SouthPark Mall owners planning for commercial development along Moline's 16th Street corridor
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By Dustin Lemmon | Tuesday, November 27, 2007 |
The owners of SouthPark Mall want to establish two new commercial lots for development along Moline’s 16th Street corridor but are not releasing details about what businesses might open there.
Simon Property Group, which has put SouthPark and NorthPark malls up for sale, wants to develop land near the 16th Street intersections with 45th and 46th avenues, Moline planning technician Chris Mathias said.
The Moline Committee-of-the-Whole will be asked today to approve the new lots. The committee meets at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.
Jennifer Verscha, manager of mall marketing at SouthPark Mall, declined to release details about Simon’s plans for the two locations.
“At SouthPark Mall we are always working to improve and better our property and in that spirit we have no official announcements at this time,” she said Monday.
Mathias said there was a similar lot change by the mall in 2006 that divided the old Montgomery Ward Service Center into two lots. He said the center is on the north side of the mall property and is still awaiting development.
Mayor Don Welvaert said he was told one of the lots will be developed in the near future, while there are no immediate plans for the other.
“We really don’t have any idea what the new development is,” he said.
Welvaert said any new business around the mall would be welcome by the city.
“It’s a great thing because SouthPark Mall is one of the council’s top priorities,” the mayor said. “Any movement in that direction is a positive thing for Moline.”
In recent years the city has encouraged the mall owners to consider redeveloping the mall into a lifestyle center, which would remove some portions of the roof and provide more open space and fewer stores. Welvaert said there has been no movement from Simon on those plans.
Moline City Administrator Lew Steinbrecher said the city needs the mall to be successful for the tax revenue it generates.
“The mall is our highest tax-producing property as far as generating sales tax,” he said. “I think this (lot development) will help facilitate a small, but important project for the city.”
Rick Baker, president of the Illinois Quad-City Chamber of Commerce, said bringing regrowth to the mall is also a goal for the chamber.
“We would be very supportive and anxious for any kind of redevelopment at SouthPark Mall,” he said. “We share concerns that (city leaders) do about the condition of the mall and redevelopment.”
Baker said recent improvements at J.C. Penney were encouraging, but the chamber hopes to see more growth around the mall.
Steinbrecher said the sale of the property should not delay the property’s potential for redevelopment and growth. He noted there was a potential buyer for the mall earlier in the year but the proposed sale fell through.
Dustin Lemmon can be contacted at (563) 383-2493 or dlemmon@qctimes.com.
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