Friday, May 30, 2008
Recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the Makers
of the American Century, Victor Gruen is hailed as the Father of the
Shopping Mall in the United States.
Much has been written about Victor Gruen (Gruenbaum), the Austrian e'migre' who escaped Nazi-occupied Europe in 1938 and arrived in New York City with a degree in architecture, eight dollars in cash and no command of the English language.
From these humble beginnings sprang an illustrious thirty-nine year career in the design of retail structures, which got underway with his creation of fashionable Fifth Avenue boutiques and work on renovating several Manhattan department stores.
At the close of WW II, America -after years of depression and conflict- was ready for some major economic expansion, with virtually all this growth occurring in new, outlying suburbs. The regional shopping center was to become the center of commerce in this reconfigured landscape.
Gruen had many innovative concepts that were utilized in constructing these new-style, suburban centers. He also had a great deal of input in the urban renewal projects that resulted from America's shift away from downtown-centered commerce.
The best known of his concepts -The Gruen Transfer- involved trying to increase consumer spending by manipulating shoppers to do impulse buying. According to Gruen, this could be accomplished via unconcious influences of lighting, ambient sound and music, visual detail of storefronts, mirrored or polished surfaces and climate control of interior spaces.
Gruen also believed that America's central cities, which had been decimated by suburbanization in the 1950s and '60s, could be revitalized by constructing expressway loops around downtown areas, routing automobile traffic into parking garages and creating pedestrian-only zones -free of vehicular traffic- on previously-existing streets.
His first downtown redevelopment plan was commissioned by Fort Worth, Texas in 1955, but never carried out. Kalamazoo, Michigan, Fresno, California and Honolulu, Hawaii implemented parts of Gruen's plans....building only pedestrian malls.
From these humble beginnings sprang an illustrious thirty-nine year career in the design of retail structures, which got underway with his creation of fashionable Fifth Avenue boutiques and work on renovating several Manhattan department stores.
At the close of WW II, America -after years of depression and conflict- was ready for some major economic expansion, with virtually all this growth occurring in new, outlying suburbs. The regional shopping center was to become the center of commerce in this reconfigured landscape.
Gruen had many innovative concepts that were utilized in constructing these new-style, suburban centers. He also had a great deal of input in the urban renewal projects that resulted from America's shift away from downtown-centered commerce.
The best known of his concepts -The Gruen Transfer- involved trying to increase consumer spending by manipulating shoppers to do impulse buying. According to Gruen, this could be accomplished via unconcious influences of lighting, ambient sound and music, visual detail of storefronts, mirrored or polished surfaces and climate control of interior spaces.
Gruen also believed that America's central cities, which had been decimated by suburbanization in the 1950s and '60s, could be revitalized by constructing expressway loops around downtown areas, routing automobile traffic into parking garages and creating pedestrian-only zones -free of vehicular traffic- on previously-existing streets.
His first downtown redevelopment plan was commissioned by Fort Worth, Texas in 1955, but never carried out. Kalamazoo, Michigan, Fresno, California and Honolulu, Hawaii implemented parts of Gruen's plans....building only pedestrian malls.
Kalamazoo, Michigan's BURDICK MALL, the first of Gruen's
downtown pedestrian promenades. Dedicated in August 1959,
the failed experiment in urban redevelopment was finally
reopened to vehicular traffic in October 1998.
Photo from www.rootsweb.com
It was not until 1962 that a fully-realized, "Gruenized", downtown was dedicated....under the auspices of Rochester, New York's MIDTOWN PLAZA.
Several American cities jumped on the Gruen-influenced, downtown shopping mall / urban renewal bandwagon. However, by the 1980s, the newness had worn off. The fact had to be faced; no redevelopment scenario, even though grandly-conceived and expensive, could reverse the exodus of retail trade from the blighted central city. Most downtown malls were eventually torn down, with the pedestrian-only streets being reopened to automobile traffic.
Gruen's idea of a suburban shopping mall as a European-style town center of culture and entertainment was plausible for a while. The enclosed, mega-mall of the 1960s was often promoted as a venue for concerts, pageants and other public events. However, mall management entities eventually came to the conclusion that hosting such large-scale events was a cost-prohibitive endeavor, involving a great deal of problems and liability issues. Such spectacles became less and less frequent.
So, Victor's vision of the American retail center as a new-style, public gathering space was eventually undermined by the corporate directive for mere profit. He became disillusioned and returned to Vienna in 1967. Shortly before his death in 1980, Gruen dismissed the shopping mall -which he had been instrumental in creating- as a "bastard development".
Forthcoming is a selection of Victor Gruen's most noteworthy shopping mall projects. Some never made it past the drawing board stage; others came to full fruition and remain viable retail centers to this day. Others, such as San Jose's VALLEY FAIR, So-Cal's RIVERSIDE PLAZA, Indy's GLENDALE, Pittsburgh's GREENGATE and Chicago's RANDHURST and LAKEHURST have been demolished or substantially redeveloped.
Albuquerque's WINROCK and So-Cal's CENTRAL CITY / CAROUSEL MALL are teetering toward tearing down status.
Several American cities jumped on the Gruen-influenced, downtown shopping mall / urban renewal bandwagon. However, by the 1980s, the newness had worn off. The fact had to be faced; no redevelopment scenario, even though grandly-conceived and expensive, could reverse the exodus of retail trade from the blighted central city. Most downtown malls were eventually torn down, with the pedestrian-only streets being reopened to automobile traffic.
Gruen's idea of a suburban shopping mall as a European-style town center of culture and entertainment was plausible for a while. The enclosed, mega-mall of the 1960s was often promoted as a venue for concerts, pageants and other public events. However, mall management entities eventually came to the conclusion that hosting such large-scale events was a cost-prohibitive endeavor, involving a great deal of problems and liability issues. Such spectacles became less and less frequent.
So, Victor's vision of the American retail center as a new-style, public gathering space was eventually undermined by the corporate directive for mere profit. He became disillusioned and returned to Vienna in 1967. Shortly before his death in 1980, Gruen dismissed the shopping mall -which he had been instrumental in creating- as a "bastard development".
Forthcoming is a selection of Victor Gruen's most noteworthy shopping mall projects. Some never made it past the drawing board stage; others came to full fruition and remain viable retail centers to this day. Others, such as San Jose's VALLEY FAIR, So-Cal's RIVERSIDE PLAZA, Indy's GLENDALE, Pittsburgh's GREENGATE and Chicago's RANDHURST and LAKEHURST have been demolished or substantially redeveloped.
Albuquerque's WINROCK and So-Cal's CENTRAL CITY / CAROUSEL MALL are teetering toward tearing down status.
Detroit's Eastland Center Project
Something of an early period, "Googie" design, the Hudson's anchor in
Gruen's circa-1950 proposal for EASTLAND CENTER. The cylindrical
store was to feature a rooftop parking deck.
Something of an early period, "Googie" design, the Hudson's anchor in
Gruen's circa-1950 proposal for EASTLAND CENTER. The cylindrical
store was to feature a rooftop parking deck.
Circa-1950 site plan for what would have been Metro-Detroit's first
regional shopping center. Wartime building material shortages put
the brakes on construction. A more conventional -Gruen-designed-
mall opened on the site seven years later.
One of Victor Gruen's earliest shopping center plans was commissioned by Detroit's J.L. Hudson Company in 1950. The retail store chain was considering expanding into suburban locations and were eyeing a 97.8 acre tract, 14 miles northeast of the urban core, for development as a regional, automobile-oriented shopping center.
The space-age design complex envisioned by Victor Gruen was to be anchored by a circular Hudson's department store, which would have had a rooftop parking deck. The shopping venue was to be open-air, comprising nine store blocks; these arranged in a circle around a center parking area. The buildings would be connected via walkways and plazas in between, with an underground service tunnel providing out-of-sight freight access to the stores.
The plan was quite revolutionary for its time. However, building material shortages due to the Korean conflict put the project on indefinite hiatus in 1951. Six years later, a more conventional design, open-air shopping mall opened on the site. See accompanying article, in the following section, for details.
Houston's Montclair Center Project
Gruen's second prospective retail center was to be built on a two parcel (23.7 acre total) site, located 6 miles west of downtown Houston. The plan envisaged for the MONTCLAIR SHOPPING CENTER was even more innovative than that of Detroit's circa-1950 EASTLAND.
The proposed Houston complex was to be anchored by two major department stores. This was unheard of in 1952, when what few suburban shopping malls that existed were centered on only one. Moreover, the complex was to feature a fully-enclosed and climate controlled "mall" area...yet another radical -and untried- concept.
The center would have straddled the two adjoining land lots, with Weslayan Street (which bisected the site) being routed beneath the mall structure. This design feature, along with a rooftop parking deck, made the construction cost for the center prohibitive.
Gruen and his backers were unable to commit two competing department stores to the project. The plan was abandoned, with a smaller-scale strip center eventually being built on the property.
Gruen's second prospective retail center was to be built on a two parcel (23.7 acre total) site, located 6 miles west of downtown Houston. The plan envisaged for the MONTCLAIR SHOPPING CENTER was even more innovative than that of Detroit's circa-1950 EASTLAND.
The proposed Houston complex was to be anchored by two major department stores. This was unheard of in 1952, when what few suburban shopping malls that existed were centered on only one. Moreover, the complex was to feature a fully-enclosed and climate controlled "mall" area...yet another radical -and untried- concept.
The center would have straddled the two adjoining land lots, with Weslayan Street (which bisected the site) being routed beneath the mall structure. This design feature, along with a rooftop parking deck, made the construction cost for the center prohibitive.
Gruen and his backers were unable to commit two competing department stores to the project. The plan was abandoned, with a smaller-scale strip center eventually being built on the property.
Gruen's MONTCLAIR SHOPPING CENTER plan, several years
ahead of its time, was perhaps too radical a concept for the
conservative, early 1950s. At the time, the idea of a single-anchor,
open-air mall was just beginning to catch on. Here, we had a plan
for a bi-anchor, fully-enclosed shopping complex. Radical
indeed!
