Las Vegas' The Boulevard



The Main Entrance into THE BOULEVARD. The mall opened in three
phases between 1965 and 1968.
Photo from http://www.labelscar.com/ / "Caldor"

A site plan of the original structure, as it existed 40 years ago.

At the time, its anchors were Sears (on the north), The Broad-

way (on the south) and Vegas-based Ronzones (in the center).

J.C. Penney, formerly a Ronzone's and Phoenix-based

Diamond's (and possibly a Dillard's). It presently presides

over the mall's Center Court. Info is sketchy, but it would

appear that Dillard's rebranded the store in 1984 and

moved to a new location, on the south end of the mall, in

1992.

Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"

Another view of Center Court , apex of the circa-1968 mall.

Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"

The Promenade concourse, part of the 1991-'92 renovation.

Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"

The 1,187,000 square foot mall as it was configured in
2007. The circa-'68 structure is shown in black. The
expansion of 1991-1992 appears in light gray. Dillard's,
which anchored the early '90s addition, was shuttered
in late '08. The building is still vacant in 2009.

Two views of the shuttered Dillard's at THE BOULEVARD. The 2-
level, 199,000 square foot store is presently listed on the open
market. The asking price is $6,000,000.
Photos from www.loopnet.com


THE BOULEVARD
Maryland Parkway and Desert Inn Road
Winchester / Clark County, Nevada

The first shopping mall in the Silver State, CHARLESTON PLAZA, was built in southeast Las Vegas in the early 1960s. This neighborhood shopping complex was torn down and replaced by a strip center of the same name in 1988.

Hence, Vegas' second mall became its oldest by default. Known as THE BOULEVARD, it was built on a 75 acre tract, in unincorporated Clark County, 2.5 miles southeast of downtown Las Vegas.

THE BOULEVARD was envisaged by developer Irwin Molasky, who commissioned Seattle's John Graham, Jr. to design the fully-enclosed structure. It consisted of a main level of retail stores and a service / basement level.

The shopping venue was built in three phases. A predominantly 1-level (218,000 square foot) Sears -with basement- opened on the site in 1965. This was followed in 1966 by a 2-level (179,000 square foot), Los Angeles-based The Broadway.

In 1968, the fully-enclosed mall proper, including a 2-level Woolworth, was completed. It featured a 2-level (193,000 square foot) anchor store, built by the Nevada-based Ronzone's chain. This store later became a Phoenix-based Diamond's, which -probably- was rebranded by Dillard's in 1984. The structure currently houses a J.C. Penney.

THE BOULEVARD was the premier mall in the Las Vegas Valley until its first regional shopping mall competitor, MEADOWS MALL, opened in western Las Vegas in 1978. In 1981, FASHION SHOW, another regional mall, was built only 2 miles west of THE BOULEVARD.

A fifty-five million dollar remodeling of THE BOULEVARD, done in 1991-1992, included rerouting East Twain Avenue into a tunnel, as well as constructing a 2-level (199,000 square foot) Dillard's, a new mall concourse named "The Promenade" and three "parking terraces". The interior and exterior of the original mall was also modernized.

The renovation doubled the size of center, making it (for a time) the largest mall in Las Vegas, as well as the state of Nevada. With completion of the expansion, the retail hub encompassed 1,187,000 leasable square feet and one hundred and forty inline stores.

Today, THE BOULEVARD is the second-largest shopping mall in the Las Vegas metropolitan area; this following a 2002-2003 expansion of FASHION SHOW MALL. The BOULEVARD is owned by Chicago-based General Growth Properties, who acquired the center in June 1998.

The shuttering of Dillard's, on October 31, 2008, created a major vacancy at the mall that is yet to be filled.


