'Too early' to identify new tenant for Macy's space; 'good momentum' on former Sears building

A day after it was announced the Macy’s department store at Cape Girardeau’s West Park Mall will close this spring, the mall’s management company said Wednesday it is “too early” to formulate plans to find a new tenant for the Macy’s space.

“We will work with the owners of the mall to identify and pursue opportunities to replace it (Macy’s), but it’s too early to provide any concrete details,” said Stacey Keating of CBL Properties. Keating is senior director of public relations and corporate communications for CBL, which is based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

A spokesperson for Macy’s corporate offices confirmed Tuesday the store will close sometime in the next two to three months, possibly as early as mid-March.

West Park Mall is owned by LNR Property LLC in Miami, Florida, according to the Cape Girardeau County property map posted on the county assessor’s website.

The Macy’s store at West Park Mall, originally known as Famous Barr when the mall opened in 1981, occupies approximately 100,000 square feet of the mall’s retail space. It is one of 45 Macy’s locations the national retail chain plans to close in 2021 as part of a multi-year downsizing strategy.

Sears building status

As CBL properties and mall ownership begin mapping a plan for future use of the Macy’s location, a developer in Kansas City, Missouri, says plans for the vacant Sears Grand building on Siemers Drive are moving forward.

The 150,000-square-foot Sears building has been unoccupied since October 2019.

Andy Crimmins, founding partner of Crossroads Retail Group in Kansas City told the Southeast Missourian this week there is “good momentum” with retailers who have expressed interest in occupying space in the building.

He said he anticipates the project to move forward “in 30-60 days.”

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