The "de-malling" of El Con has begun.
Demolition crews already have torn down the west wing and the food court on the north end of the mall at 3601 E. Broadway.
Through September, the demolition will move toward the part of the mall that faces Broadway, said Susan Allen, an El Con spokeswoman.
Taking the roof off the existing structure should be completed by the end of October. "We can't have construction going on during the fourth quarter that would impede holiday shopping," Allen said.
She still couldn't provide details about what El Con will look like when it becomes an open-air retail center, but it is known that anchor J.C. Penney will get more exposure to Broadway.
All stores at the mall will remain open throughout the construction, Allen said.
Landscaping and other work on interior walk spaces won't be completed until next year. The appearance of any additional structures will largely depend on which retailers decide to move into the shopping center, she said.
El Con, which is owned locally by the Kivel and Papanikolas families, has struggled with vacancies in its interior for years. With Tucson Mall farther north and Park Place to the east, the mall has had trouble attracting retailers.
It also struggled to compete with national mall owner General Growth Properties Inc., which could bargain over several leases at once with a retailer. General Growth owns both Park Place and Tucson Mall.
Contact reporter Dale Quinn at dquinn@azstarnet.com or 573-4197.
