North West Shore and West J.F.K. Boulevards
Tampa, Florida
The first fully-enclosed shopping center in the Tampa Bay Area was designed by Boston's Sumner Schein, and developed by a joint venture of Philadelphia-based Strouse, Greenburg & Company and Boston-based Dreyfuss Properties, Incorporated (later known as Theodore W. Berenson & Associates).
WEST SHORE PLAZA SHOPPING CITY was built on a 50-acre plot, located 4 miles west of center city Tampa. The site was adjacent to the Interstate 4 expressway (which was redesignated as Interstate 75 in 1969). A 3-level (238,000 square foot), Tampa-based Maas Brothers opened for business on October 19, 1966. The mall's 2-level (209,000 square foot) J.C. Penney welcomed first customers on September 7, 1967. A mall-wide dedication was held on September 28th.
Enveloping approximately 623,400 leasable square feet, WEST SHORE PLAZA housed thirty-eight stores, including Walgreen Drug, Piccadilly Cafeteria, an F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10 and Pantry Pride supermarket. There were also freestanding "Penneys" and Firestone Car Care centers.
The region's second enclosed shopping center, GATEWAY MALL {9.8 miles southwest, in St. Petersburg} opened in March 1968. The third, SUNSHINE MALL {15 miles west, in Clearwater}, was dedicated in September 1968. FLORILAND MALL {7.2 miles northeast, in Tampa} was inaugurated in October 1972. UNIVERSITY SQUARE {9.1 miles northeast, in Hillsborough County} began business in August 1974, with TAMPA BAY CENTER {2.5 miles northeast, in Tampa} being dedicated in August 1976.
An expansion of WEST SHORE PLAZA had been announced in June 1972. A Northeast Wing was built, that was anchored by a 2-level (159,000 square foot), St. Petersburg-based Robinson's Of Florida. A multi-level parking garage was also constructed. Robinson's opened for business on November 4, 1974, accompanied by twenty-five inline stores. These included Gourmet Wine & Cheese, Record Bar, Casual Corner and a Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour & Restaurant.
In 1980, a new expressway was completed through the eastern hinterlands of Tampa. It was designated as Interstate 75, with its original route (which passed by WEST SHORE PLAZA) being renamed Interstate 275.
The WEST SHORE PLAZA Pantry Pride had been shuttered on January 27, 1979. The (22,500 square foot) space was incorporated into the shopping concourse and divided into five inline stores; one being Oshman's Sporting Goods. This project was completed in the summer of 1980. The Pantry Pride structure was expanded southward in the mid-1980s. This area, and a portion of a vacant Walgreen Drug, were built into a small Food Court. The mall now encompassed around 869,000 leasable square feet and housed seventy-six stores and services.
The first WEST SHORE PLAZA anchor nameplate change was done following the August 1987 acquisition of several Robinson's of Florida stores by Baton Rouge-based Goudchaux's ["gawd-shawz"] -Maison Blanche. The stores operated as Robinson's-Maison Blanche until their conversion to bona fide Maison Blanche units, on March 28, 1988.
Dillard's acquired -and rebranded- Central Florida Maison Blanche stores (including the West Shore Plaza location) in August 1991. Maas Brothers stores in the Tampa Bay Area were rebannered by Miami-based Burdines on October 20 of the same year.
Britain's Grosvenor ["grove-nir"] International acquired WEST SHORE PLAZA in 1990. In 1992, they started the first stage of a three-phase mall renovation. A 9 million dollar face lift rebuilt the complex in a Spanish-Mediterranean motif. Skylights, marble flooring, tile fountains and palm trees were installed in the interior.
Moreover, a 3-story bell tower was built over Center Court and mall entrances were remodeled. New stores were brought in, including Cache, Gymboree and Audrey Jones, with The Bombay Company relocating into a larger space. The remodeling was completed in May 1993. Woolworth's closed for good in January 1994. It was divided into two sections by a new east-west mall corridor. The remaining area was fitted with inline store spaces.
The second phase of Grosvenor's mall renovation was announced in April 1997. The 170 million dollar project added South Parkade and West Parkade garages. Moreover, a 2-level (101,500 square foot) Saks Fifth Avenue was constructed on the west side of the complex. This store's grand opening was held on November 12, 1998.
Phase Three of the WEST SHORE PLAZA remodeling came with a price tag of 85 million dollars. This endeavor, which got underway in the year 2000, rebuilt the southeast corner of the mall. The 1980s-vintage Food Court was relocated eastward (into the old Pantry Pride structure). The new food facility incorporated nine vendors and included Little Tokyo, Jus d'Orange, Twin Cactus, Max Orient, Bourbon Street Cafe, Le Petite Bistro and Cafe Sbarro.
