The heavily hail-damaged Colorado Mills shopping center expects to have its common areas leading up to store entrances ready before Black Friday, according to a letter sent Thursday from the owner of the mall.

The heavily hail-damaged Colorado Mills shopping center expects to have its common areas leading up to store entrances ready before Black Friday, according to a letter sent Thursday from the owner of the mall.

“Our goal is to have the common areas open, safe and functional before Black Friday and to have as many tenants open as possible,” wrote Gregg Goodman, president of the Simon Property Group affiliate The Mills. “Finishes of common areas will be completed during evening hours extending into early 2018. ”

Because the reconstruction project is extensive “it is very difficult to provide precise estimates of when various elements of the work will be completed,” the letter states.

The management of Colorado Mills previously said it was planning to reopen in Lakewood before the “holiday shopping season” which retailers typically consider to be November and December. Stores with exterior entrances have the possibility of opening sooner.

Colorado Mills closed after a May hailstorm “created openings in the roof, which allowed rainwater to intrude into the mall interior, including all common areas and tenant spaces,” per the company’s description of the event.

“Colorado Mills management has been working diligently in cooperation with insurance carriers, construction contractors and environmental firms to complete remediation work in the common areas of the mall and inside tenant spaces,” wrote Gregg Goodman, president of the Simon Property Group affiliate The Mills.

Goodman’s letter to mall tenants states restoration will continue with help from the Dallas-headquartered Beck Group and a permanent roof will be installed. Records from the city of Lakewood do not show the mall undergoing any major roof repairs after its opening in fall 2002.

The city of Lakewood stands to lose a sizable amount of tax revenue until the mall gets up and running again. A rough estimate from the city earlier this year was about $350,000 per month.

Business & data reporter Adrian D. Garcia can be reached via email at agarcia@denverite.com or twitter.com/adriandgarcia.

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