Don’t call it a shopping mall
Renton residents tired of trekking to Tukwila’s Westfield Shopping Center, formerly known as Southcenter mall, rejoice, the end is near! Renton’s “The Landing” is opening the first of many establishments in a few days. On Sunday October 14th, Target opens its doors. But, Target, PetSmart, Staples, and Starbucks, will not be part of a mall. They will be part of a “lifestyle center“.
The Landing eventually will have 600,000 square feet of retail space, a 14-screen movie theater and nearly 900 apartment units. The theory of a “lifestyle center” is to combine the walk-ability of an urban area with enjoyable outdoor spaces, outdoor seating, and stores accessible from the sidewalk (similar to the much less upscale “strip mall). The best comparison so far constructed in the Seattle area is University Village. Only it has about 1/3 less space. Another example is Redmond Town Center.
Other shopping malls are also updating, in order to stay on the cutting edge of attracting competitive consumption. Alderwood and Northgate have already added open-air additions. Factoria Mall, which was renamed “Marketplace at Factoria” has a $50 million dollar redevelopment budget, to more closely resemble the lifestyle center model, with shops opening onto sidewalks and outdoor gathering places.
In Tukwilla, the Westfield Group thinly veiled their lawsuit by paying local resident Brad Nicholson to sue for concerns regarding The Landing’s effects on traffic and the environment. The suit was settled out of court, and now the Westfield Group will shift their focus to retaining customers who might defect to “The Landing”. They have planned a $240 million renovation of the shopping area formerly known as Southcenter, and expect to add “a wide variety of new retailers and restaurants not currently found in South King County.”
I’m not sure that Southcenter has even finished their current renovation process yet. The ostentatious glamor of Vegas casinos displays shows the cynical how immensely profitable they must be. Apparently, even in our current economy, shopping malls, er excuse me “lifestyle centers”, are also immensely profitable. Or maybe they are making them pretty for us out of the kindness of their hearts. Nah, they’re immensely profitable.
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:07 am
[...] open “The Landing”. The Landing in Renton will be a massive retail and apartment “lifestyle center“. It will have many of the big box stores we have been missing, like Target, and mid-size [...]
December 31st, 2007 at 8:54 am
[...] Glessner I had someone ask me if it was a fact that Renton was going to get a Trader Joe’s at The Landing. I haven’t seen any signs up for it yet, unfortunately. The closest thing I have to [...]
July 24th, 2008 at 1:46 am
Personally I was a little surprised to see a Target open up so close to the one in Southcenter - but since I love the store and go there a good 2 time a week (at least) I am not complaining much. I would, however, like to see stores such as PCC, Trader Joe’s, and other “good for you” places in The Landing. Who cares about another Verizon store, mattress store or furniture store? Southcenter is littered with tens of places to buy a bed or cheaply made furniture. I hope The Landing will bring some of the great stores available in the Seattle area down to Renton - because everyone who lives here knows there’s not much other than a WalMart to shop at, and we are in desperate need of something that will offer residents a “healthier living” option for food, clothing - lifestyle.
Can I just repeat - NO MORE MATTRESS STORES!