An post-2003 aerial of the GALLERIA, which is the Lonestar State's
largest retail complex and the third-largest enclosed mall in the USA.
Photo from www.simon.com (Simon Property Group)
THE LARGEST ENCLOSED SHOPPING
MALLS IN THE UNITED STATES, 2008:
1. MALL OF AMERICA, Bloomington MN
2. AVENTURA MALL, Dade County, FL
3. THE GALLERIA, Houston, TX
4. SAWGRASS MILLS, Sunrise, FL
5. ROOSEVELT FIELD MALL, Town of Hempstead, NY
THE GALLERIA
Westheimer Road and South Post Oak Boulevard
Houston, Texas
Noteworthy as the nation's first major mixed-use retail / office / hotel development, Houston's GALLERIA was something of a mid-20th century reinvention of Milan, Italy's GALLERIA VITTORIO EMANUELE II (1865-1877).
The complex was situated on a 14 acre plot, 15 miles west of the center city, which was adjacent to the West Loop / Interstate 610 Expressway, completed in 1968.
Designed by the HOK (Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum) Group, the GALLERIA was built by Gerald D. Hines, one of the major developers of the Houston metropolis. The first phase of the project, now known as GALLERIA I, was dedicated November 16, 1970.
The original 600,000 square foot, tri-level structure was anchored by a 2-level (224,000 square foot), Dallas-based Neiman Marcus. The Galleria Cinema I and II was located on the first level of the center, along with an Ice Rink. A multi-level parking garage was included on the south end of the structure. The (400 room) Houston Oaks Hotel was added in 1971.
Houston's GALLERIA was surrounded by several shoppping malls. These included MEYERLAND PLAZA (1957) [July 2008 archive], SHARPSTOWN MALL (1961) [July 2008 archive), MEMORIAL CITY MALL (1962), NORTHWEST MALL (1968) [June 2009 archive] and TOWN AND COUNTRY MALL (1983). However, within a few years of its opening, The GALLERIA was firmly established as the preeminent shopping mall in all of Houston. These other centers provided no real competition.
The second construction phase, referred to as GALLERIA II, was built over two levels of parking and added 449,700 square feet to the west of the existing building. It was completed during 1976 and 1977.
This bi-level segment included a 2-level (67,500 square foot) Lord and Taylor and 2-level, San Antonio-based Frost Brothers. GALLERIA II also included the Galleria Financial Center offices, (500 room) Galleria Plaza Hotel, Galleria Cinemas III and IV and a second parking garage.
In 1979, a 2-level (185,000 square foot) Marshall Fields came inline, which was the first southern store in the Chicago-based chain.
The fourth implementation phase, GALLERIA III, was completed in 1986. This bi-level addition -also built atop a parking deck- encompassed 328,000 square feet and included a 2-level (232,000 square foot) Macy's.
Frost Brothers was shuttered in 1988, with the store being sectioned into smaller retail spaces. In 1996, Marshall Field's closed their GALLERIA store, which opened as a Saks Fifth Avenue in 1997.
Beginning in 1999, the controlling interest in the sprawling mall complex changed four times, with the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group prevailing with majority ownership interest in 2002.
In March 2003, a fifth (and perhaps final) construction phase was dedicated. Known as GALLERIA IV, it was a bi-level, 800,000 square foot expansion, anchored by a 2-level (250,000 square foot), Houston-based Foleys's and 2-level (226,000 square foot), Seattle-based Nordstrom.
With this addition, the GALLERIA encompassed 2.4 million square feet, with over three hundred and seventy-five stores and services, making it the nation's third-largest enclosed shopping center.
In 2005, the Lord and Taylor was shuttered. The building was renovated into new mall retail space, which opened in 2006. Also in 2006, Foley's (due to the May / Federated merger) was "Macy-ated".
Sources:
"Houston Galleria" article on Wikipedia
"Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II" article on Wikipedia
Harris County, Texas Tas assessor website
Information and photos from Jonah Norason
Cinema Treasures / "Galleria Cinemas" article / submitted by Jack Coursey and "Caro"
www.simon.com
Comment post by "Anonymous"
11 comments:
I have been to the Galleria but don't remember it. Hopefully I'll have a reason to go to Houston someday.
I was about 3 when I made my trip to the Galleria. My parents and aunt had to pry me away from a toy store, and some time later they noticed I was gone. Fearing that I had been kidnapped, they searched the mall with store security. Sure enough, I was back at the toy store, having remembered how to get back there. I think this story says a lot about my relationship with malls.
Hiya Mitch,
Yup, I guess you started out early as a "mall aficianado". I was 12 before the "bug" bit me, hee hee.
Before I was 12, I had never heard of a "shopping mall". My family was suburban...but there weren't any malls in our immediate area until the DAYTON MALL came along, in 1969.
