Summit Birmingham
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The Summit is the world's first official lifestyle center, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). The Summit, which opened in 1997, is believed to the be the initial spark that led to the major nationwide overhaul in the development of shopping centers from being enclosed to open-air village-like centers. The center is located at the intersection U.S. Highway 280 and Interstate 459 in Birmingham.
This open-air center offers a mix of upscale merchants and restaurants not seen anywhere else in Alabama. This center also features many retailers that are exclusive to Alabama if not in the entire South. The main anchors includes Barnes & Noble, Alabama's first and exclusive location of Saks Fifth Avenue, and Parisian (Converting to Belk in Fall 2007). Other merchants and restaurants include BCBG, Bebe, Cheesecake Factory, Smith & Hawken,Tommy Bahama, White House/Black Market, Williams-Sonoma, Just Add Water, Bakers, Urban Outfitters, and the soon-to-be-opened Apple Store.
The Summit's opening is unique because of the process of the center was developed. The owner of the center slated it to be open in four individual phases. The first phase was a collection of 30 retailers and restaurants including Parisian and Barnes & Noble that originally opened with the center in 1997. The second phase included an additional 20 retailers including Gap in 1999. The third phase was opened in 2001 with the anchor of Saks Fifth Avenue. The fourth phase recently opened in 2005 and includes some 20 to 30 additional retailers and restaurants and brings the center nearly 1 million square feet. A fifth expansion is due to break ground in the fall of 2006 and will include a luxury hotel and 15 story condo tower, in addition to extra retail space.
The owners of the center, Bayer Properties has trademarked the brand "The Summit" and is process of building other centers featuring the Summit namebrand in other markets. One of the other locations featuring "The Summit" brand that opened in Louisville in 2001.The Summit is a great place to go to hang out with friends, shop, or see a movie.
