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Plans give glimpse of Wiregrass mall

Two anchors, JCPenney and Dillard's, are set, and a third is being sought for the Shops at Wiregrass.

By CHUIN-WEI YAP
Published May 21, 2006

That's what would sit at Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and State Road 56, anchoring the southeastern corner of the 5,000-acre development.

On Wednesday, the project's developers, Forest City and the Goodman Co., unveiled a peek at preliminary sketch plans for the mall's look.

A 2,000-foot curved street runs through the heart of some 80 shops, of which only JCPenney and Dillard's are known anchors.

A third major retailer will sit at the center of the arc. Developers on Wednesday would only say it would be a department store along the lines of JCPenney and Dillard's.

Perhaps placed to tantalize the area's readers, a Barnes & Noble bookstore sign could be seen in one of the sketches. But it's just part of a standard design piece, developers said - though a Wiregrass Barnes & Noble is not to be ruled out.

"We're talking to everybody," said John Dowd, Goodman's senior vice president of development.

Mediterranean motifs are expected to speckle earth-toned buildings, drawing lines of sight and shoppers toward a central plaza and fountain - built also to evoke a curly "W" - where kids can play.

It's about encouraging flow and street activity.

"Driving in from (SR) 56, you can see the center space, but you can't get to it by car (in a straight line)," said Angelo Carusi of the architecture firm Cooper Carry.

Cooper Carry was also responsible for the design of Tampa's SunTrust Tower and parts of Westshore Plaza.

[Last modified May 21, 2006, 08:39:54]