Two of the country’s leading retail development firms have formed a joint venture to build a high-end outlet mall in Chesterfield Valley.
Taubman Centers Inc. , a Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based real estate company and retail center operator, and OutletPartners LLC, a real estate development firm in Warren, N.J., that specializes in high-end outlet shopping centers, want to rezone nearly 60 acres on the north side of U.S. 40/Interstate 64 in Chesterfield Valley.
High-end outlet malls feature stores such as Calvin Klein, Coach, Polo Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers and Bloomingdale’s.

http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/prin ... utlet.html

More floodplain development!

I for one hope this is a reality. St. Louis does not have any outdoor "lifestyle centers." We only have enclosed malls. I'd like to see us keep pushing forward and build this. Sounds awesome!

this floodplain development has got to stop.

Why?

If you want it to stop, you're going to have to sharpen your argument to convince people like this...

I for one hope this is a reality... Sounds awesome!

survivor147 wrote:I for one hope this is a reality. St. Louis does not have any outdoor "lifestyle centers." We only have enclosed malls. I'd like to see us keep pushing forward and build this. Sounds awesome!

Unfortunately, I think their is a lot better choices on where you could site this from a perspective on land use, re-use and so forth. Unfortunately, this site is picked for its location on I-64 within reach of both St. Louis County and St. Charles residents, proximity to mega box store central with all the vehicular traffic, and cheap greenfield property.

My first two thoughts, across from Galleria where you got the start of a life style center but stalled development. Re-group and come up with a much better plan for the idle space. Or, how about Clayton where you had a couple decent proposals next to the Crescent that stalled? Talk about a great mixed use location where you could add some great retail and anchor it with a residential high rise within a short walk of a metrolink station.

I really welcome this news. But I do agree with dredger that there could be better locations but I think St. Louis can easily support multiple properties such as this. Sometimes I wish we could clone the CWE and move closer to the county but these type of developments would be a great alternative. Also, I would not concentrate all new development in West County. I think we should keep in mind South County, Kirkwood, Webster Groves, and some other neighborhoods.

I wonder why the choose Chesterfield? Is commercial real estate that much cheaper or is it something else?

thedude wrote: I wonder why the choose Chesterfield? Is commercial real estate that much cheaper or is it something else?

I would imagine it has a lot to do with proximity to potential customers. In other words, the bulk of the people that would shop at this place live in west county or St Charles county.

Looks like a second outlet mall is coming to Chesterfield.

http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/prin ... d-for.html

http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news ... loper.html

I guess no one want's to open it it close to West County or the Galleria or even South County.

The article asks can two outlet malls survive but there is another one just a few miles down the highway "The Meadows" I believe. Should be interesting if they will approve both.

Also, looks like the "template" website is already up.
http://www.spiritofstlouisoutlets.com/

thedude wrote:Looks like a second outlet mall is coming to Chesterfield.

http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/prin ... d-for.html

http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news ... loper.html

I guess no one want's to open it it close to West County or the Galleria or even South County.

The article asks can two outlet malls survive but there is another one just a few miles down the highway "The Meadows" I believe. Should be interesting if they will approve both.

Also, looks like the "template" website is already up.
http://www.spiritofstlouisoutlets.com/

The Meadows in not an outlet mall, it's a lifestyle center and only features full price, non factory/outlet stores. Totally different types of centers. What is being proposed in Chesterfield is an outlet mall.

The reason why there has been no proposals for an outlet mall near the Galleria or West County mall is because there is no large amount of land available, and even if there was it would be so expensive that it would no be very feasible to construct an outlet mall on it. By being in the Chesterfield Valley, they are in the center of an affluent trade region in West County and right across from St. Charles County, South County is too far from this target demographic. Look at the Mills Mall, its failing because of its location, people from West County, most of St. Charles County and South County will not drive to North County just for the Mills, for most it is considered out of the way and the Mills Mall was not meant just to draw customers from North County. Chesterfield offers plenty of hotel rooms for tourist coming to the new outlet mall, and is an already established retail destination with Chesterfield Mall and the Chesterfield Commons. Chesterfield just makes sense for this type of development.

