The existing enclosed space between Belk and JCPenney, the two remaining anchors at the former Oak Ridge Mall, is expected to be demolished, including this former Goody’s Family Clothing store near JCPenney. The sale of the 58-acre former mall site has closed, an executive said on Friday, July 1, 2016. RealtyLink of Greenville, South Carolina, plans to redevelop the 58-acre site as Main Street Oak Ridge, a mixed-use development that could include retailers, restaurants, residential units, and possibly a hotel. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today
Note: This story was last updated at 3 p.m.
Demolition of parts of the former Oak Ridge Mall could start the week of July 18, an executive said Friday.
Construction of the first new stores could start in October, next to Belk, said Neil Wilson, principal of RealtyLink, a development company based in Greenville, South Carolina.
A demolition crew will be at the roughly 58-acre site on Tuesday, but they may not be noticed right away because they might be inside. Workers first have to shut down the utilities that serve the old mall, Wilson said, and that could take a few days.
Demolition of the enclosed space between Belk and JCPenney, the two remaining anchors, is expected to start near Belk and move down the L-shaped mall to JCPenney.
Construction of new stores expected to open in the spring of 2017 could start near Belk in October. It’s part of the $46 million first all-retail phase of the project, known as Main Street Oak Ridge.
The first four stores to be built, adjacent to Belk, are Maurice’s, Rack Room, Rue 21, and Ulta, Wilson said.
Construction on Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx, which will be adjacent to Walmart, will start soon after that.
RealtyLink also has leases with Electronic Express and PetSmart. Those stores will be located on the JCPenney side of the property.
Besides retailers, Main Street Oak Ridge could include restaurants, residential units, and possibly a hotel.
The sale of the former mall site closed late Thursday evening.
The second phase of the project, which is expected to cost about $75 million total, could include restaurants and residential units and maybe service companies like insurance agencies and dry cleaners.
Wilson said RealtyLink has a contract with a Marriott-brand hotel and is selling them land. The hotel could open sometime next year, he said.
See a story on the mall sale on Thursday here.
See a story on the four new stores announced at the redevelopment, known as Main Street Oak Ridge, here.
See previous Main Street Oak Ridge stories here.
See previous Oak Ridge Mall stories here.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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