Peachtree and Lenox Roads
Atlanta, Georgia
Although often commemorated as Georgia's first shopping mall, LENOX SQUARE was actually the Peach State's second. A virtually forgotten retail hub on the city's south side, known as STEWART-LAKEWOOD CENTER, was dedicated in February 1959...6 months before the first stores opened at LENOX SQUARE.
The LENOX project was first announced in October 1957. A 32 million dollar shopping center would be built on 75 acres, located 8.6 miles northeast of Atlanta's Five Points. The land parcel had once been Joyeuse, the estate of John K. Ottley.
LENOX SQUARE was developed by Edward E. Noble (under the auspices of Noble Properties), and was designed by Atlanta's Toombs, Amisano & Wells firm. The open-air complex opened for business on August 3, 1959. William Berry Hartsfield (Mayor of Atlanta) presided over the mall dedication. Instead of being cut, a ceremonial ribbon was tied together. This symbolized "the tying together of the merchants of LENOX SQUARE into a competitive but cooperative group."
Forty-two retailers (out of an eventual fifty-five) commenced operation. There were two Atlanta-based department stores anchoring the mall; a 3-level (189,500 square foot) Rich's and 2-level (111,500 square foot) Davison-Paxon (a.k.a. Davison's). The mall included several 2-level inline stores; Haverty's Furniture, Muse's, J.P. Allen, Parks-Chambers and an S.S. Kresge 5 & 10.
Single-level stores and services included Pet Village, Thompson-Boland-Lee Shoes, S & S Cafeteria, Chandler's Shoes and Zachry For Men. The mall's (31,500 square foot) Colonial supermarket was reputedly the largest grocery store in the South. An outparcel Gulf service station, in the southeast parking area, resembled a spaceship.
The shopping complex, which encompassed 800,000 leasable square feet, was comprised of 3 levels. The Mall Level, coming off the Peachtree Road parking lot, had the main Rich's entrance, an open court area, and a landscaped concourse. Statues created by Julian Hoke Harris depicted characters in the "Uncle Remus" stories. Other statuary was produced by Elbert Weinberg. His works included "The Traveling Musicians," "The Cat & The Owl" and "The Magpie's Nest."
Work got underway in February 1979. The (100,000 square foot) Plaza Court was officially dedicated on August 20, 1980. Retail tenants included Coin & Stamps and a Time Out Family Amusement Center. Some of the new food service tenants were Coffee Bean Bar, Cozzoli Pizza, The Fish Market, Glass Oven Bakery and Pronto Ristorante.
Rich's was expanded again in 1982. A 2-level Men's Department and a Budget Store were added to the Peachtree-facing front of the building. Davison's was also enlarged with a third floor and southeast addition in 1985. This store now encompassed 281,000 square feet. A third parking garage was constructed on the south side of Davison's.
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) extended service to LENOX SQUARE in the mid-1980s. Lenox Station, part of an Arts Center-to-Brookhaven North Line extension, opened on December 15, 1984. The train terminal was a short walk from the mall's south (Food Court) Entrance.
The Food Court area was reconfigured in 1992. In February 1994, another expansion of the shopping hub was disclosed. The north-south portion of the Mall Level concourse would have a 187,000 square foot Upper Level added, which would house forty inline stores. The addition opened, with an initial thirty-two tenants, on November 9, 1995.
In September 1998, the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group acquired the assets of Corporate Property Investors, with Simon becoming the new owner of LENOX SQUARE. The mall's Rich's was expanded, for a third time, in the year 2000. Its Men's Department had a third level added, which increased the size of the building to 433,000 square feet.
Anchor rebrandings at LENOX SQUARE had begun in the 1980s. Davison's became a Davison's-Macy's in February 1985, a full-fledged Macy's on November 17, 1985 and Bloomingdale's on October 16, 2003. The Rich's name remained until February 2, 2003, when stores were rebannered as Rich's-Macy's. On March 6, 2005, the Rich's name was retired, with all stores in the chain rebranded as bona fide Macy's.
Yet another renovation of the shopping center came to light in the fall of 2006. It would entail the addition of a 35,000 square foot Upper Level of retail over the existing West Wing. Neiman Marcus would also be enlarged to 205,700 square feet. This "Luxury Wing" project was completed in September 2007.
The shopping complex, which encompassed 800,000 leasable square feet, was comprised of 3 levels. The Mall Level, coming off the Peachtree Road parking lot, had the main Rich's entrance, an open court area, and a landscaped concourse. Statues created by Julian Hoke Harris depicted characters in the "Uncle Remus" stories. Other statuary was produced by Elbert Weinberg. His works included "The Traveling Musicians," "The Cat & The Owl" and "The Magpie's Nest."
