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PLANS FOR THE next stage
Ramco-Gershenson Properties Trust plans to begin construction of two mixed-use buildings on the south side of the center's Main Street in June and tear down Regal Aquia 10 in July so it can be replaced with a larger, high-tech cinema.
The idea, said Edward Wizner, the company's vice president of development/redevelopment, is to create a place similar to downtown Fredericksburg where people can live, work, shop, and go out to eat and be entertained.
The two mixed-use buildings, which would be completed by the third quarter of 2011, will have retail and restaurant space on the first floor. So far, only the Bungalow Ale House, a casual-fare restaurant with darts, billiard tables and DJs on weekends, has signed a lease. It's expected to open next summer.
"We'll have 24 to 30 different brews on tap," said owner Keith Early.
The top three floors of the buildings will have "higher-end" apartments and a fitness room, Wizner said. The target market will be young people without children, empty-nesters and, given the location, military officers.
Between these two buildings will be a plaza with a pool and the leasing office.
Regal Cinema will replace its 10-screen theater in the town center with a 14-screen, all-digital theater with stadium seating, said spokesman Richard M. Grover. It will cover more than 55,000 square feet and have more than 2,400 seats.
"It will be a very dramatic change," Wizner said. "It will be almost three times the size of the existing theater."
Regal also plans to begin renovation in August on its Regal Fredericksburg 15 theater in Central Park. Once completed, the theater will feature additional stadium seating, a new lobby including a concession area and box office, and new seating throughout.
Ramco-Gershenson has been trying to revitalize what used to be known as Aquia Towne Center ever since Shoppers Food Warehouse moved to Stafford Marketplace in 2004.
The developer tore down the vacant grocery store and replaced it with a 100,000-square-foot, five-story office building. Currently Northrop Grumman Corp. occupies the top three floors, the second floor is fully leased, and there are potential tenants for the remaining 10,000 square feet on the first floor, Wizner said.
Eventually, the company would like to build two or three more 100,000-square-foot office buildings at the town center. There's also room between the office building and Main Street that could be developed.
"We hope to have a hotel on that site," Wizner said. "We know the demand is there and it's feasible to have one, but it likely would be built later as well."
Cathy Jett: 540/374-5407
Email: cjett@freelancestar.com
