Columbus, GA Proposed/In-Progress/Completed Projects (Bibb City, Warm Springs: spring break, dorm, linear)

[Airforceguy]

Developer Ben Billings said Thursday he’s about 30 days from opening a 9,800-square-foot strip shopping center next to the Walmart grocery store. The tenants include a liquor store called Midland Beverage, a Cuts by Us hair shop, Posh Nails and Spa, and Blimpie, the sub sandwich brand that left the city several years ago. The new one is owned by Keith Hammond, who has operated a Blimpie outlet in nearby Hamilton, Ga., since 2007.

“I have one space available that’s 1,800 square feet, with 1,000 square feet of outside dining and we’re presently looking for a tenant for that,” said Billings, noting he hopes to land another food-oriented business in that space.

The package store will have a drive-thru window, he said, while a SunTrust Bank ATM machine will be part of the center, which will be called Blackmon Village.

Just behind Billings’ nearly completed property will be another strip center being constructed by Columbus businessman Sanjay Choudhury, who most recently brought the Wild Wing Cafe to Whittlesey Boulevard at Columbus Park Crossing.

The nearly 7,800-square-foot property will be anchored by a 3,500-square-foot French bistro, which is to be named Soiree, which denotes a festive gathering or party complete with food and music. Choudhury said he is partnering on the restaurant with people from the Atlanta area, with it including a members-only VIP lounge. The eatery itself will be open to everyone.

“They want to bring the concept here, like with a late-night breakfast, and they’re going to do ’80s and ’90s night on the weekends, that kind of stuff,” said Choudhury, who dropped earlier plans for a Mexican restaurant at the center. “It will be a really nice upscale lounge and it will have something going on everyday, with piano and jazz music every night.”

To be called Blackmon Plaza, the center also will have a drop-off outlet for Valley Rescue Mission, with discussions underway for a clothing boutique and an educational training center.

“I like that it is a neighborhood kind of strip center where people can come and spend some time, and it’s easy to get in and out, and (U.S.) Highway 80 is there,” Choudhury said of the Blackmon Road area, which has previously been home to residential housing to include apartments, a middle school, office space and a golf driving range. Georgia Military College opened a satellite campus in the area in January 2013.

Blackmon Plaza should be open by November, said Choudhury, who also is preparing to break ground in October on another Wild Wing Cafe at the Tiger Town development in the Opelika-Auburn, Ala., area. The restaurant should make its debut next spring. His Columbus Wild Wing Cafe is among the top performers in the company, he said.

While Billings has almost completed his center on the north side of the Walmart Neighborhood Market, he also is preparing to close a deal that will bring an Ace Hardware store to Blackmon Road, with its owners, Gary and Seth Johnson, already operating Home Ace Hardware on St. Marys Road for many years.

“People can get their lawn mowers worked on and get their lawn and garden stuff,” said Billings of the store, which could open by next spring. “We badly needed something like that here. They do extremely well on St. Marys Road ... Even the contractors, when they need something quick, they can pop in here and get in and get out. If you go to a superstore, whether it’s Home Depot or Lowe’s, you’ve got to walk all the way across that big store to get all of your stuff.”

Billings said the Blackmon Road development has taken plenty of time to get to this point of construction coming out of the ground. There also have been twists and turns, including a Japanese restaurant backing out of a deal to front the road.

“I’ve got that lot back, which I’m extremely excited about since we were turning away prospects because we didn’t have a place to put them,” he said. “So we will do another strip center on that lot, and it’s adjacent to the other driveway that goes into the Walmart and in front of the Ace Hardware.”

The center is expected to be about 7,700 square feet, the developer said, with it possibly having an open breezeway in the middle of it for space where people can sit outside and eat or have coffee. The eventual size will depend on the tenants and how much parking is required, he said.

Beyond that, Billings said he also has someone under contract on a piece of land between his second strip center and Georgia Military College, with it expected to be a small center as well. An eatery and possible office space have been mentioned for that property.

