College Mall to add food court area by spring 2008

Les Morris can hardly contain his excitement over the new project being initiated at College Mall: a food court. \nThe spokesman of Simon Property Groups is anticipating the new food court being planned. On March 26, it was announced that the mall will be renovated and constructed so shoppers can enjoy a food area near Sears with as many as nine new food vendors.\nWhile senior Kathryn Heath doesn’t typically eat at food courts due to the expense, she said the addition of a food court and some new shopping venues to fill relocation space is a perk.\n“That’s exciting,” she said. “If there would be a restaurant to be added in the court, I would prefer a healthy one.”\nThe multimillion dollar project is expected to be completed by spring of 2008. But Morris said everything possible is being done to accelerate the time frame so the project can be completed by the 2007 holiday season. \nWhile specifics of the project are unknown, Morris said there will be great opportunities once the project is underway.\n“We just want to offer and enhance our properties, as the College Mall has a special place in the Simon Property Groups,” Morris said. He said the mall is the second one in Indiana that Melvin Simon built, so its historical significance is important to the group.\n“We want to make the mall an attractive place to not only shop, but to experience food and hang out,” Morris said. “Food is really becoming more and more important to the general shopping center mix, and at the mall there isn’t a dedicated food area.”\nWhile there is a “cluster” of restaurants, Morris said, there is not a real food court. With the new one in progress, Morris said traffic flow and the clutter around the current food locations will be eased.\nCustomers will have access to wireless Internet, music, new men’s and women’s bathrooms and new seating for up to 376 customers. \nAesthetics will be taken into account to include raised ceilings, celestial glass for natural lighting, along with other decorative items. \nNew food options include possible Asian and Mexican restaurants, and a sandwich shop, in addition to about three food kiosks.\nSome of the current food businesses might be moved to the new food-court location, although it is not certain which stores could move.\nWith the relocation of several stores near the new food court, Morris said “holes” will open up, allowing new stores to fill the spaces. \n“Not only will (shoppers) have a food court but they will also have new stores to enjoy,” Morris said.