Dorset Street and Williston Road
South Burlington, Vermont
Syracuse, New York's Pyramid Companies were the first corporate entity to propose a regional-class shopping mall for Greater Burlington. Their plan for PYRAMID MALL WILLISTON would have developed a 494,000 square foot complex on a site situated in the Town of Williston, a community 6 miles southeast of the Central Business District. Unfortunately for Pyramid, their mall proposal was rejected by the local governing body in October 1978.
By this time, a more modest mall was being built by Boston's Rand Industries Corporation. Tentative approval for their shopping center was granted by the South Burlington Planning Commission in May 1970. Over the next six years, permission had to be granted for other UNIVERSITY MALL projects. Ground was finally broken on March 16, 1977 at a 56-acre plot. This was located 2.3 miles southeast of downtown Burlington, in the bedroom community of South Burlington.
UNIVERSITY MALL was added to Zayre and Almys stores. The 1-level (79,800 square foot) Zayre discount mart had opened on November 11, 1970, with a 1-level (60,000 square foot) Almys being inaugurated on July 10, 1978. Outparcels of the main mall structure included a (23,000 square foot) Martin's Food Center, (24,000 square foot) Hilson's Home Center and Howard Bank.
The first anchor change at U-MALL was set in motion with the shuttering of Almys, in May 1987. The store sat vacant until Asbury Park, New Jersey-based Steinbach opened on March 2, 1989. Meanwhile, stores in the Zayre chain were rebranded by Rocky Hill, Connecticut-based Ames. The transition was completed on October 26th, 1989.
A second expansion of the retail hub commenced in February 1992. The renovation brought a 1-level (85,500 square foot) J.C. Penney. This store, which utilized gutted mall space and a small addition, was officially dedicated on November 11, 1992. In September 1997, a third mall expansion got underway. This added a 2-level (126,500 square foot) Sears and multilevel parking garage. These were dedicated on October 21, 1998. U-MALL now encompassed around 610,700 leasable square feet.
Subsequent anchor rebrandings took place after the closing of Steinbach, in March 1999. The store re-opened, as a York, Pennsylvania-based The Bon Ton, on November 3 of the same year. Ames, shuttered in October 2002, re-opened, as a Wisconsin-based Kohl's, on April 16, 2004. An indoor-outdoor mall face lift was done between May and November 2005. During this project, new ceilings, flooring, lighting and soft seating were installed. Mall entrances were also rebuilt.
Finard Properties, who had established full ownership of U-MALL, defaulted on their loan. The property was foreclosed on in July 2016. It was placed under control of Miami Beach, Florida's LNR Properties, with Burlington, Massachusetts' Key Point Partners hired to manage and lease the facility. The new management company completed a renovation of the mall's interior during 2018, as The Bon Ton was closing down.
Sources:
The Burlington Free Press
www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
https://sites.google.com / "Zayre88"
http://www.keypointpartners.com / Key Point Partners
http://www.wcax.com / WCAX-TV
http://www.joneslanglasalle.com
https://www.sevendaysvt.com / Seven Days / Vermont's Independent Voice
The grand opening of Almys -and construction of the mall- was delayed for four months, while the Dorset Street and Williston Road intersection was widened. Work ground to a halt in September 1977 and resumed in January 1978. At this time, Rand Industries took on a partner to aid in the development of UNIVERSITY MALL. They formed a joint venture with the Finard Company, of Wellesley, Massachusetts.
When completed, the fully-enclosed, single-level mall encompassed approximately 320,000 leasable square feet. The "ultra-modern shopping promenade" was dedicated on April 5, 1979. Governor Richard A. Snelling (R) cut a ceremonial ribbon. Appearances were made by Minnie Mouse and the Wicked Witch of the West and a 70-foot-high hot air balloon flew above the mall.
Twenty-seven stores were in operation. By December 1979, there were forty-seven. Charter tenants included Wellby Super Drug, So-Fro Fabrics, Stuart Simon men's wear, The Athlete's Foot, Great Expectations, Jo-Ann Fabrics, Radio Shack, Kinney Shoes, Precision Haircutters and a Papa Gino's pizzeria.
Primary shopping options in the "U-MALL" trade area were BURLINGTON SQUARE / TOWN CENTER (1976) {1.6 miles northwest, in downtown Burlington} and a collection of small strip plazas situated 1.4 miles southwest of U-MALL, in South Burlington. BURLINGTON PLAZA and MALL 189 eventually morphed into SOUTH BURLINGTON FACTORY OUTLET CENTER and SHELBURNE ROAD PLAZA.
A renovation and expansion of U-MALL was announced in July 1985. The controversial project would encounter several hurdles before construction on a first phase got underway in November 1985. As part of Phase 1, a (48,000 square foot) Hilson's Home Center and (48,000 square foot) Martin's Food & Drug Center would be housed in a new building. A 1-level (86,000 square foot) Zayre would also be built built, as a freestanding structure.
