The property has been marked for development since May 2007. Alongwith 400,000 square feet of retail, the property will also include156 condo units. The project, going up on 62 acres, is a jointventure of CBL & Associates, Robert B. Aikens & AssociatesLLC and BDR Inc., with CBL holding a 50% interest in theproject.

Development officials could not be reached for comment, butapparently the venture has pushed back opening in light of theeconomy. When the project was revealed last year, the stores weresupposed to be open in spring 2009, but now a spokesman tellsGlobeSt.com that the construction won't start until early 2010,with completion scheduled for fall 2011. Barnes & Noble, P.F.Chang's China Bistro and Spartan Stores were talked about astenants, but a firm current roster was not available.

Bob Larsen, CFO of Von Maur, tells GlobeSt.com that the companylikes the large community and strong incomes in Grand Rapids. Hesays his company is one of the few today that is still expanding."We've not closed any stores, we recently opened one in Dayton andanother in Kansas City," Larsen says. "We don't anticipate anyclosings, we specialize in measured growth. We don't build 20stores a year, we average about two a year." The Davenport,IA-based firm, which operates 23 stores in nine Midwestern states,has its two other Michigan stores in Ann Arbor and Livonia.