Detroit's Northland Center
In 1954, the third Gruen-designed shopping mall -the first to actually
be built- came inline. Its J.L. Hudson was the largest branch department
store ever built in the United States. Encompassing 4 levels and 511,500
square feet, it was rebranded by Marshall Field's in 2001 and Macy's in
2006.
In 1954, the third Gruen-designed shopping mall -the first to actually
be built- came inline. Its J.L. Hudson was the largest branch department
store ever built in the United States. Encompassing 4 levels and 511,500
square feet, it was rebranded by Marshall Field's in 2001 and Macy's in
2006.
The four directionally-designated malls of the Motor City started
with Southfield's NORTHLAND CENTER, in 1954. EASTLAND
CENTER, in Harper Woods, was completed in 1957. WESTLAND
CENTER, in Westland, was third in line...coming inline in 1965. The
final foray, Taylor's SOUTHLAND CENTER, opened in 1970.
[Click on map for a larger view]
Two shots of Fountain Court, at the southeast corner of the shopping
center. The multi-story structure in both pictures is the humongous
-511,500 square foot- Hudson's, one of the largest suburban department
stores ever built.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
The Fountain Court and Kresge 5 and 10.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
The East Mall, running along the back side of the center.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
The mammoth mall soon after it made the change from outdoor to
indoor, in 1974. The brand-new J.C. Penney may be seen in the
lower right corner. This store lasted until the year 2000.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
The ever-changing anchor line-up at Detroit's NORTHLAND CENTER.
Built in the days when regional shopping centers had a single major
department store, the complex was eventually expanded to include
four.
The Hudson's anchor, just before it was refitted with a Marshall Field's
nameplate in 2001. The store was rebranded again, as a Macy's, in
late 2006.
Photo from www.history.sandiego.edu
The north facade of the mall. After over fifty years in business, it still
holds the distinction of being the largest shopping center in the Great
Lakes State.
Photo from www.history.sandiego.edu
One of the few remaining vestiges of Victor Gruen, a sculpture
commissioned for the circa-'54 shopping center is used as a
centerpiece of a court area in the present-day mall.
Photo from www.shopatnorthland.com
Gruen's Fountain Court at NORTHLAND was left open-air when the
rest of the complex was enclosed in 1974.
Photo from www.shopatnorthland.com
Mall entrance of Target, the most recent anchor store addition. The
116,000 square foot store opened in 1996.
Photo from www.shopatnorthland.com
THE LARGEST OPEN-AIR SHOPPING
MALLS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1956:
1. NORTHLAND CENTER, Southfield, MI
2. ROOSEVELT FIELD CENTER, Town of Hempstead, NY
3. OLD ORCHARD CENTER, Skokie, IL
4. LAKEWOOD CENTER, Lakewood, CA
5. CROSS COUNTY CENTER, Yonkers, NY
THE LARGEST OPEN-AIR SHOPPING
MALLS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1960:
1. GARDEN STATE PLAZA, Paramus, NJ
2. NORTHLAND CENTER, Southfield, MI
3. LLOYD CENTER, Portland, OR
4. ROOSEVELT FIELD CENTER, Town of Hempstead, NY
5. BERGEN MALL, Paramus & Maywood, NJ
NORTHLAND CENTER
Northwestern Highway and 8 Mile Road
Southfield Township (Oakland County), Michigan
Victor Gruen's third mall design was the first to be actually built. NORTHLAND CENTER was situated on a 163 acre tract, 10 miles northwest of center city Detroit, in (then) unincorporated Southfield Township, Michigan.
The complex was a sprawling, 1.2 million square foot, open-air structure. It encompassed two levels; one a shipping and receiving / service basement, the other devoted to retail.
The single anchor store, a 4-level (511,500 square foot) J.L. Hudson, was situated in the center of the complex and was the first suburban location in the Detroit-based retail chain. It was surrounded by eight store blocks, situated around several open court areas, which featured fountains, sculpture and attractive landscaping.
The 30 million dollar NORTHLAND opened March 22, 1954. For the next six years, it was the largest shopping center in the United States. The original mall opened with sixty-five stores. Within months, an additional forty-five were in business.
In keeping with the 1950s concept of a regional center as a one-stop shopping destination, the original NORTHLAND included a bank, post office, medical clinic and lost children office. There was also a public auditorium, Kroger supermarket and S.S. Kresge 5 and 10.
The mall was given greater access in late 1962, when the James Couzens (later John C. Lodge) Expressway was extended from Detroit's Wyoming Avenue to 8 Mile Road, in the recently-incorporated city of Southfield.
New shopping malls dotted the region, including TEL-TWELVE MALL (1967), in Southfield, LIVONIA MALL (1964), in Livonia and WESTLAND CENTER [May 2008 archive], in Westland, which was Michigan's second enclosed shopping mall. NORTHLAND had to do a major upgrade, in order to compete.
A renovation and expansion project was completed in 1974, which included enclosing the existing mall courts and concourses. Two anchor department stores were also added; a 2-level (284,000 square foot) J.C. Penney and 1-level (118,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward. The mall, now encompassing 1.5 million leasable square feet, fared well throughout the 1970s.
Things began to change in the 1980s, when several national chain tenants vacated, including S.S. Kresge, Jo Ann Fabrics and The Limited.
The 1990s were also years of upheaval at NORTHLAND. Kohl's and T.J. Maxx came and went and Montgomery Ward closed. In spite of this, an addition was built in 1996, at the mall's southwest end. This included a new, 1-level (116,000 square foot) Target.
Along with the new century came more changes. J.C. Penney closed in 2000, leaving a large vacancy in the mall, but the old Montgomery Ward, which had been vacant for six years, was leased to National Wholesale Liquidators. Hudson's was rebranded as Marshall Field's in early 2001 and morphed into Macy's in September 2006
The 1.7 million square foot shopping venue, the largest in Michigan, was acquired by New York City-based Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation in December 2008.
MALLS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1956:
1. NORTHLAND CENTER, Southfield, MI
2. ROOSEVELT FIELD CENTER, Town of Hempstead, NY
3. OLD ORCHARD CENTER, Skokie, IL
4. LAKEWOOD CENTER, Lakewood, CA
5. CROSS COUNTY CENTER, Yonkers, NY
THE LARGEST OPEN-AIR SHOPPING
MALLS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1960:
1. GARDEN STATE PLAZA, Paramus, NJ
2. NORTHLAND CENTER, Southfield, MI
3. LLOYD CENTER, Portland, OR
4. ROOSEVELT FIELD CENTER, Town of Hempstead, NY
5. BERGEN MALL, Paramus & Maywood, NJ
NORTHLAND CENTER
Northwestern Highway and 8 Mile Road
Southfield Township (Oakland County), Michigan
Victor Gruen's third mall design was the first to be actually built. NORTHLAND CENTER was situated on a 163 acre tract, 10 miles northwest of center city Detroit, in (then) unincorporated Southfield Township, Michigan.
The complex was a sprawling, 1.2 million square foot, open-air structure. It encompassed two levels; one a shipping and receiving / service basement, the other devoted to retail.
The single anchor store, a 4-level (511,500 square foot) J.L. Hudson, was situated in the center of the complex and was the first suburban location in the Detroit-based retail chain. It was surrounded by eight store blocks, situated around several open court areas, which featured fountains, sculpture and attractive landscaping.
The 30 million dollar NORTHLAND opened March 22, 1954. For the next six years, it was the largest shopping center in the United States. The original mall opened with sixty-five stores. Within months, an additional forty-five were in business.
In keeping with the 1950s concept of a regional center as a one-stop shopping destination, the original NORTHLAND included a bank, post office, medical clinic and lost children office. There was also a public auditorium, Kroger supermarket and S.S. Kresge 5 and 10.
The mall was given greater access in late 1962, when the James Couzens (later John C. Lodge) Expressway was extended from Detroit's Wyoming Avenue to 8 Mile Road, in the recently-incorporated city of Southfield.
New shopping malls dotted the region, including TEL-TWELVE MALL (1967), in Southfield, LIVONIA MALL (1964), in Livonia and WESTLAND CENTER [May 2008 archive], in Westland, which was Michigan's second enclosed shopping mall. NORTHLAND had to do a major upgrade, in order to compete.
A renovation and expansion project was completed in 1974, which included enclosing the existing mall courts and concourses. Two anchor department stores were also added; a 2-level (284,000 square foot) J.C. Penney and 1-level (118,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward. The mall, now encompassing 1.5 million leasable square feet, fared well throughout the 1970s.
Things began to change in the 1980s, when several national chain tenants vacated, including S.S. Kresge, Jo Ann Fabrics and The Limited.
The 1990s were also years of upheaval at NORTHLAND. Kohl's and T.J. Maxx came and went and Montgomery Ward closed. In spite of this, an addition was built in 1996, at the mall's southwest end. This included a new, 1-level (116,000 square foot) Target.
Along with the new century came more changes. J.C. Penney closed in 2000, leaving a large vacancy in the mall, but the old Montgomery Ward, which had been vacant for six years, was leased to National Wholesale Liquidators. Hudson's was rebranded as Marshall Field's in early 2001 and morphed into Macy's in September 2006
The 1.7 million square foot shopping venue, the largest in Michigan, was acquired by New York City-based Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation in December 2008.
A site plan of Victor's VALLEY FAIR project, depicting the original
1956 structure. The large store space jutting out to the north was
apparently a supermarket. Would anyone out there recall its name-
plate?
A bird's eye view of VALLEY FAIR, with the adjacent STEVENS
CREEK PLAZA in the upper left corner.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
In 1987, Macy's, at the circa-1956 VALLEY FAIR CENTER, was
incorporated into a newly-built, connecting corridor mall, linking it
with stores that were originally a part of STEVENS CREEK
PLAZA. The amalgamated mall was called VALLEY FAIR.
