Drilling machines bored into limestone bedrock and bulldozers plowed through the Bluegrass topsoil Wednesday preparing sites for the Shops at Richmond Centre, as Britt Goodson of Carolina Holdings Inc. gave the Richmond Rotary Club an update on the 120-acre development.
“We got started a bit late, in July rather than June, but we should still have most stores open by October or early November 2008,” he told the Rotarians and guests during their weekly luncheon at Galaxy Bowling Center, just a few blocks from Richmond Centre.
The Meijer supermarket, one of three anchors, will not open until April 2009, because the company opens stores only in the spring.
The other major anchors in Richmond Centre, being built along Barnes Mill Road between Interstate 75 and Goggins Lanes, include two department stores — JCPenney and Belk — as well as Home Depot. Cinemark, which is planning a 12-screen movie complex, and Goody’s will be moving from the Richmond Mall to Richmond Centre along with JCPenney.
At 85,300 square feet, the JCPenney in Richmond Centre will be more than two and a half times the size of the store in the Richmond Mall. The Richmond store will be one of the first to use JCPenney’s new prototype design, Goodson said. The Belk store will be 73,800 square feet.
At least 10 out parcels in Richmond Centre have been allocated for causal dining restaurants. When asked by a Rotarian, Goodson said allowing Sunday drink sales would help attract restaurants to the development. “All casual dining restaurants are sensitive to this issue,” he said.
Restaurants such as The Olive Garden and Logan’s — both possibilities for Richmond Centre — earn from 16 to 28 percent of their income from drinks sales, Goodson said. “Sunday dining is a big part of their business, so Sunday drink sales may be a factor in decisions to locate here.”
On Tuesday, the Richmond City Commission will vote on a proposed ordinance that would allow Sunday drinks sales in restaurants that seat at 100 or more and draw at least 50 of their revenue from the sale of food. A similar proposal was rejected 5-0 in February.
“We knew the situation here when we began planning for Richmond Centre, and we try to stay out of local decision making,” Goodson said. “The job of attracting restaurants is made easier when Sunday drinks sales are available, however.” Richmond is not a major metropolitan area, “So we can use all the help we can get in bring national chain restaurants.”
Carolina Holdings’ marketing partner, Crosland LLC of Charlotte, N.C., is in negotiations with several national chains that soon will be making decisions about other tenants in Richmond Centre. “We may have some announcements by late August or early September,” he said.
“We’re working on getting a major consumer electrics store, but we will have other apparel stores, a bath and linen store, a craft store and a bookstore,” he said.
The bookstore and cinema complex will anchor two sides of a “pedestrian friendly Town Centre” that will include cafés with outdoor seating and boutiques.
Carolina Holdings often is asked whether Target will be in Richmond Centre, but Goodson said the location may not meet that retailer’s market criteria. “It’s still on the back burner, however.”
Richmond Centre will exceed the city of Richmond’s requirements for trees and other greenspace, Goodson said. “We use Merritt Construction, which has the landscaping contract for the Augusta National golf course, home of The Masters tournament. They will be planting some 1,500 new trees.”
An estimated 1.3 million cubic yards of rock and soil will be moved for site preparation. Blasting of rock started more than a week ago, but blasting done according to professional standards should prevent damage to surrounding structures, Goodson said.
The 15-acre northern tip of the development that arcs from Goggins Lane along Barnes Mill Road and then up along the interstate will be developed later. It will likely include offices and a hotel.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is requiring the developer to widen Barnes Mill out to Goggins Lane instead of just to Frankie Drive, Goodson said. Traffic signals to be installed at Richmond Centre’s two main entrances, at Amberly Way and Frankie Drive, will be synchronized with the existing lights at Exit 87 and at Goggins Lane.
These traffic signals should cause breaks in traffic flow that will allow easier access than now available for vehicles entering Barnes Mill Road from Hampton Way and Idylwild Drive.
Walkways will be included for pedestrian access from the hotels and residences across Barnes Mill Road.
Goodson thanked Richmond city officials for their cooperation in getting the project going. “They have made my job easy here,” he said.
Carolina Holdings chose Richmond because, “It has a lot going on, but appeared to be underserved in the retail area,” Goodson said. “There is no major retail center between Lexington and Knoxville.”
