Park Plaza Mall

[LRguy21]

After Apple "pulled out" of the promenade, i was pondering the question of if park plaza could be expanded? It did just go though a huge revamp that has made it a really nice upscale mall, but its on the small side. What if they were to expand and add more space for places like a Macys, or Apple or anything like that. Could it happen??? i doubt it would in this economy. But could it be a reality in the future? I just think that if park plaza was to expand, it would keep it a solid development.

I for one would love to see it expanded. Little Rock has to many small developments as it is. So, stop building new ones and expand old ones.

I would love to see:

Midtown shopping district:

-Park Plaza: Large indoor mall that is expanded.

-Midtowne: Outdoor lifestyle center. Could this be expanded?

-Park Avenue: Lifestyle main street development with a large bookstore, movie theater, Target, and restaurants.

Then you have:

The Promenade: Local center aka small park plaza

Pleasant Ridge TC: Locally owned stores anchored by Belk

shackelford Crossing: Power Center with Walmart, JC Pennys and other retailers.

[adman0468]

After Apple "pulled out" of the promenade, i was pondering the question of if park plaza could be expanded? It did just go though a huge revamp that has made it a really nice upscale mall, but its on the small side. What if they were to expand and add more space for places like a Macys, or Apple or anything like that. Could it happen??? i doubt it would in this economy. But could it be a reality in the future? I just think that if park plaza was to expand, it would keep it a solid development.

Okay, I want to preface this by saying that there will never be an expansion involving a new anchor at Park Plaza because Dillard's won't allow it. But that isn't to say that there won't be a time when Dillard's opinion won't matter (I'll stop wishing for that since it would hurt the LR economy, but it would be justice.)

Anyway, I do want to answer this question because I have contemplated it before. Here are a few thoughts I've had:

Because it's such a tight space, the obvious answer is to build up. If both anchors could add an additional floor, you could then connect them with another floor of stores. The problem is that that would probably be too many stores and it would be difficult to drive traffic up to that floor, it wouldn't have enough street-level traffic headed directly to it. Plus, the structural issues would be massive.

Another option would be to plop a department store in front of the main entrance, creating a three-story anchor that could attach internally to all three floors. This would cause the center to have no main entrance, plus it would necessitate having a very narrow anchor store so that it wasn't butting up against Markham.

An alternative would be to do the above scenario, but plopping it down on top of the ramp that goes underneath the mall. The parking underneath would then be an expanded food-court level. This one could work, but the anchor store would again be very long and narrow.

Looking at it on GoogleEarth, I think the best option might be to put an anchor on the far north section of the property (where Dillard's employees currently park) and connect it to the rest of the mall with a new corridor of stores that would end up in front of Dillard's West. It would probably involve shearing off part of the parking deck.

Any of these involve building another parking deck elsewhere and just really don't seem likely to ever happen. The space is just too small. A spread-out design like McCain Mall works for expansion, Park Plaza really doesn't. Fun to imagine, though.

[Architect]

Okay, I want to preface this by saying that there will never be an expansion involving a new anchor at Park Plaza because Dillard's won't allow it. But that isn't to say that there won't be a time when Dillard's opinion won't matter (I'll stop wishing for that since it would hurt the LR economy, but it would be justice.)

Anyway, I do want to answer this question because I have contemplated it before. Here are a few thoughts I've had:

Because it's such a tight space, the obvious answer is to build up. If both anchors could add an additional floor, you could then connect them with another floor of stores. The problem is that that would probably be too many stores and it would be difficult to drive traffic up to that floor, it wouldn't have enough street-level traffic headed directly to it. Plus, the structural issues would be massive.

Another option would be to plop a department store in front of the main entrance, creating a three-story anchor that could attach internally to all three floors. This would cause the center to have no main entrance, plus it would necessitate having a very narrow anchor store so that it wasn't butting up against Markham.

An alternative would be to do the above scenario, but plopping it down on top of the ramp that goes underneath the mall. The parking underneath would then be an expanded food-court level. This one could work, but the anchor store would again be very long and narrow.

Looking at it on GoogleEarth, I think the best option might be to put an anchor on the far north section of the property (where Dillard's employees currently park) and connect it to the rest of the mall with a new corridor of stores that would end up in front of Dillard's West. It would probably involve shearing off part of the parking deck.

Any of these involve building another parking deck elsewhere and just really don't seem likely to ever happen. The space is just too small. A spread-out design like McCain Mall works for expansion, Park Plaza really doesn't. Fun to imagine, though.

Interesting comments adman, but in short...there's just no way this can happen. It's not physically possible (there's no room to go horizontal, or any structural capacity to go vertical), financially viable (see first item). Even if it were, the fundamental problem is city code relating to parking requirements. Any addition would require more parking, but of course any possible additions take away existing parking, much less the requirement for additional. I think in short, the '88 total redevelopment likely maximized the site development footprint.

