Page 32 —
COLORADO REAL ESTATE JOURNAL
— December 2-December 15, 2015
Construction, Design & Engineering News
by Jennifer Hayes
It’s a new Southwest Plaza.
The 1.3-million-square-foot shop-
ping center located at 8501 W.
Bowles Ave. in Littleton under-
went a $75 million redevelop-
ment that brought a host of new
tenants and a Colorado modern
aesthetic.
Redevelopment began inApril
2014 to update the 1983 mall –
a redevelopment that touched
nearly every aspect of the retail
center.
“It was an interesting chal-
lenge, to say the least,” Greg
Sims, senior general manager
for Southwest Plaza, said of the
work. “Basically, we removed
everything to the outer walls
and touched every system.”
Work included everything
from the addition of skylights,
open-air cafés, seating areas and
a fireplace, to improved sight-
lines and Wi-Fi throughout. As
well, LED lighting and other
green features were incorpo-
rated; 35 percent of all mate-
rials demoed from the jobsite
were recycled by LVI/Northstar,
resulting in the center being one
of owner General Growth Prop-
erties Inc.’s most efficient prop-
erties in its portfolio, Sims noted.
“The completely renovated
Southwest Plaza mall is truly
a Colorado lifestyle center,” he
added. “It is open, sleek and
elegant. It just really pops and
has a whole new feel.”
“Though certainly a well-
performing mall with a loyal
following since its inception,
we felt the timing was right to
revitalize the center both in its
appearance and tenant mix to
maintain its relevance and to,
more importantly, reinforce our
connection and commitment to
the community,” added Benja-
min Freeman, senior director,
development, General Growth
Properties.
“With the infusion of a ‘Col-
orado-modern’ aesthetic, the
interior spaces now feel contem-
porary yet warm and inviting
with several areas (both inside
and out) activated with social
zones that encourage connec-
tion and interaction,” he contin-
ued. “Interior visibility is vastly
improved with the redesign
of the common-area ceilings,
where the abundance of natural
light complements the restyled
ceiling geometries. Floor open-
ings have been reconfigured to
improve circulation and interac-
tion as well as to visually con-
nect both levels. Contemporary
materials and textures are found
throughout the space that lend a
feeling of warmth and comple-
ment the modern architecture.
“The feeling continues with-
in the upper-level Food Dis-
trict, which will feature several
Denver-area-based tenants in a
warm, hospitality-like setting.
By incorporating a more local-
centric tenant mix, we are able to
treat our patrons to a shopping
experience typically found in the
downtown area. With these syn-
ergies working together, we now
have a space that feels modern,
relevant and inviting and one
that solidifies our connection
with the community for many
years to come,” Freeman said.
Whiting Turner was the con-
tractor for the redevelopment
designed by studio H2G and
architect Omniplan Architects.
Re-creating Southwest Plaza,
however, wasn’t without its chal-
lenges, especially as it was open
during the entire construction,
noted Sims. Challenges included
the limited amount of construc-
tion that can take place between
10 a.m. and 10 p.m., the flow
and progression of construction
following tenant leasing deals,
which may not unfold in a “pref-
erable” construction sequence
and setting steel inside a mall to
reshape the openings with only a
20-by-20-foot promo door open-
ing, for example.
Currently, Southwest Plaza is
near 70 percent occupied. Dil-
lard’s, JCPenney, Macy’s and
Sears remained in place during
the remodel and stores now open
include Forever 21, Express, Gap,
GapKids, Pandora, Inspyre Bou-
tique and Earthbound Trading.
New tenants to the center
include H&M, The Cheesecake
Factory, Eddie Bauer, I Heart
Denver, The Modern Market,
Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, Chi-
potle, The Melt, Color Me Mine
Shoe Palace, Lorenzo Jewelers
and Forever Flawless.
s
The exterior of Southwest Plaza following the $75 million redevelopment.
Southwest Plaza prior to renovations that began in April 2014.
Contemporary materials and textures were incorporated throughout the interior to lend a feeling of warmth.
Scheiner Commercial Group
Inc. completed construction on
a retail expansion for The Prom-
enade Shops at Briargate.
The open-air lifestyle center
at Highway 83 and Briargate
Parkway in Colorado Springs is
owned by Chicago-based Miller
Capital Advisory Inc. and home
to more than 50 shopping and
dining establishments.
Designed by Chicago-based
HPA Architecture, the project
included two new buildings
totaling 16,000 square feet and
extensive site work totaling
30,000 sf. A new access road,
providing easier admission
to the east side of the com-
plex, also was constructed. The
installation of a new traffic sig-
nal at the entrance of the center
will provide additional ease of
flow for pedestrians and traffic,
noted Scheiner Commercial. All
work was completed while the
entire retail campus remained
fully operational. New retailers
and restaurants unique to the
local market are expected to
occupy the two new buildings.
“Our collaboration with val-
ued client MCA has been as
rewarding as any we have expe-
rienced in our company’s ten-
ure. Clear purpose and direc-
tion from this firm’s ownership
provided the unity necessary
to move the project forward
with a positive outcome,” said
Joe Scheiner, principal, Scheiner
Commercial. “And as a life-
long resident of El Paso Coun-
ty, it’s exciting to be so closely
involved in the retail growth
that continues to expand into
Southern Colorado.”
s
Two new buildings totaling 16,000 square feet were completed at The Promenade Shops at Briargate
retail center.
