Climbing facility coming to Crossroads Bellevue Shopping Center

A hub for mountain climbers on the Eastside is coming to Crossroads Bellevue Shopping Center.

Chief Executive Officer Ron Sher announced Wednesday that a 22,000-square-foot climbing center will fill the spot vacated by Circuit City.

The mall also announced a new partnership with Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. (ROIC) that will bring in more money and allow the mall to add some new stores.

The Stone Gardens gym will feature 40-foot high walls with difficulty levels that suit climbers of different experiences.

"This is really going to be the nicest climbing gym in the Pacific Northwest," said Chris Cole, who will take over many of the mall's day-to-day operations as part of the new partnerships. "I think it will add some regionality to Crossroads."

The climbing gym is slated to open in September 2011 with construction to begin in January. It will feature children's areas, including a room for birthday parties, and a small health club area with machines.

Sher said the new partnerships will help the mall expand its influence while still remaining a valuable and diverse enclave for the community.

"We've sort of hand-to-mouthed it, and we've done well, but it will be nice to have that kind of capital," Sher said."

The popular common center where many of the diverse international restaurants reside will also be receiving a makeover. Stuart Tanz, CEO of ROIC, said the company is interested in keeping Crossroads as the pillar of a diverse community. With a long history of mall ownership, Tanz said he wants to enhance the things Crossroads brings to Bellevue.

"We buy shopping centers with a long-term view of what they want to be," he said. "We tend to spend capital so we can keep the visions created at places like Crossroads."

Contact Bellevue Reporter Staff Writer Nat Levy at nlevy@bellevuereporter.com or 425-453-4290.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.