Photo by Carri Graham Southpaw construction workers complete outside stucco work on the new Dunham’s building at the Ohio Valley Mall.

The Ohio Valley Mall is undergoing a multitude of changes and upgrades.

The construction of sporting goods retailer Dunham’s at the site of the old Kmart is “progressing nicely,” according to Joe Bell, spokesman for Cafaro Co., the mall’s parent company.

The demolition is now complete on the old Kmart building and construction items for the new Dunham’s are currently going into place by Southpaw Construction of Missouri. Bell said the construction workers are working long shifts and many hours to complete the interior framing of the building. The exterior of the building will be complete in about three weeks. The work being done on the new Dunham’s is moving at a rapid pace, he added.

Bell said he is still awaiting the time table for the new Hampton Inn & Suites construction, but it will open next year. The new hotel will rent the land from the mall, but has its own developer and builder for construction.

Sears will most likely close by mid-July. Bell said they are unsure what will replace the space just yet. It can take many months to complete negotiations with potential new tenants for a building that size, he said. He is unsure, as of now, if the building will hold a single tenant or multiple tenants.

Although, Sears will close its doors soon, the Dental Center located inside the structure will remain open to patients for a short time afterward. Dr. Adrienne Tomer, Dental Center owner, will eventually move to a new location. Bell said there will remain access points for patients to enter the facility following Sear’s closing.

Beginning in late June/early July, the OV mall will undergo a multitude of upgrades, both on the interior and exterior of the building. Bell said that the mall will soon receive new carpeting and ceramic tiling. On the exterior, they will soon power wash and paint the mall building. It will also receive a new coloration on the exterior walls and its anchoring stores. In addition, the mall is working on minor roofing repairs.

Following those initial upgrades, Bell said that they also plan to replace electrical and lighting, making the mall more energy efficient.