Amid big box stores announcing store closures and some malls across the country looking to fill vacant space, Scottsdale Fashion Square, a hub for premium retail, will undergo extensive renovations.
In December, Santa Monica-based Macerich, the company that manages Fashion Square, announced it would be making renovations to the mall.
Seven months later, the mall unveiled more specific details on what those renovations will look like and what it means for shoppers.
Artist rendering/Scottsdale Fashion Square
THE RENOVATIONS
Phase one begins in September and focuses on the mall's luxury wing currently anchored by Dillard's and Nieman Marcus.
The Dillard's entrance will be given a "resort-style" feel, said Scott Nelson, senior vice president of real estate services with Macerich, at a Thursday media preview.
PHOTOS: View artist renderings of Fashion Square's upcoming renovations
The entrance will be lined with palm trees, new restaurants, and stores.
In all, 45,000-square-feet of restaurant-retail space will be added, said Christina Lanoue, assistant vice president of property management for the mall.
No new restaurants or retailers were announced at the event, however, Lanoue said at least three restaurants would be announced "soon."
On the inside, the mall's flooring, paint colors, light fixtures, and storefronts will be replaced and redesigned. An escalator and elevator will be moved closer to Dillard's. Phase one is slated to be completed in fall 2018.
Artist rendering/Scottsdale Fashion Square
Most of the interior renovations will happen in the evening and overnight. During the day, it will be "business as usual' for the average shopper, said Nelson.
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Phase two will develop the vacant lot on the north side of the mall off Goldwater Boulevard and Scottsdale Road. Macerich wants to build high-end residential units, Class A office space, and a hotel.
Macerich is asking Scottsdale to allow them to build 150-foot buildings on a portion of the land. Currently, it is only zoned for 90-foot buildings.
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RESIDENTS EXPRESS CONCERN
Several residents across the street at the Optima Camelview Village filed signatures with the City of Scottsdale opposing Macerich’s request.
Optima resident Kevin Gambol said residents are also worried the new plans don’t account for an influx of traffic.
“The main thing that they want to bring are more people here -- that could frustrate people and keep them away,” said Gambill. "We want it to be a win-win. We want good reasonable development that fits in with the overall scheme of what we believe Scottsdale should be.
In a statement to ABC15, Andy Greenwood, assistant vice president of development, said:
"Macerich is capitalizing on the strong growth in Scottsdale and greater Phoenix to enhance this market-dominant retail property. Scottsdale Fashion Square is already the region's undisputed luxury leader, and we continue to see significant opportunity to better serve this attractive and buoyant metropolitan area for the long term. We have been working with neighbors, businesses, retailers and the Scottsdale City Council for some time to ensure that Scottsdale Fashion Square’s expansion moves forward in a manner that's geared toward the ever-evolving regional shopping center business. We remain committed to the project, and to the community, and look forward to continuing to work together to execute the best plan for the shopping center's expansion -- for downtown, and for the great City of Scottsdale.”
REPLACING BARNEYS?
Earlier in the year, Barneys New York closed its store at Scottsdale Fashion Square. Since then, there has been no announcement as to whom, if anyone, was going to replace it.
At Thursday's media tour, Macerich officials confirmed that another business would be moving in the space, adding that the tenant was renovating it currently, but was not yet able to name that business.
Scottsdale Fashion Square is near Camelback and Scottsdale roads.
