Naples shopping center getting a 'refresh'

Mercato, the Naples shopping destination, is getting an upgrade. 

Work has started on what is being called a refresh of the center’s central piazza. This refresh will see the space triple in size with the addition of turf, seat walls and benches. 

Other upgrades will include a new covered performance stage, landscaping and lighting with green space lowered to street level, allowing shoppers on to Strada Place when the main thoroughfare is closed to vehicle traffic. 

The goal of the project, the center’s management says, is to create a more connected, pedestrian-friendly environment. 

Mercato is a 461,000-square-foot mixed-use lifestyle center with a main street-style retail component as well restaurants and entertainment spaces. It’s anchored by Nordstrom Rack, Whole Foods Market and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. 

The work on the refresh is expected to be complete by mid-October.