A New Look New Retail Shops, Safeway And A Movie Theater Are In The Plans For Shadle Center’s Face Lift

North Side resident Charlotte Clark likes the vintage Muzak that echoes throughout Shadle Shopping Center’s corridors - corridors that are barren except for a few thirsty trees or an occasional retiree out for a stroll.

Clark also likes the center’s quaint park benches - benches that are empty on weekdays except for a few crumpled paper bags from the McDonald’s across the parking lot.

“I don’t want to see it die,” said Clark, who’s been strolling on the North Side since she moved to Spokane in 1947. When Shadle opened in 1961, it became a part of her walking route.

“Sometimes I come here and walk around even when I don’t have anything to buy.”

Fortunately for Clark, a cadre of developers and business leaders say they’ll do whatever it takes to resuscitate the 34-year-old Shadle Shopping Center, on Wellesley between Alberta and Belt. On June 27, the New York-based property owners hope to convince the city Planning Department to approve plans for extensive renovation of the center.

Their agenda includes a new building for Safeway, 17,000 square feet of new space for small retailers and a mammoth, 12-screen theater complex at the center’s southwest corner. The old two-story J.C. Penney building at the northeast corner of the mall would be torn down and replaced by the new Safeway superstore.

Blueprints also make room for three retail/restaurant anchor pads with Wellesley-accessible drivethroughs, along with redesigned landscaping, lighting and layout.

Other scheduled renovations include a 20-foot addition on top of the anchor pads for architectural flourish, as well as green landscaping near Wellesley and Alberta.

Shadle’s property manager, Tomlinson Black Group of Cos., is recruiting small retailers, restaurants and anchors, a representative said.

“There are still a lot of moving parts at this point,” said John Bennett, vice president and general manager at Tomlinson Black.

Although Bennett would not release the names of any potential tenants, he said Tomlinson Black came away from the International Council of Shopping Centers Convention last month with “connections that may bear fruit.” The company is currently in serious negotiations with six major retailers, Bennett said.

Bennett would not divulge the project’s anticipated cost, but said it would be “substantial.” The project will be paid for by the cash reserves of the owners, Century Properties Fund XI.

In addition to signing with several retailers, Tomlinson Black is nearing final negotiations with a national theater chain, Bennett said. He would not disclose which chain Tomlinson Black is courting.

Act III Theaters, which controls almost all theaters in Spokane County, is not involved in those negotiations, said the spokesman for Act III’s Spokane district operations.

If the hearing examiner approves the plans, Shadle’s construction and remodeling may begin as early as August.

A new Safeway, cinema and plethora of small retailers will mean that some current tenants may get shuffled to other sites in the mall. Despite that annoyance, the additions mean more foot traffic for merchants, several of whom have complained about shrinking profits since local owners sold out to a California firm and vacancies skyrocketed in the mid-1970s.

Sam Thompson, president of Shadle Shopping Center Merchants’ Association, said the renovation will result in increased profits for most of the center’s retailers - especially the hyper-competitive, small retailers who rely on foot traffic.

In fact, most of the drawbacks associated with a beefed-up mall will be minor, said Thompson, owner of Shadle’s Chuck E Cheese’s Pizza.

“The neighborhood residents are used to this being their parking lot,” Thompson said amid the drone of video games and pizza-fueled kids. He said nearby home owners and their guests often park in the lot, along with church-goers and students at Shadle Park High School.

“This is going to be an education process for the residents to learn that the parking is for customers. It’s not going to be an easy process, but it will happen,” he said.

Parking and traffic experts said the new mall should not pose congestion problems on nearby arterials.

Taylor Engineering of Spokane reported that traffic levels will remain constant. Although the mall’s occupancy will increase from the current 80 percent to near 100 percent, the proposal calls for a 30,000-square foot reduction in the overall building area. So the net traffic will likely be a draw, according to the Planning Department’s file.

News of Shadle’s impending face lift makes shoppers smile.

Neighbors have heard rumors of a remodel for several years, but the gossip never translated into actual work. Now Tomlinson Black is beginning to send direct mail to neighbors with detailed descriptions of the proposed changes.

Many believe change is imminent. Clark and others said they were eager for renovations, but they hope Shadle keeps its neighborhood charm.

“This place has a real neighborhood feel. People hate parking meters and they hate fighting crowds. People like Shadle,” she said.

“We want to keep it vibrant.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Photos (1 Color)

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Site plan review North Side residents may review the entire site plan by making an appointment at the Shadle Center office at 521 Shadle Center or in the Tomlinson Black Property Management Office, 107 S. Howard, Suite 418. Call Tomlinson Black at 623-1000.