By Benjamin Dipman Tribune staff writer

Two strip malls could come to Albert Lea, if negotiations among two local developers and a number of out-state developers are agreed upon, according to Tom Leland of Gateway Commercial Realty.

&uot;We and Larson Contracting are proposing a couple of different strip malls,&uot; said Leland.

&uot;We’re in the process of securing tenants and that’s moving along farily well,&uot; he said.

But officials would not provide any detailed informaiton about specific busineses that may be coming to town. Contracts have not yet been signed and business officials are often leary of offering the public details in case deals fall through.

&uot;At this juncture we’re talking about proposed strip malls,&uot; said Leland.

The strip malls will be located near the former Wal-Mart and the current Wal-Mart buildings.

Landscaping is already being done behind the new Wal-Mart.

Though Leland said the excavation would have been done whether they had a business in mind or not, it could be used for a 30,000-square-foot strip mall.

Another mall is more tentative and could end up being restaurants or another type of retail establishment.

Although he was unsure of the number of new jobs the malls could create, Leland said the projects would require about $5 million worth of construction.

The development companies may bring in many businesses of their choosing.

Doug Bercu, owner of Atlanta-based Timber Development Corporation, is involved with one of the strip malls, but also refused to provide details until contracts are finalized.