In 2008, La Palmera came under new management and the owner’s vision was all about “RE” — rebrand, refresh, remodel, renovate, and redefine the shopping experience of the Corpus Christi community. A true leader in the concept of turning a shopping mall ‘inside-out’, La Palmera turned to Henderson Engineers and our mixed-use experience to help them execute their vision. With its new look and feel, La Palmera placed a huge emphasis on incorporating mood lighting, distributed music, and fresh new wayfinding kiosks. One of the major concepts involved transforming the main entrance into a public courtyard, complete with an exterior plaza lined with retailers and restaurants.

Our work also included the remodel of their 600-seat food court. The scope consolidated the food and beverage offerings in one convenient location while centered around a giant, two-story saltwater aquarium. Prior to this, food service was sporadically spread around the mall without differentiation from traditional retailers.

Throughout the 18-month renovation, the entire mall remained fully operational. The biggest challenge Henderson faced was coordinating and adjusting to the ever-changing leasing efforts. To overcome this challenge and accommodate the dynamics of the mall for decades to come, the HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems were designed to be nimble and flexible.

La Palmera was pre-certified LEED Silver Core and Shell by the USGBC, resulting in a reduction of the mall’s impact on the environment and higher indoor air quality. A major sustainability feat, La Palmera became the first enclosed regional mall to achieve this designation.

Location

Corpus Christi, TX

Project Size

Approx. 1,017,704 SF

Services

Architectural Lighting, Electrical, Fire & Life Safety, Mechanical, Plumbing, Security, Telecom

Certification

LEED Silver Certified



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