LENOX SQUARE included a 1,100-foot-long truck tunnel. There was also free parking for 6,000 autos in a series of color-coded lots. At the southeast end of the Mall Level corridor (in front of Davison's) was an escalator descent onto a second open court, or Plaza Level. This area had tree planters and two fountains. An entrance to Davison's lower level was situated on this court, as were entries to the Colonial supermarket and S.S. Kresge 5 & 10.
The Market Level and a sub-level parking deck were situated beneath the Plaza Level Court and Colonial supermarket. On June 19, 1963, the Georgia Theatre Company Lenox Square Theatre opened on this floor. The marque of the single-screen venue faced the southern end of East Paces Ferry Road. In 1967, an adjacent indoor golf-driving range was refitted as an additional movie house. Eventually, there were six auditoriums in operation within the cinema complex.
The first of many mall expansions was completed in August 1962, when a fourth level was added to Rich's. The store now encompassed 252,600 square feet. In 1966, the mall's first parking garage was built, which was adjacent to the south side of Rich's.
By the early 1970s, LENOX -still open-air- was falling behind newer, fully-enclosed shopping venues in the northern suburbs of Atlanta. PHIPPS PLAZA opened in 1969 and was located across Peachtree Road. PERIMETER MALL {5 miles northeast, in Dekalb County} was completed in 1971. CUMBERLAND MALL {6.2 miles northwest, in Cobb County} would be dedicated in 1973.
In response to these new centers, an enclosure of the Mall Level at LENOX was undertaken in July 1972. A new wing was added, with thirty inline stores and 2-level (120,000 square foot), Dallas-based Neiman-Marcus. This store opened its doors on August 28, 1972. As part of the mall's reconstruction, the Rich's parking garage was greatly expanded. A second parking facility was built on the west side of Davison's.
The new Neiman Marcus wing, known as the Skylight Mall, opened in September 1972. Tenants included Hahn Salon, J. Riggings, Cuzzens, Apogee, Tinder Box Tobacconist, The Magic Pan Creperie, Bailey, Banks & Biddle Jewelers, Nunn-Bush's Brass Boot, Custom Shop Shirt Makers and the El Chico International Restaurant.
The existing Mall Level concourse was now known as the Garden Mall. A formal opening was held for the two malls on January 18, 1973. Jazz music was provided by Charlie Bornemann and Ernie Carson's Dixieland Five. LENOX SQUARE had been enlarged to 1.1 million leasable square feet. There were now ninety-three stores and services.
A new owner came on board in the mid-1970s. New York City's Corporate Property Investors acquired LENOX SQUARE in October 1976. A second major mall renovation was announced in May 1978. The 8 million dollar project, designed by Atlanta's Greenberg Farrow Architecture, would replace the open-air Plaza Level Court. The Colonial supermarket would also be razed. An enclosed 3-level area would be built, which incorporated the previously-existing Market Level. Part of this floor was reconfigured as a Food Court, with retail stores and sit-down restaurants installed on the two levels above.
The Market Level and a sub-level parking deck were situated beneath the Plaza Level Court and Colonial supermarket. On June 19, 1963, the Georgia Theatre Company Lenox Square Theatre opened on this floor. The marque of the single-screen venue faced the southern end of East Paces Ferry Road. In 1967, an adjacent indoor golf-driving range was refitted as an additional movie house. Eventually, there were six auditoriums in operation within the cinema complex.
The first of many mall expansions was completed in August 1962, when a fourth level was added to Rich's. The store now encompassed 252,600 square feet. In 1966, the mall's first parking garage was built, which was adjacent to the south side of Rich's.
By the early 1970s, LENOX -still open-air- was falling behind newer, fully-enclosed shopping venues in the northern suburbs of Atlanta. PHIPPS PLAZA opened in 1969 and was located across Peachtree Road. PERIMETER MALL {5 miles northeast, in Dekalb County} was completed in 1971. CUMBERLAND MALL {6.2 miles northwest, in Cobb County} would be dedicated in 1973.
In response to these new centers, an enclosure of the Mall Level at LENOX was undertaken in July 1972. A new wing was added, with thirty inline stores and 2-level (120,000 square foot), Dallas-based Neiman-Marcus. This store opened its doors on August 28, 1972. As part of the mall's reconstruction, the Rich's parking garage was greatly expanded. A second parking facility was built on the west side of Davison's.
