Lowe's parcel map filed, sale not completed

A parcel map splitting the Silver City Mall to make room for construction of a Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse store was filed Thursday.

But the actual sale of the property has not closed and representatives of firms involved in the proposal said Friday they cannot comment on when construction might begin or be completed.

Susan Johnston of EKN Engineering and David Carillo of Sconzo Hallstrom Architects both referred inquiries to Lowe's North Carolina-based spokesman Brian Peace, whose workday had already ended.

Jack Mandel, the site assessment manager for Lowe's who spoke for the company at a January planning commission hearing, said Friday he cannot comment because the sale has not closed yet. But he did say completion of the sale has not been held up by anything related to Carson city's permitting process.

Juan Guzman, the Carson City Community Development Department senior planner assigned to the Lowe's project, said the parcel map filing was the last department requirement that Lowe's had to meet.

The company already has made several design changes that were conditions of special use permits, he said.

The project still has some hurdles to jump with the city building and health departments, though, tied to asbestos removal.

Larry McPhail, deputy building official with the building department, said Lowe's has to present a plan for abatement and removal of asbestos from the existing buildings before a demolition permit can be issued for them.

He said the company's asbestos plans will have to be approved by the city Environmental Health Department before his department can issue the permit.

The Lowe's proposal calls for removing the east half of the Silver City Mall, comprising several small shop and restaurant spaces and a large space that has housed Ernst, Kmart and Sears stores. The existing Sav-On Drugs, Office Depot, Big Al's Pizza and Ming's Chinese Restaurant businesses would remain.

Lowe's proposes a 135,000-square-foot store that includes a 28,000-square-foot roofed garden center and would be served by nearly 900 parking spaces.

The mall is owned by Tsutomu "Tom" and Margarita Wakimoto, who also own several businesses in the mall, including the Amimoto Japanese restaurant, the Bookcellar bookstore and the Gift Box and Treasure Island gift shops.

Wakimoto has declined to comment publicly on the sale, but has told tenants that notification of lease terminations would not be made until and unless a sale closed.

Even without official confirmation that a sale will take place, many businesses have already relocated from the mall, including Silver State Fitness, Gary's Sports Cards and Sam's Collectables, the Spear Me hair studio and J&R Electronics