Liberty Center opening delayed 2 weeks

The grand opening of Liberty Center mall has been pushed back until Oct. 22.

Columbus-based developer Steiner and Associates blamed a wet summer for problems in completing paving, landscaping and waterproofing work at the Liberty Center site west of Interstate 75 between Liberty Way and Ohio 129.

The celebration had been planned Oct. 8. Major anchor tenants Dillard’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods will open as scheduled that day, said Beau Arnason, an executive vice president at Steiner.

When complete, the Liberty Township project’s $350 million first phase is expected to feature more than 800,000 square feet of retail, a movie theater, 75,000 square feet of office space, 240 apartments and a 130-room AC Hotel by Marriott.

Arnason said the development and construction team picked Oct. 8 as a target date a few years ago and completed periodic reviews to determine whether work would be substantially complete by that time.

Now that the opening is less than two months away, more time “will help the common areas be further along from a customer experience standpoint,” he said.

Officials from the township and Butler County have been notified about the delay, and Arnason said they have no issues with the project moving forward.

Event planning for the site’s grand opening is underway.

Other retailers at the project include H&M, The Limited, Soma, White House Black Market, J. Jill, Art of Shaving, Foot Locker, Marbles, Old Navy and Zumiez. Restaurants that have signed on include Cheesecake Factory, Kona Grill, North Star Cafe, Rodizio Grill, Brio Tuscan Grille, Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern, FlipSide, and Pies and Pints. The Funny Bone Restaurant and Comedy Club has also signed on to locate at Liberty Center.

A job fair for potential workers at the mall is still scheduled Sept. 2.