I was hoping that you might post a comment (or 2 or 3...) onto the LOST MALLS OF LA COUNTY section. As you are the preeminent authority on shopping malls in So-Cal, and -basically- all around, I would be interested to hear your impressions of the rememberings of LA's early mall-type centers.
I don't think that a whole heck-of-a-lot of people recall some of these malls.
Cheers,
The Curator
I heard that Frost Brothers, a regional upscale department store, was here. If it was here, where was it?
Jonah,
According to accounts, a San Antonio-based Frost Brothers opened in the newly-built GALLERIA II expansion in 1976. It closed in 1988.
I do not know exactly how the store was configured in this addition. Perhaps it was not an incredibly large store, and occupied one of the 4 quadrants divided by the criss-crossing mall corridors.
All I know is that it was somehere within the "Galleria II" section indicated in the 2007 physical layout drawing on here.
I also know that the Lord and Taylor, which was built onto the existing GALLERIA at the same time, was on the north end of the GALLERIA II addition (its former area is seen on the site plan drawing).
This store closed in 2005...with its space being sectioned off into a new mall corridor and east-facing mall entrance (see 2007 site plan). This new/additional retail area opened during 2006.
Hopefully, someone out there can shed some light on the exact location of Frost Brothers within the 1976-1988 GALLERIA.
Cheers,
I actually went to the Galleria a few days ago and discovered a clue as to where Frost Brothers might have been. Upon exiting Galleria I and going up to the third level (remember the "third level" is different from Galleria I, where the "Rink", "Street", and "Second Levels" are) which is carpeted but has banks and no retail, you could clearly see east where the Lord & Taylor was. A large sign read the stores in the former L&T was. It read Borders, Kona Grill, Oceanaire Seafood Room, and other stores. However, on the other side, there was another storefront that read Nordstrom and Macy's (Galleria IV). I realized that this was, in fact, likely the former Frost Brothers, which had gotten partially demolished long before Galleria IV came along.
"Anon",
Sounds right.
I suppose the only way to locate the old Frost Brothers for sure would be to consult old (circa 1976) Houston newspapers (in a library archive).
Hopefully, one of these might have a graphic/store map drawing of the "new" Galleria II expansion.
I wish I could research this more..but I'm not in Houston.
Cheers,
As an experienced Galleria visitor, since it first opened its doors in 1970, I am trying to rack my brain to remember the Frost Brothers location in Galleria II. Galleria II had two shopping levels. The south side was anchored by the hotel and I believe that, on the north side, ending axis, one level held Frost Brothers and the other level held Lord & Taylor. I remember that we used to park in a garage that had a light well escalator/elevator entrance into the middle of Galleria II.
AH... Sure enough! I have found a photo that I believe pin points Frost Brothers in the location I remember it. It is from Fall, 2001 during Houston's Art Cow exhibit, showing the lower level of Galleria II, with the "thers" part of the store's sign in the background. Lower Level, North Side. I can email you the pic.
As an aside, I distinctly remember, around 1977, that Saks 5th Avenue first opened up in its own shopping center (The Saks Center), to the north of the Galleria, on the west side of Post Oak Drive. This smaller shopping mall contained its own movie theatre complex, as well. I remember seeing "Moonstruck" as the last movie I saw there (1987).
If you have any questions about the Galleria, especially referring to the 1970's, I can try to answer them.
Sorry - Upon closer scrutiny of my photo, it may actually be "Brooks Brothers". But, I still think this north end of Galleria II held Frost Bros. at one time.
Julie,
Thanks much for the GALLERIA MALL memories.
I have done a few rectifications to the existing article here to reflect the details that you recall (concerning the double-decked L & T and Frost Bros. stores).
Have a great holiday season and "thanks for shopping"....
Just to clear this up, the Lord & Taylor store was a two-level store (with two levels of parking below and two levels plus roof, I think, above) at the north end of the Galleria II expansion, as noted in another comment. After L&T closed the store, as someone said, the space was carved up into several stores and restaurants, including Borders and Kona Grill.
Frost Bros. occupied a fairly small two-level space in the southwest corner of Galleria II, closest to the Westin Galleria hotel. It wasn't a freestanding structure, but did have entrances on both levels — the thing I remember most about it was that there was a spiral staircase inside that fascinated me when I was a kid. I'm not sure exactly how large the store was, but its space was divided up after Frost Bros. moved out; Eddie Bauer, Express, the Daily Grill and Apple now occupy the area that used to be Frost Bros.
Hope this helps!
Anon,
Thanks for clearing up the eternal mystery of the location of Frost Brothers.
I have added the detail to the article and contemporary site plan.
Post a Comment