Today's WESTFIELD VALLEY FAIR has multiple Macy's locations.
The Men's and Home Furniture Gallery seen here was originally a
Bay Area-based Emporium, in the old STEVENS CREEK PLAZA.
Photo from UCDVicky"
A Westfield property since 1998, the San Jose retail center was saddled
with the unwieldy mall moniker WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN VALLEY
FAIR until the "shoppingtown" reference was unceremoniously dropped
from the names of all the company's properties in 2004.
Photo from "UCDVicky"
VALLEY FAIR CENTER
Stevens Creek Boulevard and Eastshore Freeway
San Jose, California
Gruen's second bona-fide shopping mall project was built on a 41 acre tract, located 5.5 miles southwest of San Jose's Central Business District. The mall site was adjacent to a newly-opened segment of the Eastshore Freeway.
VALLEY FAIR CENTER consisted of a single retail level with a shipping and receiving / service basement. The open-air venue, developed by Macy's San Francisco, was anchored by a 2-level (157,300 square foot) Macy's.
The 504,000 square foot complex was completed in the summer of 1956 and included thirty-nine stores, including Joseph Magnin apparel, F.W. Woolworth and a supermarket.
In its early years, VALLEY FAIR CENTER was famous for the kiddie-ride amusement area that had been installed on the roof of its Macy's. Included were a 40-foot ferris wheel, merry-go-round and mini-train. These attractions were removed in late 1957.
The center was sold to the La Jolla, California-based Ernest W. Hahn Company in 1963. It was around this time that a 78,600 square foot third level was added to the existing Macy's, taking the space previously used for the "rooftop fair". The store now encompassed 235,900 square feet.
A major renovation of VALLEY FAIR CENTER took place in the 1970s. The complex was fully-enclosed and a multi-level parking garage added to the east end of the retail venue. Henceforth, the shopping hub was known as VALLEY FAIR MALL.
Competing shopping malls sprang up in the region, including EASTRIDGE MALL (1971), in southeast San Jose, OAKRIDGE MALL (1973), in south San Jose, VALLCO FASHION PARK (1976), in Cupertino, and SUNNYVALE TOWN CENTER (1979), in Sunnyvale.
In 1986, the Hahn Company -now technically known as TrizecHahn- acquired the neighboring STEVENS CREEK PLAZA and began a large-scale renovation of it and VALLEY FAIR MALL. The bulk of VALLEY FAIR was razed, leaving only the Macy's and parking garage. The department store, expanded by 160,000 square feet, would now comprise 396,000 square feet of floor space.
A 2-level, fully-enclosed mall concourse was built, linking Macy's with the Emporium and I. Magnin at the old STEVENS CREEK PLAZA. A new (168,000 square foot) Nordstrom was situated at the center of the refashioned shopping mall. Renamed simply VALLEY FAIR, it encompassed the new concourse, as well as the remnants of the two previous shopping centers, and was dedicated in 1987.
Anchor stores at VALLEY FAIR changed nameplates during the 1990s. I. Magnin closed in 1992, with The Emporium being rebranded as a Macy's Men's and Home Store in 1996. This store was renovated with an additional (85,000 square foot) third level, for a grand total of 316,000 square feet of retail area.
In 1998, TrizecHahn sold the complex to a joint venture of Australia-based Westfield Holdings (now the Westfield Group) and the Maryland-based Rouse Company. Westfield soon established full ownership of the venue.
A major expansion began in late 1998. The project, encompassing three phases of construction, included three parking garages and a new (225,000 square foot) Nordstrom.
A fifty-store, wrap-around concourse (built to the northeast of the existing mall and connecting the original Macy's and second Nordstrom) was dedicated in 2001. The circa-1987 Nordstrom was sectioned into smaller retail spaces within the new concourse.
2006 brought on a third major expansion of the 1,475,600 square foot, two hundred sixty-two-store, WESTFIELD VALLEY FAIR. During this 650,000 square foot project, two new junior anchors will be added, which will complement a second wrap-around concourse of seventy stores.
This new corridor is being built onto the southern-facing front of the existing mall, serving as a connection between the two Macy's locations. With its completion in 2010, WESTFIELD VALLEY FAIR will assume the position of America's 12th-largest enclosed shopping mall.
FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT VALLEY FAIR,
SEE THE "MERGED MALLS" CAVALCADE,
IN THE OCTOBER 2007 ARCHIVE.
Stevens Creek Boulevard and Eastshore Freeway
San Jose, California
Gruen's second bona-fide shopping mall project was built on a 41 acre tract, located 5.5 miles southwest of San Jose's Central Business District. The mall site was adjacent to a newly-opened segment of the Eastshore Freeway.
VALLEY FAIR CENTER consisted of a single retail level with a shipping and receiving / service basement. The open-air venue, developed by Macy's San Francisco, was anchored by a 2-level (157,300 square foot) Macy's.
The 504,000 square foot complex was completed in the summer of 1956 and included thirty-nine stores, including Joseph Magnin apparel, F.W. Woolworth and a supermarket.
In its early years, VALLEY FAIR CENTER was famous for the kiddie-ride amusement area that had been installed on the roof of its Macy's. Included were a 40-foot ferris wheel, merry-go-round and mini-train. These attractions were removed in late 1957.
The center was sold to the La Jolla, California-based Ernest W. Hahn Company in 1963. It was around this time that a 78,600 square foot third level was added to the existing Macy's, taking the space previously used for the "rooftop fair". The store now encompassed 235,900 square feet.
A major renovation of VALLEY FAIR CENTER took place in the 1970s. The complex was fully-enclosed and a multi-level parking garage added to the east end of the retail venue. Henceforth, the shopping hub was known as VALLEY FAIR MALL.
Competing shopping malls sprang up in the region, including EASTRIDGE MALL (1971), in southeast San Jose, OAKRIDGE MALL (1973), in south San Jose, VALLCO FASHION PARK (1976), in Cupertino, and SUNNYVALE TOWN CENTER (1979), in Sunnyvale.
In 1986, the Hahn Company -now technically known as TrizecHahn- acquired the neighboring STEVENS CREEK PLAZA and began a large-scale renovation of it and VALLEY FAIR MALL. The bulk of VALLEY FAIR was razed, leaving only the Macy's and parking garage. The department store, expanded by 160,000 square feet, would now comprise 396,000 square feet of floor space.
A 2-level, fully-enclosed mall concourse was built, linking Macy's with the Emporium and I. Magnin at the old STEVENS CREEK PLAZA. A new (168,000 square foot) Nordstrom was situated at the center of the refashioned shopping mall. Renamed simply VALLEY FAIR, it encompassed the new concourse, as well as the remnants of the two previous shopping centers, and was dedicated in 1987.
Anchor stores at VALLEY FAIR changed nameplates during the 1990s. I. Magnin closed in 1992, with The Emporium being rebranded as a Macy's Men's and Home Store in 1996. This store was renovated with an additional (85,000 square foot) third level, for a grand total of 316,000 square feet of retail area.
In 1998, TrizecHahn sold the complex to a joint venture of Australia-based Westfield Holdings (now the Westfield Group) and the Maryland-based Rouse Company. Westfield soon established full ownership of the venue.
A major expansion began in late 1998. The project, encompassing three phases of construction, included three parking garages and a new (225,000 square foot) Nordstrom.
A fifty-store, wrap-around concourse (built to the northeast of the existing mall and connecting the original Macy's and second Nordstrom) was dedicated in 2001. The circa-1987 Nordstrom was sectioned into smaller retail spaces within the new concourse.
2006 brought on a third major expansion of the 1,475,600 square foot, two hundred sixty-two-store, WESTFIELD VALLEY FAIR. During this 650,000 square foot project, two new junior anchors will be added, which will complement a second wrap-around concourse of seventy stores.
This new corridor is being built onto the southern-facing front of the existing mall, serving as a connection between the two Macy's locations. With its completion in 2010, WESTFIELD VALLEY FAIR will assume the position of America's 12th-largest enclosed shopping mall.
FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT VALLEY FAIR,
SEE THE "MERGED MALLS" CAVALCADE,
IN THE OCTOBER 2007 ARCHIVE.
Victor Gruen's best-known -and most emulated- shopping center.
As most everyone is probably aware, it was America's first regional-
class, enclosed shopping mall. Here we see the Dayton's anchor store
and "Alligator"parking lot.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
A physical layout of the original, Gruen-designed mall. This drawing
is a composite of the two retail levels, with Lower Level entrances
indicated with black boxes. Those of the Upper Level are shown
in gray.
The revolutionary retail center's front / southwest elevation. There
were two retail levels in the main mall, four in the Dayton Company
anchor store and a service level basement, accessed via the tunnel
portal indicated above.
A cut-away view of SOUTHDALE'S circa-1956 Garden Court.
The tall fixture on the left was the bird aviary, a feature used
in many of the mid-century malls that followed.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
Color postcard pics of Gruen's Garden Court. The 100 foot wide plaza
provided shoppers a respite among its fountains, flora and fauna. There
was also a sidewalk cafe and several modern art sculptures. The new
concepts presented here were emulated in every interior mall built in
America.
Photo from www.lileks.com
The same Garden Court in the 21st Century. Its area was nearly
doubled during a renovation in 1992.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Gephart"
The present-day Garden Court, viewed from the opposite end.
Photo from www.lileks.com
Trendz On Top, a teenage apparel area that opened, as a
new fourth retail level, in 2002.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Gephart"
A circa-2008 physical layout of the First Level of SOUTHDALE CENTER.
