Shops at La Palmera finds an anchor in C.C.

CORPUS CHRISTI – Dick’s Sporting Goods and Corner Bakery Café are set to open later this year at the 200,000-sf Shops at La Palmera.

Dick’s — which will anchor the renovated center, according to Trademark Property Co. — will open in fall 2013 as a 61,000-sf store in the space formerly occupied by Peter Piper Pizza.

Corner Bakery Café, a made-to-order restaurant with sandwiches, salads and breakfast options, is set to open in May and will occupy the space formerly occupied by Eyemasters. When renovations and reconstruction are complete, there will be space for about 30 tenants.

Construction for the Shops at La Palmera began in 2012. It will replace the Staples Center and the Mt. Vernon Shopping Center across South Staples St. from the mall. The Fort Worth-based Trademark bought the property in April.

La Palmera underwent a two-year, $50 million renovation after Trademark and Institutional Mall Investors LLC purchased the property in 2008.

Construction for the mall’s new look began in 2009 after the company signed a $23 million incentive agreement with the city. The new flooring, furniture, food court and retail space along an open-air plaza attracted new tenants, including P.F. Chang’s China Bistro and designer retailer Coach.

The La Palmera incentive agreement is a 70/30 split of property tax and sales tax revenue increases associated with the project. Trademark has received $347,575 and the city $148,961 from the increased revenues generated by the mall improvements, according to figures provided last summer.