SouthPark Mall

[StevenRocks]

Wow, SouthPark has changed sooooo much since then!

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It's getting ready to change some more, too! According to the Charlotte Observer, the new parking deck on the Sharon Road side of Dillard's has started construction. That's going to add another 836 spaces, bringing the total for the mall to something like 7,400. Also, they're adding a second valet parking area out towards the old Sears for the new restaurants.

[archiham04]

..."southpark village" on the corner is the real reason they are building the deck... mid rise residential over retail... formerly "holiday park"... that has not gone away. in fact, it is getting ready to crank up very soon.

[DigitalSky]

..."southpark village" on the corner is the real reason they are building the deck... mid rise residential over retail... formerly "holiday park"... that has not gone away. in fact, it is getting ready to crank up very soon.

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Seriously? More retail is going on that corner! wow - And Residential??

[monsoon]

Morning traffic was horrendiously bad when I lived over there in the mid-80s. I can't even imagine what it is like now. Just glad I don't have to drive in it.

[StevenRocks]

Seriously? More retail is going on that corner! wow - And Residential??

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With Saks Fifth Avenue's status in Charlotte in limbo, I can't help but wonder if SouthPark's planning a large anchor space in the new buildings in front of Dillard's just in case.

One of my friends and I also have speculated that Dick's Sporting Goods could be on its way out at SouthPark (it's not exactly crowded in there) and Saks could pop up there.

Either spot could potentially work, but it's all just speculation at this point.

[archiham04]

there won't be a saks in southpark village. the rezoning that the mall had to go through with the neighborhood (lawsuits and all) limits the sf. The Neiman's Pad and the village site are the only permitted areas left to build on and the sf is locked in on those.

[StevenRocks]

Oh well, it was a just a thought. I almost forgot about the all those lawsuits. Makes you wonder what kind of retail is going out there.

I don't think Dick's has a future at SouthPark. The couple of times I went on the weekend, the place was really dead while the mall was bustling. Hopefully all the new restaurants and bookstore will push some people closer to it and pump up the activity.

If not, the store is almost exactly the size building that Saks wanted to put up at Seven Eagles

[WNC78]

I think Gaylan's would have fit in with the image of SouthPark better than Dick's does. You can go to Dick's anywhere - Gaylan's would have been unique.

[skysdalimit]

I think Gaylan's would have fit in with the image of SouthPark better than Dick's does.  You can go to Dick's anywhere - Gaylan's would have been unique.

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I defintinely agree, and it's Galyan's not Gaylan's lol.

Dick's is so common, it's nothing special. A Galyan's would've been a lot cooler. And it really doesn't help that the store is at one of the least popular ends of the mall. I think they should get rid of Dick's and pop a Saks in there.

[DigitalSky]

True. Saks would be a much better fit. I don't like how they planned out the whole former Sears section of the mall in the first place. I think they could have done a better job with it... maybe held off -- But i understand that they didn't see 2 things: 1) Saks leaving DeeDee's site and 2) Galyan's getting bought by Dick's.

Yes, Dick's is everywhere and Galyan's would have been a much better fit... There's a Dick's in Pineville, Matthews, University, Birkdale and a future one coming to Northlake.

[skysdalimit]

I hate Dicks, in more ways than one.

[StevenRocks]

True.  Saks would be a much better fit.  I don't like how they planned out the whole former Sears section of the mall in the first place.  I think they could have done a better job with it... maybe held off -- But i understand that they didn't see 2 things: 1) Saks leaving DeeDee's site and 2) Galyan's getting bought by Dick's.

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I agre with you, cantnot. That whole section of SouthPark is weird. I'm reserving full judgement on whether it works as an outdoor plaza until the stores open up out there and I see some actual people using it, but so far I'm not crazy about it.

My understanding is the planning for the 'West Plaza' (in SouthPark parlance) was a little rushed because they weren't expecting Sears to leave in the manner that it did. It shows, too. The plaza's oddly shaped and planned and not really inviting.

