Macy's to Close at Highland Mall in March. (Austin, Howe: credit, established neighborhood)

[centralaustinite]

Well, I stand corrected! Orbius is right. I was just sent the press release!

ACC is buying the Macy's parcel too!! Interesting, very interesting!

(off to read the release)

[latikeriii]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Like at Barton Hills, Dillards has two locations at Highland because 15 years or so they bought another department store and had to assume their leases. (what was the name of that store?)

I believe that it was Scarboroughs or something, correct me if i'm wrong.

[orbius]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

ACC bought the old Dillards at the mall, not Macy's. The buyer of Macy's is unknown. Like at Barton Hills, Dillards has two locations at Highland because 15 years or so they bought another department store and had to assume their leases. (what was the name of that store?) Anyway, they bought the Dillards that faces back towards I-35 and near their administrative building, One Highland Center. The ACC parcel includes 18 acres, mainly empty parking. I think that ACC does plan to build new on the site, they may use their ownership of part of the building just to have some say in the final redevelopment of the area.

I still don't see the CoA and ACC connection. ACC is an independent taxing unit with their own trustees etc.

Austin Community College buying Macy's space at Highland Mall | Austin Business Journal

Also I came upon this on Austin Business Journal while looking at this site. Looks like ACC has bought up large amounts of land in struggling parts of the area using tax payer money. I need someone to convince me this isnt some kind of corrupt payoff to local landowners and real estate interests.

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/st...8/daily25.html

[cBach]

I suppose if ACC puts a campus there the students will need food and various restaurants could setup to serve them. I really think the whole mall should be bulldozed, the creek restored, and the whole area converted into a "lifestyle" outdoor mall along the lines of The Domain. New apartments should also be at the top of the list.

[capcat]

Originally Posted by latikeriii

I believe that it was Scarboroughs or something, correct me if i'm wrong.

You're right, it was. Originally, there was only a Scarboroughs on Congress Avenue, but they opened up that location when Highland Mall opened.

[riaelise]

Another Domain would be out of place for that neighborhood, even with all the gentrification. I recall Dillard's wanting to pull out of its lease bc it felt that the demographics (read: income level) had "changed". I guess what people want to propose is a large scale, en masse gentrification and hope that does the trick. It's not. What you're going to have, with this new Domain, are kids still hanging out at the food court not buying anything. Yet another pseudo-modern cookie cutter housing development is needed there like a hole in the head...how many of those do we have, anyway? I think the proposal bout making the area an educational mecca of sorts (at least for ACC)..makes a lot of sense. But to try and upscale an area that is not upscale any longer isn't going to work.

[joedtx]

Originally Posted by capcat

You're right, it was. Originally, there was only a Scarboroughs on Congress Avenue, but they opened up that location when Highland Mall opened.

Let's take a stroll down memory lane

Foley's ------> Macy's
Dillards -----> Joske's
Frost Bros --> Scarborough's

Shall I even mention the Highland Twin Cinema, The Merry Go-Round , Miller's Outpost nobody remember's that J.C Penny's at Highland was actually just Penny's with an old school logo when it opened or the famous Penny's Auto Center ( I still remember the song "JC Penny's...auto center we WON'T steer you wrong song end's with mechanic slamming hood!). How about Causal Corner or B.Dalton Bookseller? OH what about getting a new latest clothing from Chess King or J.Rigging's, have to get the shoes' over at Kinney or Thom McAnn Baker's Shoes or just checking out the latest electronics at McDuff's or how about the latest music from Camelot Music I think there was a Sound Warehouse too...i'm getting old.

[latikeriii]

Originally Posted by riaelise

Another Domain would be out of place for that neighborhood, even with all the gentrification. I recall Dillard's wanting to pull out of its lease bc it felt that the demographics (read: income level) had "changed". I guess what people want to propose is a large scale, en masse gentrification and hope that does the trick. It's not. What you're going to have, with this new Domain, are kids still hanging out at the food court not buying anything. Yet another pseudo-modern cookie cutter housing development is needed there like a hole in the head...how many of those do we have, anyway? I think the proposal bout making the area an educational mecca of sorts (at least for ACC)..makes a lot of sense. But to try and upscale an area that is not upscale any longer isn't going to work.

Actually, it would work. It's close enough to Hyde Park, UT Campus, Mueller(which is mostly box stores), and some of central Austin's older, established neighborhoods. The low income demographic generally comes over East Austin and North/Northeast Austin. The area's demographics aren't much different than the mid-90s when Highland was preferred over Barton Creek especially with UT students. However, it suffered because of reputation and plain mismanagement. The mall never went through a major renovation(besides an addition in the late 70s) and was allowed to deteriorate. There were(are) so many low end stores/booths there which didn't exist in the 90s. No way would a new, domain-like development have those types of businesses that cater to the lower-income demographic. Developers are out to maximize their investment and will ensure that they protect it meaning increased security, catering to a higher income demographic, and attracting higher-end retailers. Plus, teenagers wouldn't want to hang at an outdoors center during Austin's beyond hot summers.

There is also plenty of land for a park and ACC. Highland mall is a major bus hub so that'll be good for ACC but according to some, attracts "riff-raff" too.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by riaelise

Another Domain would be out of place for that neighborhood, even with all the gentrification. I recall Dillard's wanting to pull out of its lease bc it felt that the demographics (read: income level) had "changed". I guess what people want to propose is a large scale, en masse gentrification and hope that does the trick. It's not. What you're going to have, with this new Domain, are kids still hanging out at the food court not buying anything. Yet another pseudo-modern cookie cutter housing development is needed there like a hole in the head...how many of those do we have, anyway? I think the proposal bout making the area an educational mecca of sorts (at least for ACC)..makes a lot of sense. But to try and upscale an area that is not upscale any longer isn't going to work.

I suppose Walmart should have gone there instead of Northcross, huh? Do you think there would have been any opposition if Walmart had gone to Highland? I don't think so, and they may have even gotten their two level store and there's plenty of parking there. Walmart definitely caters to lower income levels so maybe that would have worked there. Oh well, like they say, hindsight is 20/20.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by latikeriii

Actually, it would work. It's close enough to Hyde Park, UT Campus, Mueller(which is mostly box stores), and some of central Austin's older, established neighborhoods. The low income demographic generally comes over East Austin and North/Northeast Austin. The area's demographics aren't much different than the mid-90s when Highland was preferred over Barton Creek especially with UT students. However, it suffered because of reputation and plain mismanagement. The mall never went through a major renovation(besides an addition in the late 70s) and was allowed to deteriorate. There were(are) so many low end stores/booths there which didn't exist in the 90s. No way would a new, domain-like development have those types of businesses that cater to the lower-income demographic. Developers are out to maximize their investment and will ensure that they protect it meaning increased security, catering to a higher income demographic, and attracting higher-end retailers. Plus, teenagers wouldn't want to hang at an outdoors center during Austin's beyond hot summers.

There is also plenty of land for a park and ACC. Highland mall is a major bus hub so that'll be good for ACC but according to some, attracts "riff-raff" too.

I think as downtown becomes overpriced (which it will if it already isn't), the area around Highland Mall will become more attractive. It's easy access to I-35 and downtown with little commuting, and it's central to just about everything in Austin except South Austin. Compared to other parts of town, it's a bargain.