On Thursdays in August, a series of shows -Jazz At Jordan
Crossing- are held in the mall's Courtyard.
Photo from www.jordancrossingcenter.com


SWIFTON CENTER
Reading Road / US 42 and Seymour Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio

Planning for Cincinnati's first shopping mall was underway in 1950, with a prospectus being completed in April, 1951. In this proposal, a regional shopping center was to be built on a 34 acre site in the Bond Hill district, at what was then the geographic center of Cincinnati and its suburbs.

There was a 5-story office building incorporated into the proposed structure and another 11-story office tower to be built to the south, connected to the main shopping center by elevated walkway. In keeping with the times, a 10,000 person capacity bomb shelter was to be included on the lower level of the complex.

The 2-level, open-air shopping center, designed by Knoxville, Tennessee's David Liebman Associates, was developed by the Jonathan Woodner Company. It opened October 3, 1956, with 486,000 leasable square feet and a 3,000 car parking area. The two office buildings had been eliminated from the final plan.

SWIFTON CENTER featured sixty-six retailers and was anchored by a 3-level (140,000 square foot), Cincinnati-based Rollman's. This store was rebranded by Cincinnati-based Mabley And Carew in late 1960 and Dayton-based Elder-Beerman in 1975.

The Upper / Mall Level also featured G.C. Murphy and S.S. Kresge 5 and 10's, Kroger and Liberal supermarkets, a Walgreen Drug, Gentry Shop For Men, Franklin Simon and Lillian's ladies apparel. A small kiddie ride amusement area was on the north concourse, across from the Murphy's 5 & 10.

On the Lower Level was a Pasquale's Pizza, State (liquor) Store, Social Security Administration office, Electrolux office and practices for several dentists and physicians.

By the tenth anniversary of SWIFTON CENTER, there were three other shopping malls in Greater Cincinnati; TRI-COUNTY CENTER (1960) [December 2006 archive], WESTERN WOODS MALL (1963) [July 2008 archive] and KENWOOD MALL (1966) [October 2006 archive]. These had been built farther out from the central city and drew a great deal of commerce away from the older center.

By the early 1980s, SWIFTON had become obsolete....a dead mall. At one time, there were only ten tenants in business in the center, which had space for almost seventy.

After sitting nearly vacant for several years, a 12 million dollar renovation was undertaken in the early 1990s. A newly-remodeled, and renamed, SWIFTON COMMONS MALL opened in 1994. An enclosed food court had been installed and the exterior was given a small-scale facelift.

This effort to revitalize the shopping venue was a complete failure. Within two years, it was in foreclosure. The complex was sold in 1996, again in 1997, and -for a third time- in 2001.

The final purchase was made by the Allen Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church, who renovated the former SWIFTON COMMONS into an "informational and community service mall of the 21st century".

Known as JORDAN CROSSING CENTER, it included a branch of Wilberforce University, offices for the Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency and spaces for thirty other tenants.

In addition, a 23,630 square foot sanctuary, the Allen Temple AME Church, was built on a 4.5 acre section, at the northwest corner of the mall's parking lot. The 9 million dollar structure was dedicated in May 2004.

Today, JORDAN CROSSING CENTER houses retail tenants such as Derrick Allen's Beauty Salon, Deveroes Clothing, Family Printing and Design Center, Image Makers Barber Shop and Ike's BarBQue. Moreover, there are offices for three non-profit organizations and five church sanctuaries.

The Upper Level mallway is also the site for the Jazz at Jordan Crossing summer concert series.

Sources:

Varady's Research Archive, Bond Hill / Album: Swifton Commons / Jonathan Woodner Company Proposal (1951)
"Bud03", "Margi" and "LH Wildcat" Comments / City-Data Forum, Cincinnati
http://www.best-of-cincinnati.com/ / Bond, Best Of Bond Hill / By TT Clinkscales and Jessica Turner "Swifton Mall Orphaned Giant Searching For Market, Future" / Cincinnati Post / Cliff Peale, staff reporter
"Allen Temple To Build Impressive New Church At Swifton Mall, Evolves As Community Focus" / Cincinnati Inquirer / Allen Howard, staff reporter
http://www.pfbarchitects.com/ / "Swifton Commons - 1994 Renovation, Cincinnati, Ohio" / PFB Architects, Incorporated
http://jordancrossingcenter.com/