Redevelopment of the Har Mar Mall in Roseville stepped forward this week when an agreement was signed to replace a portion of the former theaters with a Staples office products superstore, and D'Amico & Sons got the green light to build a new restaurant.
The Roseville City Council approved an amendment to the Har Mar land use plan this week so that the former Firestone auto service center can be torn down and rebuilt as a D'Amico -- as early as this summer.
The council also approved the demolition of the former Ground Round restaurant building at the shopping complex, clearing the way for a more upscale sit-down restaurant, developers said.
The changes are the latest steps in the redevelopment of the Har Mar Mall, which came under new ownership a ye.ar ago this month. The goal is to revitalize the 40-year-old mall, which more than 40,000 cars drive by each day, said Jamie Swanson, regional operations director for Emmes Realty Services, which manages the property.
"It's been a good week for us," Swanson said. "We got approval to redevelop the out lots -- the former Firestone and Ground Round buildings. And getting a signed agreement with Staples is a big deal."
Roseville officials also are pleased with progress on one of the city's signature shopping districts. The mall is a big part of Roseville's business history -- pre-dating even Rosedale -- and it has name recognition across the Twin Cities, they said.
"We are excited to have the mall updated," said Mayor Craig Klausing. "It's an important retail development in Roseville, and we like to see those businesses remain competitive."
But it's also important for the people living in the neighborhood adjacent to Har Mar, Klausing said, because deteriorating commercial districts can often lead to deteriorating residential areas. In fact, development plans include adding landscaping and screening to help shelter the buildings from their residential neighbors, he said.
