ICSC Legislator Site Visit: Congressman McHenry at Asheville Mall

In late July Brad Rogers, Matthieu Rodriguez, and Casey Corbin of CBL Properties and ICSC Federal Legislative Manager Tyler McIntosh hosted Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC) for a site visit of the Asheville Mall in Asheville, North Carolina. Owned and managed by CBL & Associates Properties, Inc., the mall features more than 110 specialty shops and is anchored by Belk, Dillard’s, JC Penney, Barnes & Noble Bookseller and Ulta.

Congressman McHenry toured the property as mall representatives shared their center vision and strategies, economic impacts, and community partnerships. They highlighted the center’s multi-million dollar renovation that began in 2017 to provide a refreshed look and upgraded amenities that aim to make the shopping experience more enjoyable. Enhancements included a contemporary color palette, new carpeted seating areas and furniture, upgraded fixtures and a lighting package utilizing energy efficient LED bulbs, among numerous other improvements.

As part of the tour, Congressman McHenry also met two local small business owners who have thrived thanks in part to their partnership with the Asheville Mall. He spoke with Mariko Walker, who opened Monogram Asheville in the mall as a kiosk over two years ago and has expanded to four full stores in the area. He then sampled a “Döner Kebab,” courtesy of Mitchell Marecki, owner of The Döner - Kebabs & Falafels, who brought Europe's most popular fast food to the Asheville Mall in 2016.

Additional redevelopment is on the horizon at the Asheville Mall, as plans have been submitted for a multi-million dollar redevelopment of a recently closed Sears location. Plans include the addition of new stores and restaurants, a 10-screen movie theater and a six-story housing structure with 204 multifamily units.

ICSC Legislator Site Visits are designed to educate legislators on trends and issues facing the retail real estate industry. If you are interested in scheduling a legislator (Governor, state legislator, Mayor or Member of Congress) site visit, please contact the ICSC Office of Global Public Policy at (202) 626-1400.