Starbucks To Start Red Bird Mall Revitalization
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A symbol of luxury retail will soon make an appearance in Southern Dallas. The construction of a Starbucks marks the start of a facelift of the old Red Bird Mall, and leaders hope for the entire southern sector.
The vision for "Reimagine Red Bird" includes an old name but a new development, complete with a park, restaurants, residential and office space. All riding on the shoulders of a Starbucks.
"It will be the only free-standing Starbucks in Southern Dallas, and we're going to make sure that the building and the environment are absolutely first-class to set a tone for the rest of the development," says Peter Brodsky, owner of Southwest Center Mall, which will soon officially be known as Red Bird Mall again.
It's not just coffee drinkers they're courting. It's what the retail giant represents.
"When people hear there's a Starbucks at Red Bird, they'll say, 'Oh really? Oh, okay', and it begins to shift the mindset," says Brodsky. "The challenge of this development is about shifting the mindset."
It's also part of Starbucks' initiative to invest in underserved communities around the country. Dallas council member Tennell Atkins says red bird is long overdue for such a boost.
"It's an anchor. It's something that you see grow. You see opportunities coming. We've been waiting a long time for dirt to be moving. Now dirt is turning now," says Atkins.
The future of "Reimagine Red Bird" is, in part, dependent on the success of Valley View Center, which will help to fund the Southern Dallas project. But leaders say they have confidence the vision will become a reality.
"We want to bring it back to the spirit and the quality level that it once was," Brodsky says.
There will be a groundbreaking ceremony for Starbucks on Tuesday.
It should open in mid-May, but developers say it will be many years before the full project comes to fruition.