The Dick's conversion wasn't exactly smooth into the Galyan's building, either. They were completely different retailers and Galyan's design doesn't work for Dick's. I cracked up laughing in the shoe department when I saw hunting boots on a blue neon backdrop. Talk about fish out of water!

[DigitalSky]

I was bored and didn't feel like doing HW. so I made this...

My vision of SouthPark

Explanations:

Ok obviously Sears is gone... and I've replaced it with a wing that looks similar (but not the same) to the Belk-Dillards wing. And a similar enterance as there is on the east wing.

The Nordstrom wing will and only will connect to Nordstrom, and there will be a cross which goes outside to the street. Neiman's or Belk won't connect from either side.

And most of it is self-explanatory.. the streets will lead to the decks or underground for parking. Notice, no decks on the Sharon or Barclay side, I don't want to mask the mall with decks. It's important to see at least one side of the facade of a store. So Belk/Dillards can be seen from Sharon, Neimans/Saks from Barclay, Nordys from Fairview and Hechts from Morrison.

Food Ct should have stayed in its original location and just expanded bigger.

Edited February 18, 2005 by cantnot

[StevenRocks]

Now that's impressive.

I like the idea of exposing the mall's department stores to the street, as it provides a little more presense to them. The symmetry in the mall entrance designs works to to the benefit of SouthPark as well. You can easily identify them and there's a defined beginning and end to the mall.

I liked the food court better in its old postion, too. Sure, there's a lot of natural light in the new court and now you don't run the chance of bumping into people with food trays while you're going to Hecht's, but you can also easily miss it now. It's a little disconnected.

My only critique of your proposal is not providing interior connections to Belk and Neiman Marcus on the Nordstrom wing. Doing so breaks up the corridor (which is pretty friggin' long) and allows the developers to squeeze in a little more retail space and provide smoother connections to all affected parts of the mall. It potentially draws more traffic to everyone.

Evidence of why you would want to do that is in the Hecht's corridor. While the Sears corridor used to be where all the cheap stores were at SouthPark, the Hecht's corridor is where stores went to die. I can't think of many retailers, other than Sharon Luggage and the Hallmark store, that haven't had to move from there beacause of the cutdown in traffic past the food court. It, too, was (and still is) a bit disconnected.

I would possibly provide a connection to Dillard's or Saks (or both) in the Hecht's corridor to alleviate some of its less successful attributes.

Edited February 18, 2005 by StevenRocks

[DigitalSky]

Now that's impressive. 

I like the idea of exposing the mall's department stores to the street, as it provides a little more presense to them.  The symmetry in the mall entrance designs works to to the benefit of SouthPark as well.  You can easily identify them and there's a defined beginning and end to the mall.

I liked the food court better in its old postion, too.  Sure, there's a lot of natural light in the new court and now you don't run the chance of bumping into people with food trays while you're going to Hecht's, but you can also easily miss it now.  It's a little disconnected.

My only critique of your proposal is not providing interior connections to Belk and Neiman Marcus on the Nordstrom wing.  Doing so breaks up the corridor (which is pretty friggin' long) and allows the developers to squeeze in a little more retail space and provide smoother connections to all affected parts of the mall.  It potentially draws more traffic to everyone.

Evidence of why you would want to do that is in the Hecht's corridor.  While the Sears corridor used to be where all the cheap stores were at SouthPark, the Hecht's corridor is where stores went to die.  I can't think of many retailers, other than Sharon Luggage and the Hallmark store, that haven't had to move from there beacause of the cutdown in traffic past the food court.    It, too, was (and still is) a bit disconnected.

I would possibly provide a connection to Dillard's or Saks (or both) in the Hecht's corridor to alleviate some of its less successful attributes.

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First of all I can SOO Relate to bumping into people going to Hecht's with those food trays...

Maybe bridges over the streets connecting the department stores won't be a bad idea.. but hey what's a little extra walking LOL.

