METAIRIE, La. — Two Jefferson Parish malls have new life breathing into them.
On Wednesday, the Ochsner Medical Complex - Clearview will open its doors for its first clinic visits in part of what used to be the Sears building.
“Over 250 clinic visits tomorrow, 44 mammograms tomorrow, 18 MRIs scheduled tomorrow. So, we’re ripping the Band-Aid off on day one," Ochsner South Shore CEO, Rob Wolterman said.
Wolterman said at Tuesday's ribbon cutting that it's hard to believe it used to be Sears.
“We’re actually in the Women’s bathing suit section of Sears," Wolterman said.
Sears went bankrupt in 2018 and announced its doors would close at Clearview in March 2019.
Since then, Ochsner has invested around $115 million into transforming it into the medical facility it is today.
“There certainly is some cost benefit to utilizing the exterior shell," Wolterman said.
Meanwhile, in Kenner, the Esplanade Mall has new owners.
Our partners at NOLA.com reported last week that an Illinois-based real estate group closed on the Macy's and mall.
Dillard's and Target were not part of the sale and remain open.
President and CEO of Stirling Properties, Marty Mayer, has experience with transforming malls such as the Hammond Square Mall.
“Which was a very troubled mall and now it is a very popular, thriving, open-air center," Mayer said.
The developers of the Esplanade Mall told the Times-Picayune plans are up in the air.
An open-air center is off the table due to our climate, but apartments, a grocery store, hotel and food hall are still possibilities.
Mayer explained that malls have grades.
“The A malls are the ones that are well located and highly successful. Here in Louisiana, Lakeside Mall is an A mall. Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge would be an A mall. Those are going to be here to stay and those are very successful," Mayer said.
Malls with B or C grades like Clearview and Esplanade face a different future: de-malling.
Mayer said this has been happening across the country for the last decade, but it was fast-tracked by the pandemic.
“COVID accelerated trends that were happening across the board in the way people shop," Mayer said.
As we await the future of the Esplanade, Clearview now offers medical treatment next door to Target.
The medical complex also has valet parking, a drive-thru pharmacy and some retail options.
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