The 1956 structure is indicated in black. Three expansion over the years
have added 543,000 leasable square feet to the 4-level mall. With all of
this newer construction, just about all of the Gruen is gone.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
SOUTHDALE CENTER
TENANTS 1957:
DAYTON COMPANY (with Valley View Room restaurant and public auditorium) / L.S. DONALDSON (with Minnesota Room restaurant and public auditorium) / RED OWL SUPERMARKET / F.W. WOOLWORTH 5 and 10 (with lunch counter and basement sales area) / Anderson Shop China and Glassware / The Cotton Shop / Bachman's Florist / Roy H. Bjorkman, Inc. ladies' apparel / Boutell's Furniture / Bringold Meats / Suzy Hats / Brown Photo / Buttrey Stores, Inc, Women's Apparel / Chandler's Shoes / Baker's Shoes / DeLaria Delicatessen / Edina Liquor Store / Egekvist Bakery / Fanny Farmer Candies / Farm and Orchard Fruits and Vegetables / Farnham Stationers and School Supplies / First Southdale National Bank / Gager's Handicraft / Flagg Brothers Shoes / John W. Heller ladies' apparel / Household Finance / Jack and Jill Children's Shop / J.B. Hudson Company Jewelers / Jackson-Graves ladies' apparel / Juster Brothers men's apparel / Juvenile Shoes / Kelco Storeware / G.R. Kinney Shoes / Kiddie Koral children's amusement area (with zoo) / Fashion Beauty Salon / Marshall Wells Hardware / Minneapolis Gas Company / Mode O' Day Frock Shops / Marvin Orek and Associates ladies' apparel / Peck and Peck / The Purple Door Greeting Cards / Pets Unlimited / Peter Pan Restaurant / The Record Shop / Richman Brothers men's apparel / P. Schlampp and Sons Furiers / Shirley's Maternity Fashions / Sidewalk Cafe / Slenderella International / Southdale Men's Store / Southdale Appliance Repair Center / The Toy Fair / Thorpe Brothers Real Estate / United States Post Office / Walgreen Drug / Walter's, Incorporated ladies' apparel / White Way Cleaners / Wirt Wilson and Company
OUTPARCELS:
Southdale Garden Center / Pure Oil service station / Western Oil and Fuel Company
SOUTHDALE CENTER
West 66th Street and France Avenue South
Edina, Minnesota
Following the success of his NORTHLAND CENTER project in suburban Detroit, Victor Gruen was on a roll. Soon after its completion in 1954, he was commissioned by Minneapolis' Dayton Company to design a shopping center for metro-Minneapolis.
The result, SOUTHDALE CENTER, opened for business on October 8, 1956, as the first regional-class, enclosed shopping center in the United States.It was also the first to feature decorative works of art in its interior spaces. Moreover, SOUTHDALE was rather revolutionary in its "introverted" design.
Whereas previous shopping centers faced out, toward their parking lot, most stores in SOUTHDALE faced in...with their entrances and signage on the inside of the mall. The unified "mall aesthetic" of the exterior was not compromised by the sight of several individual storefronts and signs.
Modeled in the idea of a European city center or galleria, the mall was, at the same time, unique. It was a suburban center, a congregating and socializing place fitted to America's emerging car culture. It was to be a new-era, reworked town center of the future.
Gruen's plans for the mall to be the nucleus of subsequent development, which was to include homes, schools and parks, did not come to pass as planned. Nonetheless, SOUTHDALE was a model for the mega-malled America of the 1960s and '70s. This was not what Gruen had had in mind.
The original 20 million dollar, 800,000 square foot center was situated on an 82 acre tract, eight miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis, in the Village of Edina. SOUTHDALE was centered around a 3-story, 100 foot wide, "Garden Court", which had tropical landscaping, statues, a fountain and bird aviary.
There were two retail levels and a subterranean "truck road", connected with tenant stores via elevators, stairs and hallways; all of this out of sight of mall shoppers.
The split-level parking area, and how it was interconnected with the two retail levels of the mall, was innovative in design. Its lots were named for animals, such as "Alligator", "Rooster" and the like. This was done to make it easier for shoppers to remember how to get back to their cars, parked somewhere in the 5,200 spaces originally provided.
The main anchor at the 1956 SOUTHDALE grand opening was the 4-level, Minneapolis-based Dayton's department store. The initial tenant list of fifty-eight also included a 3-level, Minneapolis-based Donaldson's, an F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10, Red Owl supermarket, and Walgreen's pharmacy, as well as a bank, hardware store, seven restaurants and cafes, eleven apparel shoppes, five shoe stores and a US Post Office.
Minnesota's first twin cinema, the Southdale I and II, opened in 1966. The 1,950 seat theater was built as an outparcel to the mall and was located in its southwest parking area.
The first renovation at SOUTHDALE added a new northeast wing and 4-level (247,000 square foot) J.C. Penney. The project was completed in 1972.
Regional retail rivals of SOUTHDALE were KNOLLWOOD MALL (1972), in St. Louis Park and EDEN PRAIRIE CENTER (1976), in Eden Prairie. GALLERIA EDINA, situated adjacent to the south side of the SOUTHDALE site, started out in 1959 as a freestanding furniture store. This was expanded into an enclosed shopping center in 1974.
Fearing major competition from the superregional MALL OF AMERICA, which was being built only four miles southeast, the owners of SOUTHDALE started a large-scale expansion in the early 1990s.
This included gutting the old Dayton's anchor, constructing new stores in its space and building a much larger (359,600 square foot) store to the northwest. The Garden Court was doubled in size and a multi-level parking garage added, as well. These improvements were completed in 1992.
The most recent remodel of the mall was done in 2001-2002. A new 16-screen multiplex cinema was added to the southeast, along with more stores and restaurants. A fourth level of shoppes, Trendz On Top, was constructed over those stores which had been built in place of the old Dayton's. Two more parking garages were also added. These additions increased the leasable square footage at SOUTHDALE to over 1.2 million, with one hundred and forty-eight stores currently on the shopping center's directory.
After three major renovations, the complex does not even resemble the "Mid-Mod" mall that it evolved from. The Dayton's store morphed into Marshall Field's in 2001 and was "Macy-ated" in 2006.
The old Donaldson's was rebranded a Chicago-based Carson Pirie Scott in 1987 and Hayward, California-based Mervyn's in 1995. The 179,000 square foot store was shuttered in May 2004 and remains vacant to this day.
The Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group assumed ownership of SOUTHDALE CENTER in April 2007. The company -in a joint venture with San Francisco-based Farallon Capital Management, Limited Liability Company- acquired the Arlington, Virginia-based Mills Corporation. SOUTHDALE had been a Mills property since January 2005.
The latest news at the mall tells of a new open-air, lifestyle wing that is to take the place of the shuttered Donaldson's / Carson's / Mervyn's. Rumor has it that Dallas-based Neiman Marcus will anchor the one hundred million dollar expansion, which is slated for completion in 2010.
TENANTS 1957:
DAYTON COMPANY (with Valley View Room restaurant and public auditorium) / L.S. DONALDSON (with Minnesota Room restaurant and public auditorium) / RED OWL SUPERMARKET / F.W. WOOLWORTH 5 and 10 (with lunch counter and basement sales area) / Anderson Shop China and Glassware / The Cotton Shop / Bachman's Florist / Roy H. Bjorkman, Inc. ladies' apparel / Boutell's Furniture / Bringold Meats / Suzy Hats / Brown Photo / Buttrey Stores, Inc, Women's Apparel / Chandler's Shoes / Baker's Shoes / DeLaria Delicatessen / Edina Liquor Store / Egekvist Bakery / Fanny Farmer Candies / Farm and Orchard Fruits and Vegetables / Farnham Stationers and School Supplies / First Southdale National Bank / Gager's Handicraft / Flagg Brothers Shoes / John W. Heller ladies' apparel / Household Finance / Jack and Jill Children's Shop / J.B. Hudson Company Jewelers / Jackson-Graves ladies' apparel / Juster Brothers men's apparel / Juvenile Shoes / Kelco Storeware / G.R. Kinney Shoes / Kiddie Koral children's amusement area (with zoo) / Fashion Beauty Salon / Marshall Wells Hardware / Minneapolis Gas Company / Mode O' Day Frock Shops / Marvin Orek and Associates ladies' apparel / Peck and Peck / The Purple Door Greeting Cards / Pets Unlimited / Peter Pan Restaurant / The Record Shop / Richman Brothers men's apparel / P. Schlampp and Sons Furiers / Shirley's Maternity Fashions / Sidewalk Cafe / Slenderella International / Southdale Men's Store / Southdale Appliance Repair Center / The Toy Fair / Thorpe Brothers Real Estate / United States Post Office / Walgreen Drug / Walter's, Incorporated ladies' apparel / White Way Cleaners / Wirt Wilson and Company
OUTPARCELS:
Southdale Garden Center / Pure Oil service station / Western Oil and Fuel Company
SOUTHDALE CENTER
West 66th Street and France Avenue South
Edina, Minnesota
Following the success of his NORTHLAND CENTER project in suburban Detroit, Victor Gruen was on a roll. Soon after its completion in 1954, he was commissioned by Minneapolis' Dayton Company to design a shopping center for metro-Minneapolis.
The result, SOUTHDALE CENTER, opened for business on October 8, 1956, as the first regional-class, enclosed shopping center in the United States.It was also the first to feature decorative works of art in its interior spaces. Moreover, SOUTHDALE was rather revolutionary in its "introverted" design.
Whereas previous shopping centers faced out, toward their parking lot, most stores in SOUTHDALE faced in...with their entrances and signage on the inside of the mall. The unified "mall aesthetic" of the exterior was not compromised by the sight of several individual storefronts and signs.
Modeled in the idea of a European city center or galleria, the mall was, at the same time, unique. It was a suburban center, a congregating and socializing place fitted to America's emerging car culture. It was to be a new-era, reworked town center of the future.
Gruen's plans for the mall to be the nucleus of subsequent development, which was to include homes, schools and parks, did not come to pass as planned. Nonetheless, SOUTHDALE was a model for the mega-malled America of the 1960s and '70s. This was not what Gruen had had in mind.
The original 20 million dollar, 800,000 square foot center was situated on an 82 acre tract, eight miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis, in the Village of Edina. SOUTHDALE was centered around a 3-story, 100 foot wide, "Garden Court", which had tropical landscaping, statues, a fountain and bird aviary.
