ABOUT WATERSIDE
* Location: Shallowford Road and I-75* What: Lifestyle center holding retail, hotel, planned residential* Retailers: Publix, REI, Burlington, small shops* Scope: Potential $100 million development, officials say* Developers: Branch Properties (404-832-8924); DeFoor Brothers
Off-price retailer Burlington plans to open a new store in May in the Waterside lifestyle center in East Brainerd, where Publix is slated to unveil its latest Chattanooga supermarket in March.
The 40,000-square-foot Burlington store will be located on Lifestyle Way in Waterside, near where outdoor retailer REI plans to open a unit in May, said Brett Horowitz of developer Branch Properties of Atlanta.
Also, Horowitz said Branch is working on a lease with a new-to-Chattanooga retailer to take up the 35,000 square feet of space that formerly held an hhgregg electronics store at Waterside, which is located off of Shallowford Road near Interstate-75.
In addition, about 40,000 square feet of small shop space at the center is under construction, he said.
"We're in discussions and negotiations over a large portion of that shop space," Horowitz said. "We're working on a lot of stuff right now."
It's all part of an estimated $40 million in new commercial space added to the Hamilton Place area in Waterside, which was originally developed by the DeFoor Brothers prior to the Great Recession more than a decade ago.
Burlington expects to employ up to 100 people, according to the company that also has a store at Northgate Mall in Hixson.
Plans are to feature ladies' apparel, accessories, men's wear, family footwear, children's clothing, a broad assortment of furniture and accessories for babies, home decor and gifts, and a large selection of coats at up to 65 percent off retailer prices, according to Burlington.
"We are thrilled to open a new Burlington in the Chattanooga community, bringing even more jobs to the neighborhood and providing local residents with a valued shopping experience," said Tom Kingsbury, president, CEO and chairman of Burlington Store.
Horowitz said Burlington has updated its stores over the past five years.
"They're as good as T.J.Maxx and Marshalls right now," he said.
Publix plans to open a 45,000-square-foot supermarket at Gunbarrel and McCutcheon roads in Waterside.
Outdoor clothing and gear retailer REI, which is based in Seattle, will have 25,000 square feet in the center.
"Chattanooga is a major outdoors market," Horowitz said. "It will hit that market well."
In addition to the commercial space, new residences are slated to come to Waterside after the retail goes up, he said.
Ken DeFoor of DeFoor Brothers said he expected that company to be involved in that part of the project.
In the past, developers have said that up to 300 new apartment units were in the works for Waterside.
Horowitz said Friday that the residential piece was undetermined at this point.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.