By Chris Cannon
ANTIOCH, Tenn. - A large crowd came out Thursday night to hear from
state, city and civic leaders about the plan to try to jump start the Hickory
Hollow business district.
Council Lady Jacobia Dowell organized the town hall meeting. Hickory Hollow
Mall sits in her council district.
"What we're going through, many communities in America are experiencing
the very same thing. What do we do with this space?" Dowell said.
The mall is the centerpiece of the decline in the southeast part of
Nashville. But revitalizing the shopping center is not the only portion of
Antioch's comeback plan.
"Our goal has been, and it continues to be, to try to retain the
businesses we have, but more than that, we know in order to keep businesses we
need to add jobs," said Dowell.
Recruiters from the city, state and chamber of commerce are working to sell Hickory
Hollow and the space available there to companies looking to expand. Right now,
three companies are seriously considering the area.
HCA is currently building a new data center that will bring dozens of new
jobs to Hickory Hollow.
The nearly empty mall is at the heart of the area. The enclosed portion of
the property has a new owner.
At the meeting, concerned residents asked questions about the mall's future.
"Is there anyone in the works? We don't have to know names, we just
want to know is there anyone coming," one person asked.
"We have approximately, probably maybe 25 to 30 real good leads going,
but we have 20 real good commitments, and it's going to be retailers you feel
comfortable shopping at and you're going to want," said Mark Nobles the
attorney for Global Mall Partnership.
The mall's new owners will make an announcement in January about the new
tenants moving into the mall.
Nobles also raised the question if the mall will retain the Hickory Hollow
name. He said members of the owner's partner are considering changing the name
of the shopping mall.
Several stores, including Electronic Express, Foot Locker and Champs Sports
are still operating at Hickory Hollow Mall.
email: ccannon@newschannel5.com
