Looking for tenants

Page Dowdy/Chesterfield Observer The Beaufont Center has a new name (Spring Rock Green) and a new owner who hopes to re-energize the aging shopping center located at the intersection of Midlothian Turnpike and Chippenham Parkway. The Bond Companies is pushing ahead to redevelop Spring Rock Green (formerly Beaufont Center) in spite of today's lessthan cheery retail environment. Earlier this year, the company bought the 41-acre site on Midlothian Turnpike opposite Cloverleaf Mall to refurbish the center for 330,000 square feet of retail, 120,000 square feet of office and some light industrial.

With a background in the grocery business, Senior Vice President Chris Pine is still pursuing a food store.

"With 100,000 vehicles going by daily on Midlothian [Turnpike] and Chippenham [Parkway], this should be a grocery-anchored center," he said, "…a large grocery store or a neighborhood grocery store of 50,000 square feet."

Across the street, Kroger will anchor Chippenham Place (Cloverleaf Mall renamed). Ukrop's closed its store just a few blocks west about two years ago. The nearest grocery store is a recently-renovated Food Lion a couple of miles west on Buford Road.

Pine is encouraging the county to think bigger when it comes to re-energizing the area, but Chesterfield has a limit to its funds. The Community Development Authority funding, used in part at Chippenham Place, has been spoken for.

"There's an opportunity for the county to connect 150 acres and create a powerful intersection," he explained. "Chesterfield should look at the whole intersection - a 30-year view and not just 10 years."

Pine envisions tying eastern Midlothian Turnpike together, including The Boulders offi ce park, CJW Medical Center's Chippenham campus and retail from Chippenham Parkway to the Powhite Parkway.

"We're waiting for them to submit a proposal to us," said Director of Revitalization Tom Jacobson, who says he "has had lots of meetings with them."

The county's Economic Development Department is already working on behalf of the Bond Companies. The company, meanwhile, has joined other Midlothian Turnpike businesses to determine what they need to do to improve and reinvest in the corridor. Funding for the improvements might come from a slightly higher property tax rate.

Last week, the company started the interior demolition of the former Best Products store to be followed by a new roof for 65,000 square feet of retail and office space. Other improvements, like painting and landscaping, are under way, and a new signage package has been submitted to the county.

Today's tenants at Spring Rock Green include Dollar Tree, Sportszone, Rainbow Apparel, Alexander's Antiques, Foremost Sales, BK Music, Wachovia Bank, Ashley Stewart, Carena's Jamaican Grill and Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits. Behind the retail stores is an office and service area, which includes a Martin Agency Call Center, a Wawa Training Center and Elkridge Gathering Center, an adult care center.