Eighteen stores, encompassing 75,000 square feet, were constructed. A 1-level (25,000 square foot) Old Navy opened on November 10, 2000. The American Multi-Cinema Westshore 14, built in an upper level, also opened on November 10th. Two Streetscape-type restaurants were part of the addition. Maggiano's Little Italy made its debut on June 28, 2001, followed by The Palm (a Steak House), which served its first meals on July 26th.
As part of the Southeast Wing renovation, the official name of the mall, WEST SHORE PLAZA (three words), was altered to read WESTSHORE PLAZA (two words). A major rival, INTERNATIONAL PLAZA {1 mile northeast, in Tampa} was dedicated in September 2001. This uber-upscale shopping hub snatched the WESTSHORE PLAZA Dillard's, which was shuttered on September 13, 2001. Its space re-opened, as a Sears, on October 17, 2002. This store had been taken from an already-ailing TAMPA BAY CENTER, leaving that mall anchor-less.
Columbus, Ohio's Glimcher Realty Trust acquired WESTSHORE PLAZA in August 2003. By this time, the complex encompassed 1,059,000 leasable square feet and housed 124 stores and services. P.F. Chang's China Bistro, added to the mall's existing Streetscape, opened in February 2003. In the next year, Tampa area Burdines stores were rebranded. The conversion was done in two stages; Burdines-Macy's-branded stores debuted on January 30, 2004, with a bona fide Macy's brand appearing on March 6, 2005.
The Glimcher Realty Trust had become financially strapped as a result of The Great Recession. On March 10, it was announced that Glimcher was entering into a two-mall joint venture with New York City's Blackstone Group. The two shopping centers involved were LLOYD CENTER {in Portland, Oregon} and WESTSHORE PLAZA. In mid-2013, Glimcher established full ownership of the WESTSHORE property and relinquished its ownership interest in LLOYD CENTER.
Indiana's Simon Property Group created a spin-off Real Estate Investment Trust in May 2014. Known as the Washington Prime Group, it assumed ownership of several of Simon's "Grade B" malls. The Washington Property Group merged with the Glimcher Realty Trust in early 2015.
On May 4, 2013, the WESTSHORE PLAZA Saks Fifth Avenue was shuttered. The building was renovated and re-opened, as a Dick's Sporting Goods, on April 25, 2014. Meanwhile, two new Streetscape restaurants had debuted. Seasons 52 was dedicated on February 15, 2010. Besito Mexican Grill, taking the place of The Palm (Steak House), welcomed first diners on April 8, 2015. J.C. Penney announced the closing of its WESTSHORE store in June 2020, but then decided to keep the location open.
The region's second enclosed shopping center, GATEWAY MALL {9.8 miles southwest, in St. Petersburg} opened in March 1968. The third, SUNSHINE MALL {15 miles west, in Clearwater}, was dedicated in September 1968. FLORILAND MALL {7.2 miles northeast, in Tampa} was inaugurated in October 1972. UNIVERSITY SQUARE {9.1 miles northeast, in Hillsborough County} began business in August 1974, with TAMPA BAY CENTER {2.5 miles northeast, in Tampa} being dedicated in August 1976.
An expansion of WEST SHORE PLAZA had been announced in June 1972. A Northeast Wing was built, that was anchored by a 2-level (159,000 square foot), St. Petersburg-based Robinson's Of Florida. A multi-level parking garage was also constructed. Robinson's opened for business on November 4, 1974, accompanied by twenty-five inline stores. These included Gourmet Wine & Cheese, Record Bar, Casual Corner and a Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour & Restaurant.
In 1980, a new expressway was completed through the eastern hinterlands of Tampa. It was designated as Interstate 75, with its original route (which passed by WEST SHORE PLAZA) being renamed Interstate 275.
The WEST SHORE PLAZA Pantry Pride had been shuttered on January 27, 1979. The (22,500 square foot) space was incorporated into the shopping concourse and divided into five inline stores; one being Oshman's Sporting Goods. This project was completed in the summer of 1980. The Pantry Pride structure was expanded southward in the mid-1980s. This area, and a portion of a vacant Walgreen Drug, were built into a small Food Court. The mall now encompassed around 869,000 leasable square feet and housed seventy-six stores and services.
The first WEST SHORE PLAZA anchor nameplate change was done following the August 1987 acquisition of several Robinson's of Florida stores by Baton Rouge-based Goudchaux's ["gawd-shawz"] -Maison Blanche. The stores operated as Robinson's-Maison Blanche until their conversion to bona fide Maison Blanche units, on March 28, 1988.
Dillard's acquired -and rebranded- Central Florida Maison Blanche stores (including the West Shore Plaza location) in August 1991. Maas Brothers stores in the Tampa Bay Area were rebannered by Miami-based Burdines on October 20 of the same year.