The Shops at Richmond Centre seeks to draw customers from the region that extends from Richmond out to Lancaster on the west and Beattyville on the east down to Barbourville and Corbin. “Nearly 220,000 people live in the area, many of who already drive to Lexington for shopping,” Goodson said. “We hope to cut 50 miles out of their drive for quality shopping and entertainment.”
Bill Robinson can be reached at brobinson@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 267.
Local News
Work on Richmond Centre begins in earnest
- Local News
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Trash piling up at mobile home park
Uncollected household waste at a mobile home park on Big Hill Avenue in Richmond will draw a notice of violation from the Madison County Health Department and is prompting the city to clean up the site on its own.
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Realities of prescription pill abuse spark another summit
Prescription drug abuse has become so prevalent in parts of Kentucky, people are buying Mason jars of clean urine at flea markets and under the table at tobacco stores so they can pass drug tests.
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Tackling childhood obesity
NFL football player and former University of Kentucky running back Artose Pinner autographed lunch bags, footballs, notebook paper and anything Glenn Marshall elementary students could find (including arms and hands) during his visit Thursday to kick off the Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP 60) grant program.
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Police charge two with making meth
A traffic stop late Tuesday evening ended in two arrests for manufacturing methamphetamine.
A Richmond Police officer working traffic enforcement on the Robert R. Martin Bypass stopped a vehicle at about 11:50 p.m. for a traffic offense. The officer discovered several methamphetamine precursors and paraphernalia in the vehicle that police say were tied to one of the passengers in the vehicle, Curment Nicholas Carpenter, 40, of Lexington Road. -
Man pleads guilty to driving to Richmond for sex with girl
(Editor’s note: This story contains graphic information some readers may find offensive.)
An Indiana man will serve at least 10 years in prison for traveling to Richmond to have sex with a 13-year-old girl, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lexington. -
Berea Arena Theater presents: Kitchen Witches
Performances are 8 p.m. Friday through Saturday, and Feb. 10-11, and at 2 p.m. on Feb. 12 at 1835 Big Hill Road (KY 21) in Berea. Call 986-9039 for tickets, $8 for adults and $5 for students/children.
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A toe to spare
Pigs usually have four toes on a foot, but not always, Leland “Bud” Bennett of Whitlock Road, said he learned this week.
While preparing the head and feet of a pig to make souse meat, Bennett said he made a surprising discovery after removing two of the toes.
When he went to cut off the next two, there were three. A smaller, third toe was higher up the leg.
“I’m 84, and I’d never seen a pig’s foot with five toes,” he said.
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Model Laboratory’s annual Lunar New Year Celebration
Model Laboratory third-graders Olivia Florell, left, and Katie Upchurch, inside a paper dragon, wait Wednesday morning with their classmates in the school hallway for the start of the annual Lunar New Year Celebration parade. The students created the dragon after learning about Asian
calligraphy in art class and walked with the dragon, while playing instruments and clapping, to the end of the hall in front of classmates in pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade who have also been studying aspects of Asian culture. The parade is intended to bring good luck and friendship to the school for the new year, the Chinese New Year of the Dragon, said art teacher Denise Discepoli. -
Teacher turned award-winning author to read at Richmond Area Arts Council tonight
Because Rebecca D. Elswick won publication of her debut novel, “Mama’s Shoes,” in a national contest, it might be easy to view her as a kind of literary American Idol.
But, unlike many of the precocious American Idol winners, Elswick toiled and studied her craft for years before achieving success. Now, the accolades are accumulating, and each honor further confirms her status as one of the hottest emerging authors in the South.
She will read and sign books tonight along with Lexington author George Ella Lyon at the Richmond Area Arts Council, 399 W. Water St., beginning at 6:30 p.m. -
Project Read helps students turn the page
Steve Hupp likes solving problems, and at 27 years old, he has seen more than his fair share. Hupp has been in and out of hospitals since childhood, making it difficult for him to focus on school. To make it worse, he also is dyslexic.
Hupp dropped out of school in the 11th grade.
“Some places wouldn’t even give me an application,” he said about his search for a job. “I had doors close on me. I even had girlfriends break up with me.” - More Local News Headlines
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