Saturday, August 11, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
THE SHOPERS AT RIO GRANDE VALLEY TO HERALD ECONOMIC, CULTURAL RENAISSANCE FOR EDINBURG
The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley to herald economic, cultural renaissance for Edinburg
By DAVID A. DÍAZ
SPECIAL TO THE EDINBURG STAR
Edinburg city leaders and First Hartford Realty on Thursday, August 2, broke ground on one of the area’s largest commercial endeavors – the 1.1 million square-foot The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley, located on a 130-acre site at Highway 281 and Trenton Road in south Edinburg.
The theme of the complex is “The place to work, shop, dine, and be entertained in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley.”
It will have a profound effect on the people of the city, with 1,300 jobs expected to be created by arguably one of the most important private investments in the three-time All-America City.
The facility will have an estimated $90 million economic impact on the community and surrounding region, according to the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council.
The EEDC is governed by a five-member board of directors, which includes former Mayor Richard García, who is the board president; Mayor Joe Ochoa; Fred Palacios; Mike Govind, and Dr. Glenn A. Martínez, Ph.D.
The open-air shopping center will feature big-box retailers, traditional department stores, specialty stores, restaurants, entertainment, and a full service hotel.
Leasing is currently underway and the center is projected to open in the fall of 2008.
It will eventually feature 80 stores, including 12 national retailers, and will be connected to a lifestyle center with convenient pedestrian walkways.
“The site has excellent access and visibility, and our conversations with national retailers and restaurants have been very positive,” said Peter Higgins, Vice President of First Hartford. “Despite the area’s reputations as a dominant retail hub, it is still underserved in a number of key categories, and we intend to fill those voids.”
JC Penney announced their plans in March to join The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley with a 104,000-square-foot store, the third in this market, company officials added.
“The City of Edinburg has been instrumental in making The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley a reality,” said John Toic, Vice-President/Director of Projects Development. “After 18 months of intense planning, countless conversations with the city staff, the elected officials, meetings with the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, all of our partners, all of our vendors, it is very exciting today to break ground for The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley.”
New style design
The shopping complex will be designed to bring unique experiences to the region.
“The goal of the development is to create the most memorable cross-cultural shopping experience in the Rio Grande Valley,” said Cheryl Steigerwald, Senior Design Architect of KA Inc., based in Cleveland, Ohio. “The center will combine an eclectic mix of shopping, dining and entertanment venues clustered around intimated public gatherings.”
In addition, the project “will consist of contemporary architectural forms incorporating the color, texture and art of is nearby Mexican neighbors in unexpected ways. Also, the center will feature lush landscaping, water features and ample shade devised to protect shoppers from the Texas heat.”
In addition to Ochoa, García, and top leaders with the development, the event also included the Edinburg City Council, Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas, Rep. Aaron Peña, Jr., D-Edinburg, Hidalgo County Commissioner Héctor “Tito” Palacios, along with scores of other city and area business and community leaders participated in the festive ceremony.
“This is definitely a great dream for this community and the Rio Grande Valley,” said Ochoa. “I remember about six years ago, working to make improvements to the infrastructure of this area, so that one day, we would have the opportunity to break ground for a massive development.”
“Naysayers” rebuffed
García, under whose administration the shopping center was recruited, was equally proud of what is destined to become a major part of his own legacy to his hometown.
“This is as important an event for our city as we have seen in many years,” said García. “The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley will be as large – in terms of square-footage – as La Plaza Mall in neighboring McAllen. It will put us on the map.”
García dismissed alarming news stories in the past 18 months that cast doubt on the eventual creation of the retail complex.
“Over the years, Edinburg has been growing and has become a destination center for the great Lone Star State. It has raised our stature beyond measure, and it will be the single-most important event for our city in this decade,” García said. “To the naysayers of the last year who said this would never happen, step aside – or the construction crews might go right over you.”
