New Building Planned for Back of Saks

Changes continue on the Country Club Plaza. Highwoods Properties is currently reviewing designs by Kansas City, MO-based Gastinger Walker Harden Architects for a new structure to be built to the back side of Saks Fifth Avenue, located at 444 Nichols Road. J.E. Dunn Construction will oversee the building process.

Plans call for the tear-down of an old parking garage and theconstruction of a new garage with 525 spaces, 125 more than the current count and for a new 18,000-sf structure to be used for retailshops. Possible tenants have not been named for the new retail center, scheduled to open in 2002. An opening date for the parking structure is estimated to be Thanksgiving 2001.

Currently there are parking garage repairs also being made near the Mark Shale store and the Plaza III restaurant. The Plaza has about 6,800 parking garage spaces and an additional 700 street parking spots.

The plans are a part of a tax increment financing package received by the Plaza’s new owners, Highwoods Properties. The 10-year project is budgeted at $240 million.