MATTOON - Shannon Trueblood hopes the metal grating will soon secure several new stores, not empty spaces, at Cross County Mall.

Trueblood, the manager of Maurices and secretary of the mall merchants board, is excited that city officials and mall owners came to an agreement this week on financing a $4.5 million redevelopment of the retail center that helps generate sales tax revenue for the city.

She believes a remake of the mall inside and out could draw new businesses in vacated venues.

"When I talk to customers, they do want more stores in this mall. They really want more of a selection. We need name recognition stores to keep people from driving to Champaign," Trueblood said.

The redevelopment agreement is a partnership between Cross County National Associates and the city through its business district incentives program. The mall owners will commit $500,000 of the costs for the interior and exterior mall work, while the remaining $4 million is provided by a bond issue paid for by a 1 percent sales tax increase, bringing Mattoon's sales tax to 7.75 percent.

That added sales tax already is in effect at the mall and other retailers or restaurants in the Broadway East Business District, which stretches from the east side of Logan Street to land west of Cody's Restaurant and bordered to the north by the bike trail and on the south by Charleston Avenue.

City Treasurer Preston Owen said the added sales tax could produce the right effect for drawing new commercial development to the city's far east side, especially within the mall. The redevelopment of Cross County Mall will include new facade designs, entrance replacements, interior makeovers and repairs to the parking lot and drainage system.

"Residents need to understand that the work at the mall will not affect their city taxes," Owen said. "We're not cutting back on city services because we're helping the mall. People shopping there will be paying for it, and if we increase our sales tax money in the future, that could provide relief on property tax bills."

Last fiscal year, the city collected $5.5 million as its share of sales taxes.

For Audrie Westendorf of Dieterich, a mother of three young children, the extra 1 percent is not a turnoff in her shopping plans. She likes the comfort factor provided by Cross County Mall.

"This mall is close, and it's convenient. It's all about convenience to me," she said.

And some more choices along the walkway in the mall might provide the right mix for drawing more shoppers like Westendorf.

"I do want more stores and more competition here. Offering the customers plenty of choices is very healthy," said Trueblood.

hmeeker@jg-tc.com|238-6869.