The Streets of Cranberry, a new shopping center at the corner of Dutilh Road and Route 19, opened for shopping today with eight stores, including some well-known retailers and specialty niche shops. Another 14 stores will open over the next several months.

CRANBERRY TWP — The township's newest "lifestyle center," the Streets of Cranberry, opened for shopping today with some well-known retailers and specialty niche shops coming into Butler County for the first time.

The project, which was several years in development, opened with eight stores.

Another 14 stores will open over the next several weeks up to several months.

"The lifestyle center was designed to complement the needs of the rapidly growing and intellectual community of Cranberry," said Tina Farley of Continental Real Estate, which helped develop the project.

There is 106,454 total square feet of retail space and 533 parking spaces with a large green space area over the 13.2 acres off Route 19 and just north of Dutilh Road.

The stores that opened today are:• Ann Taylor Loft — Women's clothes for a more relaxed lifestyle.• J. Jill — Relaxed women's apparel, accessories and footwear.• Mathew Jewelers — For more than 55 years, the jewelry store has operated in Zelienople. The second Cranberry store also features jewelry, timepieces and gift items.• Old Navy — Clothing, accessories and personal care products for men, women, children and babies.• Jos. A. Bank Clothiers — Men's clothing designer and retailer for the male professionals.• Chico's — Exclusive, private-label designs for women and personalized service.• White House/Black Market — Clothing and accessories offered only in shades of black and white.• Talbots — Women's fashion clothing.Other retailers scheduled to open later are: Aladdin's Eatery, American Eagle, Billie Jeans, Children's Place, Christopher & Banks, Coldwater Creek, First Watch, Gymboree, Just Dogs Gourmet, Learning Express, Limited Too, NY & Co., Omaha Steaks and Steamers.Check the center's Web site at www.thestreetsofcranberry. com for opening updates."You will thoroughly enjoy this lovely parklike setting to stroll and shop," said Dave Brudy, president of the DRB Group of Pittsburgh.DRB, along with Continental Real Estate of Columbus, Ohio, developed the shopping outlet.Farley called the development an upscale shopping destination that includes small eateries with a main street design.Continental Real Estate Companies is a commercial real estate developer. It develops and owns retail, office, hotel, multifamily residential, industrial and mixed-use properties throughout the U.S.It has worked on a number of high profile projects in the Pittsburgh area, including the Streets of Waterfront, a mixed-used redevelopment project along the Monongahela River in Homestead. It has numerous theaters, shops and retailers on the site of the former steel mill.The company has also developed more than 400,000 square-feet of office space and 70,000 square-feet of ground floor retail/restaurant space on the North Shore in Pittsburgh.

Lauren Kester, left, store manager of Talbots, talks Wednesday with Mike Rivera, an employee of Claw Electric, as the finishing touches are put on the store for the new Streets of Cranberry shopping center. Talbots, which offers women's fashions, was one of eight stores to open today.