[ad_1]
More of the aging McFarland Mall is coming down in anticipation of what local developer Stan Pate hopes to be a “legacy project” for Tuscaloosa.
Demolition resumed last week and Pate said all but the structure housing Dollar Tree will be removed.
“It’s time,” Pate said, acknowledging the public comments he’s heard over the remains of the relic still standing at the corner of Skyland and McFarland boulevards.
“It’s overdue,” he said. “I accept the criticism.”
More:Demolition begins as McFarland Mall site begins revitalization
What the future holds for the property, though, is unclear. Last year, Pate initiated the demolition of about 100,000 square feet of the mall as he and then-Councilwoman Sonya McKinstry announced plans for a proposed multi-use sports complex, described as a destination spot aimed at all ages.
That kind of complex remains a possibility for the 38.6-acre site, but Pate said that he and Councilman Cassius Lanier, who now represents District 7, are open to other ideas.
“The councilman and I agreed: It’s a clean sheet of paper,” Pate said.
As demolition began on another 200,000-square-feet of the building, Pate and Lanier spoke March 31 about the future of McFarland Mall on the Steve & DC Show on radio station 95.3 The Bear and voiced a similar vision for the site that Pate purchased in 2009.
While no definitive plans were laid out, Lanier said that, after talks with Pate, residents of the district should be open to a realm of possibilities.
“The sky is the limit over here,” Lanier said on the broadcast. “All I can do is (tell) the people to keep your eyes open and your mind open. We’re not limited to anything over here. …
“I guarantee you one thing: We’re about to make some positive, serious moves for Tuscaloosa and District 7 and I believe District 7 and Skyland/McFarland will be the gateway once again for the city of Tuscaloosa.”
Pate has long had an ambitious vision for the site and worked with local, state and federal elected officials to develop some kind of partnership to bring a project together.
Nothing, yet, has come to fruition, but that has not tempered what he describes as his commitment to renewing not only the McFarland Mall site but areas nearby in District 7.
Pate said he’s open to a development in line with the vision of Mayor Walt Maddox, who has based much of the motivation for his Elevate Tuscaloosa vision on creating an “experience economy” for Tuscaloosa.
The mayor often cites studies and statistics showing that young professionals – those now leaving college or otherwise entering the workforce – choose their city of residence before deciding which job to take. For this reason, Maddox believes Tuscaloosa needs more amenities to attract and retain a new generation of workers.
Pate, he said, agrees.
“What I want is something, when people come through Tuscaloosa, they want to stop and, hopefully, they want to stay,” Pate said. “Let’s just get something that’s really important done for Tuscaloosa.”
When opened by developer Ward McFarland in February 1969, McFarland Mall was just the sixth enclosed mall in the state and eclipsed Wood Square Shopping Center and Leland Shopping Center as the main commercial retail centers in Tuscaloosa.
At its peak, the mall had four anchor stores, an additional 40 smaller stores, a 12-screen movie theater, a food court and became the host site for Councilman Kip Tyner’s “Great Day Tuscaloosa” talk show.
![Demolition crews began destroying 100,000 square feet of the McFarland Mall property Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, in Tuscaloosa. Real estate developer Stan Pate uses his phone and speaks to bystanders as the work proceeds. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/02/23/NTTN/dfdd0cf3-96af-48a1-b30f-2d27ae2f90da-TUS_MallDemolitionGC3462.JPG?width=660&height=439&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
It survived the opening of University Mall in 1977 and remained viable for another 30 years, but the past decade or so has seen its decline as the economy — and with it, retail shopping dollars — dwindled while newer shopping centers, like Midtown Village and the Shoppes at Legacy Park, served as more attractive options for customers.
Now, Pate said he’s willing to work alongside Lanier, Maddox and the rest of the City Council to bring a renewed sense of hope to the area.
“We just want a signature development in the community. I’d like to have a legacy project here …,” Pate said. “Let’s try to get in the same book. We might not get on the same page, but if we get in the same book, that’ll be progress.”
Reach Jason Morton at [email protected].
[ad_2]
Source link