Chandler Fashion Mall, a $200-million retail project that is being developed by Phoenix-based Westcor, is nearly 90% leased. Apple Computer, which plans to build 25 stores this year, is the latest signing. The stores, which follow in the footsteps of Gateway Computer stores, are the first retail outlets for Apple Computer. Mall officials at Biltmore Fashion Park, at the northeast corner of 24th Street and Camelback Road, in Phoenix have confirmed that it too will be getting an Apple store.

The 1.3 million-sf Chandler Fashion Mall, which is five months from its scheduled opening, will have some retailers that are new to the Valley among the 150 or so tenants that will populate the space. Some of the new tenants are Eddie Bauer Home, Pottery Barn Kids and apparel seller J. Jill. The mall will be anchored by long-time market residents, like Nordstrom, Robinson-May, Dillard's, Sears, Cheesecake Factory, Barnes and Noble and a 20-screen Harkin's Theaters movie complex.

The mall is under construction at the southwest corner of Chandler Boulevard and Loop 101. The Loop 101, or Price Freeway, links Chandler to the freeway system for the first time.

Adjacent to the mall will be two power centers, Chandler Gateway and Chandler Festival, which are also under development by Westcor. The developer plans to build a hotel, neighborhood shopping center and two office projects along the southern edge of the 320-acre parcel, which is adjacent to the San Tan Freeway. The San Tan Freeway, which will run east to west, is scheduled to be built sometime in the next decade.

Chandler Fashion Mall is the first mall to be built in the Valley since Arizona Mills, which is at the southeast corner of Interstate 10 and Superstition Freeway. Westcor's lead leasing agent, Fred Collings, says the mall is being designed to cluster stores with similar merchandise. It's a feature that retailers now want, he says. Chandler Fashion Square will include Westcor's latest mall concept, the indoor-outdoor design that melds an outdoor shopping plaza to an indoor mall.

Westcor is one of Arizona's most active and most successful retail developers. The Phoenix-based firm owns more than 34 shopping center, including 10 regional malls, 18 urban villages and six specialty centers. The company owns more than 13 million sf of retail space, valued at more than $1 billion. Some of its major centers are Paradise Valley Mall, Arrowhead Towne Center, The Borgata of Scottsdale, Superstition Springs Mall and Scottsdale Fashion Square.