Sources:

"Boulevard Mall" article on www.labelscar.com (The Retail History Blog) / Article by "Caldor"
http://www.molaskyco.com/
Clark County, Nevada tax assessor website
www.wrin.unlv.edu/biographies/bertha_ronzone
www.ggp.com (General Growth Properties)

Los Angeles' Broadway-Crenshaw Center



Today's BALDWIN HILLS-CRENSHAW PLAZA, which started out, in
1947, as BROADWAY-CRENSHAW CENTER. It is considered the oldest
continuously-operating, Post-World War II shopping center in America.
Frankly, I think that this distinction should be bestowed upon BELLEVUE
SQUARE, in Washington State. It began business in 1946.
Photo from http://www.festivalcos.com/

"May's Crenshaw", the center's second anchor, was built across
the street from The Broadway, its first. This was a manifestation
of the legendary retail rivalry between the two Los Angeles
department stores.

Los Angeles' first suburban shopping center. The site plan here
depicts what had been completed by 1948 (in black). A north-
west block of stores (in gray) came inline soon after.

Most of the 1940s strip center was demolished in the late 1980s, leaving

its two anchors intact. These were worked into a 2-level, fully-enclosed

mall, extending over Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and connecting

into the May Company building on the north side of the street.



A circa-2008 site plan of the shopping complex. Wal-Mart,
which was the Arkansas retailer's first tri-level store, is
also the only Wal-Mart in L.A. proper.

BROADWAY-CRENSHAW CENTER
Crenshaw and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevards
Los Angeles, California

Now considered the oldest regional shopping center in operation in the United States, BROADWAY-CRENSHAW CENTER opened in November, 1947. It straddled the Baldwin Hills and Crenshaw Manor districts of Los Angeles, on a 54 acre tract, 5 miles southwest of the center city.

The complex was originally anchored by two arch retail rivals; a 3-level (213,100 square foot), Los Angeles-based The Broadway and 4-level (263,600 square foot), Los-Angles-based May Company (a California subsidiary of St. Louis-based May Department Stores). These sat across from one another on Santa Barbara Avenue, known today as Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

In its early years, BROADWAY-CRENSHAW CENTER encompassed 550,000 square feet of retail space and included a Woolworth 5 and 10 and Vons supermarket.

In the 21st century, the shopping center's original orientation may seem strange. Storefronts were built against the sidewalks along Crenshaw Boulevard and Santa Barbara Avenue, with 13 acres of parking situated in the rear. The "parking lot in front" plan had not yet become the American shopping center design standard.

This open-air, strip center underwent a major -120 million dollar- renovation in the late 1980s. Portions were torn down and a 2-level, fully-enclosed mall structure was added to the rear of the Broadway store.

This extended over Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, to join with the May Company building on the other side of the street. Two multi-level parking garages were built, along with a 2-level (141,900 square foot) Sears.

With completion of the project in 1988, the center (which now had 850,000 leasable square feet) was renamed BALDWIN HILLS-CRENSHAW PLAZA.

In 1995, BHCP opened the nation's first Magic Johnson Theater; a 15-screen multiplex. The old Broadway department store was rebranded a Macy's in 1996. This location closed in 1999. Later, in January 2003, Walmart opened its first 3-level store in the old Broadway building.

The latest change at the mall occurred in late 2006, when the May Company store -by then under the Robinsons-May nameplate- became the second Macy's to operate in the center.

The present-day BHCP has an Albertson's supermarket and over ninety additional stores. It is owned by Chicago-based Capri Capital Investors, who acquired the complex in February 2006. Operation of BALDWIN HILLS-CRENSHAW PLAZA is handled by the Los Angeles-based Festival Companies.

Sources:

"Evolution of the Shopping Center" / Steven E. Schoenherr / history.sandiego.edu
"1959 Los Angeles Street Map" / www.californiahighways.org / Dan Faigin, webmaster
Hager Pacific press release / March 31, 2003
Hager Pacific press release / February 1, 2006
http://www.crenshawplaza.com/
http://www.festivalcos.com/
http://www.laist.com/

So-Cal's Huntington Center

Physical layout of So-Cal's third fully-enclosed shopping mall. The

original, circa-'66, center featured fifty-five stores and services and

encompassed 842,855 leasable square feet. The 1980s expansion,

shown in medium gray, added an 82,000 square foot Mervyn's and

several inline stores.

