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The owners of The Mall at Shelter Cove are cleared to start building a major new movie theater in the struggling shopping center. They received the final go-ahead in early July when the Town Council approved a developer agreement and a rezoning that allows for special exception so the mall can add more density than it was previously allowed.
“They got their permits and are moving forward,” town manager Steve Riley said. The mall’s owner, Petrie Ross Ventures, will have five years to construct the 46,000-square-foot theater.
As part of the agreement, the mall is setting aside 5,000 square feet for the town to lease out to a community group.
The debate over whether to let the mall build the theater spanned two years and split council members and residents. Several council members opposed the proposal, saying the town should not be changing its development protections to benefit a private business owner. But others argued that the town needs to show more flexibility to keep the island fresh. The mall has been losing stores rapidly over the past few years, while other stores are on reduced rent agreements. The mall’s owner said that without the theater to provide an economic boost, the shopping center was in danger of shutting down.
