Westgate Watcher

[westsider28]

I would love to see a total redevelopment like this one planned at the former Sears at the Asheville Mall (minus the theater).  Apartments are especially important to make a place feel lived in / like a community.  The Sears land is separate from the mall ownership, so presumably someone else could buy the property and redevelop it as they wish.  It's quite a large parcel:

[SpartanBorn&Raised]

I was driving near Target/IHOP (formerly IHOB) tonight, and saw where the old Compadre's Mexican Grill building was sold (this building was originally used for Symposium Cafe back in the mid-2000's).  Anyone know what will be going there?

Also, some sad news...Shogun recently closed its doors for good in late June after 21 years.  I didn't make it there too often, but enjoyed the food and service/atmosphere every time I visited.  I have not seen any signs or news indicating if the building or property are for sale yet.

Edited July 25, 2018 by Evan Carr

[spartanburgh]

Word is, Sam Shaunbaug is planning another hotel between the Spartan 16 Movie Theater's and the Hilton Garden Inn. He is also planning a strip center across

the street on the vacant land beside City Range.  Since its Sam, I'll bet it takes him at least 2 years to break ground, maybe more.

[Spartan]

^I thought all of that was the plan for that area from its inception? So isn't it about 15 years late? 

[roads-scholar]

On 1/15/2020 at 7:27 PM, spartanburgh said:

Word is, Sam Shaunbaug is planning another hotel between the Spartan 16 Movie Theater's and the Hilton Garden Inn. He is also planning a strip center across

the street on the vacant land beside City Range.  Since its Sam, I'll bet it takes him at least 2 years to break ground, maybe more.

Sam got the Residence Inn up pretty fast.  

[spartanburgh]

The next one approved is a Courtyard by Marriott. Not sure of a start date and with Sam, it wouldn't matter anyway.

[Spartan]

So... the owner of Westgate filed for bankruptcy. News to me is that the owner, CBL Properties, is converting its enclosed mall spaces into "suburban town spaces" - whatever that means. I don't think the enclosed suburban shopping mall is viable in this day an age. If it doesn't evolve to something different, it will become the next Hillcrest Mall eventually.

https://www.goupstate.com/story/news/2020/11/04/westgate-mall-owner-cbl-properties-files-bankruptcy/6158874002/

[Darelle]

If the city of SPARTANBURG was smart they would travel to Tega Cay/ Fort Mill and look what they did.. The mall is dying.. Just develop the land into mix development

https://youtu.be/IK6_ZsFu9VU

[sptgguy]

Only one small problem with the city stepping in...they don't own it.  I like the idea. 

[djh1963]

This is kind of what was proposed in the master plan planning meetings.

 

 

 

[Darelle]

On 11/16/2020 at 10:32 AM, sptgguy said:

Only one small problem with the city stepping in...they don't own it.  I like the idea. 

I understand but I feel the city could influence the development without over stepping.. I love the development of Tega Cay/Fort Mill.....It has Apt Homes,Lofts, Hotels, Restaurants, local Shops, Massive Business Office, mini grocery store for the (apt homes, lofts, and hotels) people

[westsider28]

A few weeks ago I found some conceptual plans for various areas of the city, including WestGate Mall, on the Plan Spartanburg website.  I can't find them anymore, but I downloaded the mall plan (see below).  I'd prefer a bit more density and more park space (and I don't think all those anchor store will survive), but I'd be pretty happy if we got something similar to this in the future.

[Spartan]

That's great! I'm glad to see that people are thinking about a post-westgate world.

[Historyguy]

That is really interesting.  Some of that land is not in the city, by the way.  Almost everything north of Spartan Blvd is actually not in the city - I think one of the restaurants is.  

Will be interested to see what the property owner might be interested in doing or how a redevelopment of the site might proceed.  The city doesn't really have much power here.  

I'd like to see some uses beyond shopping for the site myself - either a place for some offices, or offices that have some higher foot traffic.  Or even some apartments - maybe a mid-rise building on the site.  

[westsider28]

53 minutes ago, Historyguy said:

That is really interesting.  Some of that land is not in the city, by the way.  Almost everything north of Spartan Blvd is actually not in the city - I think one of the restaurants is.  

Will be interested to see what the property owner might be interested in doing or how a redevelopment of the site might proceed.  The city doesn't really have much power here.  

I'd like to see some uses beyond shopping for the site myself - either a place for some offices, or offices that have some higher foot traffic.  Or even some apartments - maybe a mid-rise building on the site.  