The Wards anchor store in HUNTINGTON CENTER. It encompassed
2-levels and 169,000 square feet.

HUNTINGTON CENTER TENANTS 1967:

THE BROADWAY (with Broadway Restaurant and Coffee Shop) / J.C. PENNEY (with Auto Center) / MONTGOMERY WARD (with Buffeteria Restaurant and Auto Center) / FOOD FAIR SUPERMARKET / BARKER BROTHERS FURNITURE / Lerner Shops / Judy's ladies' apparel / Gene's ladies' apparel / Gladys Fowler ladies' apparel / Chic Accessories / Jackie's ladies' apparel / Mode A' Day ladies' apparel / Trend O Fashion ladies' apparel / Park Lane Hosiery / Young Maternity / Singer Sewing Center / House of Fabrics / El Poca Candies and Gifts / See's Candies / Harris and Frank men's apparel / Bond's men's apparel / Carat's men's apparel / Dewey and Elam's For Men / Comar's Shoes / Gudes-Barnett Shoes / Leed's Shoes / Kinney Shoes / Paul Allen Shoes / Regal Shoes / Thom McAn Shoes / Youngland children's apparel / Toy World / Lawson's Jewelers / Winstead Camera / Family Bookstore / Huntington Center Hallmark / House of Cards / Security First National Bank / Southern Federal Savings and Loan Association

BELLA TERRA, built on the site of the old HUNTINGTON CENTER.
The upscale shopping and entertainment mecca opened in September
2006.

A 2007 physical layout of BELLA TERRA. Two anchor stores from the

old HUNTINGTON CENTER (Mervyn's and Burlington Coat Factory)

were recycled. Kohl's moved into the old The Broadway. The Mont-

gomery Ward structure (with the ?) was left standing, with no sort of

renovation or retenanting. It sits -rather decrepit-looking- amongst all

the finery of the new construction. The late 2008 closing of Mervyn's

has left the complex with a second vacant anchor store.

HUNTINGTON CENTER
Edinger Avenue and Beach Boulevard
Huntington Beach, California

Orange County, California's first fully-enclosed shopping center held its grand opening November 15, 1966. Known officially as HUNTINGTON CENTER, but often called HUNTINGTON BEACH MALL, the shopping complex was built on a 58 acre tract, located 33 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The site was adjacent to an interchange with a newly-opened segment of the San Diego Freeway.

The mall was designed by Los Angeles-based Mazzetti, Leach, Cleveland and Associates and developed -in a joint venture- by the Huntington Beach Company and Santa Barbara-based Gordon L. McDonald. It was originally anchored by a branch of Los Angeles-based The Broadway. This 2-level (150,000 square foot store) had opened in October 1965.

The completed mall included a 2-level (169,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward and 2-level (206,000 square foot) J.C. Penney. This store faced a main court area with a statue of an archer at its center, which had been imported from Budapest, Hungary.

A Northwest Wing was dedicated in 1986. This included a 2-level (82,000 square foot) branch of the Hayward, California-based Mervyn's chain and several new stores.

Unfortunately, by the early 1990s, the mall was going under. J.C. Penney relocated to another area shopping center in 1992 and the Montgomery Ward closed soon after.

The Broadway folded in 1996. The mall was left virtually vacant, as tenants and customers had moved on to newer and more trendy retail complexes, such as SOUTH COAST PLAZA (1967) [May 2008 archive] and WESTMINSTER MALL (1974).

A 170 million dollar wrecking ball renovation got underway in late 2003. Most of the existing mall was razed, with the four anchor department stores, and an outparcel structure to the east, left standing.

