The Santa Fe Reporter from Santa Fe, New Mexico • Page 46

INSIDE STORY A Major Coup for DeVargas Center Ross Dress for Less Could Restore Mall's Former Image By KAY BIRD A fter more than 20 percent of De- Vargas Center stood empty, some of it for more than two years, mall management announced this week that Ross Dress for Less will move into DeVargas later this year. Ross will occupy 27,910 square feet in the northwest corner of the mall, across from Hasting's and near Montgomery Ward's. The chain, which has 292 stores in 18 sells name-brand clothing and shoes at reduced costs. Rossis already apopular storewithmany Santa Feans, who are willing to drive to Albuquerque to at the two Ross stores there. But how much the addition, which will occupy just over 10 percent of the mall's square footage, will help the mall some call "Dead Vargas" remains to be seen.

DeVargas, which opened in 1973, was the only mall in town until 1985, when Villa Linda Mall opened (it seemed, at the time, in the middle of nowhere). The new, bigger southside mall lured DeVargas' anchor, Penriey's, to it, and DeVargas foundered. In 1987, Weingarten Realty bought De- Vargas and promised changes, including improving its 67 percent occupancy rate. (Weingarten nowowns the building in partnership with PaineWebber.) It brought in the clothing store Front Row soon after, and the talk was of DeVargas finally getting on its feet. But Front Row failed, Anthony's moved in and the optimism quieted.

The mall grew quieter in tire early part of this year, when DeVargas Card and Party and Factory 2 moved out, leaving 13 storefronts empty. The vacancies became so numerous that a rumor was afloat that the management company, Weingarten, was intentionally leavingthe spaces empty so one company or QUKf THE: Thirteen shop spaces currently are empty at DeVargas Center. But the mall will enter a new phase when Ross Dress for Less moves in. PHOTO BY GUY AMSROSNO Now retailers compete not just with each other, but with home shopping networks, catalogue companies and discount stores. hotel could buy the whole mall.

"The last couple years we've had some down time," regional leasing executive Tim Frakes admitted. But Ross will take up about 10 percent of the mall's total space and two stores Stag Tobacconist and Genesis Spas are moving to new locations in the mall because of increasing business. Negotiations are underway to fill the space left open by Factory-2-U, Frakes said. When that spot is filled, the mall will be 95 percent occupied, just over the national occupancy average of 92.8 percent for a mall its size. Frakes would not discuss what other stores are being targeted to fill the remain- ingspaces, but said the concept is to create "a one-stop shopping experience." "There's some holes in the mall where we're looking for users," he said.

One ex- ample he gave was a men's shoe store. "Ross does reflect the way we're going," Frakes said. "We want to create a family- oriented, value-based shopping experience." Ross evaluates potential sites on die basis of location, demographics and the mix of tenants, spokeswoman Katie Loughnot said. Loughnot said she could not comment onwhetherVillaUndawas considered. De- Vargas, she said, "is an excellent site for us." DeVargas managers also are considering changing mall hours.

Currently, stores Continued on Page20 RICK P. PADILLA Municipal Court Judge "We need a Municipal Judge for the from the people." 989-9247 MY PLATFORM: 1. Work with City Hell to create another municipal judge position. 2. Continue expand the community service program.

3. Continue and expand the DWI screening referral program and the TEEN court program. 4. Prioritize the computerization of all municipal court records. Paid for by Volunteers for flick P.

Padilla SANTA FE REPORTER February 28-March 5, 7996 IB.