Skyland Boulevard Dollar Tree Demolished, Making Way for Pate’s Next Project

A good crowd gathered on a site just off Tuscaloosa's Skyland Boulevard to say goodbye to the past and get ready for the future as a longstanding Dollar Tree was demolished to make way for new development.

The store was the last remaining remnant of the McFarland Mall, which businessman Stan Pate has been methodically tearing down for his next big thing in Tuscaloosa, which he's calling Project Encore.

With the Dollar Tree coming down, Pate can focus fully on recuriting new-to-market restaurants and retailers to the massive property. The Tuscaloosa City Council has already approved the biggest tax incentive in its history to help the development along, which Pate described last year as a "keep what you kill" deal.

Though the incentive does not include any lump-sum payments to Pate, it will return tax dollars generated at the site to Pate until he has received $65,100,000, or until the end of the year 2048 - whichever milestone comes first.

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The Wednesday demolition drew a crowd as Pate and his closest ally on Project Encore, District 7 Councilman Cassiues Lanier, were on hand with coffee and donuts from Krispy Kreme and 25 $100 gift cards to shop at the new Dollar Tree now open on the other side of Skyland Boulevard from the location being torn down.

Ever the showman, Pate had pinned envelopes holding the gift cards to a massive fallen tree in front of the building before the excavators began ripping it up - his own "dollar tree" for lucky raffle winners.

Various non-disclosure agreements have prevented Pate and city officials from disclosing the prospective tenants for Project Encore. Still, he has teased conversations with restaurants and retailers who do not currently operate in the region but are highly sought after.

Lanier, who was joined by Tuscaloosa city councilmen Joe Eatmon and John Faile at the Wednesday morning event, called out the raffle winners and said he can't wait to see what Pate can bring to the site.

"Tearing down Dollar Tree will be the last piece of the puzzle to launch the facelift to District 7 and the McFarland Mall property," Lanier told the Thread Tuesday. "Stan Pate is a motivated developer who is anxious to bring top-tier businesses to Tuscaloosa, and that makes my job well worth it."

For more coverage of Project Encore and other development projects in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.