Ground was broken in April 2004 for a new, open-air shopping complex, with upscale retail spaces and restaurants and a five thousand-seat, 20-screen, multiplex cinema. A 6-level -one thousand five hundred-space- parking garage was also built at the north end of the site.

Rechristened BELLA TERRA (Italiano for "Beautiful Earth"), its grand opening was held in September 2006. The anchors of the lifestyle center are Mervyn's and Burlington Coat Factory (holdovers from the original mall), a branch of the Wisconsin-based Kohl's chain, Barnes and Noble, Circuit City and REI. The shopping center is operated by San Jose-based DJM Capital Partners.

Sources:

LottaLiving website / Favorite Building Forum / Contributors: "Egads", "Spud Girl", and "Boxoutbm"
Belle Of The Malls: Huntington Beach Mall Reborn As Tuscan-inspired Lifestyle Center"/ Melissa Adams / OC Metro Magazine / "Retail" / February 16, 2006
http://www.ci.huntington-beach.ca.us/
City-Data.com / Los Angeles City Forum / Contributors: "Tess", "Dennismpat" and "Gary F." City-djmcapital.com (DJM Capital Partners website)
"The Broadway" article on Wikipedia
"Mervyn's" article on Wikipedia
www.groceteria.com / Message Board / History: Non-Grocery Retail / Contributor: "Jeff"

San Diego's Escondido Village Mall



Talk about high-end Mid-Mod! This view of the Center Court area, in
front of the Walker Scott anchor store, shows the original decor of the
mid-'60s shopping center.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot

San Diego County's first interior mall, the second to open in Southern
California. In 1964, it was anchored by a 2-level, San Diego-based
Walker Scott. The 225,000 square foot retail hub also included an
Oklahoma City-based T G & Y 5 and dime and Mayfair Market
grocery.



In the early '70s, the center was expanded with a southeast block of
stores and 2-level Sears. Its GLA now stood at 414,600 square feet.

Two aerial photos of the same area; the first, from 1964, the second
from around 2007. These show just some of the many changes that
have been made to the "VILLAGE MALL" over the years.
First photo from the Escondido Public Library
Second photo from http://www.live.com/

A physical layout from 1992, showing the demalled orientation of the
shopping complex. At this time, the Sears / Fedco building was still
standing. New construction is indicated in medium gray. Construction
from the early 1970s appears in dark gray. Sections of the original,
1964 mall are shown in black.


ESCONDIDO VILLAGE MALL
East Valley Parkway and North Ash Street
Escondido, California

Metro San Diego's first fully-enclosed shopping center opened in 1964. The center was built on a 40 acre site, 27 miles northeast of central San Diego, in suburban Escondido.

ESCONDIDO VILLAGE MALL originally encompassed 225,000 leasable square feet. The single-level center was anchored by a 2-level (80,000 square foot), San Diego-based Walker Scott. Inline stores included Ting's Drug, Orange Julius, Stride-Rite Shoes, Kaleidoscope Jewelry and Martinizing Dry Cleaning, along with a Mayfair Market and T G & Y 5 and 10.

The first renovation of the "VILLAGE MALL" mall was completed in 1972. A predominantly 2-level (131,200 square foot) Sears was added to the east end of the complex, that was joined to a 58,400 square foot expansion of stores. The complex now housed 414,600 leasable square feet.

The mall proper had been acquired by the Los Angeles-based El Caze Escondido Partnership in 1984. The company was headed by Dan Selleck, with brother Tom Selleck being an second investor.

A formidable retail rival came on the scene in 1986. The 6-anchor NORTH COUNTY FAIR was built 4 miles south, in Escondido. The 14-year-old Sears at ESCONDIDO VILLAGE closed February 18, 1986 and reopened, at NORTH COUNTY FAIR, the following day.

Los Angeles-based Fedco was signed to retenant the vacated Sears. They renovated and expanded the structure, into a 204,000 square foot operation, which opened later in 1986. However, by this time, the mall was in trouble.

