Scottsdale Fashion Square Welcomes Barneys New York
April 6th, 2008 Posted in Cool Facts, Did You Know?, ScottsdaleScottsdale Fashion Square Welcomes Barneys New York
Since the groundwork for Scottsdale Fashion Square was first laid in 1961, the upscale retail center, Arizona’s largest has been in a constant state of growth.
Three major renovations between 1989 and 1998 have given the sprawling shopping center more than 2 million square feet of retail space and 225 store spaces.
But for its demanding, well-heeled shoppers, it wasn’t enough.
“We’re maxed out on 68th (Street) and on Scottsdale Road, but we have opportunities to develop to the north,” said Steven R. Helm, senior manager for property at Scottsdale Fashion Square.
“We still have room to grow,” he said while overlooking a pit two stories deep on the mall’s east side, where bulldozers, backhoes and semitrucks carved out an underground parking garage with 500 spaces.
Atop the parking structure will sit two shopping levels with about 100,000 square feet of additional retail space anchored by the state’s first Barneys New York.
Aside from Barneys, which is slated to open in fall 2009, the expansion brings space for 25 to 30 new stores and two high-end restaurants.
Timothy Elliot, a Barneys spokesman, said the store’s opening was too far off to comment on details.
When customers began to flock to Neiman Marcus in 1991, it “showed there was a market for luxury retail,” Helm said.
Fourteen years later, after Robinsons-May department store’s lease ended, Fashion Square officials began talking with Barneys about plans to expand the mall’s east side to accommodate the store.
In September, Robinsons-May and a parking garage were demolished to make way for the $130 million redevelopment.
“This was specially for Barneys,” Helm said of the project. “We always have highly desired retailers interested, but we have to have a spot to put them. This is the fashion place of choice that always brings the first and brings the best.”
Fashion Square is negotiating with retailers to fill the additional shops and restaurants being built. However, Helm declined to name any of the potential retailers until they are officially signed.
The Weitz Co. recently announced its Phoenix-based Southwest Business Unit would construct the interior of Barneys, which will include an ornate staircase, a large floating glass cube above the entrance and exotic stones, woods and carpet.
In all, Weitz will construct 65,000 square feet of interior space and a 5,000-square-foot restaurant named Fred’s at Barneys.
Even as construction carries on, the Fashion Square continues to attract new retailers. In the past six months, at least eight new stores have opened and others are on the way, Helm said.
Several stores opening
Scheduled to open next week is Bottega Veneta.
In two weeks, the Gap will reopen its store with adult fashions, which closed when its 10-year lease ended.
Puma and Armani Exchange are expected to open stores in June or July.
“Now we are at Phase 10, and that’s just the middle of the end,” Helm said.
Phase 11 for Fashion Square includes possible redevelopment of properties it owns at the nearby Days Inn and Coco’s Bakery Restaurant north of the mall.
The 10-year leases for both businesses are up by year’s end, but they will likely be renewed, Helm said.
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