MSU likely to move into Martinsburg Mall in fall of 2010

November 24, 2009

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- The provost of Mountain State University's Martinsburg campus said Tuesday that the school would ideally like to be able to expand into space at Martinsburg Mall by the fall of 2010.

While the Martinsburg City Council last week removed a zoning restriction that stood in the way of Mountain State University's proposal, the school still needs a pending civil action to be resolved in court before closing on the real estate deal, Elizabeth Layne Diehl confirmed.

The retail center at 800 Foxcroft Ave. was placed in receivership of Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. in January after defaulting on debt payments in the fall of 2008, according to court records.

The Chicago-based company was appointed to serve as the retail center's primary leasing and managing agent by order of 23rd Judicial Circuit Judge Christopher C. Wilkes, according to court records.

If the university is able to close on a deal to purchase the mall, Diehl has said the school plans to use more than 13,000 square feet of available space at the entrance to Bon-Ton and the former Rex electronics store.

MSU intends to retain its current space along Viking Way and would have a third-party holding corporation operate the Martinsburg Mall after the school buys it, Diehl has said.

The university's renovations at the mall would be done at times that are not disruptive to the retail tenants in the shopping center, Diehl said.

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