[adman0468]

Interesting comments adman, but in short...there's just no way this can happen. It's not physically possible (there's no room to go horizontal, or any structural capacity to go vertical), financially viable (see first item). Even if it were, the fundamental problem is city code relating to parking requirements. Any addition would require more parking, but of course any possible additions take away existing parking, much less the requirement for additional. I think in short, the '88 total redevelopment likely maximized the site development footprint.

Agreed. And even though it can't be expanded, I think that the combination of Park Plaza, Midtowne and the new Park Avenue will create the synergy of one sizable shopping center, even if they aren't contained in the same property. It could be considered a bit like the Saddle Creek mall in Memphis/Germantown. Its at 3 separate corners, but still works together.

[LIT uPP]

Last Thursday, while presenting a story on the bankruptcy filing of General Growth Properties and the general weakened state of retail centers in the Little Rock area, a Channel 11 reporter mentioned that a

[Architect]

Last Thursday, while presenting a story on the bankruptcy filing of General Growth Properties and the general weakened state of retail centers in the Little Rock area, a Channel 11 reporter mentioned that a

[bchris02]

I think that is quite possible. I'm of the opinion that Apple had decided against the Promenade development, but not the Little Rock market. The obvious choice would be Park Plaza...especially with recent, similar validation by Coach, Sephora, etc...

Frankly, I'd much prefer Apple locate in a mid-town development, and the concentration of similar, high-end retailers at Park Plaza (or Midtown) further reinforces their viability.

Anxious to find out what it is!

It wouldn't surprise me if Coach was the announcement. I don't think it has been officially announced yet and plumbing permits usually aren't regarded as official (heck, if everything that filed for a plumbing permit in the Promenade at Chenal actually showed up that would be one heck of a shopping center!).

[Architect]

It wouldn't surprise me if Coach was the announcement. I don't think it has been officially announced yet and plumbing permits usually aren't regarded as official (heck, if everything that filed for a plumbing permit in the Promenade at Chenal actually showed up that would be one heck of a shopping center!).

Umm....Coach has already been announced. It's already on their mall directory in the mall itself...it's about to open.

p.s. Not sure why it isn't listed on their website.

[theman]

Umm....Coach has already been announced. It's already on their mall directory in the mall itself...it's about to open.

p.s. Not sure why it isn't listed on their website.

I haven't heard about Coach opening in Park Plaza either except when you have mentioned it.

[adman0468]

My guess would be that it is Coach, even though a lot of us already know about it. However, if it were Apple, where would it go? The old Luby's is available, but that is too large for a LR Apple store. Kirkland's is empty, so it might fit there. Hmmm. Was there any mention in the article on when the announcement would be made?

[LRguy21]

I thought coach was going in at Kirklands?

If apple goes into the old luby's, i hope they do an exterior door. I think that wold be nice. As long as they are not as crappy as that AL formal wear sidding crap. YUCK!!!!!!

What else could make its way to Park Plaza? Macys?

[adman0468]

I thought coach was going in at Kirklands?

If apple goes into the old luby's, i hope they do an exterior door. I think that wold be nice. As long as they are not as crappy as that AL formal wear sidding crap. YUCK!!!!!!

What else could make its way to Park Plaza? Macys?

Coach is going in on the top floor near the Crown Shop. I forget what the store that was there was called, but it was a ladies' dress shop (doesn't narrow it down much, does it?)

[Architect]

Coach is going in on the top floor near the Crown Shop. I forget what the store that was there was called, but it was a ladies' dress shop (doesn't narrow it down much, does it?)

Correct. I did confirm that it is on the mall directory and is currently under construction between Gymboree and the Crown Shop. Not sure why it isn't listed on either Park Plaza or Coach's website(s).

[LRguy21]

So was coach the retailer that the news was talking about?

[Architect]

So was coach the retailer that the news was talking about?

I'm don't believe that anyone here is sure what retailer the reporter was talking about...it may very well have been Coach, but like everyone mentioned, that is old news.

Regarding Apple, I just read a report that they are slowing their store openings for fiscal year 2009 to 25 WORLDWIDE (from 50 in 2008), and only about half of the 25 are in the U.S. (the rest, international). The article said that of the 12-14 US stores, 10 of the U.S. locations have been verified, but it didn't list them.

I'm still optimistic that they will (eventually) open a Little Rock store - remember that the Little Rock location was announced as the first in LA/MS/AR - yet 3 others have opened first (New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Jackson). I think what happened is that the confusion among competing developments delayed the opening just in time for the economic downturn to instill hesitation. My bet is clearly on Park Plaza at this point.