I believe housing is the primary use in that conceptual plan, and I think that should be the main focus.  The mall site alone could easily handle 2000+ units, which would boost the City's population tremendously.  The City has the power of zoning, and there are plenty of precedents of cities purchasing malls outright (if the owner is willing to sell) in order to better control/guide redevelopment (Eastland Mall in Charlotte--in process--comes to mind).

[Spartanburg Dude]

I would love to see a large scale mixed use development rise on the mall property.
Something with low and midrise buildings, first floor level retail, large green spaces for cool events and just hanging out and some kind of water feature that ties it all together. 
Something that really makes a statement that Spartanburg is not a Podunk southern town but rather a City looking to put itself on the map!

One can dream. 

[roads-scholar]

3 hours ago, westsider28 said:

I believe housing is the primary use in that conceptual plan, and I think that should be the main focus.  The mall site alone could easily handle 2000+ units, which would boost the City's population tremendously.  The City has the power of zoning, and there are plenty of precedents of cities purchasing malls outright (if the owner is willing to sell) in order to better control/guide redevelopment (Eastland Mall in Charlotte--in process--comes to mind).

The mall's owner, CBL, filed for bankruptcy last year.  How that plays out will probably have an impact on the mall's future.  

[Sparkleman]

I actually walked into the mall today for the first time in at least 2 years. Damn what a depressing place it is now.

I needed a pair of Oakley's so I stopped at the sunglass hut. I picked them up and remarked to the guy about how times had changed. He said that the mall is going to close this fall as it doesn't make money and the owner CBL is bankrupt.

Most of those stores are not a big loss, but the Belks store is still a main go to for the older crowd. I have mentioned on here before that I believe the play would be to move back downtown and make the store more upscale. I guess we will soon see what the future holds.

[vicupstate]

^ Belk itself is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy and will likely close stores after it exits bankruptcy. 

[Spartanburg Dude]

5 hours ago, vicupstate said:

^ Belk itself is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy and will likely close stores after it exits bankruptcy. 

Belk's bankruptcy was a "planned and packaged" process. Filed and emerged out in the same day. No stores are planned to close due to the process itself. Yes I have inside info

 

[Cityplanner]

8 minutes ago, Spartanburg Dude said:

Belk's bankruptcy was a "planned and packaged" process. Filed and emerged out in the same day. No stores are planned to close due to the process itself. Yes I have inside info

 

World War I was planned to be over before Christmas...

[gman430]

Good! Tear it down and plant some trees on site I say. Put the mall out of its misery once and for all.

Edited February 26, 2021 by gman430

[Spartanburg Dude]

13 hours ago, Cityplanner said:

World War I was planned to be over before Christmas...

What I was trying to explain, is that it filed for bankruptcy and the bankruptcy is already discharged. The whole process was literally one day. That's because the entire arrangement, all the agreements with lenders and creditors, etc... was done prior to court. The court process was a formality. Yes retail is dying. Belk will likely die as well. Just not today. This "pre packaged" bankruptcy actually added quite a bit of rigor to the company.  

This article talks about the difference between Belk's Ch.11 bankruptcy process and that of more traditional and common Ch.11 bankruptcies. 

https://footwearnews.com/2021/business/retail/belk-bankruptcy-restructuring-1203110391/

[Cityplanner]

30 minutes ago, Spartanburg Dude said:

What I was trying to explain, is that it filed for bankruptcy and the bankruptcy is already discharged. The whole process was literally one day. That's because the entire arrangement, all the agreements with lenders and creditors, etc... was done prior to court. The court process was a formality. Yes retail is dying. Belk will likely die as well. Just not today. This "pre packaged" bankruptcy actually added quite a bit of rigor to the company.  

This article talks about the difference between Belk's Ch.11 bankruptcy process and that of more traditional and common Ch.11 bankruptcies. 

https://footwearnews.com/2021/business/retail/belk-bankruptcy-restructuring-1203110391/

You're exactly right; Belk has stated that stores won't close and the bankruptcy is a quick, pre-packaged deal.

I just figure that a retailer that's filing for bankruptcy and is in a distressed industry (mall-based department stores) can say it won't close stores, but I'll believe that when I see it.

[sptgguy]

If the mall is on its last leg...and it going to close....it would be nice to see as many of these stores as possible move into downtown and really wake up mainstreet.  It would also be very nice to see Belk move back into one of the larger stores on Main. It would have a smaller and probably cheaper footprint.