Columbus community comes together to talk about Leigh Mall changes

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Changes are in the works for Leigh Mall in Columbus.

The president of the company that owns the mall was in Columbus today, briefing city officials and others in the community on revitalization efforts at the Mall.

If you travel down Highway 45 in Columbus on a regular basis, you may soon be seeing some changes to one of the city’s landmarks.

James Hull, president of the Hull Group, the owners of Leigh Mall, met with Columbus leaders at City Hall today to talk about coming changes to the mall, and the impact they could have on the community.

Hull says that his team is getting ready to put their plans into action.

“We are starting now and we will have physical work starting in the late summer,” said Hull.

Their first order of business is putting their *best face forward* and concentrating on their Highway 45 frontage, but the entire property will be getting a refresh.

“We are gonna focus on the front and get a nice power center. We are going to keep the back and to be a good steward of the property you want to develop the back as much as you want to develop the front,” said Hull.

Hull is focused on attracting new businesses, making their visitors feel welcome, and encouraging people to do their shopping closer to home.

“My experience is that to have this really powerful retail offering that looks and feels a certain way is the best way to attract another retailer particularly if you have a space for example as you face hobby lobby to the right we could probably do a 30 to 35 thousand maybe even 40 thousand foot grocer,” said Hull.

And as businesses come they hope that success will breed success.

“And that’s how we attract other tenants is if we get a Burlington coat and because if Burlington came and another comes and then it all feeds off of itself and its how the cards look and what the sales are of the existing tenants,” said Hull.

The vision is to bring new things to Columbus and continue to watch the city grow.

Hull plans to bring in at least 12 stores with high hopes of others to join after.