By MATT KARPOWITZ
Orem city leaders teamed with University Mall renovation organizers and Woodbury Corporation Tuesday to break ground on the first phase of the renovation project planned to bring a new and modern look to the 25 year-old mall.
The first phase of the renovation and expansion project will incorporate a complete transformation of the mall’s interior. The changes will include structural and decor renovation. The first phase is expected to take eight months to complete, with other phases beginning later. The entire project is projected to be finished in 2001.
Shopping Center Manager of the University Mall Rob Kallas said the new-look mall will be a highlight in the community. “It will be a place that the public will be proud of,” Kallas said. “It will be very pleasant for them to shop here.”
The new design was created by Callison Architecture, Inc., the fourth largest architecture firm in the United States. Callison specializes in commercial design and shopping center remodeling.
Greenwood Construction is contracted to renovate the mall and hopes to keep the needs of the tenants and the customers in mind. The company will drop plastic sheets down over the store openings to keep as much dust as possible out of the store areas.
University Mall operators plan to keep the mall open during normal business hours and will provide continued service to the community. Construction will take place in the evening from the hours of 9:30 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., allowing mall tenants to operate normally.
One motivating factor in changing the face of the University Mall is the competition expected from the new Provo Towne Center in Eastbay, which is planning to open this fall. One possible problem to arise from the renovation and competition is the loss of tenants at the University Mall.
Member of the Provo/Orem Chamber of Commerce, Steve Densley, thinks the Provo Towne Center will have a positive effect on the University Mall. “This mall is a stabilizing factor here in the community,” said Densley. “The mall in Provo will have an impact as competition, but I think that’s healthy and we’ll see some improvement because of it.”
Some tenant loss has already occurred at the University Mall. J C Penney Company is planning to leave the University Mall in fall 1998. The Woodbury Corporation and the University Mall have spoken to other department stores about filling the spot, but have not made any commitments yet.
Orem mayor Joe Nelson, a former manager at J C Penney, thinks the University Mall will stay strong because of the new design. “We’ve looked at the plans and they look terrific,” said Nelson. “This mall will continue to a be a major retail center in the county.”
Future plans for the University Mall include incorporating more high quality tenants, additional entertainment and restaurant concepts, government and civic uses, professional offices and possibly a convention hotel facility.
Kallas wants the new-look University Mall to serve the entire region. “We see our community as Orem, Provo and the surrounding community,” said Kallas. “We are a regional center and we’re proud to represent all of those communities.”
