ARNOLD: 'Awesome development' taking shape
New Crossroads center will be nothing like the old
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| BILL PHELAN PHOTO Employees of Vee Jay Concrete Contracting work to prepare parking lot curbs at the Crossroads shopping center at Jeffco Boulevard and Route 141. The old Kmart building in the background will become a Gander Mountain sporting goods store. |
The 25-acre site at the intersection of Jeffco Boulevard and Route 141 has long been the target of a facelift by city officials and property owner, Larry Jones of Jones Realty.
Once the site of a Kmart store and a Kroger supermarket, the center has undergone several changes over the years, but nothing like the $11 million project underway.Arnold City Administrator Matt Unrein said the old Kmart building will become Gander Mountain, a unique sporting goods store that appeals to the outdoorsman or woman.
"This is not about golf or baseball or tennis," Unrein said. "This is all about hunting, fishing, shooting, hiking-sports you would do in the natural world. People who like the outdoors will be thrilled with it."
Popular in other parts of the country, Unrein said the Arnold Gander Mountain location will be the only one in Missouri.
"I'm very excited about Gander Mountain," he said. "I visited one of their stores in Pennsylvania last year and was very pleased. They sell everything from shoes to firearms."
Once open next spring, the Arnold store will include an indoor archery range and a gunsmith shop.
Jones said Gander Mountain officials considered Arnold a perfect fit.
"They liked the visibility off of Interstate 55 and there's not much competition in Jefferson County or the south St. Louis County area," he said.
The new Crossroads will also include several new restaurants, some of which were torn down as part of the redevelopment project.
"The new Steak n Shake is open; it's a really nice store," Unrein said, "and the new McDonald's will be rebuilt as soon as the new entrance is in place."
"There will also be an Arby's between McDonald's and Steak n Shake," Jones added.
Other changes to the site will include a new Drury Inn and a steak house.
"One of the out lots was traded to Drury and they are trying very hard to get a steak house," Unrein said. "Charlie Drury also plans to build a new hotel with 150 rooms adjacent to his existing hotel and the existing Drury Inn will become a Pear Tree Inn, also owned by Mr. Drury. The new hotel will have an indoor pool and a conference facility."
An existing strip mall on the north end of the site will remain, but will be given a new facade. New retail space will also be added adjacent to the 24 Hour Fitness building.
"There is about 20,000 to 30,000 square feet of space in the 24 Hour Fitness building that is not being used," Unrein said. "That space will be cordoned off for usable space."
The price tag for the Crossroads redevelopment project includes $4.5 million in tax increment financing, a tax deferment program that allows newly created property taxes from the center to be used to help pay for construction. The project might also include the use of a transportation development district, which allows for a 1-percent sales tax that would pay for road improvements associated with the project.
Once completed in 2010, Unrein said the new Crossroads will be nothing like the existing shopping center.
"It is going to be a fantastic transformation," Unrein said. "There's just no other way to put it. You will not recognize the place. It will be an awesome development."