In an effort to reposition their struggling shopopolis, El Caze Escondido embarked upon a large-scale renovation in the early 1990s. Walker Scott, which had been one of the last two stores left in the chain, was shuttered in 1986. It was razed along with the center section of the original mall.

This space was filled with a 1-level (45,600 square foot) Ralph's supermarket and 1-level (27,400 square foot) Office Depot. Moreover, the enclosed mallway along the north side of the center was ripped down with stores reoriented with street-facing, exterior entrances.

A demalled ESCONDIDO VILLAGE CENTER was dedicated in 1992. The complex now encompassed 457,000 leasable square feet.

Soon after, a second -less formidable- retail rival joined the fold. ESCONDIDO PROMENADE, located 2.2 miles southwest, also in Escondido, was dedicated in 1994.

Fedco held on until 1999, with its vacant store structure being razed in 2001. A 1-level (110,000 square foot) Home Depot opened on the spot in 2002.

A proposal to extend Harding Street through the mall site, between the mall proper and new Home Depot (connecting East Valley Parkway with East Grand Avenue), was being proposed as far back as 1999. The street extension was to provide access to a newly-constructed Wal-Mart, that would be installed on 10 acres, southwest of the then-existing Sears / Fedco.

This proposal gained impetus in 2003, but was stymied by Ralph's, who cited a "non-compete" clause in their lease (they did not want rivalry from the grocery side of a new Wal-Mart Super Center). Hence, the Wal-Mart deal fell through in 2006.

With the shuttering of Ralph's, on December 1, 2007, the opportunity to, once again, court a new 100,000+ square foot anchor presented itself.

Target announced plans for a 140,000 square foot store, to be built on the site originally slated for Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, the souring economy caused Target to pull out of their deal in February 2008.

Today, the 253,000 square foot ESCONDIDO VILLAGE CENTER strip plaza is managed by San Diego-based James Crone and Associates. Stores include Vallarta Market (which opened in the Ralph's space in April 2008), Dollar Tree, Big 5 Sporting Goods and Radio Shack.

Sources:

Comment post by Randy
Malls of America Blogspot / Keith Milford webmaster
www.nctimes.com
www.ci.escondido.us
infodome.sdsu.edu
www.dshistory.com
http://www.jamescrone.com/

Portland's Lloyd Center



LLOYD CENTER'S circular staircase, on the East Mall.
Photo from Malls Of America Blogspot.

The original complex had three levels. The first was a service base-
ment and ice rink. The second (seen here) was devoted to retail
stores. The third was leased as office spaces.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot



Mr. C's Hippopotamus Restaurant was a favorite eatery in the circa-
'60s center.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot



The outparcel J.J. Newberry 5 & 10, located in the back blocks of the
complex.
Photo from Malls Of America Blogspot

The circa-'60 center and its outparcels. This giant shopping venue
housed nearly one hundred stores and was one of the largest shopping

centers in the nation. Other commercial contemporaries would have

been New Jersey's GARDEN STATE PLAZA, New York's ROOSE-

VELT FIELD and D.C.'s brand-new WHEATON PLAZA.

A circa-'60 view of the Meier & Frank anchor store at the front
of LLOYD CENTER.
Mark Moore Collection / www.pdxhistory.com



The same view, but taken thirty-five years later.
Photo by kind permission of Mark Bozanich.



Today's West Wing and Nordstrom mall entrance. The interior of the
shopping venue was given a makeover in 2006.
Photo from Glimcher Realty Trust website

LLOYD CENTER, in the present-day. After its 1990s renovation

and expansion, the 1.4 million square foot center reclaimed its

position as the largest mall in the Beaver State, a distinction it

had relinquished to Tigard, Oregon's WASHINGTON SQUARE.

