Work began on the new retail center in Pell City on Monday
Work began on the new retail center in Pell City on Monday
Work has begun on the new retail development in Pell City.
City Attorney John Rea announced that work had begun at the former St. Clair Hospital site Monday during the Pell City Council’s regular meeting.
“If you haven't already heard, the city conveyed the property to Noon Pell City on Friday,” he told the council. “Dirt is moving today, so the shopping center is underway.”
City Manager Brian Muenger said work on the site is advancing quickly and its exciting to finally have it started.
“It's pretty impressive to see them work so quickly,” he said, “and exciting to see that level of activity.”
The agreement the city signed with Noon calls for the construction of a shopping center including stores such as Hobby Lobby and TJ Maxx. The agreement also included Marshalls, Hobby Lobby Five Below, Ross Dress for Less, Old Navy, Rack Room Shoes, America’s Best Contacts and Eyeglasses, pOpshelf, Petsmart, Burlington and Ashley Furniture as pre-approved tenants. Though exactly what stores will be in the development remains unclear.
Mayor Bill Pruitt said he not only sees the development as an economic win for the city but also as a sign that the city is recovering from the pandemic. He said at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, before everyone was told to isolate in their homes, the city had gotten very close to a deal on retail development at the old hospital site. Pruitt said when everything shut down, and brick and mortar retail seemed less stable, that deal went away.
“We essentially had to start over,” he said. “It was a little bit scary there for a while.”
Pruitt said the fact that the city was able to approve a deal last December and now get construction started shows things are different.
“It's an indication of getting some form of normalcy back to our lives,” he said. “It says we’re kind of getting back to the way things were.”
The mayor also addressed the possibility of the development including a nicer sit down restaurant, something a lot of Pell City residents have been asking for. Back in December, Council President Jud Alverson said Noon was working to recruit a restaurant to one of the out parcels on the site.
Pruitt said he recognised the public interest in getting a restaurant, but also said any announcement of that type will likely take time. The mayor said he is at the top of the list of people wanting a steakhouse, but those kinds of companies want to be able to see the progress on a development, and its potential value, before signing on.
Yet, at the same time Pruitt said he thinks the new retail center will bring in alot more growth to Pell City.
“This is the big piece that's going to trigger the next wave of new stuff,” he said.
Pruitt said he is glad the hospital property is going to be put to a new use after sitting unused since 2011. He also commended the city council for having the patience and persistence to make it happen.
“I think in some regards it's a credit to this council and the prior administrations that no one was rushing to make a bad deal,” he said.
Taylor Mitchell is a Daily Home reporter covering Pell City.
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