Mayfair Shopping Center

[Pete]

Hard to see but in that last photo, the glass has been replaced in the section to the right of the Michael's entry.

Still, very slow going.

[Pete]

They've started on the new shingles and dormers; you can also see some of the new glass storefronts:

[Sooner.Arch]

Did they change the design. Looks different from the render couple months ago

[Dob Hooligan]

Did they change the design. Looks different from the render couple months ago

I think this is consistent with the render in post #42. But, it appears that it will only be on the east side of May Avenue. The changes to the west side look like it will only be the small SW corner that will have an original, mid-century look. And the building north of Aldi, that will be entirely Harbor Freight, which has a uniform, corporate look.

[warreng88]

Concrete in front of the SW section is completely torn up.

[Pete]

BTW, after talking to local brokers I now realize the main reason they are going so slowly on the renovation is they are trying to sort through a multitude of deals.

They are trying to be the best terms and best uses possible and it seems they have more than enough to fill up that center as well as the old church property across the way.

It's very smart on their behalf. Take your time and get some good commitments before you completely tear up the property.

The location is fantastic and even though there might not be a lot of smaller tenants to take space, they have a ton of interest.

[bombermwc]

I'm not sure how that's a positive. Instead of completing it quickly and stopping the construction that always hurts the traffic of their existing tenants, they're purposely taking time to wait and get more tenants? Speculative construction is part of the game in this type of market. They're renovating because they feel like they can't attract someone with the old look and want to make a change to try to attract someone new. That doesn't happen if you take 4 years to finish the project. You do that when you don't have the capital to do it properly and are trying to save dollars, which means you probably shouldn't have started in the first place....or secured a loan to get it actually completed. I despise developers that take this long-running construction approach. What invariably happens is that they reduce their cash input the further they get in to it and each phase gets progressively crappier than the previous as they try to save another buck.

[Dob Hooligan]

I'm not sure how that's a positive. Instead of completing it quickly and stopping the construction that always hurts the traffic of their existing tenants, they're purposely taking time to wait and get more tenants? Speculative construction is part of the game in this type of market. They're renovating because they feel like they can't attract someone with the old look and want to make a change to try to attract someone new. That doesn't happen if you take 4 years to finish the project. You do that when you don't have the capital to do it properly and are trying to save dollars, which means you probably shouldn't have started in the first place....or secured a loan to get it actually completed. I despise developers that take this long-running construction approach. What invariably happens is that they reduce their cash input the further they get in to it and each phase gets progressively crappier than the previous as they try to save another buck.

I think Mayfair is the exception to that concept. It was bought as essentially salvage from a national shopping developer bankruptcy. The Aldi and CVS parcels had already been sold off, and those were the return on the original purchase by the big company. Mark Ruffin and his partners had the local memories and financial ability to buy the property, and study both the market and building conditions. The time they took enabled them to find better and larger national tenants to mix with the local businesses that will ultimately occupy the center next year.

[Pete]

There are almost no existing tenants to disrupt.

The only large one is Michael's and work is being done on their section and storefront first. That part of Mayfair is the only one not completely empty.


The rest of the concerns listed are based on a fundamental lack of knowledge about financing and commercial leasing.

[bombermwc]

Well Pete, I'll disagree because that comes from actual experience in office leasing matters. No that's not commercial business, but the concept holds the same. Speculative construction like this s important to do BEFORE you have tenants. If you're trying to attract businesses to your space, you don't leave it as a disaster and say "hey, come in here and rent this totally jacked up space". No, you at least clear it out first to the bones. And your existing tenants do NOT WANT construction going on, because that absolutely drives away customers. But just because we don't agree, doesn't make your view the "correct" one either so that's a bit disappointing to see you attempt to just write it off like that.

I'm already disappointed in the disjointed lack of cohesion on the design as they split it up. We'll just see more of that with all this unnecessary extra "crap" they slapped on to the front sidewalk of a regular rectangle of a strip mall. It's a lot of money that will not contribute to a ROI. The land sell-off is a good indicator that the market didn't support their concept. If you have to sell part of the farm to keep it going, then you're probably not going to be in it for the long haul. That story has been told around town over and over.

[Pete]

[Timtoomany]

This place never ceases to amuse me when I drive by it. The gas station forecourt has a pitched roof and fake dormer windows, but the convenience store has a flat roof. Otherwise I might've thought I'd stumbled across some quaint cottages in the countryside.

[Pete]

This place never ceases to amuse me when I drive by it. The gas station forecourt has a pitched roof and fake dormer windows, but the convenience store has a flat roof. Otherwise I might've thought I'd stumbled across some quaint cottages in the countryside.

The gas station and that canopy will both be razed, as will the small retail building just to the east.

[Pete]

[HangryHippo]

Are there any plans to add some trees to the parking lot?

[Pete]

Are there any plans to add some trees to the parking lot?

Yes:

[bombermwc]

This place never ceases to amuse me when I drive by it. The gas station forecourt has a pitched roof and fake dormer windows, but the convenience store has a flat roof. Otherwise I might've thought I'd stumbled across some quaint cottages in the countryside.

It's funny, I drove by the other day with my son (11) and he said "why does that gas station look all weird like that?" I laughed inside a lot.

[David]

Yes:

Is that a complete reconstruction of the parking lot, or just trees in the existing planter locations? It doesn't look like the rendering matches up to what is there now.

[Pete]

That rendering does pretty much match up with what is there now.

I suspect they will just use the existing planters. Not sure about resurfacing the lot but they will probably do a fresh coat of asphalt and new striping.

The mid-century building on the SW edge is getting an entirely new lot.

[Bill Robertson]

The gas station and that canopy will both be razed, as will the small retail building just to the east.

Those buildings being gone will improve the overall aesthetics immensely.

[Dob Hooligan]

It's funny, I drove by the other day with my son (11) and he said "why does that gas station look all weird like that?" I laughed inside a lot.

When the remodel with the faux roof and dormers was unveiled (in the late 1980s IIRC), ownership released to the press that it was designed by Bruce Bockus. I knew Bruce from church at the time enough to be a social friend. I asked him about the Mayfair project, and especially the gas station. He was very quick to exclaim that he had only provided some preliminary concept drawings and then ownership ran with them.

He was even more emphatic that he had nothing to do with the "levitating roof gas station".

[barrettd]

When the remodel with the faux roof and dormers was unveiled (in the late 1980s IIRC), ownership released to the press that it was designed by Bruce Bockus. I knew Bruce from church at the time enough to be a social friend. I asked him about the Mayfair project, and especially the gas station. He was very quick to exclaim that he had only provided some preliminary concept drawings and then ownership ran with them.

He was even more emphatic that he had nothing to do with the "levitating roof gas station".

That's funny. That part never did make any sense. I recall thinking that at the time of all the remodel back then. Glad it's finally going away. I'm really hopeful about this whole project.

[Bullbear]

Very glad they are adding trees. I was happy they took out all the Pear trees that lines both sides of May as those things are terrible but it sure did change the look of the area. Trees back in the parking will help a lot.

[Pete]

[MagzOK]

Just the darker roof alone makes it appear more modern. Kind of like the new fad of painting brick white with dark roof/trim and exposed wood. I think it looks nice. We drove by yesterday.