Gautier is getting a transformed Town Center development. But what about Belk?
The city recently bought property all around the Belk store on U.S. 90, which begs the question: How will it fit into the city’s Town Center plans?
Belk, a long-time department store chain based in Charlotte, NC, had for decades been an anchor of the Singing River Mall as both Belk and McRae’s. When the mall was torn down in 2014, Belk remained. It owns the building and parking lot and has stood solo as the city’s remaining big box.
The company has more than 290 Belk stores in 16 states and, according to the Charlotte Observer earlier this year, vowed to keep its stores open after a quick Chapter 11 that left the company with $225 million in new capital, extended terms on its loans and $450 million less debt.
The Chapter 11, which allows a company to reorganize, came in the wake of the cornavirus, which caused a major drop in sales nationwide.
Then on Nov. 9, the city closed on the $5 million purchase of the former Singing River Mall property, 55 acres, with hopes to redevelop around Belk.
Belk has never expressed any intention of leaving, Mayor Casey Vaughan told the Sun Herald this week. “We’re working with Belk to make this a downtown area. The intent is to keep Belk. No one wants any business to leave Gautier.”
The 55 acres were bought mostly with Gulf Coast Restoration funds and some state bond money.
Gautier City Manager Paula Yancey said, “We are hoping for a mixed-use development, but we have no definite plans as to a layout or commitments yet since we only recently purchased the property.
“At this point, we do know that the Mississippi Songwriters Performing Arts Center will be located on the northwest quadrant and a 14,000-square-foot amphitheater will be directly across the street at the Town Commons Park,” she said.
“We do not currently have a redevelopment contract with a developer. We do have a contract with an economic development consultant who is assisting us both with the amphitheater and with attracting retail,” she’s said.
Yancey said the city has no plans to purchase Belk as part of the redevelopment.
“I am not able to comment on Belk’s long-term plans to stay in Gautier, but I have not received any notice that Belk has intentions to leave,” she said. “Any development plans we execute on the land we purchased will be of benefit to existing businesses.”
