Real estate developer Simon Thursday announced the food hall planned as part of its multi-phased transformation will be called Citizens.
“As we continue the Phipps Plaza transformation with these exciting additions, there is no doubt that we are Atlanta’s premier luxury destination blending high-end retail brands with an iconic mix of curated dining and entertainment offerings,” David Simon, chairman, CEO and president of Simon, said in the announcement.
Citizens, a 24,000 square-foot “lifestyle” food hall, is expected to open by the end of 2022. It will be a collaboration between Simon and Sam Nazarian’s C3 (Creating Culinary Communities). The food hall is expected to feature a selection of C3’s most popular brands such as Umami Burger, Krispy Rice, and Sam’s Crispy Chicken. Citizens will utilize C3’s ghost kitchen model to offer sit-down dining, pick-up, and local meal delivery for the surrounding Buckhead community.
“We’ve re-imagined the way consumers interact with culinary brands through our ghost kitchen and digital-first model, and the next phase is taking this into brick-and-mortar spaces,” Nazarian said. “Simon’s investment in C3 has been instrumental to our expansion in mixed-use concepts, and together, we’re changing the way people perceive the retail dining experience. Instead of the traditional food court, we’re bringing together the world’s leading chefs to develop a unique set of culinary brands and menu items that elevate fast-casual dining. With Citizens at Phipps Plaza, we’ve created a food hall experience designed to be just as dynamic, flexible, and creative as today’s customers. Guests can expect beautifully crafted cuisine whether they’re dining on-site or ordering from one of our brands to-go.”
Citizens will join the under-construction Nobu Hotel and Restaurant which will open in 2022 with 150 rooms, a rooftop pool, and conference space. One Phipps Plaza, a 13-story Class A office building, is also slated to open next year.
Phipps Plaza will also be home to Life Time Work, the new co-working concept from parent company Life Time Fitness. Life Time Work will occupy a 25,000 square-foot adjacent to the previously-announced 90,000 square-foot Life Time athletic club, including the company’s first rooftop beach club. Life Time Work is also slated to open in The Prado.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Simon on this game-changing project in Atlanta as consumers continue to evolve how they live, work, shop and more,” Bahram Akradi, Life Time chairman, CEO and founder, said. “The addition of Life Time Work comes at a time when many companies and people are placing a premium on experiences and flexibility, yet few coworking operators offer the elevated and dynamic spaces Life Time Work provides to members. We’re confident our healthy living lifestyle, ecosystem, and community will be a powerful addition to Phipps Plaza.”
Simon Properties has singlehandedly destroyed the class and style that was Lenox and Phipps. The former owners were responsible for the malls accent to the luxury markets through design and FINE TUNED MAINTENANCE! Simon has not power washed any entrance or maintained the surfaces of the mall itself. It’s dirty, stained, rusting, and the parking lots look like trash.
We need mall owners like Westfield, or Jamestown Properties. Every Simon property that I have been to across the country is anemic, poorly maintained and design execution has been totally forgettable. Let’s not get into the architecture….
Simon=Cheap
You’re so right–I think Macerich or Jamestown (especially) would have been a better manager of both properties. While I appreciate Simon for their refresh of the old Belk corridor at Phipps, the Lenox sister’s re-imaging looks piecemealed together, almost like a hodge-podge of random colors and textures.