ajor Mall Coming To Southside Area In Jacksonville

Two major mall developers, Simon Property Group and Ben Carter Properties, are collaborating to build St. Johns Town Center, a major new mall in Jacksonville to open in Spring 2005 on the northwest corner of Butler Boulevard and Florida 9A. The 200-acre site will feature 1,446,247 square feet of retail space, 204 hotel rooms, 450 dwelling townhomes and apartments and 50 proposed buildings. Engineer is England, Thims & Miller Inc.; surveyor is R.M. Angas Inc.; owner and developer is St. Johns Town Center LLC, comprising Simon Property Group and Ben Carter Properties.

The developers are trying to attract upscale retailers including Nordstrom's, Saks 5th Avenue and Neiman Marcus. The companies have already signed Dillard's, Dick's Sporting Goods, Barnes & Noble, Target, Ashley Furniture, Office Max, DSW Shoes, Ross, PetSmart. Eateries committed to opening in St. Johns Town Center are P.F. Chang's, Cheesecake Factory, Maggiano's and Champps.

Simon already operates The Avenues and Orange Park Mall in the Jacksonville area. It last collaborated with Ben Carter Properties on the 1.7 million square-foot Mall of Georgia, which opened in 1999.