It's NorthPark's big day
High-end mall becomes Texas' largest with unveiling of $225 million expansion
10:31 AM CDT on Friday, May 5, 2006
By MARIA HALKIAS / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...k.d077d73.html
NorthPark Center takes its place among the nation's exclusive malls Friday, unveiling a $225 million expansion that has been in the works for more than a decade.
The 41-year-old Dallas shopping center joins a handful of U.S. malls with anticipated annual sales of at least $1 billion. At 2.35 million square feet, it's now the largest mall in Texas and one of the five largest in the U.S., according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.
It's where new stores such as American Eagle Outfitters' Martin + Osa and J. Crew spinoffs Crewcuts and Madewell will open first. And it's a beachhead for the European invasion of hot specialty stores that include Intermix and Mango – names known by the most clued-in of fashionistas.
MICHAEL AINSWORTH / DMN
With the 1.4-acre Center Park in the middle, NorthPark becomes the only mall in the nation with a sizeable outdoor area for eating, playing or relaxing. "NorthPark's positioned itself nationally to be in the group of the best of the best luxury centers with South Coast Plaza in California and Bal Harbor in Miami," said Laura Pomerantz, principal of New York's prestigious PBS Realty Advisors, which negotiated leases for David Yurman, Ted Baker London and Stuart Weitzman at NorthPark. "It's a very hands-on and knowledgeable management."
Friday, NorthPark officially opens its fourth side, completing a square that forms the perimeter of an interior park. Many of the new stores, several restaurants and a movie theater will also officially open.
The addition of 1.1 million square feet has redefined the mall, which maintained its position as a favorite shopping destination even as the world around it changed.
NorthPark has been criticized over the years for having no theater, a limited number of eateries and a store mix with few choices for young people. More recently, it and other traditional malls have lost appeal as shoppers have veered toward hip lifestyle centers that offer easy access and an alfresco atmosphere.
Husband and wife owners David Haemisegger and Nancy Nasher have answered the criticisms – down to street-side shopping. NorthPark is the nation's only mall with a sizable park – 1.4 acres – in its belly.
"We've got seating inside and out so people can eat in a grove of trees or let their children run and sit and snack before or after a movie," Ms. Nasher said. "We've known what categories we needed, and we've tried to select the best of the best in each case."
Mr. Haemisegger said that until now, the center wasn't large enough to accommodate the number of stores or the depth of store selection.
"Everyone in Dallas has a piece of the pie, and no one was making the quintessential retail statement," he said. "We always thought we could do it if we had the space."
From November – when the initial Nordstrom wing opened – through the end of this year – when Barneys opens – NorthPark will add 90 stores for a total of 235. Also new is the 15-screen AMC Theater.
Stores are clustered by interest and incomes so that shoppers with a purpose can get in and out fast. Designer brands, for example, will share a corridor with fashion leaders Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York and Nordstrom.
Entrances have been added for more direct access – considered a lifestyle center advantage. This fall, with the completion of Barneys and Robb & Stucky, eight new entrances will be added to the mall's west side.
Youthful appearances
Making it a younger mall was a major goal. NorthPark now has the chains – from Hollister and Delia's to Club Libby Lu and Build-A-Bear – that have sent young people and families to suburban shopping centers.
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"They run one of the most productive malls in the U.S. They wanted us, but there was no appropriate space," said Maxine Clark, chairman and chief executive of Build-A-Bear Workshop.
Now with "the broadened kids' mix and the food court, they're able to really expand its reach to more retail beyond high fashion," Ms. Clark said. "The Nashers put a huge amount of planning time, effort and money into making it an even more superior shopping venue. We like to say, 'It's pawsome.' "
The mall's marketing director, Christine Szalay, also scored a coup by snatching away the Kim Dawson Model Search competition from the Galleria.
The new NorthPark is also a date place, according to its owners.
The theaterand many of the mall's new food court tenants and other restaurants will stay open for late-night moviegoers.
Stores will have after-hours lighting for strolling window shoppers, and the valet parking doesn't close until one hour after the last movie is finished or the final call at a restaurant, "whichever is later," Ms. Nasher said.
"We'll almost be a 24/7 operation on the weekends, staying open until 2 a.m. and opening back up at 6 a.m. for the mall walkers," Mr. Haemisegger said.
Shoppers who got a sneak peek this week were enthusiastic about the changes.
"It's now the perfect mall," said Toni Brown, who drives up from Corsicana at least twice a month to shop at NorthPark and the Galleria. "I've traveled and seen many malls, but Dallas has the best options now with NorthPark, and the Galleria keeps getting better."
In the last two years, the Galleria's interior was remodeled, and it added the Grand Lux Café and a Pottery Barn. Two other additions – Grill on the Alley restaurant and a yet-to-be-named store – are also under construction.
Jeffrey C. Paisner, executive managing director of New York-based commercial real estate firm Lansco Corp., which leases many of Manhattan's robust shopping haunts, said he believes the market remains fragmented but points to NorthPark and the Galleria as the two dominant malls the Dallas area.
