New Exchange coming to Kirtland Published Jan. 13, 2012 By Christopher Bailey Nucleus staff writer Kirtland Air Force Base, NM -- After nine years in the planning stages, the Army and Air Force Exchange Services began construction of a new exchange mall at Kirtland Air Force Base. At a cost of $22.4 million, the 95,000 square-foot shopping center will be between the current Exchange and the commissary buildings. "Right on Pennsylvania Avenue," said AAFES general manager Robert Cooper. "Obviously, there will be changes of traffic flow into its parking lot because of the construction." A new route is under construction north of the Exchange building connecting Texas Street to Pennsylvania Avenue. The street will still continue on the west side of Pennsylvania then turn south into the commissary parking lot. Once complete, the northbound lanes of Pennsylvania Avenue at the Gibson Boulevard intersection will be constructed into a new entrance for the Exchange mall and commissary. "We anticipate the new entrance from Gibson to be opened by February, unless there are delays," Cooper said. "We want to get the traffic flow going." The commissary and Exchange will both be open during the construction, although some services at the Exchange will be moved. "There will be a small portion of the Exchange that will be taken down, where the garden shop and the sporting goods section are located," Cooper said. "Underneath those stores are utilities that will be connected to the new building. So, there will be some merchandise that will most likely be moved to the mini mall." Scheduled to open in the spring of 2013, the new mall combines the services of the Exchange and the base mini mall. Included are a new main Exchange store, a food court with four concepts, barber and beauty shops, flower shop, GNC, military clothing, alteration shop, optometry clinic and optical shop and furniture store. The satellite pharmacy, which was relocated months ago, will also be there. "Our goal is to make the mall a one-stop shopping experience for our shoppers," Cooper said. "Having the services from the Exchange and the mini mall in one building makes things much more convenient." Cooper said there will be new options at the food court. Although nothing is official, he said it will feature more name-brand franchises. "That's what is planned," Cooper said. "Cinnabon and Anthony's Pizza will be going away. We are hopeful to have a Subway, Dunkin' Donuts and a Popeye's. Bringing in a better selection of restaurants was taken into consideration when construction plans began." Cooper said funding for the mall comes from AAFES. It is the same division that funded the new westside Express at Maxwell Street and Aberdeen Avenue, which opened in October 2011. "When you spend money with us, our profits go back to MWR and then a part goes into capital improvement for projects like this," he said. "The scope of the project is to bring a better environment and quality of life to the people at Kirtland." The satellite pharmacy isn't the only service being relocated because of the construction. The recycling bins in the northwest corner of the commissary will be moved. "They will be moved by February 1, but a new location has not been determined," said Kirtland AFB Solid Waste Manager Katrina Wheelock. "It would be most convenient for shoppers to keep them in the commissary parking lot, but we are still weighing our options." After the mall is in full operation, Cooper said AAFES will give the old Exchange building and mini mall to the base for its use.