Retail Developers Weave
Lifestyle Concept into Larger Projects

by Paula Widholm

Upscale lifestyle centers continue to be the fastest-growing format in shopping center design, according to the New York-based International Council of Shopping Centers.

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The open-air malls that feature extensive landscaping, outdoor entertainment and convenient parking are popping up even in harsh Midwest climates. Gross leasing areas of "true" lifestyle centers typically range from 300,000 and 500,000 sq ft, and the tenants are the same that can be found in regional malls.

And now many developers are bringing lifestyle center attributes into other types of retail development, such as mall expansions, town center projects and mixed-use developments.

Some recent Midwest retail projects include a lifestyle center as one component of a larger retail destination. For example, in southwest suburban Chicago and in north suburban Indianapolis, Main Street-style lifestyle centers are being wedged into grander town centers that include traditional retail anchor stores, restaurant out lots and movie theaters. In another project in west suburban St. Louis, some lifestyle-like retail space is sharing space on a site with medical offices.

The ICSC cites many benefits of this trend. Shoppers prefer to visit upscale retailers closer to home and park within eyeshot of the stores. Mall-quality retailers get to move closer to their customers, and developers can build these centers for much less than putting up a regional shopping mall.

The Promenade Bolingbrook

In the southwest Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook, Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises opened the $75 million The Promenade Bolingbrook, a 715,000-sq-ft lifestyle marketplace, on April 26. Located on the south side of Boughton Road, its anchors will be Macy's and Bass Pro Shops, along with a mix of 340,000 sq ft of destination retail stores and 42,000 sq ft of office space.

In 2005, the Cleveland-based REIT opened a 446,400-sq-ft destination center, featuring the second Midwestern home of the Swedish furniture giant IKEA, Bed Bath & Beyond and Staples, across from The Promenade on Boughton Road.

Earthwork began for The Promenade in April 2005. "It was a bean field, so earthwork was pretty straightforward," says David Wing, general manager for Homewood, Ill.-based Graycor Construction Co. Inc. "There was an existing two-land road that we relocated to allow the site to be configured to accommodate the mall. We widened Boughton Road to accommodate additional traffic."

San Clemente, Calif.-based Redmond Schwartz Design investigated the area's history and architecture, which resulted in a design heavily influenced by the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan.

"There's a lot of true stained glass and faux stained glass," Wing says. "The color schemes are earth tones, not wacky things that you'd see in more retro areas or in L.A.-type stuff. It's down to earth and fits the region. They didn't want shoppers to associate the center with downtown Chicago, either."

To reinforce that this center is dedicated to those in a 20-mi radius, The Promenade will feature a mural where shoppers can be educated on the history of Bolingbrook and the nearby area. Even the logo of the mall, a monarch butterfly wing, reflects the region because it is Illinois' state insect.

As of mid-March, 56 store and restaurants tenants have been secured for the center, including the first Gordon Biersch Restaurant and Brewery in Illinois, Bar Louie, H&M, and Woodlands. The tenant mix includes 18 fashion and accessory stores, 12 restaurants and eateries, five sport and athletic stores, four children's retailers, three gift stores, three jewelry stores, two shoe stores, two beauty and cosmetic retailers, two eyewear retailers, a department store, a book store, an electronics store and a home shop.

The Promenade will also feature a Village Green where shoppers can relax in an inviting, open, park-like setting that includes a performance stage, children's play area and giant outdoor fireplace.

The difference between this lifestyle center and many others under way is its sheer size. The first two phases encompassing more than 1 million sq ft are complete, and an additional 450,000 sq ft with hotels, fitness centers and retail are expected.

Hamilton Town Center

In thriving north suburban Indianapolis, a 950,000-sq-ft shopping destination is under construction. The $100 million open-air mall, called Hamilton Town Center, broke ground in September in Noblesville.

An anchor, JCPenney's, will open in October. The remainder of the center, which will house more than 50 national retail shops and restaurants, is scheduled to open in March.

It will also have an upscale, grocery-anchored neighborhood center and a theater complex with 16 screens, one of them an IMAX screen.

The city of Noblesville and Hamilton County teamed to extend 146th Street by 4 mi to reach the center. In addition, Noblesville created a new two-lane street with angled parking that will run through the center of the lifestyle center.

The shops along this street total about 300,000 sq ft and evoke an old-town feel similar to Noblesville's existing downtown, established in the mid-1800s.

Most of the exteriors of these buildings are brick, but EIFS, limestone, metal panels and tile are also present.

"They are one-story shops, but they have a two-story feel with windows above high parapets," says Bob Eckl, project executive for Pepper Construction Co. of Indiana, which is based in Indianapolis.

Frontenac Grove

A group of doctors formed Frontenac Grove LLC with plans to renovate a building for a surgery center and medical office building. The group decided to build retail on the open land in front of the building.

"The medical building could help feed traffic for the retail center," says Dan Thies, director of development for Brinkmann Constructors of Chesterfield, Mo. "We put detention underground to maximize the potential of the site."

An existing, 28,961-sq-ft building was remodeled for medical office space, and an 18,500-sq-ft retail center was constructed in front of it. The $3 million, 47,461-sq-ft center broke ground in winter 2006 and opened in August 2006.

The retail portion includes a bank, jewelry store, wine and cheese shop, gelato shop and sandwich eatery with parking in front.

"The current building was converted to medical offices and has traditional architecture," Thies says. "The new retail is designed with a French country look and feel with a lot of stucco and stone. The pitch of the roof is far greater than a typical retail center."

The center is also close to a major intersection and Plaza Frontenac, a high-end regional mall.

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