CONCORD, CA—CenterCal Properties' The Veranda is a 375,000-square-foot lifestyle destination that will include the Bay Area's first Whole Foods 365, more than 50 other tenants and event programming in a public space. The development is part of efforts by the city of Concord to revitalize the Diamond District and increase commercial activity in the submarket.
The centerpiece of the project is a musically choreographed $1.7 million water feature. Outside the Lines, a design-build construction company that specializes in creating water features, rockwork and themed environments, was the developer of the water feature. J. Wickham Zimmerman, chief executive officer of Outside the Lines, recently discussed destination retail's value, the unique aspects of the Concord project and the most successful entertainment components.
GlobeSt.com: We all know that retail destinations are seeking new forms of entertainment. In your experience, what types of entertainment have been the most successful?
Zimmerman: Interactive entertainment is most successful in retail. Today's owners and developers must go beyond what's expected and elevate entertainment offerings in order to draw consumers in. Features such as show fountains, image mapping, fire effects and laser/light spectacles are becoming prominent fixtures in the most successful retail developments around the world.
A good example of this is the Island in Pigeon Forge, an upscale retail and entertainment complex in Pigeon Forge, TN, where our firm installed a multi-million-dollar show fountain that combines color-changing lights, music and 60-foot-high fountain jets. The developer invested in customized show-programming technology for the fountain, which is the same software used in high-end concert spaces and theaters. The show fountain now provides entertainment equivalent to a professional concert conveniently placed in the middle of the Pigeon Forge community. The 14 different water and light shows that play throughout the day are now a staple in the neighborhood, drawing crowds and ultimately increasing the success of the development.
Live entertainment is also becoming a staple at many retail developments, and builds upon this idea of interactivity. Owners and developers that incorporate well-designed programmable space into shopping centers can then use these areas to bring in entertainment ranging from pop-up concerts, to farmers markets, casino nights to kids events. Programmable space provides a constantly evolving form of entertainment and draws in a variety of guests and shoppers.
GlobeSt.com: How was the Veranda shopping center different from other retail destinations you've worked on?
Zimmerman: The Veranda project was the first of its kind to invite the community to have a say in the development process. CenterCal Properties held a social media contest to determine the song to accompany the fountain's inaugural show. The direct consumer engagement amplified excitement and interest from the surrounding community, and will drive foot traffic to the development as more stores open.
GlobeSt.com: When Outside the Lines is hired by center developers, how does your work make those projects more successful?
Zimmerman: The value we deliver to our clients is increased revenue based on our involvement in their developments. More specifically, the developers we work with have found that our projects drive foot traffic to centers and increase customers' length of stay. This in turn increases sales and attracts high-quality tenants.
The fact is, today's customers often come for the entertainment, but stay to shop. For example, CenterCal Properties invested in a large show fountain at The Village at Meridian, a multi-million dollar retail center in Idaho. During the construction of the fountain basins and waterfall, many of the food and beverage tenants located around the water feature requested additional patio space with views of the show. CenterCal capitalized on this demand, and monetized these formerly non-revenue generating spaces. The developer now offers fountain-view patio spaces to tenants at premium rents, which tenants are more than willing to pay to attract larger crowds.
GlobeSt.com: In what ways are retail destinations elevating entertainment offerings?
Zimmerman: Retail entertainment is evolving beyond traditional entertainment attractions like movie theaters and bowling alleys. While these tenants still draw guests, public space entertainment is on the rise. These offerings are generally free to the public, and give community members a place to gather and relax. Beyond the free show aspect of public space entertainment, many retail developers are benefiting from connections with the local community that deliver authenticity and cultural significance to their projects.
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Lisa Brown
Lisa Brown is an editor for the south and west regions of GlobeSt.com. She has 25-plus years of real estate experience, with a regional PR role at Grubb & Ellis and a national communications position at MMI. Brown also spent 10 years as executive director at NAIOP San Francisco Bay Area chapter, where she led the organization to achieving its first national award honors and recognition on Capitol Hill. She has written extensively on commercial real estate topics and edited numerous pieces on the subject.
