If you've driven by NorthPark Mall recently, you may have noticed three former restaurants that had been sitting empty, are now gone. Rudy's Tacos, the former Chi-Chis Mexican Restaurant and the Royal Wok have all been recently demolished. And those we talked to hope buildings coming down translates into an uptick in growth.
For more than 20 years, Marcia LaMar has worked at Carpetland USA and has been able to see the Brady Street Corridor from her desk. She says she's seen a lot of change in that time. "It has slowed down," LaMar says. "You know, we don't have the things, the going thing now is out on 53rd. We'd like to get it back."
She says those restaurants coming down could be a start, telling us "Rudy's was literally falling down, and that's sad to see." LaMar says the store she works at is a destination, and she'd like see retail and restaurants built that would be the same. "Everybody goes to NorthPark and goes shopping. I'd like to have a nice date restaurant, where the husband and wife can take a weekend without the kids, an evening."
Davenport Senior Planning Manager Matt Flynn says, "I think given location and zoning, it's probably open to a number of possibilities." He says those could include restaurants, retail and even office space. He tells us land near 53rd and Elmore is becoming scarce and downtown has a lot of momentum. "We've got that kind of first and second generation, suburban, commercial areas that need our attention." Why he says he's not ruling out the Brady Street Corridor as the next building boom. While many malls are struggling, NorthPark is doing well. And Flynn says that makes the land sitting virtually next to it more attractive.
Marcia LaMar is hoping it attracts a buyer and a developer soon. "We've been here. Don started this 40 years ago, but I mean, we're here. We're here to stay, so we want things to improve."
