2009.10.27
West Village moves forward, still needs retailers
Construction is progressing at West Village, an outdoor retail center on Electric Road in Southwest Roanoke County. A large building is rising as part of the center's third phase, but no stores or other kinds of businesses have signed leases to land there yet. West Village already houses a variety of shops and restaurants, from Annie Moore's Pub to Fink's Jewelers and Henri Kessler Furs.
Waldvogel Commercial Properties, a Roanoke real estate firm, recently started marketing the available spaces for lease. Check out the firm's description of West Village online, including the nearby household income levels and the traffic counts. The average household income is $62,477 within 3 miles of West Village, and 29,000 vehicles drive by this shopping center each day, based on a 2008 count. Also, the name is changing to the Shoppes at West Village, according to the Web site.
The spaces fronting this third structure are nearly complete, but the developer is awaiting retailers who will sign leases and determine how to build out and design their individual spaces, said Krista Vannoy, who is marketing the center for Waldvogel. This includes 1,240 square feet of store space.
Vannoy told me that she is seeking "retail that goes along with a higher end market." That could be new restaurants, shoe stores and more, she said.
Why no retailers if they are building new space for new businesses?
Maybe they should look at not just retail and maybe more offices as well.
Just a thought.
Comment by Ricky — October 27, 2009 @ 3:05 pm
Between that mall, and the new mall further down by Allstate...it seems there's a lot of empty retail space available in Roanoke.
Oh, and now Ukrops.
Comment by Kristen — October 28, 2009 @ 7:31 am
I will never figure out why they continue to build in the 419 corridor, only to have the buildings sit there with vacant signs in front of them. That area is not growing, folks. It's not. Look at Tanglewood. Need I say more? Look at Slate Hill. For some reason, people in that part of town don't spend money in that part of town.
Comment by JOJACK — November 3, 2009 @ 11:09 am
It's too bad that Tanglewood Mall wasn't torn down and replaced on the site by a walkable open air "town center" type development incorporating all of the retail that's been built along 419 in disparate and half empty centers. It could have been a showcase with retail, restaurants, other entertainment, offices, and even some residential units.
Comment by KevinL — November 4, 2009 @ 3:05 pm