[StevenRocks]

First of all  I can SOO Relate to bumping into people going to Hecht's with those food trays...

Maybe bridges over the streets connecting the department stores won't be a bad idea.. but hey what's a little extra walking LOL.

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That is funny when you think about it. I know I've gotten creamed a couple of times walking through there. That's what I get for being absent minded. LOL

If you had the bridges, that would definately take your design to the next level, IMO. Definately good planning overall on your part.

Your ideas are way better than this other design I found...

Overall, the design pictured above could work, but it spreads out everything too far. Anyone who wanted to get something to eat at one of the restaurants scattered about the property would have to risk life and limb to get from the mall out to them or repark. Not exactly good design at work. and what's up with plopping the department store down in front of the main entrance? Awful, just awful.

[StevenRocks]

Sad news for anyone hoping the Barclay Cafeteria (formerly in Belk SouthPark) will come back:

No Barclay revival, says ex-owner

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/11070118.htm

[DigitalSky]

Sad news for anyone hoping the Barclay Cafeteria (formerly in Belk SouthPark) will come back:

No Barclay revival, says ex-owner

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/11070118.htm

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Yeah it is sad, but it just wouldn't be the same if it was revived somewhere else besides Belk SouthPark

[StevenRocks]

Yeah it is sad, but it just wouldn't be the same if it was revived somewhere else besides Belk SouthPark

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True. I only got to eat there once (I think it was in 1999 or 2000). The food was great and the view of the mall was even better.

I just thought of something. Now that Belk's got their women's shoe department in the way of the old window and Sears is gone, no one can look into the mall from above anymore

[DigitalSky]

True.  I only got to eat there once (I think it was in 1999 or 2000).  The food was great and the view of the mall was even better. 

I just thought of something.  Now that Belk's got their women's shoe department in the way of the old window and Sears is gone, no one can look into the mall from above anymore

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Nope. It sucks! I wish they would have at least kept windows open looking into the mall but stores probably think it's a shopping discratction or something.

[StevenRocks]

Nope. It sucks! I wish they would have at least kept windows open looking into the mall but stores probably think it's a shopping discratction or something.

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Well, I guess if you had a shoe department the size of Greenland that there's only so many places to put it in a store like that

[Miesian Corners]

I am saddened by the loss of the Ivey's/Dillard's facade. One of my favorite (really) modern buildings in Charlotte. The setbacks are great, especially when the windows are illuminated. Oh well, another fake stucco addition will be there soon.

One of the reasons the white brick was used is because it's sort of "self cleaning". Much like the old convention center uptown, the exterior of the old SouthPark has never been power washed. The two-year old dryvit on Belk already need to be cleaned or painted; it has streaks from rain water.

[StevenRocks]

I am saddened by the loss of the Ivey's/Dillard's facade.  One of my favorite (really) modern buildings in Charlotte.  The setbacks are great, especially when the windows are illuminated.  Oh well, another fake stucco addition will be there soon. 

One of the reasons the white brick was used is because it's sort of "self cleaning".  Much like the old convention center uptown, the exterior of the old SouthPark has never been power washed.  The two-year old dryvit on Belk already need to be cleaned or painted; it has streaks from rain water.

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I agree. That facade is a well-designed one and is very low maintenace, like the rest of SouthPark was before the renovation. The new stuff is so dependent on paint and regular cleaning that I don't predict it will last the 30+ years the old exterior did. To think that the coolest department store facade in town will soon look like all the others with dryvit and arches is irritating.

[DigitalSky]

I think they should have kept the facades of Belk and Dillard's how they were originally, white bricks, setbacks, chandaliers, display windows and all ... lol, but i'm sure a lot of people won't agree with me on that .

[StevenRocks]

I LOVED those chandeliers.

And I love California Pizza Kitchen. They just opened in the West Plaza. It's the first in Charlotte!

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/g...207&newsLang=en

Edited March 16, 2005 by StevenRocks