RAPID CITY - After what seemed like a lull in
construction, work has resumed in earnest on the Rushmore Crossing
shopping center project south of Interstate 90.
And although Midland Atlantic Properties, the
developer of the project, has steadfastly refused to publicly name
any tenants, the company's leasing agent posted a sign on the
property that names four major tenants: Dillard's department store,
Barnes & Noble books, Target and Linens-N-Things.
"Our leasing agent who put that sign up was
getting a little ahead of himself," said John Silverman of Midland
Atlantic. "He's been disciplined." However, the sign was still up
Saturday.
So far, only Scheels has publicly announced its
plans. The sporting goods chain will build a 100,000-square-foot
retail store in Rushmore Crossing.
In addition to Rushmore Crossing, a
Cabela's-anchored retail project is in the planning stages to the
east between Exits 60 and 61 on Interstate 90.
Rushmore Crossing was the only one of the big
three projects to start moving dirt. Early this summer, the area
was abuzz as dozens of pieces of heavy equipment moved about 1.4
million cubic yards of dirt.
Although the bulldozers had been parked at the
Rushmore Crossing site for weeks, work was still going on,
Silverman said. Crews last week were putting in underground
utilities and building roads for the project. Next will come
parking lots and other site work.
"Sometimes, it looks like there are ants
crawling all over the property. That's what people were seeing.
When you put in utilities and roads, it goes very slowly,"
Silverman said. "It takes a lot of time to go vertical with
buildings."
Construction of the retail stores won't likely
start until November or December, he said. The first phase of the
project is scheduled to open in October 2008. The second portion of
the center will open in spring 2009, Silverman said.
