Summit Sierra Mall
This is a huge shopping mall with the most-upper-end stores to hit Reno yet. People in Tahoe and newbies from California shop this mall frequently, as it brings in high-end shopping that Reno currently lacks in other malls.
Size (total): 657,348 sf
Small shops: 368,829 sf
Anchors: 199,519 sf
Outparcels: 89,000 sf
Comments:
Post your commentsPosted by: Chris - 3/22/2007 9:02:08 AM
I don't pretend to have an answer to this, but why would people shop at a fake-urban district when they live in a place with a real-ruban district?
Posted by: John - 6/15/2007 10:46:38 AM
Now that the Summit Sierra is open, I am very disappointed in the glorified strip mall design. It is a really long walk from one end of the center to the other and there has to be a good 40-50 feet of elevation change making it a long hike back to your car if you park at the south end. The other major problem with the design is it provides almost no protection from the winds that come racing down the eastern side of the Sierra. Its a nice addition to Reno, but I do not think that it lives up to the hype given to the project.
Posted by: Mike Van H - 6/15/2007 11:12:03 AM
I agree, John. I shopped there the other day, and it was overcast and cooler, but I couldn't imagine strolling from one end to the other on a 95 degree day, or in the chill of winter. The stores are a nice addition, great shopping, but the layout stinks. Even worse, I found a bunch of stores centered in the middle betwen the two 'strips' that I had missed entirely on other visits because they don't connect with the other portions of it.
Posted by: Justin - 6/15/2007 1:50:21 PM
I agree as well. Based on the plans I have seen for the Legends at Sparks Marina, the layout should be much better at that "Lifestyle/Entertainment Center". Too bad they haven't really announced any major stores aside from Scheels. The thing with The Summit is that once completed it will be quite a bit bigger than what you see now. They own all the land West of the main entrance roundabout up to the freeway and plan to add another major anchor as well as a couple more restaurants and 20-30 more stores. There are also several small pads that will be built on to better "fill in" the center (1 next to Jared which will be U.S. Bank, 1 next to B.J.s', 1 next to Cortina and 1 next to Johnny Carino's). They do have a shuttle that goes around the center for those who don't want to walk, but it seems almost silly. Why not just get in your car and drive a few hundred feet? Truthfully though, I think they should have designed it so that the parking was on the outer edge of the buildings with all the stores clustered together in the center in rows with trees/awnings and generally more protection from the elements.
Posted by: T. - 8/7/2007 12:52:46 AM
Has anyone been to the Green Valley shopping center in Henderson? That is what I was hoping for. It is a walking main street with stores on either side of you. Like a 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Perfect for parking your car and walking everywhere, stores and restaurants on either side of you while walking down the middle with places to sit and socialize. They had said initally that the Summit would be modeled after Green Valley and it is nothing like it. Still a much needed and great addition to the City.
Posted by: Michelle - 9/15/2007 2:51:21 PM
Honestly, it just sounds like people are lazy and aren't happy with anything new built. Go somewhere else if you want to be lazy.... the summit is a great place and needed!!!!!!!!!! GO SUMMIT!!!
Posted by: Liz - 9/15/2007 2:58:56 PM
I totally disagree with anyone saying that it isn't that great and everything. The Summit is a great attraction, and it's good for a little exercise. I don't know why everyone has to complain about such a great mall. I go all the time to watch movies and what not, and everyone I know really likes it. I think more malls should be made out door!!! If people don't like the mall then go to a different one!!! It makes me mad that people are so lazy and that they don't want to walk around to get to one store to another!!!
Posted by: jason - 9/17/2007 11:01:53 AM
Unfortunately, Summit Sierra is a strip mall with nicer stores; there is no abience. Walking across a parking lot is not attractive. I do like some of the stores, but this upscale "mall" does fall short. The other writers, referring to true urban settings, and a together-feel, found in other markets are right on.