The new Neiman Marcus wing, known as the Skylight Mall, opened in September 1972. Tenants included Hahn Salon, J. Riggings, Cuzzens, Apogee, Tinder Box Tobacconist, The Magic Pan Creperie, Bailey, Banks & Biddle Jewelers, Nunn-Bush's Brass Boot, Custom Shop Shirt Makers and the El Chico International Restaurant.
The existing Mall Level concourse was now known as the Garden Mall. A formal opening was held for the two malls on January 18, 1973. Jazz music was provided by Charlie Bornemann and Ernie Carson's Dixieland Five. LENOX SQUARE had been enlarged to 1.1 million leasable square feet. There were now ninety-three stores and services.
A new owner came on board in the mid-1970s. New York City's Corporate Property Investors acquired LENOX SQUARE in October 1976. A second major mall renovation was announced in May 1978. The 8 million dollar project, designed by Atlanta's Greenberg Farrow Architecture, would replace the open-air Plaza Level Court. The Colonial supermarket would also be razed. An enclosed 3-level area would be built, which incorporated the previously-existing Market Level. Part of this floor was reconfigured as a Food Court, with retail stores and sit-down restaurants installed on the two levels above.
Work got underway in February 1979. The (100,000 square foot) Plaza Court was officially dedicated on August 20, 1980. Retail tenants included Coin & Stamps and a Time Out Family Amusement Center. Some of the new food service tenants were Coffee Bean Bar, Cozzoli Pizza, The Fish Market, Glass Oven Bakery and Pronto Ristorante.
Rich's was expanded again in 1982. A 2-level Men's Department and a Budget Store were added to the Peachtree-facing front of the building. Davison's was also enlarged with a third floor and southeast addition in 1985. This store now encompassed 281,000 square feet. A third parking garage was constructed on the south side of Davison's.
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) extended service to LENOX SQUARE in the mid-1980s. Lenox Station, part of an Arts Center-to-Brookhaven North Line extension, opened on December 15, 1984. The train terminal was a short walk from the mall's south (Food Court) Entrance.
The Food Court area was reconfigured in 1992. In February 1994, another expansion of the shopping hub was disclosed. The north-south portion of the Mall Level concourse would have a 187,000 square foot Upper Level added, which would house forty inline stores. The addition opened, with an initial thirty-two tenants, on November 9, 1995.
In September 1998, the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group acquired the assets of Corporate Property Investors, with Simon becoming the new owner of LENOX SQUARE. The mall's Rich's was expanded, for a third time, in the year 2000. Its Men's Department had a third level added, which increased the size of the building to 433,000 square feet.
Anchor rebrandings at LENOX SQUARE had begun in the 1980s. Davison's became a Davison's-Macy's in February 1985, a full-fledged Macy's on November 17, 1985 and Bloomingdale's on October 16, 2003. The Rich's name remained until February 2, 2003, when stores were rebannered as Rich's-Macy's. On March 6, 2005, the Rich's name was retired, with all stores in the chain rebranded as bona fide Macy's.
Yet another renovation of the shopping center came to light in the fall of 2006. It would entail the addition of a 35,000 square foot Upper Level of retail over the existing West Wing. Neiman Marcus would also be enlarged to 205,700 square feet. This "Luxury Wing" project was completed in September 2007.
A subsequent LENOX SQUARE remodeling was announced in September 2012. The existing Food Court was upgraded into the "Lenox Fashion Cafe," which included an outdoor patio. The Peachtree Street mall entrance was also rebuilt with an exterior-entranced Streetscape of casual dining restaurants. The Cheesecake Factory, Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar and True Food Kitchen opened in June 2014. An adjacent Crate & Barrel store had been shuttered. A portion of its space was rebuilt into a (23,900 square foot) Nike Store, which welcomed first customers on October 30, 2013.
With its latest renovations, LENOX SQUARE encompassed approximately 1,559,000 leasable square feet and housed over 250 stores and services. The complex held the rank of third-largest shopping mall in Georgia.
Sources:
The Atlanta Journal
With its latest renovations, LENOX SQUARE encompassed approximately 1,559,000 leasable square feet and housed over 250 stores and services. The complex held the rank of third-largest shopping mall in Georgia.
Sources:
The Atlanta Journal
The Atlanta Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Southern Isrealite (Atlanta, Georgia)
preservenet.cornell.edu/publications/Longstreth Branch Store.doc
Memories of Stan Malone
www.lenoxsquare.com
www.itsmarta.com
www.library.gsu.edu
www.cinematreasures.org
www.cinematour.com
Fulton County, Georgia property tax assessor website
www.lenoxsquare.com
www.itsmarta.com
www.library.gsu.edu
www.cinematreasures.org
www.cinematour.com
Fulton County, Georgia property tax assessor website
