View source for The Summit (Alabama)

{{other uses|The Summit (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{infobox shopping mall
| name = The Summit
| logo = Summit Birmingham mall logo.png
| image = File:The Summit shopping mall in Birmingham, Alabama 02.jpg
| image_width = 200px
| caption = Shops at The Summit
| location = [[Birmingham, Alabama]], United States
| coordinates  = {{Coord|33|26|53|N|86|43|50|W|type:landmark_region:US-AL|display=inline,title}}
| opening_date = October 1997
| developer = Bayer Properties
| manager =
| owner = Bayer Properties
| number_of_stores = 98
| number_of_anchors = 2
| floor_area = 1 million ft²
| floors =
| website = [http://www.thesummitonline.com/ thesummitonline.com]
}}

'''The Summit''', which opened in October 1997, is a 1&nbsp;million square foot (93,000 m<sup>2</sup>) upscale [[lifestyle center (retail)|lifestyle center]] located at the intersection of [[U.S. Highway 280]] and [[Interstate 459]] in [[Birmingham, Alabama]], United States, between the suburbs of [[Mountain Brook, Alabama|Mountain Brook]] and [[Vestavia Hills, Alabama|Vestavia Hills]].

==Development==
Bayer Properties, the owner and developer of the center, planned its construction over multiple phases. The first phase was a collection of 30 retailers and restaurants including Parisian (now Belk) 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 opened in 2005 and includes some 20 to 30 additional retailers and restaurants, bringing the center to nearly 1&nbsp;million square feet (93,000 m<sup>2</sup>). A fifth expansion will include a luxury hotel and 15 story condo tower, in addition to extra retail space.

In 2000, the center averaged US$500 in retail sales per square foot (US$5380 per [[square meter|sq m]]), compared to a national average of US$358 (US$3852 per [[square meter|sq m]]) that same year.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://retailtrafficmag.com/design/trends/retail_plant/|title=Summit shoppers give new center mixed reviews|newspaper=Business First of Louisville|last=Eagles|first=Cynthia|date=2001-11-30}}</ref> In promotional literature that the developer provides to prospective retail tenants, Bayer claims that customers currently spend $117 per visit, compared to a national average of $87.<ref>[http://www.bayerproperties.com/files/thesummitbirmingham.pdf Promotional brochure for prospective retail tenants, published by Bayer Properties]</ref>

Bayer Properties has trademarked the brand "The Summit" and is in process of building other centers featuring the Summit name brand in other markets. The first of these opened in [[Louisville, Kentucky]], in 2001, while another center in [[Reno, Nevada]], opened in 2007. Additional Summit lifestyle centers are being developed in [[Bethlehem Township, Pennsylvania]], [[Lexington, Kentucky]], and suburban [[Atlanta]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blog.al.com/bn/2007/04/its_a_bayer_market.html|last=Kent|first=Dawn|newspaper=[[The Birmingham News]]|title=It's a Bayer market|date=2007-04-01}}</ref>

==Lawsuit against Belk==
When Belk took over the Parisian chain from Saks and announced plans to convert Parisian stores to the Belk nameplate, Bayer filed a [[lawsuit]] against Belk, contending that the Belk brand was not as upscale as Parisian, and that the conversion violated a covenant requiring Belk to occupy the space with a "first-class" retail store.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2006/09/04/daily13.html|newspaper=Birmingham Business Journal|title=Bayer sues to block Belk from replacing Parisian at Summit|date=2006-07-06|first=Kaija|last=Wilkinson}}</ref> The suit was settled in 2007. Terms of the settlement were not made public, but Belk did announce plans to make the store a "flagship" store — its first such location outside North Carolina, and third overall in the chain — with upgraded brand names and lines over and above their standard offerings.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.al.com/business/birminghamnews/junderwood.ssf?/base/business/1178440040247430.xml&coll=2|title=Belk knew The Summit wasn't joking|newspaper=The Birmingham News|last=Underwood|first=Jerry|date=2007-05-06}}</ref> The name change took place in September 2007.

==See also==
* [[List of leading shopping streets and districts by city]]
* [[The Summit (Reno)]]
* [[Paddock Shops]], a similar center in Louisville, Kentucky previously known as The Summit of Louisville

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.thesummitonline.com The Summit Official Website]
* [http://www.bayerproperties.com Bayer Properties web site]
* [http://icsc.org/srch/sct/sct0503/index.php International Council of Shopping Centers article on Lifestyle Centers]
* [https://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2007-01-31-lifestyle-master_x.htm USAToday listing of Lifestyle Centers around the country]

{{Birmingham malls and shopping centers}}
{{Shopping malls in Alabama}}
{{Birmingham Landmarks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Summit Birmingham}}
[[Category:Shopping districts and streets in the United States]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Birmingham, Alabama]]
[[Category:Shopping malls in the Birmingham, Alabama metro area]]
[[Category:Shopping malls established in 1997]]
[[Category:Lifestyle centers (retail)]]