Posted by: Justin - 9/17/2007 7:37:19 PM
I don't think it's the walking that people are complaining about, but rather the layout. It is a nice center, but more of an upscale strip mall than a walkable outdoor mall like Downtown Plaza in Sac or the Premium Outlets in Folsom. I think more attention could have been paid to shielding patrons from the elements (sun, wind, rain/snow). When the project was announced I envisioned rows of stores clustered together with parking on the other edge of the center. Right now it looks like a bigger/slightly nicer version of Redfield Promenade at Kietzke & Virginia Street. On a side note, it looks like the Legends project will have a much more pedestrian oriented layout when complete. Too bad they haven't announced very many interesting retailers. I'm still hoping they have some cool stores like Urban Outfitters, Z Gallerie, Restoration Hardware, Fry's Electronics, etc. in store for us.
Posted by: Ray - 10/17/2007 2:26:26 PM
There is definitely nothing wrong with walking a bit, but the layout is absolutely horrible. Especially if you happen to have a stroller. I find myself getting in and out as quickly as possible because it is almost an inconvenience to try and go to more than one store, which is unfortunate because there are some really great stores that many people miss because of the way it is designed.
Posted by: Elaine - 10/23/2007 6:28:09 PM
I completey agree with Justin. I don't mind walking either but not in the blazing heat on the black top or how about the time I was caught in a hailstorm and had to duck into some store to wait it out. Also, have tried taking the shuttle as did not want to criss cross parking lot with traffic. Shuttle is inconvenient. Had to wait a long time and ended up just walking it even though we were sweating. Absolutely would be more inclined to shop and wander around if it was enclosed. Has anyone been to The Grove in LA? Now that's a shopping center, as mentioned before - parking on the outside, stores and walking paths on the inside - brilliant! Whoever designed and got paid for this nightmare shopping center totally bamboozled Reno officials!
Posted by: Justin - 10/24/2007 7:57:31 AM
Regarding The Summit, I went there this weekend and noticed that two of the fast-casual restaurants have closed (Charley's Grilled Subs & Tin-Star). Cortina also looked dead. I was also dissapointed to find out that the J. Crew is incredibly tiny and only carries women's clothing. On the plus side, they are planning on opening a King's Fish Market (Reno could use another seafood restaurant IMO). Given the housing market I don't expect to see much growth at the Summit for the next couple years. I'm also wondering what will become of Station Casino's project on Mt. Rose now that Station Casinos is being bought out.
Posted by: RenoSteve - 10/25/2007 12:55:36 AM
Justin, here are a couple of tidbits regarding Station Casinos. First, the "buy out" is not so much a change of management as it is a change of ownership. The Fertitta family - which manages the public company - has teamed with a private investment company to buy out the public shareholders and take the company private. The Fertittas will continue to manage the private firm. In Reno, Station announced last year that it would build two casinos, initially at Mt Rose and secondly near the convention center. In Feb of this year it completed the purchase of the parcel near the convention center. Late last month it completed the purchase - from the Summit Sierra folks - of the ground zoned Hotel Casino on Mt Rose Hwy. In total, the firm now owns almost 190 acres split about equally between ground zoned casino on the SW corner of Mt Rose and S Virgina, and the SE corner which is zone Mixed Use. Off the top of my head, I think they paid something like $15 million for the SE parcels and about $52 million or so for the SW parcels - most of which just closed in the Summit transaction. Near the convention center they have spent something like $14 million for just under 8 acres. According to press reports at the time the buyout plans were made public, a lot of the net worth of the public company resulted from "vast land holdings in the Las Vegas area". So, investing in land - as well as building and running casinos - seems to be part of their MO. Things have slowed in the South part of town. In addition to a soft real estate market, completion of the new freeway connection to Carson City - scheduled to be done in 2008 as recently as 18 months or so ago - has now been