The Centerpiece Every Retail Project Needs

Experiential water features are becoming a staple feature at quality retail projects. In the hunt to find offline amenities that will drive consumer traffic and retail activity, retail owners are finding success in experiential water features. Design and Construction firm Outside the Lines has seen an increase in the requests for experiential water features and recently designed the first entertainment show fountain in the state of Mississippi. We sat down with J. Wickham Zimmerman, CEO of the firm, to talk about the growing trend, how it helps drive retail activity and what developers interested in water features need to know.

GlobeSt.com: What are experiential water features, and how do they benefit a retail project?

Wickham Zimmerman: In retail, it’s essential to always be working on “the next big thing.” Consumer tastes change quickly, and retail developers and tenants alike must be extremely forward-looking in order to ensure that retail destinations are poised to attract and retain shoppers for years to come. Experiential water features are a proven strategy to meet this objective. While fountains in shopping centers are not a new concept, the level of interactivity and entertainment value that is emerging in today’s water features is a trend worth watching.

The benefit to retail projects is twofold. First, people love water. Trite as it may first sound, when water shoots out of a fountain, people stop and look. And when water starts dancing, they pull out their cameras. This is what retail owners are banking on when they invest in signature water features for their properties. Experiential water features are a key element in transforming a center into a destination. While tenant mixes are constantly changing, a retail owner knows that shoppers will meet at the fountain, relax by the fountain, and interact with the fountain again and again.

Second, retailers get it. We’re working on water features for major retail developments throughout the U.S., and one fact is clear: retailers understand the value of waterfront property. Even if a center is nowhere near the coast, a stunning fountain show becomes a central draw for crowds. And smart retailers always want to draw crowds.

GlobeSt.com: What types of shopping center properties are best suited to benefit from an experiential water feature, and in which markets have you seen this trend be most popular?

Zimmerman: Major shopping centers are excellent candidates for interactive show fountains. Retail properties are ideally located near homes and employment, and benefit from being easily accessible. Adding an entertainment fountain can enhance curb appeal for a property, attract an affluent consumer base, and even become a visible trademark for the center.

For example, our firm was recently hired to build the first entertainment show fountain in the state of Mississippi. Located within Phase II of the Renaissance at Colony Park retail development, the fountain features a central jet that can reach a height of 100 feet, which will be visible from adjacent Interstate 55. The visibility and prominence of this fountain will attract visitors from miles away; a landmark that drives continual interest among shoppers and guests.

Geographically, the market for experiential show fountains is widespread. We have created show fountains for major retail developments in California, Texas, Florida, Utah, and now Mississippi, and have been part of a broad spectrum of fountain types across the country and abroad. We continue to see demand for everything from high-level entertainment fountains with state-of-the-art light and sound shows to interactive features that entice kids and families to jump in and play.

GlobeSt.com: How are owners monetizing the development of these features in retail properties?

Zimmerman: Outstanding water features tend to pay for themselves in the foot traffic they attract and maintain as it gives patrons a reason to visit and potentially shop for longer periods of time. While there is certainly an up-front cost to develop a water feature that is significant enough to transform a center into a destination, once it’s in place, these amenities become a central hub that can increase length of stay. A study conducted by MIT and Path Intelligence quantified that for every 1% increase in consumer length of stay, sales increase by 1.3%.

Further, because retailers understand the value of a location near an entertaining show fountain, owners can command premium rents for “fountain-front” locations. One of our clients—a California-based retail developer—recently confirmed that he is able to garner rents at $10 to $15 more per-square-foot than nearby comps because retailers want to be in the center with our water feature.

GlobeSt.com: What is your advice to owners looking to incorporate a water feature?

Zimmerman: The most important advice we can give is to talk to an expert early. Our most successful projects are those where the developer collaborates with us from the very beginning. By bringing a design-build team in early on, the owner can ensure that concepts can be carefully integrated into the project and program, and will be constructed as envisioned. This also helps in budgeting. Often a property owner will curate their vision, make a plan, and later find out that many of the amenities they envisioned are cost-prohibitive. The result is often cutting corners that reduce the impact of an experiential fountain—or cutting the fountain out of the project completely. When a developer or owner has a creative and qualified design-build team onboard from the beginning, they can circumvent budget challenges and succeed in adding experiential water features that, ultimately, have a positive effect the bottom line of the project.