Construction under wraps at 72nd, Dodge
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At 7013 Dodge, the former USA Baby building east of Fuddruckers could undergo a makeover that would separate it from that strip center's Western motif, a broker for the property said.
Jason Levy, the Lund Co. broker representing the 11,000-square-foot building formerly occupied by USA Baby, said his firm has hired an architect to draw renderings with a modern, glass-and-stone facade that would break away from the Western theme of the neighboring Wolf Bros. Western Store.
Levy said Wolf Bros. is a staple in the strip center but that Lund wanted to offer an alternative storefront for the neighboring space, which had been occupied for 25 years by USA Baby.
"The facade of the entire center has that Western motif. That is good for their (Wolf Bros.) business, but for somebody else, they would probably want to see something different," Levy said. "There may be a tenant who would want the space as is and just modify the interior."
Giving tenants choice is one way Lund is competing in the highly competitive corridor and in a more competitive retail market.
The broker also is marketing the building's basement as free of charge, or a "bonus space" to accommodate inventory or storage.
"Retail right now is not what it was two years ago," he said. "The bottom line is you have to get that much more creative in your projects. There are plenty of opportunities out there. You just have to find them."
The site's value is represented by the long stays of businesses like Wolf Bros. and USA Baby, which closed when the owner retired, Levy said.