extended to 2011. So, it would not surprise me in the least if Station holds off a bit on their plans, waiting for local real estate to pick up and the delayed freeway to be completed. However, I see no particular reason to think that the "buyout" will change the management style or goals of the new entity. On the convention center site, I read a recent statement by the new head of the RSCVA touting the new skywalk (now under construction) that will soon connect the Atlantis to the Convention Center. She applauded the new skywalk and hoped that a similar connection might be made to another casino (apparently referring to the proposed Station Casino). Will market conditions delay one or both casinos? Very possibly. And, land speculation is also a possibile motive. Perhaps Stations will elect to just sit and wait for eventual land appreciation - as the south meadows area eventually fills out and open ground becomes even more valuable. Or, they "might" flip the construction schedule and perhaps build at the Convention Center before starting their southern project. I bet RSCVA and the City would love that outcome. Another gaming question with no obvious answer. What will Real Estate Affiliates, a California developer that has now purchased virtually the entire "block" bounded by Keystone, Vine, 5th and I-80 do with it? If 6th street is abandoned, I think the parcel can stretch to something like 11 acres (equivalent to about 4 normal downtown blocks). With its zoning recently changed to Hotel Casino, that offramp location seems a perfect spot for a new gaming operation, but who - if anyone - will operate it? Peppermill is still legally embroiled in its attempt to build a new casino in north Sparks and about to complete the $400 million expansion of its current location. Might they want a less contentious site for a new operation? Atlantis management has been rebuffed a couple times in new casino attempts - yet Farahi is quoted as saying he still wants to add another local operation. Might he want the Keystone site? Who knows what Stations might do. But, as the paragraph below indicates, some other Las Vegas entities are not shy about jumping into multiple Northern Nevada deals. Olympia Gaming partnered with Navegante group (Las Vegas based casino operators) recently developed the mushrooming Casino Fandango operation in Carson City. Navegante is also the new gaming operator for Grand Sierra Resort. In addition, Olympia Gaming recently closed on 12+ acres in the RED development by the Sparks Marina - ground which is already approved for a 1000 room hotel casino. So, Sparks Marina will apparently become the home of a third Northern Nevada gaming venture for this Las Vegas duo. There seems to be A LOT of SERIOUS casino interest in this area right now. I'll be surprised if at least a couple new regional operations are not constructed in the next few years.
Posted by: Justin - 10/25/2007 3:20:34 PM
Thanks for your great comment! It's good to have you on here to keep us up-to-date on various casino projects/happenings.
Posted by: Bugsy - 10/25/2007 6:38:55 PM
Nice information renosteve. Im glad to here the news. I would Love to see a large new hotel Casino in Downtown Reno..That partially why im excited about the Fitzgeralds overhall.
Posted by: Justin - 11/8/2007 4:13:59 PM
The Summit is getting some new tenants according to the RGJ: The Chocolate Bar, Charlotte Russe, U.S. Bank, Sephora, Lenscrafters, and U.S. Bank. They recently added Paper Moon & Gesture. A while back it was also reported in the RGJ a while back that they're also planning on adding a King's Fish House. Supposedly, management is also in talks w/ Tin Star's corporate office to get them re-opened. I actually liked their cheeseburger tacos.
Posted by: David - 12/11/2007 1:57:51 AM
After visiting this shopping center I realized how bad the design is. It is spread out like a huge big box shopping center. The center lacks character and design, and the bright yellow and green looks awfull. I think that reno should have built a lifestyle center that condenses all the shops onto one boulevard style center with parking surronding it like the new lifestyle center the fountains coming to Roseville Ca. I love the shops it offers but who wants to walk or take a shuttle across that parking lot? Has anyone been to the town center in Eldorado Hills CA? It has high end tuscany style design with a man made lake in the middle with spouting fountains and a bridge that takes you to the theatre on the other side of the lake.