First Hartford Realty is a privately-held real estate developer based in Machester, Connecticut. The company has developed over 35 million square-feet in real estate, including more than six million
By DAVID A. DÍAZ
SPECIAL TO THE EDINBURG STAR
Edinburg city leaders and First Hartford Realty on Thursday, August 2, broke ground on one of the area’s largest commercial endeavors – the 1.1 million square-foot The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley, located on a 130-acre site at Highway 281 and Trenton Road in south Edinburg.
The theme of the complex is “The place to work, shop, dine, and be entertained in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley.”
It will have a profound effect on the people of the city, with 1,300 jobs expected to be created by arguably one of the most important private investments in the three-time All-America City.
The facility will have an estimated $90 million economic impact on the community and surrounding region, according to the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council.
The EEDC is governed by a five-member board of directors, which includes former Mayor Richard García, who is the board president; Mayor Joe Ochoa; Fred Palacios; Mike Govind, and Dr. Glenn A. Martínez, Ph.D.
The open-air shopping center will feature big-box retailers, traditional department stores, specialty stores, restaurants, entertainment, and a full service hotel.
Leasing is currently underway and the center is projected to open in the fall of 2008.
It will eventually feature 80 stores, including 12 national retailers, and will be connected to a lifestyle center with convenient pedestrian walkways.
“The site has excellent access and visibility, and our conversations with national retailers and restaurants have been very positive,” said Peter Higgins, Vice President of First Hartford. “Despite the area’s reputations as a dominant retail hub, it is still underserved in a number of key categories, and we intend to fill those voids.”
JC Penney announced their plans in March to join The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley with a 104,000-square-foot store, the third in this market, company officials added.
“The City of Edinburg has been instrumental in making The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley a reality,” said John Toic, Vice-President/Director of Projects Development. “After 18 months of intense planning, countless conversations with the city staff, the elected officials, meetings with the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, all of our partners, all of our vendors, it is very exciting today to break ground for The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley.”
New style design
The shopping complex will be designed to bring unique experiences to the region.
“The goal of the development is to create the most memorable cross-cultural shopping experience in the Rio Grande Valley,” said Cheryl Steigerwald, Senior Design Architect of KA Inc., based in Cleveland, Ohio. “The center will combine an eclectic mix of shopping, dining and entertanment venues clustered around intimated public gatherings.”
In addition, the project “will consist of contemporary architectural forms incorporating the color, texture and art of is nearby Mexican neighbors in unexpected ways. Also, the center will feature lush landscaping, water features and ample shade devised to protect shoppers from the Texas heat.”
In addition to Ochoa, García, and top leaders with the development, the event also included the Edinburg City Council, Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas, Rep. Aaron Peña, Jr., D-Edinburg, Hidalgo County Commissioner Héctor “Tito” Palacios, along with scores of other city and area business and community leaders participated in the festive ceremony.
“This is definitely a great dream for this community and the Rio Grande Valley,” said Ochoa. “I remember about six years ago, working to make improvements to the infrastructure of this area, so that one day, we would have the opportunity to break ground for a massive development.”
“Naysayers” rebuffed
García, under whose administration the shopping center was recruited, was equally proud of what is destined to become a major part of his own legacy to his hometown.
“This is as important an event for our city as we have seen in many years,” said García. “The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley will be as large – in terms of square-footage – as La Plaza Mall in neighboring McAllen. It will put us on the map.”
García dismissed alarming news stories in the past 18 months that cast doubt on the eventual creation of the retail complex.
“Over the years, Edinburg has been growing and has become a destination center for the great Lone Star State. It has raised our stature beyond measure, and it will be the single-most important event for our city in this decade,” García said. “To the naysayers of the last year who said this would never happen, step aside – or the construction crews might go right over you.”
First Hartford Realty is a privately-held real estate developer based in Machester, Connecticut. The company has developed over 35 million square-feet in real estate, including more than six million
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