Luxury 'bell cow'
NorthPark gains an advantage with luxury retailer Barneys, which Mr. Paisner calls "a bell cow because a lot of retailers want to be around Barneys."
"Right now, in other places you can be around Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks and Bloomingdale's, but Barney's is a lot rarer."
Big and small retailers consider the mall important enough to launch new businesses.
Martin + Osa, targeting men and women ages 25 to 40, will open first at NorthPark and three other U.S. malls.
Dallas was chosen because it's one of the top retail markets, and NorthPark was chosen because of its expansion, said chief operating officer Chuck Chupein.
"We chose to be very selective about our initial store locations," he said.
J. Crew chief executive Millard Drexler, who headed Gap Inc. when it expanded with new concepts, said this week that NorthPark is getting the first Madewell. The store will be more casual than J. Crew, with items priced 20 percent to 30 percent lower.
Men's apparel designer Billy Reid is across from Barney's and next to the Apple store and Boss Hugo Boss. That kind of elbow rubbing is going to make a difference for his upscale men's apparel, he said.
"We wanted to be in special places," Mr. Reid said. "Executives from almost every major fashion company in luxury are walking this center right now."
Dallas residents Kelly Pruitt and Sheryl Duncan said they couldn't open their Sheke Boutique in any other mall in the market.
"It's a West Coast concept with contemporary jeans and swimwear – it wouldn't work in the suburbs," Ms. Duncan said. "We like where we are, categorized with other contemporary stores."
NorthPark's expansion is an example for how enclosed malls don't have to be dinosaurs, or second rate to street-level lifestyle centers. In great locations, they don't have to die, analysts said.
"We don't think the mall is dead," said Ms. Pomerantz of PBS Realty Advisors. "There's a place for both the street locations and the shopping centers. Neither can rest on their laurels and have to re-tenant their mix and figure out what's the next hot concept."
Galleria general manager Peggy Weaver said new retail centers from the Shops at Legacy in Plano to the Victory project downtown, together with "what we've done and now NorthPark's expansion, this all reinforces that Dallas is a shopping mecca of the Southwest.
"The competition is making us all better for the shopper, and it allows us to keep pulling in the best new retailers to this market," she said.
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mhalkias@dallasnews.com
NORTHPARK GROWTH CHART
New stores and structures have been opening in phases at NorthPark Center since November. By year's end, the Dallas mall will have 235 stores, including 35 restaurants.
NOVEMBER KICKOFF
Early entrants: It started with new anchor Nordstrom and a new wing for the first round of new stores: Bare Escentuals, Bose, Boss Hugo Boss, Charles David, Chico's, Coldwater Creek, Cole Haan, Custo Barcelona, Elisabeth, J. Jill, Juicy Couture, Lancôme, Puma, Sigrid Olsen, Steve Madden, Ted Baker London, Vilebrequin and White House Black Market.
GRAND OPENING
Who put the Park back in NorthPark? Today, NorthPark unveils its fourth side, completing a square that forms the perimeter of an interior park. Overlooking Center Park is a 15-screen AMC Theater. Six restaurants on two levels will open to the park (including a super Starbucks), all with alfresco seating.
Among new stores now open: Aldo, Apple Computer, babystyle, Bakers, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Clarks, Club Libby Lu, Crewcuts, Delia's, Diesel, Everything But Water, Fossil, Hanna Andersson, H Hilfiger, Hollister, Janie and Jack, Journeys, Lids, Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, Metropark, Occhiali da Sole, Porsche Design, Sheke, Swatch, Skechers, Teavana, Urban Outfitters and XXI Forever.
COMING SOON
More stores this summer: Miss Sixty/Energie, Oakley, Original Penguin, Michael Kors, Lanciani, Klinger Advanced Aesthetics, The Original Soup Man (of Seinfeld fame), Martin + Osa, Calvin Klein Underwear, Fila, Lily Pulitzer, Na Hoku, Paiva and Puzzle Zoo.
FALL ARRIVALS
Barneys is returning: Barneys New York will fill two stories in the former Lord & Taylor space and will complete a transformation of Level Two. Carolina Herrera, Movado, Salvadore Ferragamo, Intermix, Robb & Stucky furniture, Madewell and Play @ Planet Funk join in time for holiday shopping.
NEW ON THE MENU
Food aplenty: Full-service restaurants are Kona Grill, Luna de Noche Tex-Mex Grill, Nordstrom Bristro N and La Duni Latin Café. There are more – but it's still a secret. The food court includes Chick-fil-A, Famous Famiglia, Doc Green's, Hibachi-San, Moe's Southwest Grill, Panda Express, Sonic and Which Wich. Several snack stops around the mall include Jamba Juice, Paciugo Italian Gelato and Mrs. Field's Cookies.
ALSO ON THE AGENDA
Keep the paint can handy: Next year, the original mall space will get some sprucing up to the tune of $10 million. Painting, new skylights and other improvements will be done at night.
IN THE FUTURE
Book a room on Park Lane: Northpark Management is already talking Phase IV. Some time in late 2007 or early 2008, expect to hear hotel plans. Offices and additional free-standing retail may also be part of the mix on 14 acres available along the north side of the parking lot facing Park Lane.
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