Posted by: Justin - 12/11/2007 1:26:37 PM
You know, I'm secretly hoping that once the center gets more developed to the West end of the roundabout, they will fill in some of the current parking lot with more stores, trees, and fountains. This will create the need for more parking which could be placed in back where the storage center currently stands. Plus, having parking in back near the freeway would actually create a need for their shuttle I see no one using. As for the color scheme, I quite like it. It's certainly better than the sea of beige you see in most new construction. It's strange that Dillards doesn't match the rest of the center though.
Posted by: John Andrews - 12/12/2007 2:16:04 PM
Amen to David. I was so disappointed when our new "mall" turned out to be nothing more than a slightly spruced-up big-box stripmall. Maybe the new Park Lane will get it right.
Posted by: RenoRanger - 12/17/2007 10:25:23 AM
Wow what a bunch of whiners. I shop at the Summit regularly and its not that big of a deal to walk around the out door mall. Sure, its a glorified strip mall, but that's true of pretty much any outdoor mall. These stores are doing great, so obviously plenty of folks are using them. Its worth noting that Tin Star is shutting down pretty much all of its stores nation wide, so its not that the one at the Summit was doing poorly. As for Charley whatever, I'd heard that the owner just didn't feel like running it anymore. The mall is trying to find someone to bring it back, as it was doing ok. I drive by there every night and the big three (BJS, Cortina, Carnios) are always packed. Dinner or lunch there is always a huge crowd. Buffalo Wild Wings is generally packed as well.
Posted by: jamie - 2/14/2008 8:01:22 PM
the one and only real thing I have to say....who builds an outdoor mall where it snows during the winter and gets to be about 100 degree's in the summer. I was hoping for a layout that was somewhat like the Standford mall. Its an outdoor mall but yet it still has some coverage. Plus the parking lot is AROUND the mall...everything they build in reno is so half assed. I heard that the price to build malls is getting expensive, so instead of Reno waiting to gather a few more dollars they decided to half ass it.
Posted by: Susan - 6/24/2008 6:15:20 PM
Sierra Summit is not at all as advertised. I was expecting the Stanford Mall or Newport Beach concept. Those malls cocoon you within their spaces and make you forget that you are outside. Both food, retail and movie theater are mixed together. The shopping experience is fun because you stroll, eat, shop, and people watch. At Sierra Summit strip mall you park out front, run in, purchase and leave. Not at all elderly friendly, handicapped friendly or child friendly. Certainly the developers know of the defects in their project. Good try, but not a fun place to shop. All I see is cars, cars, cars. It is a hazzard to cross the lot to get to the other side. For all of you who like the mall and hate all this complaining I am glad you like the Sierra Summit, it is not the retailer's fault the mall is poorly designed. As for the shuttle; more proof that the design is poor.
Posted by: Martha Salazar - 8/13/2009 12:01:08 PM
I went on line to order a $100.00 gift card and the fee's were more then 10% of the value of the card. Shipping and Handling $4.72 Gift Card Fee $2.00 and $5.18 Processing Fee adding up tp $11.92. I can understand Shipping and Handling Fee's but not the other costs. I will be taking my business to another mall as this is pure greed
Posted by: Marilyn - 12/27/2011 2:09:20 PM
This is a great mall. I like the small-town community feel of the Summit Sierra Mall. I also like being able to drive and park near the store or restaurant I am going to. It is a great concept and is far better than any indoor mall for aesthetics and convenience. The merchants in this center are fantastic and have a great community spirit.
Posted by: Arch - 2/19/2013 12:31:34 AM
Honestly, this is a horrible layout. The Collection at Riverpark in Oxnard is what they should have inspired to. Santa Monica's 3rd Street Promenade is also a good idea. Glorified strip mall it certainly is. Capitalize on the vast and endless parking spaces and make more stores with them. Ever heard of parking garages? Sheez!
Posted by: C. T. G. - 2/9/2015 12:24:09 PM
This message is for some of the complainers. You should be grateful you even have a nice place to shop. If walking is such a problem for some of you maybe you shouldn't have legs and feet to use. Some people have just gotten too lazy to walk nowadays.