Mar 6, 2008

Push on at Century III to attract new retailersBy Maria SciulloPost-Gazette.com

It’s going to take big ideas to fill a very big mall.

Toward that end, said Century III manager Gina Mercorelli, management is going all-out to attract new retailers, both local and national, in addition to courting possible tenants in the medical, insurance or educational fields.

An open house was held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, with about 300 invitations sent out to real estate brokers and leasing agents.

“This is one way of spreading the word that we’re looking for tenants,” Ms. Mercorelli said. “At the beginning of the year, each of us in our departments sits down to set goals. It’s something we had planned…

“I always canvass [the competition], looking at other malls. This [open house] is just one more component of what we’re trying to do.”

The 1.3-million square foot Century III Mall opened in West Mifflin in 1979, with a renovation/expansion in 1997. Although two of its original anchor retailers remain — JCPenney and Sears — many smaller retailers have left and currently there are about 30 empty storefronts.

Turnover is not unusual in the shopping mall business, Ms. Mercorelli said, but the sheer size of Century III means there are more storefronts that must be filled.

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