TOLEDO -- A long-vacant mall is about to have new life breathed into it. A major announcement made Monday morning promises a switch from the current enclosed mall to an open-air village shopping area similar to Levis Commons in Perrysburg.
Mayor Carty Finkbeiner and developer Larry Dillin made the announcement about the wrecking ball that's coming to Southwyck -- bringing good news to those who have long wanted to see the 34-year-old shopping center get a facelift.
The planned village will be a $100 million lifestyle center, and one business -- Stautzenberger College -- has already signed a letter of intent to take over the 40,000 square feet at the former Lion Store. Stautzenberger's George Simon says, "My vision is this is not another mall. This will be a re-emergence of a community. And we'll be part of the community."
The future of Dillard's is still up in the air, but negotiations with the department store chain are ongoing. Developer Larry Dillin told News 11, "We have lots of I's to dot and T's to cross. But we've had positive, ongoing dialogue with Dillard's about staying. We'd like to see them stay in a re-developed center."
The former Montgomery Ward store and the movie theaters facing Reynolds Road will be leveled. Eventually, what's left of Southwyck -- including the trademark center court -- will also fall to the wrecking ball. Then the Lifestyle Center will take shape.
The early morning mall walkers like what they're seeing and hearing. Glenn Washington said, "Obviously someone thinks they can do something better with the mall. If they can, I wish them well." Carol Meek told us she'd like to see the mall "refurbished for the neighborhood."
But there is a drawback. The dozens of mall walkers will lose their warm, cozy hallways for morning exercise. "It's been a great thing for 15 years for me," said Agnes Fesko. "And all these other people have been walking much longer -- and that's what we like."
Aida Leslie agrees. "Everybody walks in here," she said. "Where are the older people going to walk? There is no place for us to walk."
But Larry Dillin says there may be. He wants to incorporate a health club with a walking track into the site's plans.
Dillin also told us, "Somewhere down the line, housing is also planned. Renovation work will begin later this year on a project it's hoped will drive re-development up and down Reynolds Road."
The developer tells us the project will be funded through a combination of public and private money. He's heading to a mall convention in Las Vegas to line up tenants. The mall is located off Reynolds Road near Glendale.
