Park Lane Updates Plans

by Mike Van Houten / Mar 21, 2009

Park Lane Promenade Updates Plans

3/21/09 - NEW PARK LANE PROMENADE PLANS - Thanks to super secret agent X for finding these for me. The Park Lane Promenade plans, which is being built at the former Park Lane Mall site on Plumb and South Virginia, have changed significantly since we last glanced at them. Construction starts this fall. If you haven't been by the Park Lane site in a while, Gotchalks, the last remaining attached building of Park Lane Mall, is now gone, a little pile of rubble. So let's look at the revised plans. You'll need to click the image below to see the high-rez pic in detail.

The buildings have been rearranged a bit for frontage on Virginia and Plumb Lane more, with the majority of parking in the center of the project; also the main 'drive lane' through the project to the movie theater has widened a bit, and more stores now front the drive lanes through the project. In my opinion, this takes the projects a few steps further away from strip-mall-status. A hotel has been added to the mix, although calling a 3-story drive up inn a hotel is a stretch, I think they called those motels back in the day.

There is still activity going on as well. It looks we may get the added bonus of removing some blight in the area.
Notice in the upper rendering there is a 'whited out' space in the lower right of the property with a dashed line around it. Agent X has conveniently highlighted that parcel in the image below.

The parcel highlighted above in white is apparently an old apartment structure that has been multi-parceled and converted to condos.  On the Park Lane Promenade development plan, this parcel  is “whited out” but not included in the plan – which may suggest that the developers are attempting to acquire the property. 
The two parcels to the west of the building and just south of the movie theater are INCLUDED as part of the redevelopment and part of the three major tenant stores sits on what is now an old mobile home park.  County files do not yet show a change of ownership, but the existing owner has done some recent ownership changes – shifting to LLC ownership – that suggests that maybe they are preparing to do something with the property.  Developers undoubtedly now either own the property or have a solid option to purchase.

Tagged under: Midtown Reno | Park Lane |
Post your comments
  • March 21, 2009 - 9:53:15 AM

    The layout reminds me quite a bit of The Summit, which isn't the greatest compliment. I hope more than anything that they're able to attract some quality stores/restaurants to the area, but in this economic climate I have my doubts. I personally am hoping for any of the following: Restoration Hardware, Cheesecake Factory, McCormick & Schmicks, California Pizza Kitchen, Red Mango Frozen Yogurt, Fry's Electronics, Crate & Barrel, H&M, Z Gallerie, etc. The close proximity to downtown should be a positive for the developer. Many tourists would likely shop here if they had enough big name retailers/restaurants.

  • March 21, 2009 - 3:11:09 PM

    I agree with Justin. Parking in the center means people have to walk everywhere. This thing looks like crap and they need to get back to the drawing board and do something original. Walking districts... underground parking or parking structure with several places packed into the property. This just looks like park lane mall disconnected and without a roof. It is sad that this is the best thing they could come up with... maybe they need to look at 3rd street promenade in Santa Monica or even a small portion of the shopping districts in bigger cities. This just truly looks like a prototypical Reno shopping center... it's depressing. Too bad developers in Reno don't address character, originality, and fresh design.

  • March 23, 2009 - 9:24:49 AM

    Another shopping center, thats all this will be. Nice and Open too. I love going store to store when its 10 degrees out side, Not! Well OK Then.

  • March 23, 2009 - 8:54:06 PM

    Just build it, it means more retail and more jobs. Benefiting the city

  • March 24, 2009 - 3:55:15 AM

    No rational developer is going to try to position a property on the corner of Plumb and S. Virginia as anything more than a neighborhood mall - clearly what M&H has planned. The property is too far from the freeway to house a destination type mall, which is exactly why the original Park Lane Mall ultimately failed when the city grew and its primary traffic arteries changed. The new "anchor" is apparently going to be a Walmart, Target or similar, surrounded by a four 30K sf "majors." As proposed, it will be a nice addition to local shopping and dining but not at all comparable to Meadowood, Summit or Legends. Next candidate for the wrecking ball - Old Town Mall.

  • February 10, 2010 - 12:08:36 AM

    I was just doing some exploring on the Internet and came across something in Boulder Colorado called the Twenty Ninth Street. Formerly a shopping mall (of similar design to Park Lane based on old Google Earth images), the entire thing was demolished (save for 2 buildings and a parking structure) and completely redesigned. A 2-lane street runs through the site of the old mall, with curbside parking along wide sidewalks in front of the new shops. Looking at it reminds me of Santana Row in San Jose without the housing, or The Legends with a low-traffic street running through the middle. From the looks of things, it seems to have completely turned around a failing mall into something much more successful. Something like this may be just what is needed at the old Park Lane property.

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