Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Jim Cramer
K2 Group, LLC
132 North Woods Blvd.
Suite C-2
Columbus, OH 43235
Phone: 614 430.9960
www.k2realtygroup.com
info@k2realtygroup.com
GROUND BROKEN FOR $26 MILLION LIFESTYLE CENTER IN DUBLIN, OHIO;
Anchor Tenants Announced
Columbus, OH - September 16, 2006 - Bringing upscale specialty retail and dining to Dublin, developers Jim Cramer and Dean Kissos of K2 Group broke ground today for construction of The Shoppes at River Ridge, a $26 million lifestyle retail center of approximately 100,000 square feet situated on 15 acres at the gateway to Historic Dublin. The ceremony was held at 10 a.m. at the site located on the southeast corner of Riverside Drive and Route 161. More than 60 people attended the event including Marilee Chinnici-Zuercher, Mayor of the City of Dublin, Margie Amorose, Executive Director of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, and a number of those representing area businesses.
Sunflower Market, California Pizza Kitchen, Coldwater Creek, Jos. A. Bank, Acorn and others have committed to the project. John Sturm, Vice President of Sunflower Markets is excited about opening its newest store in The Shoppes at River Ridge. “Our goal is to be a community store that really fits in with the unique charm and character of Dublin,” Sturm said. “Our store is conveniently located for both local residences and area businesses. It’s a great location for us.”
Breaking ground adds a new level of enthusiasm to the project, said Cramer. “Smaller neighborhood lifestyle centers are starting to pop up throughout the country in communities like Dublin that can support such a destination retail project. Breaking ground takes us to the next level, letting residents know something new and different is coming.” He added, “When it opens, The Shoppes at River Ridge will be a unique place to spend a day, offering more thoughtful landscaping and pedestrian design and an environment meant to restore some of the traditional enjoyment of shopping as a social activity, while also being efficient.”
By the time of the grand opening in the Fall of next year, the center will boast an organic market, high-end fashion retailers, specialty shops and great restaurants in a relaxed, pedestrian-friendly atmosphere. According to Kissos, “The dining venues will be unlike any other in Central Ohio, offering dramatic views overlooking an expansive park-like area along Riverside Drive and the neighboring Scioto River Valley.” The developers said their design draws on the character of Historic Dublin that fits well within the city’s landscape. “We have no doubt it is an environment that will draw frequent visitors,” Kissos said.
Commenting further, Kissos discussed the strategy that has allowed the upscale retail project to move forward. “We approached Dublin with the concept of a public-private partnership in order to ensure The Shoppes at River Ridge would augment the city’s master-planning, complement the current architecture, and create a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood environment designed to extend the Historic district to the east side of the Scioto and increase the activity in this important area of town.”
Dublin Mayor Marilee Chinnici-Zuercher praised the project. "The Shoppes at River Ridge will fit right in with the character of the area. The lifestyle center will provide an extension of the pedestrian-friendly shopping experience found across the river in Historic Dublin." In addition, Chinnici-Zuercher said, "K2 Group has done a great job in working with the City of Dublin in the development of this project. We look forward to a good and long-lasting relationship.”
For more on the groundbreaking, K2 Group or The Shoppes at River Ridge, go to www.theshoppesatriverridge.com.
K2 Group is a Columbus, Ohio based commercial real estate development and advisory firm that specializes in lifestyle center development and providing real estate-related services to its clients. The development focus of K2 is to create “quality of life” projects that incorporate innovative design principles while promoting the neighborhood character and integrity of established communities.
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