Britain's Grosvenor ["grove-nir"] International acquired WEST SHORE PLAZA in 1990. In 1992, they started the first stage of a three-phase mall renovation. A 9 million dollar face lift rebuilt the complex in a Spanish-Mediterranean motif. Skylights, marble flooring, tile fountains and palm trees were installed in the interior.
Moreover, a 3-story bell tower was built over Center Court and mall entrances were remodeled. New stores were brought in, including Cache, Gymboree and Audrey Jones, with The Bombay Company relocating into a larger space. The remodeling was completed in May 1993. Woolworth's closed for good in January 1994. It was divided into two sections by a new east-west mall corridor. The remaining area was fitted with inline store spaces.
The second phase of Grosvenor's mall renovation was announced in April 1997. The 170 million dollar project added South Parkade and West Parkade garages. Moreover, a 2-level (101,500 square foot) Saks Fifth Avenue was constructed on the west side of the complex. This store's grand opening was held on November 12, 1998.
Phase Three of the WEST SHORE PLAZA remodeling came with a price tag of 85 million dollars. This endeavor, which got underway in the year 2000, rebuilt the southeast corner of the mall. The 1980s-vintage Food Court was relocated eastward (into the old Pantry Pride structure). The new food facility incorporated nine vendors and included Little Tokyo, Jus d'Orange, Twin Cactus, Max Orient, Bourbon Street Cafe, Le Petite Bistro and Cafe Sbarro.
Eighteen stores, encompassing 75,000 square feet, were constructed. A 1-level (25,000 square foot) Old Navy opened on November 10, 2000. The American Multi-Cinema Westshore 14, built in an upper level, also opened on November 10th. Two Streetscape-type restaurants were part of the addition. Maggiano's Little Italy made its debut on June 28, 2001, followed by The Palm (a Steak House), which served its first meals on July 26th.
As part of the Southeast Wing renovation, the official name of the mall, WEST SHORE PLAZA (three words), was altered to read WESTSHORE PLAZA (two words). A major rival, INTERNATIONAL PLAZA {1 mile northeast, in Tampa} was dedicated in September 2001. This uber-upscale shopping hub snatched the WESTSHORE PLAZA Dillard's, which was shuttered on September 13, 2001. Its space re-opened, as a Sears, on October 17, 2002. This store had been taken from an already-ailing TAMPA BAY CENTER, leaving that mall anchor-less.
Columbus, Ohio's Glimcher Realty Trust acquired WESTSHORE PLAZA in August 2003. By this time, the complex encompassed 1,059,000 leasable square feet and housed 124 stores and services. P.F. Chang's China Bistro, added to the mall's existing Streetscape, opened in February 2003. In the next year, Tampa area Burdines stores were rebranded. The conversion was done in two stages; Burdines-Macy's-branded stores debuted on January 30, 2004, with a bona fide Macy's brand appearing on March 6, 2005.
The Glimcher Realty Trust had become financially strapped as a result of The Great Recession. On March 10, it was announced that Glimcher was entering into a two-mall joint venture with New York City's Blackstone Group. The two shopping centers involved were LLOYD CENTER {in Portland, Oregon} and WESTSHORE PLAZA. In mid-2013, Glimcher established full ownership of the WESTSHORE property and relinquished its ownership interest in LLOYD CENTER.
Indiana's Simon Property Group created a spin-off Real Estate Investment Trust in May 2014. Known as the Washington Prime Group, it assumed ownership of several of Simon's "Grade B" malls. The Washington Property Group merged with the Glimcher Realty Trust in early 2015.
On May 4, 2013, the WESTSHORE PLAZA Saks Fifth Avenue was shuttered. The building was renovated and re-opened, as a Dick's Sporting Goods, on April 25, 2014. Meanwhile, two new Streetscape restaurants had debuted. Seasons 52 was dedicated on February 15, 2010. Besito Mexican Grill, taking the place of The Palm (Steak House), welcomed first diners on April 8, 2015. J.C. Penney announced the closing of its WESTSHORE store in June 2020, but then decided to keep the location open.
Sources:
The Tampa Tribune
The St. Petersburg Independent
The St. Petersburg Times
"Remembering Maas Brothers"/ Micheal Lisicky
"West Shore Plaza Expansion Study" / Robert Jay Colestock & Erin O'Leary Barker / July 1993
http://andelman.com / Bob Andelman
http://nreionline.com / National Real Estate Investor / August 1998
Interstate275florida.com
www.bizjounals.com
www.glimcher.com
"Remembering Maas Brothers"/ Micheal Lisicky
"West Shore Plaza Expansion Study" / Robert Jay Colestock & Erin O'Leary Barker / July 1993
http://andelman.com / Bob Andelman
http://nreionline.com / National Real Estate Investor / August 1998
Interstate275florida.com
www.bizjounals.com
www.glimcher.com
Malls Of America Blogspot / Keith Milford webmaster
http://westshoreplaza.com
http://westshoreplaza.com