There are also a couple of acres behind Choudhury’s center that has been purchased by someone, although no construction work has been done. A sports bar was a possibility for that space, but has yet to materialize, Billings said.

That would leave only about eight acres of remaining land in the general area for sale. Billings said he was very close to nailing down a contract with an assisted living facility, but it fell through when two others were announced recently in other parts of north Columbus.

“I think Columbus is underserved in the assisted living market,” the developer said. “It’s about trying to find a nice place that’s affordable. Elderly people want to be taken care of, and they want to be comfortable just like they were at home, but they don’t want to spend their children’s inheritance. So it’s trying to find a good balance in the middle, and that price point is different for different people.”

Read more here: French bistro, Blimpie subs, liquor store, Cuts by Us, Posh Nails and Spa, Ace Hardware among tenants headed for Blackmon Road area of north Columbus | Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

French bistro, Blimpie subs, liquor store, Cuts by Us, Posh Nails and Spa, Ace Hardware among tenants headed for Blackmon Road area of north Columbus | Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

[JayHey]

Can't believe that field has taken so long to develop, some interesting stuff going in though.

That Blimpie in Hamilton makes a sub to rival Publix, so hopefully they'll do well.

The French cafe sounds cool, except for "with it including a members-only VIP lounge". I can't see that doing well in the area. Ace Hardware is an interesting choice because Walmart carries a lot of the same stuff and the TSC 2 miles down the road carries everything else. Plus Seasonal Concepts on the corner of Blackmon and Warm Springs used to offer lawn mower and etc. maintenance, not sure if they still do.

[amyers3]

Originally Posted by JayHey

Can't believe that field has taken so long to develop, some interesting stuff going in though.

That Blimpie in Hamilton makes a sub to rival Publix, so hopefully they'll do well.

The French cafe sounds cool, except for "with it including a members-only VIP lounge". I can't see that doing well in the area. Ace Hardware is an interesting choice because Walmart carries a lot of the same stuff and the TSC 2 miles down the road carries everything else. Plus Seasonal Concepts on the corner of Blackmon and Warm Springs used to offer lawn mower and etc. maintenance, not sure if they still do.

Seasonal Concepts moved out of this space, and moved to the old Gopher Fun Park on Milgen Road. Walmart carries VERY little home and garden stuff. I think Ace Hardware will some what compliment the area but then again there was a Midland Ace Hardware that came and went pretty quickly.

[amyers3]

Exodus Escape Games is opening in Main Street Village: Exodus Escape Games

[DWColumbus]

I just heard the Ruby Tuesdays on Veterans is closing. It's sad to see a location close but I hope it's quickly replaced with something better!

[amyers3]

It appears there a good chance that the Columbus Macy's is at high risk of closing according to Morningstar. If this does happen, I hope that a lower-end retailer such as Belk comes back to Columbus to fill this space. I see Belk as the only department store-sized retailer that could relocate to this space.

Also, this means that the old Parisian space would of been better to be repurposed as additional store fronts or redevelopment like GGP did for Cumberland Mall and this new store move into the Macy's space. Oh well...

These 28 Macy's locations are at high risk of closing | Clark Howard

[DWColumbus]

It's always looked like there were plenty of people shopping there when I went there. I am really hoping Belk or a similar store takes it's place takes it's place. This makes me wonder how much more life span we have with Peachtree Mall has. I don't think it's anywhere close to that yet though.

[Airforceguy]

Not good for Peachtree....
At Home superstore backs out of Peachtree Mall, Columbus Macy's on 'most at risk' store list | Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

[Fountain-of-youth]

What's going on with the old Parisian space?

[Sonofagun112]

Originally Posted by Airforceguy

Not good for Peachtree....
At Home superstore backs out of Peachtree Mall, Columbus Macy's on 'most at risk' store list | Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

You're right this is not good for Peachtree mall but I think the owners had become complacent with this property. This mall has needed a major remodel for years but very little investment has been done by General Growth Properties. If Macy's does end up staying at the mall I hope GGP wakes up and does what it needs to do to make the mall attractive again.