By Ken Sain | Chandler Arizonan
About a dozen years ago there were serious worries about the fate of retail centers around northern Chandler.
The Loop 101 and Loop 202 freeways had opened, changing commuter patterns, leaving some retail centers that were once on heavily-traveled streets with fewer trips past them.
Businesses were shutting down, vacancy rates were up. At the intersection of Alma School and Elliott roads, 53% of the retail space was vacant. The strip mall at Cooper and Ray roads had a 68% vacancy.
The city started its 4-Corner project to address the problem, looking for ways to help existing retail businesses stay open and attract new businesses to bring jobs and tax dollars to the city.
The City Council got an update on how that project is going during a Feb. 23 work session. And members learned the city has mostly turned it around.
