The new development offers 575,000 square feet of retailers and restaurants including Applebee's, Foxy Nails, GNC, Mattress Firm, McDonald's, Royal Buffet, Sports Clips, Starbuck's, T-Mobile, Verizon, Vintage Stock and Wal-Mart Supercenter. Activity and interest in the center has been strong. Negotiations are being finalized with several other restaurants and retailers, according to LANE4 Property Group, leasing agent for the space, where asking rates are $25 per square foot.

"Leasing activity at Blue Ridge Crossing is definitely stronger than the market as a whole," said Jeff Berg, senior vice president of LANE4. "New tenants talk to the existing retailers at the center and find that sales are well above projections and average for the metro. They get very interested when they see the new center configuration with Interstate 70 visibility and the amount of traffic being generated here."

Bolstered by leasing success in the existing portion of the redevelopment, next steps include the opening of two new phases of the center. The former Blue Ridge Cinema, located along Interstate 70, will be demolished in the coming months to make room for new pad sites, where a bank, convenience store, restaurants, shops and hotel are proposed. Another vacant parcel just west of Lowe's has already seen interest for development by a restaurant and several retailers.