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An $80 million government failure in Mesa?
Hey don't worry, the folks that got the money are sure happy, even if the taxpayers got screwed! Mesa Riverview owner plans to raze part of shopping center Posted: Thursday, April 28, 2011 4:24 pm | Updated: 9:01 am, Sat Apr 30, 2011. By Garin Groff, Tribune East Valley Tribune Mesa Riverview opened its doors five years ago with up to $80 million in taxpayer incentives and plans to revive west Mesa with new shops and a bustling entertainment district. But now that some storefronts in the main street-style district have sat idle for a half-decade, Riverview’s owner plans to bulldoze the center’s most lifeless area. Kimco Realty wants to tear out many of southernmost shops along the street that leads to the Cinemark movie theaters. Kimco told city planners the overpowering architecture creates an uncomfortable setting, and that many Riverview customers are unaware the center has the entertainment district. “We’re really trying to open up the theater and restaurant area to the remainder of the site,” said Bill Brown, a vice president of development for Kimco. “We believe that the existing building configuration kind of closes itself off to the main field of parking and the main tenant mix.” The city understands the center’s design problem but is concerned Kimco would replace much of the former building space with parking, said John Wesley, Mesa’s planning director. “It seems there’s ample parking out there to begin with,” he said. The new parking is part of a long-range plan to add another 125,000 square feet of shops to the 1.3 million square feet already developed, Brown said. Kimco is still working on the larger plan and doesn’t plan to tear down any other buildings. Kimco proposes tearing out the row of shops from the Cinemark to Matta’s Mexican restaurant. That’s about 30,000 square feet and would involve relocating two tenants. The row of shops to the north would remain. Also, Kimco would remove the main street-style road and parking. The road that passes in front of Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill would become a shaded gathering area. City planners have concerns with other elements of the renovation, saying the design has to be more inviting to pedestrians. Kimco is still working on the design and would like to start work in early 2012 and complete it within six months, Brown said. The company hasn’t established a cost yet. The lonely entertainment district gives the impression a big chunk of Riverview is vacant, but Brown said the center is 93 percent full. The vacant stores, he noted, happen to be concentrated in one area. Riverview was built after a contentious 2005 election that authorized the city to rebate up to $80 million in sales tax revenue to its owners, Kimco and De Rito Partners. Kimco bought De Rito’s minority stake last year. The 250-acre center was promoted as a way to bring jobs to the area, increase tax revenue and become a regional shopping and entertainment destination. Kimco kicked off a marketing and advertising campaign early this year to promote the center and its entertainment district, Brown said. • Contact writer: (480) 898-6548 or ggroff@evtrib.com |