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Mayor Amy announced that The Town Center Mall has been purchased and is going to be converted into a mixed use development center. The new owners Westfield Development Group, purchase the Mall from US Bank for $76.5 million, and plan to invest an additional $180 million into redevelopment.
The plan calls for an extensive redesign of the West end of the CTC, and will feature an open air concept with a avenue running parallel to Clendenin street. The avenue will have street parking, restaurants, and a WV themed store that will be like a mini Tamarack. Also on this end of the mall (sandwiched between the new avenue and Clendenin Street) there will be a name brand hotel that will rise 12-15 stories and have 160-200 rooms. The hotel will have conference rooms and will feature a rooftop bar.
This will also have some residential components above the stores and restaurants. Westfield will build new condos and apartments that will be on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors of the new "Avenue" side. Also, some of the space above the street level retail will be for offices. In total, the plan calls for 21 street level retail and dining options along the Avenue. This will serve as the majority of the "mall" component.
The East end of the mall will remain very similar to what it is now. The JCP anchor will remain a department store, and the Encova/WOWK office will remain as well. The interior of the mall will change a lot, but will still feature the three store atrium. Some of the retail spaces will be gutted completely to make way for a new 10 screen luxury movie theater. Also, some of the space on the second floor will be converted into office space. The first floor will remain a corridor connecting the Convention Center with the Brawley Walkway/Slack Plaza.
In addition to this, Westfield hopes to build additional mixed use buildings with residential units and a fitness center on the former Sears Auto lot. This will tie into the Avenue part, and will be connected via a sky bridge over Quarrier Street.
Also, the parking garages will be included in the package, and they will receive an overhaul as well with better lighting.
In total, this would be a huge shot into the arm of the local economy! We are looking at a game changer for the city and region.
As much as I would like for this to be a real thread and almost fell for it last year LOL - I know it is not. While we're on the subject of Town Center- I still have some family in Beckley so I decided to take a look at the Crossroads Mall store listing today after seeing this thread pop up. What did I find? That mall in a 'city' a fraction of the size of Charleston has a better store selection than TOWN CENTER. I know that isn't saying a ton but it was eye opening. In addition, Beckley also has an area of strip malls a few miles south from Crossroads along US19 that has pretty much everything Southridge has! The only exception being perhaps Target (big whoop) and they'll probably even have that in a year or two if they aren't already building one. There were even a few places that I don't recall Southridge or Charleston in general having. Charleston leaders need to get their act together and fast because that is downright sad. And I am not trashing Beckley at all- merely pointing out that a place a fraction of the size has better retail or at least the equivalent.
I know this one is talking about redevelopment even if it is a joke- has there been any additional news on redevelopment of old Sears space? Or Macys? Or the Fifth Quarter lot?
Last edited by NOVAmtneer82; 04-05-2022 at 06:12 PM..
There is no reason to come to Charleston for shopping or dining anymore. The Town Center was successful when it was a place that had things other places did not have. Now everywhere else has the same or better retail, similar dining options and the internet to get what they need.
When the short-sighted and incompetent folks running the town decided to not bring in Dillard's they signed the death warrant for the CTC. Danny Jones...
Beckley, Huntington and Parkersburg all are more vibrant places than Charleston and seem to have a more positive outlook for the future too. They feel like they are in another state compared to Charleston. Tragic.
After being gone from Charleston for about a year I can say I don't miss the Charleston that exists today but I sure do miss the Charleston of the 1980's.
As much as I would like for this to be a real thread and almost fell for it last year LOL - I know it is not. While we're on the subject of Town Center- I still have some family in Beckley so I decided to take a look at the Crossroads Mall store listing today after seeing this thread pop up. What did I find? That mall in a 'city' a fraction of the size of Charleston has a better store selection than TOWN CENTER. I know that isn't saying a ton but it was eye opening. In addition, Beckley also has an area of strip malls a few miles south from Crossroads along US19 that has pretty much everything Southridge has! The only exception being perhaps Target (big whoop) and they'll probably even have that in a year or two if they aren't already building one. There were even a few places that I don't recall Southridge or Charleston in general having. Charleston leaders need to get their act together and fast because that is downright sad. And I am not trashing Beckley at all- merely pointing out that a place a fraction of the size has better retail or at least the equivalent.
I know this one is talking about redevelopment even if it is a joke- has there been any additional news on redevelopment of old Sears space? Or Macys? Or the Fifth Quarter lot?
Beckley has a strong retail presence for its size. I don't know how that came to be the case, but it helps having land suitable for development. It also helps when their enclosed mall is located by the highway, and not in the heart of their city. Obviously the Town Center was a genesis idea in the 80s, and became a gem for the city. But the mall would probably be in better shape today if it was more easily accessed. The Huntington Mall was able to capitalize on the people moving to Teays Valley because it is right off of the interstate, has free parking, and doesn't have the homeless and drug issues that are associated with downtowns in general.
I don't believe there's any plans for a Target in Beckley, but they could easily support one.
As for the CTC, there's no plans at this time for the Macy's space. The Sears site is owned by a hotel developer and is slated to be demolished. However, there is a lawsuit between the developer and the mall owners/city. It is a huge mess, and I have very little confidence that there will ever be a hotel in that spot.
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So sad to see the lower level of the mall