The Hilson store welcomed first customers on March 29, 1988. Martin's was dedicated May 2nd. The new Zayre opened its doors on February 19, 1989. With the original Zayre vacant, it was possible to reconfigure it as an extension of the mall's South Wing. Moreover, a 29,000 square foot South Wing expansion was built that connected the old and new Zayres. An 8-bay Garden Cafe Food Court now filled a previous drug store space.
UNIVERSITY MALL was rededicated on March 23, 1990. Governor Madeleine Kunin (D) presided over the festivities. Carole Gist, "Miss USA 1990" was also on hand. Music was provided by the Onion River Band, Rachel Bissex & her trio, the Dave Contois Trio and Vermont Youth Orchestra. Mall patrons also enjoyed a simulated magic carpet ride. The 4-year-long renovation had brought the square footage of U-MALL up to approximately 464,000. Its retail roster now listed seventy-four stores and services.
Primary shopping options in the "U-MALL" trade area were BURLINGTON SQUARE / TOWN CENTER (1976) {1.6 miles northwest, in downtown Burlington} and a collection of small strip plazas situated 1.4 miles southwest of U-MALL, in South Burlington. BURLINGTON PLAZA and MALL 189 eventually morphed into SOUTH BURLINGTON FACTORY OUTLET CENTER and SHELBURNE ROAD PLAZA.
A renovation and expansion of U-MALL was announced in July 1985. The controversial project would encounter several hurdles before construction on a first phase got underway in November 1985. As part of Phase 1, a (48,000 square foot) Hilson's Home Center and (48,000 square foot) Martin's Food & Drug Center would be housed in a new building. A 1-level (86,000 square foot) Zayre would also be built built, as a freestanding structure.
The Hilson store welcomed first customers on March 29, 1988. Martin's was dedicated May 2nd. The new Zayre opened its doors on February 19, 1989. With the original Zayre vacant, it was possible to reconfigure it as an extension of the mall's South Wing. Moreover, a 29,000 square foot South Wing expansion was built that connected the old and new Zayres. An 8-bay Garden Cafe Food Court now filled a previous drug store space.
UNIVERSITY MALL was rededicated on March 23, 1990. Governor Madeleine Kunin (D) presided over the festivities. Carole Gist, "Miss USA 1990" was also on hand. Music was provided by the Onion River Band, Rachel Bissex & her trio, the Dave Contois Trio and Vermont Youth Orchestra. Mall patrons also enjoyed a simulated magic carpet ride. The 4-year-long renovation had brought the square footage of U-MALL up to approximately 464,000. Its retail roster now listed seventy-four stores and services.
The first anchor change at U-MALL was set in motion with the shuttering of Almys, in May 1987. The store sat vacant until Asbury Park, New Jersey-based Steinbach opened on March 2, 1989. Meanwhile, stores in the Zayre chain were rebranded by Rocky Hill, Connecticut-based Ames. The transition was completed on October 26th, 1989.
A second expansion of the retail hub commenced in February 1992. The renovation brought a 1-level (85,500 square foot) J.C. Penney. This store, which utilized gutted mall space and a small addition, was officially dedicated on November 11, 1992. In September 1997, a third mall expansion got underway. This added a 2-level (126,500 square foot) Sears and multilevel parking garage. These were dedicated on October 21, 1998. U-MALL now encompassed around 610,700 leasable square feet.
Subsequent anchor rebrandings took place after the closing of Steinbach, in March 1999. The store re-opened, as a York, Pennsylvania-based The Bon Ton, on November 3 of the same year. Ames, shuttered in October 2002, re-opened, as a Wisconsin-based Kohl's, on April 16, 2004. An indoor-outdoor mall face lift was done between May and November 2005. During this project, new ceilings, flooring, lighting and soft seating were installed. Mall entrances were also rebuilt.
Finard Properties, who had established full ownership of U-MALL, defaulted on their loan. The property was foreclosed on in July 2016. It was placed under control of Miami Beach, Florida's LNR Properties, with Burlington, Massachusetts' Key Point Partners hired to manage and lease the facility. The new management company completed a renovation of the mall's interior during 2018, as The Bon Ton was closing down.
That store went dark on January 31, 2018. Its space was renovated, with a small format Target welcoming first shoppers on October 21, 2018. Sears pulled up stakes at U-MALL in February 2020. Soon after, the mall was sold to a joint venture of New York City's Taconic Capital and Boston's Eastern Real Estate. The transaction closed on March 4, 2022. At this time, UNIVERSITY MALL still encompassed 610,700 leasable square feet. There were now fifty-one stores and fifteen kiosks.
Sources:
The Burlington Free Press
www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
https://sites.google.com / "Zayre88"
http://www.keypointpartners.com / Key Point Partners
http://www.wcax.com / WCAX-TV
http://www.joneslanglasalle.com
https://www.sevendaysvt.com / Seven Days / Vermont's Independent Voice
"University Mall" article on Wikipedia
