“Green” Shopping Paradise -- La Palmera Renovations Underway

Details

Published on Wednesday, 11 February 2009 10:47

Transformation to include updated green design, more amenities, new mix of stores and features

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (February 2009) – An exciting new shopping experience is in store for the Coastal Bend as La Palmera undergoes $50 million in renovations, transforming the nearly 40-year-old mall into an eco-friendly shopping paradise.
“By the end of this year, La Palmera will become a leisure destination unparalleled in the region,” said Trademark Founding Partner Terry Montesi. “We’ll have great shopping and dining options and new amenities such as free Wi-Fi, a coffee bar and a custom designed children’s play area. There will be something for everyone.”
La Palmera is pre-certified LEED-Gold (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) by the U.S. Green Building Council, the second highest level in the LEED rating system. This means that, in addition to aesthetic changes, the redevelopment design plans are meant to reduce the mall’s impact on the environment through improved water efficiency, energy efficiency and higher indoor air quality for shoppers and tenants.
Major construction will be ongoing in various phases throughout the year with completion planned prior to the 2009 holiday shopping season.
As renovations continue, a list of new tenants is also taking shape with many stores making plans to open this year. Already set to join the nearly 100 tenants are The Dallas Cowboys Pro Shops who will debut their 34th store this spring on the upper level and Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen, an international chain offering fresh pizzas, pastas and salads, is slated to open this fall in the new food court. An additional 13,000 square feet of retail space is being built above the new food court with another 9,000 square feet adjacent to the new children’s play area.
Aesthetic touches such as updated furniture and interior landscaping are already in place as work continues on the new lower level food court, complete with a feature 2,800-gallon centerpiece aquarium, seating for 600, flat screen televisions and a stage for entertainment.
A complete transformation of the main entrance of the 1-million-square-foot mall is poised to begin, turning it into an outdoor lifestyle court with lush landscaping, pop jet fountains, seating areas, valet parking drop off and new shops and restaurants. Other construction phases include a one-of-a-kind ocean-themed children’s play area on the upper level; multiple water features; upgraded illumination, including a 26-foot-high by 38-foot-wide glass curtain wall at the new main entry.
Founded in 1991, Fort Worth-based Trademark Property Co. has developed or acquired over $1.3 billion worth of retail and mixed-use space. Trademark is currently the most active mixed-use developer in Texas and one of the premier mixed-use developers in the country having completed over seven million square feet of retail and mixed-use development/redevelopment projects.
For more information on La Palmera, visit www.lapalmera.com or www.trademarkproperty.com.

• LA PALMERA PHASE 2 (2009) RENOVATION SCHEDULE

1st quarter 2009 –
BEGIN:
Installation of wider escalators in the transition court near Concierge
Work in center court, west court and transition court
Phased exterior site work (parking lots)
Relocated merchants open in new locations
CONTINUE:
Work on new food court expansion area
Work in the upper level retail expansion area
COMPLETED:
Installation of new elevator near new food court
2nd quarter 2009 –
BEGIN:
Macy’s expansion
Demolition of main entrance
Additional interior /common area improvements
CONTINUE:
Phased exterior site work (includes parking lots & landscaping)
Exterior work on lifestyle court (main entrance)
Work on center court and west court
Work on new food court expansion area
Work in the upper level retail expansion area
Existing merchants remodel and renovate
COMPLETED:
Installation of wider escalators in the transition court near Concierge
3rd quarter 2009 –  
CONTINUE:
Phased new merchants continue to open
Exterior work on lifestyle court (main entrance)
Phased exterior site work (includes parking lots & landscaping)
COMPLETED:
New food court opens (includes a feature aquarium, 600 seat dining area, new rest rooms and an additional set of escalators to upper level)
New upper level retail expansion opens (escalators to the new food court below)
New center court
Additional common area/interior improvements
4th quarter 2009 –
CONTINUE:
Phased new merchants continue to open
COMPLETED:
New Children’s play area opens on the upper level
New main entrance opens
All exterior site work (new parking lots & landscaping)
Macy’s 18,000 sf expansion                              
1st quarter 2010 –       
CONTINUE:
Additional new interior merchants continue to open
COMPLETED:
New exterior lifestyle merchants to open