They want a better quality of life. Perhaps not in the same manner, but in bits and pieces. We are beginning to. Lifestyle enhancements such as the world class Alabama Symphony, the Shakespeare Theater and the Space and Rocket Museum all add to Alabama s new and diverse environment which is conducive to creating further development of a positive retail environment. Better amenities beget higher paying jobs, which increases disposable income, which brings more and better retailers.
Retailing is now a much more competitive environment with greater sophistication.
The consumer is demanding more and we must build for them not for ourselves. As Richard Yeilding of Colonial Properties said recently about Birmingham s Brookwood Mall, Colonial is just responding to what today s shopper wants. The Summit at Birmingham was ahead of the national trend toward open-air centers with a finely edited tenant mix. It was built five years ago in response to a perceived demand for the time-starved consumer. We felt they wanted projects on a human scale.