PDX's Metropolitan Area Express ("MAX") opened a station at LLOYD
CENTER in September 1986.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Alphalife"

THE LARGEST OPEN-AIR SHOPPING
MALLS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1960:

1. GARDEN STATE PLAZA, Paramus, NJ
2. ROOSEVELT FIELD CENTER, Town of Hempstead, NY
3. NORTHLAND CENTER, Southfield, MI
4. BERGEN MALL, Paramus & Maywood, NJ
5. LLOYD CENTER, Portland, OR


LLOYD CENTER
Northeast Multnomah Street and Northeast 9th Avenue
Portland, Oregon

Oregon's first shopping mall took over thirty-five years to get from conception to reality. Envisioned in the 1920s by Ralph B. Lloyd, a California oil company executive and real estate entrepreneur, LLOYD CENTER eventually opened for business in August of 1960.

The complex, designed by Seattle's John Graham, Jr., was one of the largest shopping centers in the United States at the time. It was situated on a 50 acre tract, 1 mile northeast of Portland's downtown area.

The open-air mall encompassed three levels. The first, an underground parking deck, included basements for the major anchor stores and an ice rink. The second level was devoted entirely to retail. The third housed leased office spaces.

Portland-based Meier And Frank occupied a 5-level (300,000 square foot) department store at the center of the mall. Lipman And Wolfe, another Portland-based department store chain, had a 2-level store in the West Wing.

There were over ninety other inline stores, including J.C. Penney, F.W. Woolworth, Lerner Shops, Stevens and Son Jewelry, Van Duyns Candies and Mr. C's Hippopotamus Restaurant. Outparcels of the main mall included Pay 'N Save Drug, as well as a Safeway supermarket and J. J. Newberry 5 and 10.

In 1963, Nordstrom Shoes opened a store in the West Wing of the mall. By the 1970s, this operation had been expanded into a full-line department store. In 1979, Lipman and Wolfe closed, with its space being leased by Seattle-based Frederick and Nelson. This department store closed in 1986 and reopened in the same year as an additional Nordstrom location.

LLOYD CENTER became rail transit accessible in September 1986, with the opening of the initial -15 route mile- Metropolitan Area Express ("MAX") light rail line. A station was located 1 block south of the mall, at Northeast 11th Avenue and Holladay Street. The success of this new light rail system prompted the owners of the mall to begin a 200 million dollar renovation and expansion in 1990.

This project entailed enclosing the shopping center's three concourses. The basement parking deck was converted into an additional level of store spaces. Two parking garages were built; one at the northwest corner of the mall, another at the southeast corner.

The third mall level, formerly composed entirely of offices, had a new Food Court and multiplex cinema installed. Moreover, the two Nordstrom locations at the end of the West Wing were replaced with a 3-level (150,000 square foot) store.

Other changes occurred at LLOYD CENTER during the 1990s. The Bellevue, Washington-based Lamonts chain opened a department store at the end of the North Wing in 1990. This chain went bankrupt and the store closed in early 1995.

The outparcel Safeway supermarket was renovated and expanded in 1996. In 1998, the entire shopping center was sold to Columbus, Ohio-based Glimcher Realty Trust.

At the beginning of the new century, J.C. Penney moved out, with its store space being leased to Sears. The old Woolworth had become a Marshalls, the old Lamonts, a Ross Dress For Less. In late 2006, the Meier and Frank was "Macy-ated".

LLOYD CENTER was -and remains- the largest shopping mall in the state of Oregon. The center encompasses 1.4 million leasable square feet and houses one hundred and fifty stores, as well as forty offices.

Sources:

"Lloyd Center" article on Wikipedia
"Meier and Frank" article on Wikipedia
"Lipman and Wolfe" article on Wikipedia
www.angelfire.com / "Meier and Frank - Lloyd Center - Portland, Oregon / Mark Bozanich
Malls Of America Blogspot / Lloyd Center blogs / Comments by "Rainblessed" and "Steve"
http://www.glimcher.com/
http://www.trimet.org/