Work on former Washington Crown Center redevelopment underway
While Washington Crown Center is in the midst of transforming into Franklin Crossroads Park, some tenants are preparing for a new look while others are in the process of moving out.
On Thursday, David L. Chipps was packing up Chipper’s Trains & Collectibles as he readies a move to a new location. He has run the hobby shop inside Crown Center for six years.
“The new owners have been very good in giving me time to move out. They’ve been excellent. They’ve been helpful. They did offer me to stay through the Christmas season. I felt it was too difficult to move through the winter season,” Chipps said.
Chipper’s is moving to 1600 Park Ave. in North Franklin, next door to Scotty’s Ice Cream. Chipps hopes to open the doors at the new location on Nov. 1.
North Franklin Township Supervisor Bob Sabot estimated about 50% of the mall’s existing tenants will remain.
“I would say about half of the existing retailers have opted to stay, and some of them will leave,” Sabot said.
Cleveland-based real estate fund management and advisory firm PREP Funds and Industry Realty Group LLC, a commercial real estate group based in Los Angeles, finalized the sale from Kohan Retail Investment Group last month.
According to Washington County property records, the Great Neck, N.Y., firm sold the mall for $5.25 million. Kohan purchased the property for nearly $20 million in 2016.
The redevelopment of the property is expected to cost more than $35 million.
Chipper’s store is currently located toward the western side of the mall, which is slated to become a business park. The eastern side will house retail tenants who will face Interstate 70.
According to Chipps, work at the mall began quickly after the sale occurred.
“From the day they signed those papers, they’ve been here redeveloping,” Chipps said.
Sabot said when work is complete, Franklin Crossroads Park will no longer be an indoor walking mall. Every business will have an exterior entrance. Workers on Thursday could be seen in the empty storefronts.
Soon PREP and IRG will begin the process of demolishing the old Bon Ton store and the Hollywood Theater.
According to Sabot, King’s Jewelry will remain at Franklin Crossroads Park while Kay Jewelers will be leaving. Unite Church will also leave.
Haven Cheer, Dance & Gymnastics has been at the mall since 2019, and owner Leigh Williams expressed optimism about the renovations at the property.
She called the new owners “very down to earth and approachable.”
“For perspective, I was a Crown Center mall tenant for seven years and had never met or communicated with the previous owner,” Williams said.
She described an extensive overhaul to her business that trains competitive cheerleaders and gymnasts. She said the three spaces they currently rent will be combined to become a “Forever Haven.”
“We will have a beautiful glass-door exterior entry on the commercial side of the property. Our brand-new, 12,000-plus square foot cheer and gymnastics space will be near Rural King and include parts of the former food court, our current location and additional space,” Williams said.
Rural King, as well as Crown Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram and Mac.Bid, were not part of the sale of the mall.
Signs on the mall’s food court entrance indicate those doors will close on Nov. 3. Sabot estimated work on the mall’s redevelopment would be completed by next spring.
“I know they plan to pave the lots next spring,” Sabot said.
For the tenants like Williams, the project is a sign of better days ahead at 1500 W. Chestnut St.
“The $35 million-plus investment in our community deserves recognition for the unbelievable transformation they have planned,” Williams said. “I can only imagine what the site will look like for those driving past on the interstate.”