Business & Tech
Sycamore Mall Rep Discusses Life After Von Maur: 'We Want the Local People, the Local Flair.'
The Sycamore Mall has hired architect Shive-Hattery to assist with the mall's transformation post Von Maur. What would you like to see in the Mall's future?
I spoke Thursday night with John Arlotti, the vice president of the company that owns and runs the Sycamore Mall-- Reality Management Incorporated out of Newport Beach, Calif. We spoke following the mall's management releasing the news earlier in the afternoon that they will be hiring local architects Shive Hattery to help them with their post Von Maur plans.
Arlotti revealed some of his thinking about where the mall will be headed as it loses its "anchor" clothing store Von Maur to the Iowa River Landing when the store moves this August.
Arlotti says while he's still disappointed that Von Maur is leaving, he's trying to look at the change as an opportunity to make Sycamore Mall even better.
"I think we've dispelled the idea that the mall is going to die because the anchor is leaving," Arlotti said. "Nobody really believes that anymore."
What remains to be seen is what the fate of the mall will be with Von Maur's departure. Arlotti said the mall is attempting to address this in two different ways: one, talking to a variety of vendors, both locally and all over the country; and looking for inspiration from other shopping centers that have lost their anchor stores as well as enlisting architects from Shive Hattery to change the structure of the building to suit the new mission of the mall and its vendors to be.
Arlotti said the main goal is to turn the goal is to improve on the mall's strengths and make it a "destination" where people can go to enjoy themselves.
"We're going to change some things around and make it into a fun place to go," Arlotti said. "Somewhere where people can go to shop, but they can also get something to eat or see a movie or do this or do that.
"We're looking to change it into a different shopping experience."
Arlotti said this includes turning the mall into a "pedestrian friendly space," and that the Von Maur space could end up being filled by "one tenant, two tenants, or potentially ten tenants depending on how we have things set up."
"We're looking at everything," he said.
Included in "everything" is trying to attract local vendors, both established and up-and-coming, to the mall. He said supporting local retail is one of Iowa City's strengths that the mall should build on.
"We have to be seen as a place where those vendors can go," he said. "We want the local vibe, the local flair."
Arlotti said ultimately the mall will "sink or float" based on whether they please the local population, so drawing in the Iowa City crowd is who they will be basing their ideas on. He said numerous more announcements should be coming in the following months between now and the end of the year, including town meetings where locals can come and weigh in on various ideas the mall's owners have developed.
Arlotti also hinted that the mall has already reached an agreement with one new vendor, a restaurant that has extensive ties in Iowa but not necessarily in Iowa City. So stay tuned for that.
Media Release on Sycamore Mall's Plans
Sycamore Mall continues to evolve and grow with the announcement today of an agreement reached with retailer Von Maur for its relocation effective in August of this year.
The Future is Bright
Sycamore Mall is pleased to announce the retaining of Shive+Hattery, Architects + Engineers, a renowned local architectural design firm to develop plans that will guide the transformation of the center in new and remarkable ways, while remaining true to its fundamental principles.
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The owners and the architectural firm will be working in a partnership to evaluate trends throughout the United States, with a dedicated focus on the local community. The repositioning of the mix for the center includes active negotiations with prospective tenants that will compliment the center; while still maintaining a solid core of destination-driven retailers; including Petland, Panera, Dollar Store, Pizza Ranch, Ben Franklin and Sycamore 12 Theaters.
This follows the announcement in February of a new financial agreement reached with Great Western Bank. Working with a local financial institution continues the center’s strategy of local partnerships and strengthens its position within the community and allows the mall to competitively position itself.
Sycamore Mall has become an established place to meet and interact with neighbors, enjoying a great response from a faithful local community for many years, with generations of families enjoying the unique, friendly environment. While regional malls are disappearing, neighborhood centers remain strong. Sycamore Mall patrons have easy access to tenants providing individualized, dedicated customer services. Anticipated changes will be designed to enhance overall shopping, dining and entertainment experience well into the future.
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About Sycamore Mall
Sycamore Mall is located on Highway 6 and Sycamore Street in the heart of Iowa City. Strong demographics, an updated exterior, ample parking, high traffic and a strong retail lineup make Sycamore Mall the preferred shopping destination in Iowa City. Amenities include onsite management, monthly events and prime location near the University of Iowa. Follow Sycamore Mall on Facebook and Twitter.
About Shive-Hattery Architecture + Engineering
Shive-Hattery is an architecture and engineering consulting firm with over 117 years of continuous operation. The firm goes beyond full service to give clients a single source of solutions. Outstanding service is its mission. The process of getting there is unique to each project and each client. Providing the right team of talented specialists, identifying and managing critical steps to success and delivering quality service is what it has done for over a century.
About Great Western Bank
Midwesterners are famous for their work ethic, which is exactly what made Great Western Bank grow from the small town of Leon, Iowa to a regional leader with nearly 200 locations. Living up to the philosophy of Making Life Great is what gets us out of bed in the morning. “It’s more than a phrase, it’s what we do for our customers and our communities. It’s what we do each and every day, and we’re happy to say we’ve been doing it for nearly a century.”
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