[HX_Guy]

Bloomingdale's coming to CityNorth development





Cathryn Creno
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 13, 2008 10:16 AM
In a sign that high-end retailers continue to covet a presence in the Valley despite the downturn, the first Bloomingdale's department store in Arizona is set to open in the fall of 2009 at the CityNorth project in northeast Phoenix.

Macy's Inc., which owns the upscale brand founded in 1872, said Thursday that the store would be its 10th Bloomingdale's in the western United States.

The deal had been expected for a few months.

CityNorth, a mixed-use development is being constructed at 144 acres at Loop 101 and 56th Street.

The project will have three department stores. Nordstrom already has signed on.

Macy's also is expected to sign on with its signature department store.

“We believe that Bloomingdale's will provide a unique shopping experience for Phoenix, based on distinctive assortments and attentive and personalized service for which we are well-known,” Michael Gould, Bloomingdale's chairman and CEO, said in a statement.

CityNorth, is being billed as a “city within a city” featuring department stores, condos, offices, smaller shops and restaurants.

Valley developers have long coveted bringing in Bloomingdale's. It is one of the few luxury brands without a presence in the market.

Despite any short-term economic trouble, the Valley is poised for continued population growth and the northeast Phoenix area has a demographic with deep pockets, said Steven Hoch, who heads the retailing department at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.

“Nationally there have been very few malls built in the last five to 10 years,” he said. “If you are Bloomingdale's, you need to be in a mall if you want to expand.”

New York-based Related Urban Development, which is taking the lead on CityNorth, has been involved in similar projects.

It touts Water Tower Place in downtown Chicago, Copley Place in Boston, Time Warner Center in New York, Reston Town Center outside Washington, D.C., in Virginia, Pacific Place in Seattle and CityPlace in West Palm Beach, Fla., as projects resembling CityNorth.


I've gotta say I like how this looks, it's like Kierland Commons but on steroids. Kierland is more or less just boutique shops, but CityNorth will have real department stores, more restaurants, and hopefully "everyday" retail making it a true live/work downtown like experience.