Only one of these two proposals is going to get built, and it will be Taubman as they are one of the most well known and respected retail development companies in the world. Taubman has the contacts in the industry to bring many new to market and exclusive retail stores and entertainment companies to their center. The company proposing the other center is not as well known and would probably have a harder time getting tenants, not to mention that it is all the the way on the other side of the Valley with no other development around it. Chesterfield will back Taubman, and the fact that it is already seeking approval puts it ahead of the other proposal.

thedude wrote:Looks like a second outlet mall is coming to Chesterfield.

http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/prin ... d-for.html

http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news ... loper.html

I guess no one want's to open it it close to West County or the Galleria or even South County.

The article asks can two outlet malls survive but there is another one just a few miles down the highway "The Meadows" I believe. Should be interesting if they will approve both.

Also, looks like the "template" website is already up.
http://www.spiritofstlouisoutlets.com/

How ironic that the spiritofstlouis website prominently features the Arch at night with the lit up Courthouse in the background considering the site location of the outlet mall.

Great picture though and wish I could see it plastered in some of the airline magazines when I'm on a business trip or two.

Is there any truth to rumors I've heard that this development could FINALLY bring the elusive IKEA store that St. Louis has been longing for?

Additional development in the Chesterfield Valley flood plain is inevitable so I don't feel too bad about it (and at least they are keeping billboards out of the area) but what pains me is the plans for the Page Extension area.

I also understand the County is planning a Maryland Heights/Chesterfield "Connector" along the Missouri River that really busts my buffers.

DogtownBnR wrote:Is there any truth to rumors I've heard that this development could FINALLY bring the elusive IKEA store that St. Louis has been longing for?

How great that would be. They didn't mention anything in this release.

http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news ... ehind.html

Alex Ihnen wrote:^ No new rumors...

I'll also add that the headlines of 2,500 new jobs created is crap (IMHO). "New" retail jobs aren't new. There's a relatively inelastic dollar amount of retail spending the St. Louis region (any given region). A new mall does not increase this overall spending, it moves it around. The only caveat may be that IF store offerings are currently being purchased by many St. Louisians on-line, or in another city, AND will not be substituted for an already locally purchased item, then maybe there's a positive impact.

Had to made the same argument on the PD blog/discussion after someone took the PR as is. I think most people are starting to grasp the reality and the fact that you need a significant growth in either the regions GDP or population before you will truly see a net increase in retail and service jobs for that matter. What is unique on a lot PD postings lately is a trend against or disapproval of TIF's or at least what I can see in the comments.

I believe that this development will have an impact on the outlets in Warrenton and the Lake of the Ozarks. I know SO many people that go down to the Lake to get deals at the outlets. Many make the trip specifically for that reason. I know that the outlets will do fine during tourists season, but you'd have to think it will impact off-season and some summer biz. Time will tell, but the outlets at the Lake stand to be the loser once these developments are open for biz.

I know people that would rather drive to Chesterfield than all the way to the Lake just to go shopping for clothing. I'm not sure if you have been in that "outlet" mall that you call that tiny plaza in Warenton but it has been dead for a while now. I drive to KC about once a month and have been doing so for the last 3 years and as the time passed by more and more stores closed. I visit the Nike store all the time but besides that there is not much left. I know GAP closed and several other stores. It is littered with for lease signs. So honestly there is nothing close to us such as this. On another note I would rather see an IKEA and an outlet mall than 2 outlet malls in Chesterfield. If Chicago can have two in a 10 mile radius than we can have at least one.

Totally agree with Alex. The only really modern place in STL for furniture is House of Denmark and the prices are quite high. I agree that the quality in IKEA is not the best in the world but I'm not looking to buy a bed or a sofa there but I would buy everything else. I'm sorry but we are in times where local items are just too expensive. If someone has the money to pay more for local goods than go ahead but most people I know, I work with, and I talk to do not including people on this forum.

Regardless of quality/ethics of IKEA, it would be one of the few retailers that would be a true draw to the region for outsiders.

Hearings have started. I'm loosing hope for a new IKEA store in STL area

http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... 67980.html