The Summit, which opened in October 1997, is a 1 million square foot (93,000 m
2) upscale
lifestyle center
A lifestyle center (American English), or lifestyle centre (Commonwealth English), is a shopping center or mixed-used commercial development that combines the traditional retail functions of a shopping mall with leisure amenities oriented toward ...
located at the intersection of
U.S. Highway 280 and
Interstate 459 in
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% f ...
.
Development
Bayer Properties, the owner and developer of the center, planned its construction over multiple phases. The first phase was a collection of 30 retailers and restaurants including Parisian (now Belk) and Barnes & Noble that originally opened with the center in 1997. The second phase included an additional 20 retailers including Gap in 1999. The third phase was opened in 2001 with the anchor of Saks Fifth Avenue. The fourth phase opened in 2005 and includes some 20 to 30 additional retailers and restaurants, bringing the center to nearly 1 million square feet (93,000 m
2). A fifth expansion will include a luxury hotel and 15 story condo tower, in addition to extra retail space.
In 2000, the center averaged US$500 in retail sales per square foot (US$5380 per
sq m), compared to a national average of US$358 (US$3852 per
sq m) that same year. In promotional literature that the developer provides to prospective retail tenants, Bayer claims that customers currently spend $117 per visit, compared to a national average of $87.
Bayer Properties has trademarked the brand "The Summit" and is in process of building other centers featuring the Summit name brand in other markets. The first of these opened in
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
, in 2001, while another center in
Reno, Nevada
Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is th ...
, opened in 2007. Additional Summit lifestyle centers are being developed in
Bethlehem Township, Pennsylvania,
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County. By population, it is the second-largest city in Kentucky and 57th-largest city in the United States. By land area, it is the country's 28th-largest ...
, and suburban
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...
.
Lawsuit against Belk
When Belk took over the Parisian chain from Saks and announced plans to convert Parisian stores to the Belk nameplate, Bayer filed a
lawsuit
-
A lawsuit is a proceeding by a party or parties against another in the civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. The term "lawsuit" is used in reference to a civil act ...
against Belk, contending that the Belk brand was not as upscale as Parisian, and that the conversion violated a covenant requiring Belk to occupy the space with a "first-class" retail store. The suit was settled in 2007. Terms of the settlement were not made public, but Belk did announce plans to make the store a "flagship" store — its first such location outside North Carolina, and third overall in the chain — with upgraded brand names and lines over and above their standard offerings.
The name change took place in September 2007.
See also
*
List of leading shopping streets and districts by city
A shopping street or shopping district is a designated road or quarter of a city/town that is composed of individual retail establishments (such as stores, boutiques, restaurants, and shopping complexes). Such areas will typically be pedest ...
*
The Summit (Reno)
The Summit Reno is an upscale lifestyle center located in Reno, Nevada. The center opened in 2007 and it is owned by Birmingham, Alabama-based Bayer Properties.
It offers more than 65 stores with different goods. It is located on the address of 1 ...
*
Paddock Shops
The Paddock Shops is a shopping complex in the east end of Louisville, Kentucky USA, billed as a lifestyle center. Originally known as The Summit of Louisville, it is currently owned by Boston-based CPT Capital Management and managed by Chicago-ba ...
, a similar center in Louisville, Kentucky previously known as The Summit of Louisville
References
External links
The Summit Official WebsiteBayer Properties web siteInternational Council of Shopping Centers article on Lifestyle Centers
{{DEFAULTSORT:Summit Birmingham
Shopping districts and streets in the United States
Buildings and structures in Birmingham, Alabama
Shopping malls in the Birmingham, Alabama metro area
Shopping malls established in 1997
Lifestyle centers (retail)