[bchris02]

I'm don't believe that anyone here is sure what retailer the reporter was talking about...it may very well have been Coach, but like everyone mentioned, that is old news.

Regarding Apple, I just read a report that they are slowing their store openings for fiscal year 2009 to 25 WORLDWIDE (from 50 in 2008), and only about half of the 25 are in the U.S. (the rest, international). The article said that of the 12-14 US stores, 10 of the U.S. locations have been verified, but it didn't list them.

I'm still optimistic that they will (eventually) open a Little Rock store - remember that the Little Rock location was announced as the first in LA/MS/AR - yet 3 others have opened first (New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Jackson). I think what happened is that the confusion among competing developments delayed the opening just in time for the economic downturn to instill hesitation. My bet is clearly on Park Plaza at this point.

Don't hold your breath on Apple. Little Rock is a risky market for them to begin with and unless it's in a major retail development I don't see it happening. Park Plaza is the ONLY development in central Arkansas that fits the bill. That said, I wonder if it really is more profitable for Apple to open more locations in major metro areas that already have one or several stores plus competitors than it is to open in a retail black hole like Little Rock.

Edited May 1, 2009 by bchris02

[Architect]

Don't hold your breath on Apple. Little Rock is a risky market for them to begin with and unless it's in a major retail development I don't see it happening. Park Plaza is the ONLY development in central Arkansas that fits the bill. That said, I wonder if it really is more profitable for Apple to open more locations in major metro areas that already have one or several stores plus competitors than it is to open in a retail black hole like Little Rock.

Little Rock is CERTAINLY no riskier than Huntsville, AL, Baton Rouge, LA or Jackson, MS, or Des Moines, IA, just to name a few...

There's no need to hold my breath.

[LRU1967]

Don't hold your breath on Apple. Little Rock is a risky market for them to begin with and unless it's in a major retail development I don't see it happening. Park Plaza is the ONLY development in central Arkansas that fits the bill. That said, I wonder if it really is more profitable for Apple to open more locations in major metro areas that already have one or several stores plus competitors than it is to open in a retail black hole like Little Rock.

I don't understand your negative attitude about LR retail. The Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma seem to be doing fine and with Coach locating here these national retailers must think LR is a good market to be in. Also I don't think Park Plaza is the only place that fits the bill, Midtowne or

Pleasant Ridge would both be good fits for Apple.

[hogwash]

I hope Apple never comes so you guys can keep talking about it for months or years on end. Just messing with you and, yeah, nobody is forcing me to read about it.

[ArkansasTraveler]

Coach is replacing Georgiou, which itself replaced longtime occupant Petite Sophisticate. As for Apple, my vote now is for one of the TWO Justice stores to close and make way for some Macs. The better fit, in my mind, would be at Midtowne. (The Park Plaza location is a conversion of Limited Too, and would seem to have better access to preteen/early teen foot traffic, anyway.)

[Architect]

Coach is replacing Georgiou, which itself replaced longtime occupant Petite Sophisticate. As for Apple, my vote now is for one of the TWO Justice stores to close and make way for some Macs. The better fit, in my mind, would be at Midtowne. (The Park Plaza location is a conversion of Limited Too, and would seem to have better access to preteen/early teen foot traffic, anyway.)

I was at Park Plaza today, and peeked through an opening at the planned Coach location. It did not appear that any construction had begun, nor were there any "billboards" on the temporary wall about what was planned within (even though the mall directory lists it)...makes one wonder.

[adman0468]

I was at Park Plaza today, and peeked through an opening at the planned Coach location. It did not appear that any construction had begun, nor were there any "billboards" on the temporary wall about what was planned within (even though the mall directory lists it)...makes one wonder.

Signs are up now that say 'Coach Leather July 2009'

Whether or not this is the announcement that was alluded to earlier in this thread remains to be seen.

[Architect]

Signs are up now that say 'Coach Leather July 2009'

Whether or not this is the announcement that was alluded to earlier in this thread remains to be seen.

This is obviously a very recent indication that it is moving forward, since this wasn't up last week.

[LIT uPP]

Whether or not this is the announcement that was alluded to earlier in this thread remains to be seen.

This almost certainly is not the retailer mentioned in Channel 11's story, given the fact that the management referred to it as "top secret" and also given the fact that they said it would be announced later in the year. Coach is no secret.

[Architect]

This almost certainly is not the retailer mentioned in Channel 11's story, given the fact that the management referred to it as "top secret" and also given the fact that they said it would be announced later in the year. Coach is no secret.

Very interesting. Either this is new information or I overlooked it in your first post (about it being "top secret" and being announced later in the year). Apple would seem an obvious choice here, but it could be any number of retailers.