, said Bruce Burrow, principal partner in MBC Holdings with Marty Belz.
"Across the nation The Mall at Turtle Creek will be garnering attention for design and style," Burrow said. "It is a hybrid design that combines the elements of an outside shopping center and an enclosed mall."
The design, along with MBC Holdings and mall management group David Hocker and Associates, have been named one of "The Year's Most Exciting New Retail Developments" by the International Council of Shopping Centers publication Shopping Centers Today.
The mall design by CMH Architects of Birmingham, Ala., is also cited for its concept design encompassing an enclosed mall with an outward-facing lifestyle center.
gwelch@jonesborosun.com