LAWTON — Central Mall has a new name and logo to go with its new concept.
The mall will be known as Central Plaza from now on, said Jason Wells, managing broker and owner of Insight Commercial Real Estate Brokerage.
“We want to bring it into modern times,” he said Tuesday. “We feel that if we’re going to change the facility, we need to also change and rebrand the name and logo.”
The Fires Innovation Science and Technology Accelerator Trust Authority operates FISTA and the mall. Insight’s management division, InTouch, oversees the mall’s retail operations.
The FISTA Trust Authority unveiled on Tuesday various concepts for a new development plan for the 625,000-square-foot mall. The artists’ renderings included several mockups which would remodel the mall to include new retail, dining and entertainment features as well as new facilities.
Central Plaza has tapped Dallas-based commercial real estate developer Burk Collins and Co. LLC as a consultant to help the redevelopment team come up with a plan for revitalizing the mall, according to the news release.
Burk Collins said the mall is uniquely positioned to attract well-known tenants with a mix of outdoor green spaces, water features and other amenities.
“The property’s proximity to downtown Lawton – centrally located in the community – with an abundance of parking and land make it a very smart option for big national retailers and companies looking for growth opportunities,” the developer said in the news release.
Renovations to the mall have already begun, according to the news release. The first major change will be the addition of outparcel development pads, which will be built on the property outside the mall’s current footprint for future tenants.
Central Plaza also has a new large-format work of art, located on the west wall of the events area near center court. The work was created by local artist Robert Peterson.
Recruiting businesses
Last August, the city created the FISTA Trust Authority to help recruit defense contractors, high-tech industries and innovative business to Lawton. The authority’s mission is to attract companies capable of supporting the U.S. Army’s Cross-Functional Teams at Fort Sill.
The authority is also creating the FISTA Innovation Park in Central Plaza, which will promote collaboration between the tech industry and defense-related organizations. The goal is to bring more high-tech, well-paying jobs to the area in a bid to bolster economic development.
The authority bought Central Plaza – which was then known as Central Mall – for about $14.45 million in January and tapped InTouch to manage the mall’s retail side. Plans call for the mall to house a mix of retailers and defense companies.
The authority is converting part of the mall into classified, high-tech rental space for companies that specialize in research and application of air/missile defense systems and unmanned aerial vehicles, according to the news release.
“FISTA is the development engine bringing high-tech companies and jobs to the Central Plaza,” Authority Chairman Clarence Fortney said in the news release. “We envision top-tiered retailers working next door to innovative defense companies and universities researching and advancing the nation’s latest technology in cyberspace, artificial intelligence and machine-learning projects."