There were two retail levels and a subterranean "truck road", connected with tenant stores via elevators, stairs and hallways; all of this out of sight of mall shoppers.
The split-level parking area, and how it was interconnected with the two retail levels of the mall, was innovative in design. Its lots were named for animals, such as "Alligator", "Rooster" and the like. This was done to make it easier for shoppers to remember how to get back to their cars, parked somewhere in the 5,200 spaces originally provided.
The main anchor at the 1956 SOUTHDALE grand opening was the 4-level, Minneapolis-based Dayton's department store. The initial tenant list of fifty-eight also included a 3-level, Minneapolis-based Donaldson's, an F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10, Red Owl supermarket, and Walgreen's pharmacy, as well as a bank, hardware store, seven restaurants and cafes, eleven apparel shoppes, five shoe stores and a US Post Office.
Minnesota's first twin cinema, the Southdale I and II, opened in 1966. The 1,950 seat theater was built as an outparcel to the mall and was located in its southwest parking area.
The first renovation at SOUTHDALE added a new northeast wing and 4-level (247,000 square foot) J.C. Penney. The project was completed in 1972.
Regional retail rivals of SOUTHDALE were KNOLLWOOD MALL (1972), in St. Louis Park and EDEN PRAIRIE CENTER (1976), in Eden Prairie. GALLERIA EDINA, situated adjacent to the south side of the SOUTHDALE site, started out in 1959 as a freestanding furniture store. This was expanded into an enclosed shopping center in 1974.
Fearing major competition from the superregional MALL OF AMERICA, which was being built only four miles southeast, the owners of SOUTHDALE started a large-scale expansion in the early 1990s.
This included gutting the old Dayton's anchor, constructing new stores in its space and building a much larger (359,600 square foot) store to the northwest. The Garden Court was doubled in size and a multi-level parking garage added, as well. These improvements were completed in 1992.
The most recent remodel of the mall was done in 2001-2002. A new 16-screen multiplex cinema was added to the southeast, along with more stores and restaurants. A fourth level of shoppes, Trendz On Top, was constructed over those stores which had been built in place of the old Dayton's. Two more parking garages were also added. These additions increased the leasable square footage at SOUTHDALE to over 1.2 million, with one hundred and forty-eight stores currently on the shopping center's directory.
After three major renovations, the complex does not even resemble the "Mid-Mod" mall that it evolved from. The Dayton's store morphed into Marshall Field's in 2001 and was "Macy-ated" in 2006.
The old Donaldson's was rebranded a Chicago-based Carson Pirie Scott in 1987 and Hayward, California-based Mervyn's in 1995. The 179,000 square foot store was shuttered in May 2004 and remains vacant to this day.
The Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group assumed ownership of SOUTHDALE CENTER in April 2007. The company -in a joint venture with San Francisco-based Farallon Capital Management, Limited Liability Company- acquired the Arlington, Virginia-based Mills Corporation. SOUTHDALE had been a Mills property since January 2005.
The latest news at the mall tells of a new open-air, lifestyle wing that is to take the place of the shuttered Donaldson's / Carson's / Mervyn's. Rumor has it that Dallas-based Neiman Marcus will anchor the one hundred million dollar expansion, which is slated for completion in 2010.
The original, Gruen-designed PLAZA. Notice the wide mallway down
the middle, a Gruen trademark. John Graham, Jr., a mall-designing
contemporary of Mr. Gruen, favored much narrower concourses in his
projects (see site plans for his MOORESTOWN -New Jersey- and
SOUTHLAND -Hayward, California- centers).
RIVERSIDE PLAZA as an enclosed shopping venue. The 632,000
square foot complex was roofed in 1984. At this time, the center
had two anchor stores; Harris' and Ward's. The Vons supermarket
had opened in 1966.
A circa-1999 shot of Harris-Gottschalks, in the enclosed version of
RIVERSIDE PLAZA. The store's moniker was officially shortened
to simply Gottschalks in the early 2000s. It served as the flagship
location for the chain until the company's liquidation in 2009.
Photo from Mitch Glaser
Photo from Mitch Glaser
An aerial view of today's demalled RIVERSIDE PLAZA. The
old Harris' / Gottschalks store, on the left end, was the sole survivor
of the demolition of the original shopping center, that took place in
2003.
Photo from www.live.com
RIVERSIDE PLAZA
Central and Riverside Avenues
Riverside. California
Riverside County's first shopping mall was situated on a 35 acre tract, 58 miles southeast of central Los Angeles, in suburban Riverside. The open-air RIVERSIDE PLAZA, designed with input from Victor Gruen, was developed by Harold Heers, Senior.
The original, single-level center was opened in three phases during 1956-1957. It was anchored by a 2-level (141,300 square foot), San Bernadino-based Harris'. There were also F.W. Woolworth, W.T. Grant, Lerner Shops, Rexall Drug, GallenKamp Shoes, Bakers Shoes and a Mayfair Market grocery.
RIVERSIDE PLAZA did not have a substantial retail rival until TYLER MALL was built, in the southern environs of Riverside, in 1970. Five years later, RIVERSIDE PLAZA's Grants closed, with Montgomery Ward signing on as a new co-anchor.
The mallway and court area was enclosed and climate-controlled in 1984. With this renovation, the PLAZA encompassed 632,000 leasable square feet.
Additional commercial competition came along over the ensuing years. MORENO VALLEY MALL (1992), in Moreno Valley, and -especially- ONTARIO MILLS (1996), in Ontario, drew away much of RIVERSIDE PLAZA's potential business. By this time, the center was in a downward spiral.
Redevelopment and rejuvination of the struggling shopping venue was difficult to accomplish. A demalling plan was first announced in the mid-1990s. It was held up by the complicated, multiple ownership structure of the mall. Several tenants also objected to any modification of the existing structure.
The bankruptcy and closing of the Montgomery Ward chain in 2001 was an additional obstacle to the reinvention of the mall. Eventually, its redevelopers, Lake Forest, Illinois-based Litchfield Advisors, invoked eminent domain to secure the vacant Montgomery Ward "pad".
With the entire mall site now under a single ownership, it was possible to begin its renewal. Demolition commenced in June 2003. The Harris' anchor store, rebranded as Harris-Gottschalks in 1998, remained...along with a few peripheral structures.
A new RIVERSIDE PLAZA lifestyle center debuted in November 2004. In addition to Fresno-based Gottschalks (the Harris' name had been dropped), the center featured a 16-screen, stadium seating multiplex, relocated Trader Joe's, newly-built (55,000 square foot) Vons supermarket, Borders Books and several "upper crust" bistros.
Today, the center is owned by Riverside-based Riverside Plaza Limited Liability Company, with Los Angeles-based C.B. Richard Ellis handling its leasing. The 2009 bankruptcy of the Gottschalks chain causes a vacant anchor space at the complex. The store will either be leased to a single retailer or subdivided into smaller tenants spaces.
Central and Riverside Avenues
Riverside. California
Riverside County's first shopping mall was situated on a 35 acre tract, 58 miles southeast of central Los Angeles, in suburban Riverside. The open-air RIVERSIDE PLAZA, designed with input from Victor Gruen, was developed by Harold Heers, Senior.
The original, single-level center was opened in three phases during 1956-1957. It was anchored by a 2-level (141,300 square foot), San Bernadino-based Harris'. There were also F.W. Woolworth, W.T. Grant, Lerner Shops, Rexall Drug, GallenKamp Shoes, Bakers Shoes and a Mayfair Market grocery.
RIVERSIDE PLAZA did not have a substantial retail rival until TYLER MALL was built, in the southern environs of Riverside, in 1970. Five years later, RIVERSIDE PLAZA's Grants closed, with Montgomery Ward signing on as a new co-anchor.
The mallway and court area was enclosed and climate-controlled in 1984. With this renovation, the PLAZA encompassed 632,000 leasable square feet.
Additional commercial competition came along over the ensuing years. MORENO VALLEY MALL (1992), in Moreno Valley, and -especially- ONTARIO MILLS (1996), in Ontario, drew away much of RIVERSIDE PLAZA's potential business. By this time, the center was in a downward spiral.
Redevelopment and rejuvination of the struggling shopping venue was difficult to accomplish. A demalling plan was first announced in the mid-1990s. It was held up by the complicated, multiple ownership structure of the mall. Several tenants also objected to any modification of the existing structure.
The bankruptcy and closing of the Montgomery Ward chain in 2001 was an additional obstacle to the reinvention of the mall. Eventually, its redevelopers, Lake Forest, Illinois-based Litchfield Advisors, invoked eminent domain to secure the vacant Montgomery Ward "pad".
With the entire mall site now under a single ownership, it was possible to begin its renewal. Demolition commenced in June 2003. The Harris' anchor store, rebranded as Harris-Gottschalks in 1998, remained...along with a few peripheral structures.
A new RIVERSIDE PLAZA lifestyle center debuted in November 2004. In addition to Fresno-based Gottschalks (the Harris' name had been dropped), the center featured a 16-screen, stadium seating multiplex, relocated Trader Joe's, newly-built (55,000 square foot) Vons supermarket, Borders Books and several "upper crust" bistros.
Today, the center is owned by Riverside-based Riverside Plaza Limited Liability Company, with Los Angeles-based C.B. Richard Ellis handling its leasing. The 2009 bankruptcy of the Gottschalks chain causes a vacant anchor space at the complex. The store will either be leased to a single retailer or subdivided into smaller tenants spaces.
A mid-1960s postcard shot of BAY FAIR CENTER. The huge, 2-level
(plus basement) Macy's, seen in the background, was the third suburban
shopping center branch store in the Macy's San Francisco chain (the first
was at HILLSDALE CENTER...the second, at San Jose's VALLEY FAIR).
