www.clevelandbanner.com/index.cfm?event=news.view&id=8C -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 9/9/2009
Last Visited: 9/9/2009
VILLAGE GREEN - Village Green, above, is a sprawling 19-acre complex owned by Cleveland businessman Allan Jones which houses the national headquarters of Check Into Cash.
...
A decade after businessman Allan Jones purchased the former Village Shopping Center mall in downtown Cleveland, the sprawling 19-acre complex has fulfilled promises of blossoming into a town center complete with a mix of retail and office space.
Today, The Village Green Town Center houses nearly a thousand employees in a variety of businesses, including the national headquarters for Check into Cash, a deferred deposit and full-service financial services company founded by Jones in 1993 that now has 1,100 centers in 30 states.
The Village Green Town Center has also become a magnet for downtown Cleveland with top restaurants, a fitness center, banks and other businesses.
This marks a revival for the town center complex, which had fallen into disrepair after its previous owner went bankrupt.
Jones purchased the former mall for $2.7 million in August 1998 and immediately launched plans to transform the Village into a modern office and retail facility to rival a new wave of commerce centers such as Eastgate Town Center in nearby Chattanooga.
At the time, Jones promised to convert the town center into a community showpiece by sprucing up the landscape with trees and greenery as a continuation of his passion for planting trees in his hometown.
"The transformation of this property over the past decade into The Village Green Town Center is truly remarkable and something I take pride in being a part of, particularly because of the historic role this center has played in Cleveland's history," Jones said.
...
"There has never been anything built like this and there never will be again," Jones said.
...
"When I bought the Village I wanted a place where people could come to work and have a world of conveniences at their fingertips," Jones said.
"Now, employees who work at the Village can exercise, enjoy a meal, take care of their banking and dry cleaning, all within this one area.
"The Village Green Town Center has truly lived up to its name and become a town center for Cleveland," Jones added.