by Peter Corbett – Oct. 23, 2008 12:19 PM
The Arizona Republic
At first glimpse, Scottsdale Quarter is not a mirror image of Kierland Commons, its neighbor to the west.
But the new mixed-use outdoor shopping district shares enough similarities – throwback to Main Street shopping – that it will blend well with Kierland when the Scottsdale Quarter’s first phase opens in the spring.
Developer Michael Glimcher, CEO of Glimcher Realty Trust, sees Scottsdale Quarter complementing Kierland with a twist.
Kierland is Normal Rockwell. We’re more Andy Warhol,” Glimcher said. “We’re going for a younger mix, hipper.”
That might be a bit of marketing spin but the $270 million Scottsdale Quarter will arrive with some new-to-the-market retailers and restaurants.
Parc lounge from Los Angeles, Martini Bar, StingRay sushi and H&M, an edgy fashion retailer, should bring some vibrancy. And landing the Oakville Grocery, a Napa Valley fixture, is a good find.
But there are also more staid new players like Bing Crosby’s Restaurant, Williams-Sonoma Home and some restaurants with Midwestern roots, not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Marketplace already crowded
In the short term, the Quarter merchants could struggle in an already crowded Scottsdale Airpark marketplace.
But Glimcher and the retailers are taking a longer view.
“This is a 10-year decision, not a two-quarter decision,” Glimcher said of the merchants, who on average are signing eight-year leases.
The upside of all the new players is that they will bring a few more blocks of shopping, dining and nightlife that will amp things up.
Kierland, with 435,000 square feet of retail, is almost too small for those destination shoppers who want to make an afternoon of window shopping, digging for bargains and lunch at an outdoor cafe.
Cafe, shops and a small cinema
The Quarter will feature about 400,000 square feet of retail, plus 200,000 square feet of offices and a small, reserved-seat theater with reclining leather seats. Gold Class Cinema will offer premium food and wine in the 40-seat movie house.
Glimcher’s development partners, Vanguard City Home and the Wolff Co., will add condominiums and a hotel in the final phase of the project.
Four-story buildings will line narrow streets at the Quarter with a palm-lined plaza and two 1,500-space parking garages.
The 28-acre lifestyle center is replacing the Dial Corp. research center, which will be torn down early next year.
Nelsen Architects designed the Quarter and Kierland Commons.
The Quarter has a broader range of architecture than Kierland, with the intent of making it appear as if it had been built over time.
Quarter made in the shade
“Shade is king” was the design mantra for the Quarter, Glimcher said, with awnings, overhangs and the buildings blocking the sun.
One of the remaining challenges is connecting the Quarter to Kierland so shoppers don’t get run over crossing Scottsdale Road or have to drive and repark.
Glimcher said he would be open to discussing an overpass with Kierland and Scottsdale and Phoenix officials.
Another option would be a quick-loop shuttle linking the Quarter and Kierland
The Quarter’s first phase is expected to open roughly around March or April. Phase two follows a year later.
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