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
BAY FAIR CENTER TENANTS
(PARTIAL LIST) 1958-1972:
MACY'S / DRUG KING / F.W. WOOLWORTH / Bay Fair Market - Alpha Beta supermarket / Roos-Atkins apparel / Hartfields apparel / Amerio's Bay Fair Drugs / Hellwig's Bay Fair Toys / Marlene's Feminine Fashions / Nancy's Casual Apparel / Bay Fair Barber Shop / Bay Fair Beauty Shop / GallenKamp Shoes / Flagg Brothers Shoes / Knott's Berry Farm Store / Dryer's Grand Ice Cream Shoppe / Bank of America / House of Fabrics / Orange Julius / Union Furniture / Kasper's Hot Dogs (outparcel) / Bay Fair Bowling Alley (outparcel) / Bay Fair Golf Driving Range (outparcel) / Rollerrina Roller Rink /
(PARTIAL LIST) 1958-1972:
MACY'S / DRUG KING / F.W. WOOLWORTH / Bay Fair Market - Alpha Beta supermarket / Roos-Atkins apparel / Hartfields apparel / Amerio's Bay Fair Drugs / Hellwig's Bay Fair Toys / Marlene's Feminine Fashions / Nancy's Casual Apparel / Bay Fair Barber Shop / Bay Fair Beauty Shop / GallenKamp Shoes / Flagg Brothers Shoes / Knott's Berry Farm Store / Dryer's Grand Ice Cream Shoppe / Bank of America / House of Fabrics / Orange Julius / Union Furniture / Kasper's Hot Dogs (outparcel) / Bay Fair Bowling Alley (outparcel) / Bay Fair Golf Driving Range (outparcel) / Rollerrina Roller Rink /
The Gruen-designed, footprint of BAY FAIR. The open-air complex,
touted as the first 2-level shopping center on the West Coast, was built
on the site of the abandoned Oakland Speedway. It had been a western
counterpart to the famed auto racing course in Indianapolis. The original
shopping center opened in two phases. The first (shown in black) came
inline in 1957. The second (in gray) was complete by 1960.
Following its 1971-1972 enclosing renovation, the
center became known -officially- as BAYFAIR MALL.
Here we see a circa-1980s sign at the shopping
venue.
Photo from www.bart.gov
September 11, 1972; opening day of revenue service
on 28 route miles of San Francisco-Oakland's Bay Area
Rapid Transit system.
Photo from Bay Area Newsgroup website
San Fran-Oakland's Mid-Mod metro, the Bay Area Rapid Transit,
at the Bay Fair station. This was one of the original twelve stops on
the initial MacArthur-to-Fremont BART "starter line".
Photo from www.bart.gov
A physical layout of BAYFAIR MALL, circa the late 1980s. By
this time, the Cascades Food Court was in operation in the
southeast corner. Also, Longs Drug had taken over the old Drug
King spot, on the northwest-facing front of the center.
An aerial view of BAYFAIR MALL (left) and BAY FAIR BART (on the
right). The two are connected via the pedestrian bridge seen in the
center of the photo.
Photo from www.livablecities.org
BAYFAIR'S northeast entrance. This section of the shopping center
was added in the early 1980s.
Photo from Madison Marquette website
The mall's original anchor store remains to this day.
Photo from Madison Marquette website
Century Theatres completed their 16-screen multiplex at BAYFAIR
in the spring of 2001.
Photo from Madison Marquette website
The Target Greatland at BAYFAIR replaced a vacant Montgomery
Ward in October 2002.
Photo from Madison Marquette website
BAY FAIR CENTER
East 14th Street and Hesperian Boulevard
San Leandro, California
August 1957 was a banner month for Mr. Gruen! BAY FAIR CENTER, the fifth mall-type shopping complex designed with his input, opened at a 67 acre plot, 21.9 miles southeast of San Francisco's Union Square, in suburban of San Leandro. Simultaneously, in Michigan, finishing touches were being applied to his EASTLAND CENTER.
BAY FAIR was a sister shopping venue of the earlier VALLEY FAIR, in San Jose. The complex, also developed by Macy's San Francisco, was anchored by a 2-level with basement (213,000 square foot) store; the chain's third suburban shopping center branch.
The shopping venue came inline in two phases; these completed in 1957 and 1960. Along the open-air, Mall Level concourse at BAY FAIR were F.W. Woolworth, Roos-Atkins apparel and Hartfield's apparel. In other sections of the complex were the Bay Fair Market grocery and the Terrace, which was a small second level of stores surrounding the Central Court.
In all, the original retail hub housed twenty-two stores, with an eventual eighty on its retail roster. The surrounding parking lot featured an outparcel bowling alley, roller rink and Kiddieland children's amusement area.
Commercial competition came with the completion of SOUTHLAND MALL [February 2008 archive], in Hayward, in 1964. Next was EASTMONT MALL [May 2007 archive], in Oakland, in 1970. Lastly, there was STONERIDGE MALL (1980), in Pleasanton.
The first major renovation of BAY FAIR got underway in the late 1960s. The Bay Fair Market was remodeled and reopened as an Alpha Beta supermarket. A 2-level Montgomery Ward, added to the center's south side, was completed ed in August 1971. At the same time, the existing structure was enclosed and climate-controlled. The renewed shopping venue, known henceforth as BAYFAIR MALL, was dedicated in 1972.
On September 11 of that year, the 28 route mile, MacArthur-to-Fremont, "starter line" of the BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT/BART system began revenue service. The newly-enclosed mall was located adjacent to the Bay Fair station, which ran parallel to its south parking area.
The mall was expanded again in the early 1980s, with a concourse built along its north side. Moreover, the southeast corner of the complex was refitted with the new Cascades Food Court. An outparcel T.J. Maxx was added to the southeast parking area, as well.
By the 1990s, the mall had become infamous for shootings and robberies. Several big name, national tenants pulled out...but Macy's held on. The downward spiral intensified following the bankruptcy and closing of Montgomery Ward in 2001.
The owners of BAYFAIR MALL, Chicago-based M. and J. Wilkow, Limited, sought to renovate and revitalize the struggling center, but their plan did not come to full fruition. However, there were two improvements. An outparcel Century Theatres 16-plex opened in the spring of 2001.
Also, the vacant Ward's was razed and replaced with a new Target Greatland. This 1-level (143,000 square foot) store opened in October 2002.
The 871,000 square foot shopping center was sold to Washington, D.C.-based Madison Marquette in September 2003. They conducted a more successful turn-around, which began with the razing of the northwest store block in late 2003.
Four big box tenants were recruited to fill most of the the space and make the mall into more of an outward-facing power center. The hallmark of the 35 million dollar refurbishment was a 2-level (100,000 square foot), Milwaukee-based Kohl's, which opened in October 2004.
This was followed by Bed, Bath and Beyond in June 2005. By this time, the name of the merchandising mecca had been changed back to its original moniker...BAYFAIR CENTER.
The final tenants to open in the newly-configured northwest store block were Old Navy and Staples, which were dedicated in November 2006. A facelift of the Mall Level was also completed at this time.
The renovation and repositioning of the 820,000 square foot complex continues. The existing Food Court is being refurbished and should be completed in late 2009. A renovation of the mall's second level is anticipated, but thus far, no plans for that project have been announced.
East 14th Street and Hesperian Boulevard
San Leandro, California
August 1957 was a banner month for Mr. Gruen! BAY FAIR CENTER, the fifth mall-type shopping complex designed with his input, opened at a 67 acre plot, 21.9 miles southeast of San Francisco's Union Square, in suburban of San Leandro. Simultaneously, in Michigan, finishing touches were being applied to his EASTLAND CENTER.
BAY FAIR was a sister shopping venue of the earlier VALLEY FAIR, in San Jose. The complex, also developed by Macy's San Francisco, was anchored by a 2-level with basement (213,000 square foot) store; the chain's third suburban shopping center branch.
The shopping venue came inline in two phases; these completed in 1957 and 1960. Along the open-air, Mall Level concourse at BAY FAIR were F.W. Woolworth, Roos-Atkins apparel and Hartfield's apparel. In other sections of the complex were the Bay Fair Market grocery and the Terrace, which was a small second level of stores surrounding the Central Court.
In all, the original retail hub housed twenty-two stores, with an eventual eighty on its retail roster. The surrounding parking lot featured an outparcel bowling alley, roller rink and Kiddieland children's amusement area.
Commercial competition came with the completion of SOUTHLAND MALL [February 2008 archive], in Hayward, in 1964. Next was EASTMONT MALL [May 2007 archive], in Oakland, in 1970. Lastly, there was STONERIDGE MALL (1980), in Pleasanton.
The first major renovation of BAY FAIR got underway in the late 1960s. The Bay Fair Market was remodeled and reopened as an Alpha Beta supermarket. A 2-level Montgomery Ward, added to the center's south side, was completed ed in August 1971. At the same time, the existing structure was enclosed and climate-controlled. The renewed shopping venue, known henceforth as BAYFAIR MALL, was dedicated in 1972.
On September 11 of that year, the 28 route mile, MacArthur-to-Fremont, "starter line" of the BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT/BART system began revenue service. The newly-enclosed mall was located adjacent to the Bay Fair station, which ran parallel to its south parking area.
The mall was expanded again in the early 1980s, with a concourse built along its north side. Moreover, the southeast corner of the complex was refitted with the new Cascades Food Court. An outparcel T.J. Maxx was added to the southeast parking area, as well.
By the 1990s, the mall had become infamous for shootings and robberies. Several big name, national tenants pulled out...but Macy's held on. The downward spiral intensified following the bankruptcy and closing of Montgomery Ward in 2001.
The owners of BAYFAIR MALL, Chicago-based M. and J. Wilkow, Limited, sought to renovate and revitalize the struggling center, but their plan did not come to full fruition. However, there were two improvements. An outparcel Century Theatres 16-plex opened in the spring of 2001.
Also, the vacant Ward's was razed and replaced with a new Target Greatland. This 1-level (143,000 square foot) store opened in October 2002.
