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

[passionatearts]

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 don't think a more upscale redevelopment is totally out of the question for this part of Austin. At the very least, something similar to the Mueller development could be done there.

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 agree.

[capcat]

Originally Posted by joedtx

Let's take a stroll down memory lane

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

Trying to figure this out...Foley's became Macy's. Joske's became Dillard's, but I don't know the tie between Frost Bros. and Scarborough's.

In general, though, I can go down memory lane with you. lol

[ImOnFiya]

Highland Mall is a dead mall. After ACC builds out, ACC Highland will be a 'dead' mega-campus. I'd rather have the potential of urban innovation with the existing vacant lot. As of now, there will be very little residential or commercial availability (or viability) with the odd shaped lot of what's left of the unsold mall property. I am praying this plan is simply 'bluster' from ACC with the goal of reselling the property to a master VMU developer at a higher price. Talking with ACC administrative staff I know, neither of them says the community college has enough administrative personnel to fill even one of the department store(s), much less two. With all the orgy of land purchases ACC is conducting, they are saying many employees at ACC believe the administration doesn't know what they're doing and that financially the college will not meet its vast student and staffing projections and go into the red. In any case, this is NOT what the neighborhood had in mind. THIS is a nightmare!

The city's Airport Blvd. redevelopment plans are largely contingent on the Highland Mall property becoming an innovative VMU commercial, residential, and transit center. ACC's buying of the mall severely complicates the planning process. Unless ACC decides to flip the property at a higher price, the property will more than likely sit fallow for years. (Like I said) Currently, they do not have the personnel to fill one building. ACC also is experiencing great difficulty hiring accredited staff with the proper subject matter expertise to teach. ACC's salary range is not attractive to many teaching and administrative applicants as it is well below the median salary range.

What a disaster in the making!

[ROY DUBOSE]

although the mall's taking its final breaths, the result of acc's acquisitions is that some highly taxed land has been taken off the tax roles -- it may be redeveloped but the loss of tax income will not be recouped -- acc has some needs, has some cash, and the training it provides does have some economic impact on our city/county -- how do you evaluate that contribution?

right this minute i'd rather the area produce tax income

[CptnRn]

I did not see anyone else mention it. Today's paper indicates that ACC is now buying the Macy's parcel in addition to its previous purchase.

It makes sense to me that ACC could make this their central campus and close the Rio Grande location. I think it still belongs to AISD who has made noises of wanting it back in the past. This mall location has the additional advantages of ample parking and easy access, a huge improvement over the Rio Grande location. I suspect with ACC as an anchor, attracting lots of student and teacher traffic it could greatly help make the rest of the mall viable for other compatible businesses.

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

I did not see anyone else mention it. Today's paper indicates that ACC is now buying the Macy's parcel in addition to its previous purchase.

You didn't read back far enough! Orbius and others were all over it!

Interesting angle on AISD wanting the Rio Grande buildings back. There is a lot of history there, does the district lease it to ACC?

Easy parking at Highland and that area is now at the center of the greater Austin area. The new Municipal Courts will be just across I-35 for that reason.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by cBach

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.

Um, Wal-Mart crosses demographic lines. Especially in today's recession many people shop at Wal Mart. If you accuse Wal Mart of "catering to lower income levels" then the same charges can be leveled at Target, because they both feature the same types of stuff...but wait, we would be talking about Tar-jay. And maybe Wal Mart should have gone there...they would definitely have brought money in to Highland, or a number of places.

[riaelise]

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.

The demographics indeed did change...it was mentioned as a definite factor in Dillard's lawsuit.

And people can razz me if they want, but IMO the best use of that space is for education.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by riaelise

Um, Wal-Mart crosses demographic lines. Especially in today's recession many people shop at Wal Mart. If you accuse Wal Mart of "catering to lower income levels" then the same charges can be leveled at Target, because they both feature the same types of stuff...but wait, we would be talking about Tar-jay. And maybe Wal Mart should have gone there...they would definitely have brought money in to Highland, or a number of places.

Hey I'm not dissing the people that shop at Walmart, I shop there from time to time as well. I also frequent Tar-jay quite a bit more. I think that Walmart should have gone to Highland, that would have revived the mall right there. Then Northcross could have gotten more small unique Austin businesses as they wanted. Maybe they could lure a Target or some other store that caters to a wide mass of people.

If it's not developed now, it will be later.

[latikeriii]

Originally Posted by riaelise

The demographics indeed did change...it was mentioned as a definite factor in Dillard's lawsuit.

And people can razz me if they want, but IMO the best use of that space is for education.

Not around the immediate areas surrounding the mall. When the primarily East Austin youth increased in numbers(usually by bus), it definitely deterred long-time shoppers. The mall/shopper demographics itself did change but the immediate area is pretty much the same. Therefore, it could support a Domain-like development. It's centrally located and there is plenty of affluence adjacent to that area. Part of it could be used for education, no argument against that but don't forget that is a pretty HUGE site. Also, you were living in NYC in the 90s so how do you know? Not to be rude but I now live in NYC and I see you on that board from time to time.