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DELAWARE COUNTY DAILY TIMES (PRIMOS. PA.)Friday, February 16,1979economic officials3By HARRY MAITLAND Daily Times Staff Writer (’HESTER — Economic development officials are enthusiastic overOffice, said the mall proposal was the most significant development for Chester in the last 30 years. ”nlosing a lot of purchasing power to distant malls but indicated therepreliminary plans for the proposed $7-million downtown mall and feel it will regenerate business activity oughout the city’s central busi-n ss district.WE HAVE been working for a ir and a half on this. Our effort s to work with Ken KaisermanThe officials have expressed confidence that the enclosed shopping mall will be the initial step in r development with additional ojects and improvementsiterializing later.Kaiserman Enterprises, Philadelphia, which built the Springfielde Mall is the developer.Municipal officials believe the mall project will turn around Chester's declining retail market.Ken Kaiserman, president of the fii m, indicated that the mail project should attract additional invest-and to interest him in looking towards Chester as a major development site,” Erdman said.“Obviously, I think it is super,” Chris van der Velde, director of the Chester Group, said. “We have been making a considerable amount of effort to attract new development to the downtown area. This is a large scale project and it will cause a significant amount of new development,” he said.Kaiserman said the project will be “about one-fourth the size of Springfield Mall.” He said the mall area will include stalls and/or kiosks.was good potential in Chester,” Erdman said. He added that Kaiserman was interested in the project but would only proceed if he was designated the developer. He explained that one other developer indicated interest.“THE GENERAL feeling was that Kaiserman, with his track record (Springfield Mall), would assure the success of the project. We were looking towards success. No one needs this thing to fail,” Erdman said.Kaiserman saidItitments and provide other business development.t follows the type of redevelopment that has occurred at Boston’s Fauneil Hall,” he said. An ancient commercial market areaimaginative planning” will be involved in the mall design. “It will be completely enclosed with the interior featuring a garden type setting. There will be extensive landscaping so that the effect will create a feeling of being outdoors.”THE MALL, a 150,000 sq. ft. Structure, will be located in the area bounded by Avenue of the States, Madison, 7th and 9th Sts. Plans call for the location of a 60,000 sq. ft. department store along 9th St., a large food market and a variety of small stores and shops.Daley’s Furniture Inc., 819 Avenue of the States will be in-was redeveloped cessful urban rr plained.ERDMAN SAID he first came in contact with Kaiserman whileVan der Velde said he thought Kaiserman had been attracted “because of all the public improvements which have been made in that area.” He added, “Many have been made and are continuing to be made in an overall effort to improve the downtown business corridor.”corporated into the mall design. Parking for more than 300 cars will be located in the area betweenMadison, Crosby, 8th and 9th Sts.Richard Erdman, executive director of the Chester Developmentattending meetings of the former Blue Route Now group that was promoting completion of the proposed Mid-County Expressway. He said the project was discussed with John J. Fitzgerald, executive director of the Chester Redevelopment Authority (CRA) whose support was obtained.“A market study showed we areHE GAVE credit toand thethe city businessgovernment association. “We think this project is the direct result of the activity and energy of the business association,” van der Velde said.Erdman emphasized the need for a successful project. “Should this fail it would be a major setback toArchitect sketch shows interior court of the enclosed mall planned for Chester■. . *-«■ —«• -•H A.-JSocial securitySocial security: Being the only person in your set who has a big-screen projection-type television.SAVINGS CERTIFICATES NOW PAYINGMINIMUM DEPOSITINTERESTRAH6.5%ANNUALYIELDTERM6.81% 1 year $1,0006.75% 7.08% 2l/i years $2,5007.5% 7.90% 4 years*1,0007.75% 8.17% 6 years $1,000INTERESTCOMPOUNDEDDAILYON SAVINGS PLANS AND CERTIFICATES8.0% 8.45% 8 years*1,000We couldn't sell thathouse for you causeyou didn't ask us!CostTIMESCLASSIFIEDlt;22-7400TR 6-1400619-2000A substantia! penality wilt be imposed for early withdrawal.YOUR ACCOUNTS ARE INSURED FULLUP TO $40,000 BY THE FEDERAL SAVINGS LOAN INSURANCE CORP.ISavings Account Christmas Club Vacation ClubsSave by mai We pay all postageMortgages Savings CertificatesLENDERAMERICAN EAGLElitehllihed Sinew 1*17A VINOS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION 494-2067712 W. 3rd St.. Chester. Pa. 19013 494-6669 Open Daily 9 to 4 p.m., Friday 9 to 6 p.m.3384 Chichester Ave. - WiBowbrook Shopping Cfr. Open Mon. to Thurs. 10 to 4 P.M., Sat. 10-1 P.M.Fri. 10 to 6 P.M.See More . . . Save More atSportswearredevelopment plans for Chester,” he said. “We have approached this at a slow, concerted pace to get the job done right.”There are still some hurdles toiiclear. He has to arrange financing and secure an anchor tenant ortenants,” Erdman said. He said the mall wants Daley’s furniture store to remain and incorporate into the mall scheme. He explained that the store would have to improve the building exterior in order to have it relate to the mall.“THIS PROJECT is not an complished fact. There is a 1lt; work that remains to be donesecure tenants.” He said the federal financing would involve Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) funds. Erdman pointed out that the project would be controlled by regulations of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). “The site is on redevelopment land and this brings all HUD regulations into play,” he said.He explained that the $7-millionfigure is the total estimated cost of the project and includes the UDAG portion. Van der Velde said the total includes cost of acquisition, construction and other costs. Hethe amount of federal govem-; money has not been determined.“It depends on the amount offederal involvement, terms of bank loans and other variable factors,he* said.CHARLES Ferguson, president of the Delaware County AFL-CIOCouncil, offered congratulations onthe mall project. “This is the kind of individual and corporate endeavor that has long been needed. Hopefully, it will have a positive effect on business and Industry. It is a project that will mean Jobs In various categories. What could be more Important in aneconomically-distressed urbanarea?,” he asked.hope to get it all together in the next two months and have a firming of plans by the end of March,” Erdman said.“If it comes about, it would be most significant and could start s trend that would show people that Chester’s problems had bottomed out and turned in the other direction“It would have a beneficial spinoff for the merchants who have remained in Chester and who have weathered the storm. There would be an employment potential and would be beneficial for retail business and services. Hopefully, it would mean jobs for Chester residents.”TMnt* ***#*lt; mm******ERDMAN SAID the mall would be/the type of business activity that would provide potential employment opportunities for trainees in the Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC). He said the mallucould provide work for city residents who sometimes are the lastgroup to benefit from expansion of the economy.”According to van der Velde, the mall would be “similar to the type of regional suburban shopping area but would be of slightly different size and configuration because it is an urban mall.”*Thanks to OPEN, our 24-hour banking serviceour OPEN card, justwe’re never closedWE THINK other people will want to come in because of the development activity. They willwant to get involved and this should precipitate movement of business into the area.Van der Velde said, “We have to keep moving all the pieces of this project, line up the financing and. To get yoi theast Naticome into any Southeast National Bank Office.SoutheastMember F.D.l.CNational BankHiebank.40 Health Agencies☆ Free Health TestingSponsored byMedia AreallltfMO UflUAt
Newspaper Details
Delaware County Daily Times
Chester, Pennsylvania, US
Fri, Feb 16, 1979
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Keith M.
NA, 23 Aug 2021
Other Publications Near Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester Reporter
Chester Evening Times
Delaware County Daily Times
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