The 871,000 square foot shopping center was sold to Washington, D.C.-based Madison Marquette in September 2003. They conducted a more successful turn-around, which began with the razing of the northwest store block in late 2003.
Four big box tenants were recruited to fill most of the the space and make the mall into more of an outward-facing power center. The hallmark of the 35 million dollar refurbishment was a 2-level (100,000 square foot), Milwaukee-based Kohl's, which opened in October 2004.
This was followed by Bed, Bath and Beyond in June 2005. By this time, the name of the merchandising mecca had been changed back to its original moniker...BAYFAIR CENTER.
The final tenants to open in the newly-configured northwest store block were Old Navy and Staples, which were dedicated in November 2006. A facelift of the Mall Level was also completed at this time.
The renovation and repositioning of the 820,000 square foot complex continues. The existing Food Court is being refurbished and should be completed in late 2009. A renovation of the mall's second level is anticipated, but thus far, no plans for that project have been announced.
The northwest corner of Grand Mall, the center court at the open-air
EASTLAND CENTER. A section of the humongous Hudson's anchor
store is on the right.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
Another view of Grand Mall, looking to the west. The Lion and
Mouse statue is seen in the foreground. Its counterpart, the Hippo,
presided over the mall's West Court.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
EASTLAND 1958. The area colored in gray, near the upper left corner,
was a farm house and lot. Its owner refused to sell out when the
shopping center was being developed. She passed on in the early '60s
and the heirs -then- relinquished the property to the real estate arm
of the Hudson Company.
Stouffer's Restaurant was the final business to open at the original mall.
It began business on February 17, 1958.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
The first cinema at EASTLAND, a northeast outparcel, opened in
1969.
Photo from www.waterwinterwonderland.com
The second theatrical venue was installed, in the east end of the mall
proper, in 1985.
Photo from http://www.waterwinterwonderland.com/
EASTLAND 1995. By this time, the center had been enclosed. The
solitary Hudson's anchor store had been joined by J.C. Penney, Main
Street / Kohl's and Montgomery Ward. A second cinema complex
-and Food Court- were in operation in the east end of the complex.
The second anchor at EASTLAND opened -as a J.C. Penney- in 1975.
This store was shuttered in 2000. The building was renovated from
top to bottom and reopened as a Sears in 2003.
Photo from www.cdbarnes.com
EASTLAND 2008. The fifty-one year-old mall has gone through many
changes over the years. The most recent addition, an outparcel Lowe's
Home Improvement Center, came inline in 2003. Presently, a Burlington
Coat Factory is being added to the retail roster.
A present-day interior view of the mall. Obviously, it looks nothing
like it did back in "the days".
Photo from Jones Lang LaSalle website
EASTLAND CENTER
Vernier Road and Beaconsfield Street
Harper Woods, Michigan
A visit by Victor Gruen to downtown Detroit's J.L. Hudson department store, in 1948, resulted in him sending a letter to the head of the company. He urged him to consider expanding the Hudson's chain into the suburbs of the city in order for the company to retain its position as the preeminent merchandiser in the region.
Gruen's recommendation was given serious consideration. In 1951, the Austrian-born architect presented the Hudson Company with a 20 year prospectus. In it, four suburban shopping centers were proposed; NORTHLAND, EASTLAND, SOUTHLAND and WESTLAND. All of these were to be anchored by one, large Hudson's location.
EASTLAND was to be the first shopping center built. Unfortunately, the Korean Conflict caused severe shortages of building materials. Plans for the Motor City's first shopping mall were shelved. Later, with the police action in Asia brought to a stalemate end, ground was broken for NORTHLAND, the second of the proposed suburban centers.
Gruen later commented that his original plan for EASTLAND had been poorly-conceived. The circular shopping complex was situated around a parking area at its center, which, to Gruen, would have made it difficult to access. He devised a more conventional design for his second EASTLAND plan, with the shopping center, itself, in the center of its parking lot.
The open-air shopopolis, built on a 97.8 acre tract, 13.7 miles northeast of downtown Detroit, was dedicated in August 1957. The complex consisted of a ground level retail mall and shipping and receiving basement level with a small concourse of stores.
In addition to its 4-level (480,000 square foot) J.L. Hudson, the complex included Winkelman's women's apparel, Hartfield's apparel, Cunningham Drug, Dube's Barber Shop and Bakers Shoes. There was also an S.S. Kresge 5 and 10 and Kroger supermarket.
Retail rivals of EASTLAND CENTER included MACOMB MALL (1964), in Roseville, and LAKESIDE MALL (1976), in Sterling Heights.
The mall's first movie house, the Eastland Theatre, opened -as a northeast parking area outparcel- in 1969. It was twinned in 1975; taking on the name Eastland 1 and 2.
Along with the twinning of the cinema, the mall proper was enclosed and climate-controlled. Moreover, a 2-level (160,400 square foot) J.C. Penney was added.
A second renovation was completed in 1986. The east end of the mall had been refitted with a new Food Court and 5-plex cinema (the Eastland 3-7...later Eastland Mall 5). A 1-level (130,200 square foot), Chicago-based Main Street was built on the southwest corner. This store was rebranded by Milwaukee-based Kohl's in 1989.
The next remodeling of EASTLAND came inline in 1993. The Food Court was given a facelift. A 2-level (224,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward opened for business on November 1st. Three years later, the Kohl's space, vacant since 1995, reopened as a Target. Late 1997 brought the shuttering of the four year-old Ward's.
All seven theaters at the shopping center closed in 2000. The outparcel Eastland 2 was demolished and replaced by a single-level (141,000 square foot) Lowe's in December 2003.
Likewise, the Eastland Mall 5 auditoriums were razed, along with the original Food Court. A new Food Court was fashioned out of space in the west end of the mall, with a new Mall Entrance built on the site of the previous eateries and cinemas on the mall's east end.
The anchor rebranding cycle of EASTLAND CENTER continued in 2000, when J.C. Penney closed. The building was gutted and rebuilt as a Sears, which came inline October 11, 2003. The first level of the shuttered Ward's opened as a Steve and Barry's University Sportswear in November, 2004.
Meanwhile, Marshall Field's had assumed the Hudson's anchor spot in early 2001. This store was "Macy-ated" in September 2006.
In February 2006, the New York City-based Ashkenazy Aquisition Corporation bought EASTLAND CENTER. They gave the mall its third facelift and built new entrances to the structure. At present, they are overseeing the construction of a new Burlington Coat Factory at the property.
Vernier Road and Beaconsfield Street
Harper Woods, Michigan
A visit by Victor Gruen to downtown Detroit's J.L. Hudson department store, in 1948, resulted in him sending a letter to the head of the company. He urged him to consider expanding the Hudson's chain into the suburbs of the city in order for the company to retain its position as the preeminent merchandiser in the region.
Gruen's recommendation was given serious consideration. In 1951, the Austrian-born architect presented the Hudson Company with a 20 year prospectus. In it, four suburban shopping centers were proposed; NORTHLAND, EASTLAND, SOUTHLAND and WESTLAND. All of these were to be anchored by one, large Hudson's location.
EASTLAND was to be the first shopping center built. Unfortunately, the Korean Conflict caused severe shortages of building materials. Plans for the Motor City's first shopping mall were shelved. Later, with the police action in Asia brought to a stalemate end, ground was broken for NORTHLAND, the second of the proposed suburban centers.
Gruen later commented that his original plan for EASTLAND had been poorly-conceived. The circular shopping complex was situated around a parking area at its center, which, to Gruen, would have made it difficult to access. He devised a more conventional design for his second EASTLAND plan, with the shopping center, itself, in the center of its parking lot.
The open-air shopopolis, built on a 97.8 acre tract, 13.7 miles northeast of downtown Detroit, was dedicated in August 1957. The complex consisted of a ground level retail mall and shipping and receiving basement level with a small concourse of stores.
In addition to its 4-level (480,000 square foot) J.L. Hudson, the complex included Winkelman's women's apparel, Hartfield's apparel, Cunningham Drug, Dube's Barber Shop and Bakers Shoes. There was also an S.S. Kresge 5 and 10 and Kroger supermarket.
Retail rivals of EASTLAND CENTER included MACOMB MALL (1964), in Roseville, and LAKESIDE MALL (1976), in Sterling Heights.
The mall's first movie house, the Eastland Theatre, opened -as a northeast parking area outparcel- in 1969. It was twinned in 1975; taking on the name Eastland 1 and 2.
Along with the twinning of the cinema, the mall proper was enclosed and climate-controlled. Moreover, a 2-level (160,400 square foot) J.C. Penney was added.
A second renovation was completed in 1986. The east end of the mall had been refitted with a new Food Court and 5-plex cinema (the Eastland 3-7...later Eastland Mall 5). A 1-level (130,200 square foot), Chicago-based Main Street was built on the southwest corner. This store was rebranded by Milwaukee-based Kohl's in 1989.
The next remodeling of EASTLAND came inline in 1993. The Food Court was given a facelift. A 2-level (224,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward opened for business on November 1st. Three years later, the Kohl's space, vacant since 1995, reopened as a Target. Late 1997 brought the shuttering of the four year-old Ward's.
All seven theaters at the shopping center closed in 2000. The outparcel Eastland 2 was demolished and replaced by a single-level (141,000 square foot) Lowe's in December 2003.
Likewise, the Eastland Mall 5 auditoriums were razed, along with the original Food Court. A new Food Court was fashioned out of space in the west end of the mall, with a new Mall Entrance built on the site of the previous eateries and cinemas on the mall's east end.
The anchor rebranding cycle of EASTLAND CENTER continued in 2000, when J.C. Penney closed. The building was gutted and rebuilt as a Sears, which came inline October 11, 2003. The first level of the shuttered Ward's opened as a Steve and Barry's University Sportswear in November, 2004.
Meanwhile, Marshall Field's had assumed the Hudson's anchor spot in early 2001. This store was "Macy-ated" in September 2006.
