Western Crossing

Western Crossing is a retail shopping center in Amarillo, Texas, United States. It replaced Western Plaza, a substantially larger and formerly prominent shopping complex that opened in 1968. Western Plaza initially served as one of Amarillo's principal shopping destinations, with White & Kirk, Woolco, and Montgomery Ward as its original anchor tenants. Over subsequent decades, however, changing retail patterns and the departure or closure of major tenants weakened the property. Its decline extended from the 1980s through the 2000s as department stores and catalog-showroom operators left the complex. The property changed hands several times before being acquired in 2001 by Triple Net Properties, a Santa Ana, California-based real-estate company. Triple Net initially presented a revitalization plan intended to improve the aging mall and attract new anchor tenants. By 2005, the redevelopment concept had changed substantially. Rather than refurbishing the existing structure, Triple Net and its Plano-based development adviser, The Seitz Group, proposed demolishing Western Plaza and constructing a new open-air retail center named Western Crossing. The redevelopment encountered financial, environmental, and legal complications. A requested municipal tax abatement was not approved, while asbestos-related issues increased projected demolition costs. A former tenant, Texas Panhandle Mental Health Mental Retardation, also brought a claim against the owners concerning expenses it said resulted from being displaced for the redevelopment. The original mall signage was removed in June 2006, and demolition began on June 7, 2007, with completion expected within approximately 60 days. The resulting Western Crossing center was planned as a roughly US$40 million retail development. Reported tenants included Rudy's BBQ, Cheddar's Casual Café, Burlington Coat Factory, and Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt, followed by Michaels, Petco, Mardel Bookstore, and other retailers. The site therefore represents a transition from a traditional enclosed or mall-like shopping complex to a newer shopping-center format. Its history also reflects the wider redevelopment of aging American retail properties through tenant replacement, demolition, and reconfiguration rather than simple renovation.

Western Crossing developed from Western Plaza, a major Amarillo shopping property that opened in 1968. The original complex opened with three principal anchors: White & Kirk, Woolco, and Montgomery Ward. It also included a mixture of local and national retail activity. During the 1970s, White & Kirk became Sakowitz and later Dunlaps. Woolco closed in the early 1980s and was replaced by H. J. Wilson Co., a catalog-showroom business that was subsequently replaced by Service Merchandise. Other notable occupants included the first Hastings Entertainment store and the Academy of Professional Careers business college. The property gradually lost commercial strength from the 1980s through the 2000s as anchor stores and other tenants departed. The decline reflected the aging of the physical complex and broader changes in American retail, including competition from newer shopping destinations and changing consumer traffic patterns. Before its redevelopment, Western Plaza had passed through several ownership groups, including Mattie Hedgecoke Properties, Southmark Corporation, Spigel Properties, and General Electric Capital Corporation. On August 1, 2001, Triple Net Properties announced that it had acquired Western Plaza. The company initially intended to rehabilitate the existing property, add or replace anchor tenants, and increase occupancy. Its leasing representative publicly expressed a goal of raising occupancy to approximately 65 to 85 percent within a year. The plan later changed. In November 2005, The Seitz Group of Plano, which had been engaged by Triple Net, announced a complete redevelopment under the Western Crossing name. The proposal called for the existing shopping complex to be removed and a new retail center to be built on the site. The redevelopment encountered several obstacles in 2006. Amarillo did not approve a tax abatement sought to assist the project. Environmental problems involving asbestos also increased the projected demolition cost from approximately US$27 million to US$29 million. In addition, Texas Panhandle Mental Health Mental Retardation, a former tenant, sued the owners for more than US$50,000 in costs it said it had incurred after being displaced to make room for the redevelopment. The property signs were removed in June 2006, and physical demolition began on June 7, 2007, with work expected to take about 60 days. Western Crossing was planned as a new shopping-center development with an estimated cost of approximately US$40 million. Reported occupants included Rudy's BBQ, Cheddar's Casual Café, Burlington Coat Factory, and Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt. Michaels, Petco, Mardel Bookstore, and additional stores later joined the tenant mix. The project changed the site from a declining older mall into a more contemporary retail format, although publicly available reference material does not establish a complete tenant roster, current ownership structure, or detailed operating history after the redevelopment.

• 2007

  Demolition begins

  [1]Western Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  Western Plaza demolition started on June 7, 2007, clearing the site for the replacement shopping center.

• 2006

  Redevelopment complications emerge

  [1]Western Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  The project faced an unsuccessful tax-abatement request, asbestos-related cost increases, and a lawsuit brought by a former tenant.

• 2005

  Western Crossing replacement plan announced

  [1]Western Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  The Seitz Group announced that the existing complex would be demolished and replaced with a new center called Western Crossing.

• 2001

  Triple Net Properties acquires Western Plaza

  [1]Western Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  Triple Net Properties announced its purchase of the deteriorating property and an initial plan to renew it.

• 1970

  White & Kirk becomes Sakowitz

  [1]Western Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  The White & Kirk department-store space was converted to Sakowitz during the 1970s.

• 1968

  Western Plaza opens

  [1]Western Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  The original shopping complex opened in Amarillo with White & Kirk, Woolco, and Montgomery Ward as anchor tenants.

A redeveloped Amarillo retail center positioned as a successor to the older Western Plaza property, combining national and regional shopping, dining, and specialty tenants.

• Shopping center · 2007

  Western Crossing retail center

  The principal offering is a retail shopping-center property developed on the former Western Plaza site in Amarillo. It was designed to accommodate a mix of apparel, home, specialty, food-service, bookstore, pet-supply, and other consumer businesses. Reported tenants have included Burlington Coat Factory, Michaels, Petco, Mardel Bookstore, Rudy's BBQ, Cheddar's Casual Café, and Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt.

• 2007

  Demolition and construction transitionOther

  Background

  The replacement project required removal of the former mall structure.

  Action taken

  Demolition began on June 7, 2007, with the work scheduled to take approximately 60 days.

  Aftermath

  The site was redeveloped as Western Crossing, a new retail center estimated at approximately US$40 million.

  Estimated cost of new shopping center. Approximately US$40 million (Project estimate reported during redevelopment)

  Source

• 2005

  Decision to replace Western PlazaStrategy

  Background

  The older property had continued to lose tenants, making a simple refurbishment less attractive.

  Action taken

  Triple Net Properties and The Seitz Group shifted to a full redevelopment strategy and announced Western Crossing as the replacement retail center.

  Aftermath

  Remaining tenants had to be relocated, and demolition preparations proceeded through 2006 and 2007.

  Estimated redevelopment cost. Approximately US$27 million projected demolition cost → Approximately US$29 million projected demolition cost after asbestos-related issues (2006)

  Source

• 2001

  Acquisition and proposed revitalizationM&A

  Background

  Western Plaza had experienced prolonged tenant losses and declining relevance as a shopping destination.

  Action taken

  Triple Net Properties acquired the property and initially proposed improving the existing complex, adding anchor tenants, and raising occupancy.

  Aftermath

  The revitalization concept was later replaced by a plan for complete demolition and construction of a new center.

  Source

1. 1Western Crossingen.wikipedia.org