In February 2006, the New York City-based Ashkenazy Aquisition Corporation bought EASTLAND CENTER. They gave the mall its third facelift and built new entrances to the structure. At present, they are overseeing the construction of a new Burlington Coat Factory at the property.
The original layout of Gruen's GLENDALE. The 525,000
square foot complex was the second exterior mall in the
Indianapolis metro area. The first, EASTGATE CENTER,
made its debut in 1957.
The duck pond centerpiece of the open-air GLENDALE CENTER, here
decorated for Easter.
Photo from Kite Realty Group website
Mall mascots Wynkin, Blynkin and Nod. The penguins were
created by Arthur Craft of Kansas City. The statues will have
a prominent place in the new -demalled- GLENDALE TOWN
CENTER, debuting in 2008.
Photo from Kite Realty Group website
The newly-enclosed mallway, sometime after 1969. The extra-wide,
Gruen-esque corridor provided ample space for kiosk-type, "specialty
leasing" retail.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
A musical presentation at GLENDALE CENTER. From the look of things,
it would appear to be about 1970...the year after the mall was enclosed.
Photo from Kite Realty Group website
Indianapolis' L.S. Ayres anchored GLENDALE from its 1958 dedication
until 2006, when the store was rebranded by Macy's.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Darapo"
The new GLENDALE TOWN CENTER. This view toward the south-
east shows Macy's in the upper left and the Target/Kerasotes
Theatre in the upper right.
Rendering from Kite Realty Group website
The open-air strip center being attached to the western front of Macy's.
Rendering from Kite Realty Group website
The center's new Target. A portion of its 129,000 square feet will occupy
the first 2 levels of the old William H. Block/Lazarus.
Rendering from Kite Realty Group website
Site plan of the demalled GLENDALE as it will be configured
when the construction dust settles in the summer of 2008.
The only remnants of the circa-'58 shopping center are the
western 2/3 of Macy's and multi-level core of Target.
GLENDALE CENTER
North Keystone Avenue and East 62nd Street
Marion County, Indiana
The seventh completed shopping mall to be designed by Victor Gruen was located on a 55 acre parcel, 7 miles northeast of center city Indianapolis, in what was then unincorporated Washington Township / Marion County, Indiana.
GLENDALE CENTER was developed by Chicago-based Landau and Heyman, Incorporated and opened for business in 1958. The original, single-level, open-air complex encompassed 525,000 leasable square feet. It was anchored by two Indianapolis-based department stores; a 200,000 square foot L.S. Ayres and 108,600 square foot William H. Block.
Charter tenants included Morrison's ladies apparel, Davidson's Furs, Hook's Drug, Roderick St. John apparel, L. Strauss Company apparel, McNamara Florist and Paul Harris apparel. There was also a Standard Food supermarket, G.C. Murphy 5 and 10 and public auditorium.
The twin-screen, Glendale Cinema opened in July 1967, which was an outparcel adjacent to the mall's southeast parking area. This was joined by the Glendale III and IV, in September 1970. This theater was located across North Keystone Avenue from the mall proper.
The shopping venue had been enclosed and climate-controlled in 1969, this in reaction to the opening of LAFAYETTE SQUARE MALL (1968), which was "Indy's" first interior mall.
It was around this time that various additions of floorspace were built onto GLENDALE CENTER, such as a northeastern expansion to L.S. Ayres that increased the store's area to 233,000 square feet. An upper level was also added to William H. Block, extending its GLA to 163,000 square feet. The mall now housed 724,000 square feet and ninety-two inline stores.
In 1970, the Unigov consolidation of the City of Indianapolis and Marion County into one political jurisdiction brought GLENDALE CENTER into the physical limits of the Hoosier State's capital city.
Two years later, GLENDALE faced its first retail competition, when CASTLETON SQUARE MALL opened for business. The complex was located 2.5 miles northeast.
The retail rivalry intensified following the completion of a major expansion of FASHION MALL AT KEYSTONE -3.5 miles north- in 1978. This refashioned shopping venue made a shift toward the upscale and ended up replacing GLENDALE as the region's "uptown" retail center.
The first anchor store rebranding occurred in 1987, when William H. Block became a Columbus-Ohio-based Lazarus.By the mid-1990s, GLENDALE CENTER had become rather outdated. In May 1999, it was sold to a joint venture of the Indianapolis-based Kite Realty Group and Atlanta-based Jones, Lang, LaSalle. A major renovation of the complex commenced in June.
The 45 million dollar project entailed demolition of the old Standard Food supermarket, on the south end. A new, 135,000 square foot Lowe's took its place, which was an outparcel structure not attached to the existing mall.
A 12-screen, Kerasotes Theatre was built as an eastern outparcel. Moreover, a 6-bay food court was installed in the mall proper and the Lazarus location -shuttered in July 1999- was renovated. Its lower levels became an Old Navy and Stein Mart; the upper level, a full-line branch of the Marion County Public Library.
These renovations were completed in November 2000, with the name of the shopping center officially changed to GLENDALE MALL.
In 2004, the Kite Realty Group bought the fifty percent interest of Jones, Lang, LaSalle and became the sole proprietors of the center. Chicago-based General Growth Properties was contracted to manage the mall.
Kite embarked upon a second full-scale remodeling of GLENDALE in April 2007. This time around, the mall was demolished, leaving only the two anchor boxes, theatre and Lowe's standing.
The L.S. Ayres, rebranded by Macy's in 2006, is being renovated. The old Block's/Lazarus (with its Old Navy and Stein Mart shuttered) will become part of a 129,000 square foot Target. The upper level library is being retained.
These structures, along with the Kerasotes Theatre and Lowe's, will be components of the 685,000 square foot GLENDALE TOWN CENTER, an open-air, big box-type merchanding mecca, scheduled for completion in the summer of 2008.
North Keystone Avenue and East 62nd Street
Marion County, Indiana
The seventh completed shopping mall to be designed by Victor Gruen was located on a 55 acre parcel, 7 miles northeast of center city Indianapolis, in what was then unincorporated Washington Township / Marion County, Indiana.
GLENDALE CENTER was developed by Chicago-based Landau and Heyman, Incorporated and opened for business in 1958. The original, single-level, open-air complex encompassed 525,000 leasable square feet. It was anchored by two Indianapolis-based department stores; a 200,000 square foot L.S. Ayres and 108,600 square foot William H. Block.
Charter tenants included Morrison's ladies apparel, Davidson's Furs, Hook's Drug, Roderick St. John apparel, L. Strauss Company apparel, McNamara Florist and Paul Harris apparel. There was also a Standard Food supermarket, G.C. Murphy 5 and 10 and public auditorium.
The twin-screen, Glendale Cinema opened in July 1967, which was an outparcel adjacent to the mall's southeast parking area. This was joined by the Glendale III and IV, in September 1970. This theater was located across North Keystone Avenue from the mall proper.
The shopping venue had been enclosed and climate-controlled in 1969, this in reaction to the opening of LAFAYETTE SQUARE MALL (1968), which was "Indy's" first interior mall.
It was around this time that various additions of floorspace were built onto GLENDALE CENTER, such as a northeastern expansion to L.S. Ayres that increased the store's area to 233,000 square feet. An upper level was also added to William H. Block, extending its GLA to 163,000 square feet. The mall now housed 724,000 square feet and ninety-two inline stores.
In 1970, the Unigov consolidation of the City of Indianapolis and Marion County into one political jurisdiction brought GLENDALE CENTER into the physical limits of the Hoosier State's capital city.
Two years later, GLENDALE faced its first retail competition, when CASTLETON SQUARE MALL opened for business. The complex was located 2.5 miles northeast.
The retail rivalry intensified following the completion of a major expansion of FASHION MALL AT KEYSTONE -3.5 miles north- in 1978. This refashioned shopping venue made a shift toward the upscale and ended up replacing GLENDALE as the region's "uptown" retail center.
The first anchor store rebranding occurred in 1987, when William H. Block became a Columbus-Ohio-based Lazarus.By the mid-1990s, GLENDALE CENTER had become rather outdated. In May 1999, it was sold to a joint venture of the Indianapolis-based Kite Realty Group and Atlanta-based Jones, Lang, LaSalle. A major renovation of the complex commenced in June.
The 45 million dollar project entailed demolition of the old Standard Food supermarket, on the south end. A new, 135,000 square foot Lowe's took its place, which was an outparcel structure not attached to the existing mall.
A 12-screen, Kerasotes Theatre was built as an eastern outparcel. Moreover, a 6-bay food court was installed in the mall proper and the Lazarus location -shuttered in July 1999- was renovated. Its lower levels became an Old Navy and Stein Mart; the upper level, a full-line branch of the Marion County Public Library.
These renovations were completed in November 2000, with the name of the shopping center officially changed to GLENDALE MALL.
In 2004, the Kite Realty Group bought the fifty percent interest of Jones, Lang, LaSalle and became the sole proprietors of the center. Chicago-based General Growth Properties was contracted to manage the mall.
Kite embarked upon a second full-scale remodeling of GLENDALE in April 2007. This time around, the mall was demolished, leaving only the two anchor boxes, theatre and Lowe's standing.
The L.S. Ayres, rebranded by Macy's in 2006, is being renovated. The old Block's/Lazarus (with its Old Navy and Stein Mart shuttered) will become part of a 129,000 square foot Target. The upper level library is being retained.
These structures, along with the Kerasotes Theatre and Lowe's, will be components of the 685,000 square foot GLENDALE TOWN CENTER, an open-air, big box-type merchanding mecca, scheduled for completion in the summer of 2008.
An artist's rendering of the prospective Kresge five and dime at
WINROCK CENTER.
Drawing from www.pleasantfamilyshopping.blogspot.com
Two zooming-in views of the main mallway at the completed WINROCK.
This area was partially-enclosed...in that it had a roof overhead with
vented gratework, which allowed for air circulation from outside. The
mall was fully-enclosed and air-conditioned in 1975.
Photos from Malls of America Blogspot
Circa-'60s plan of the mall and its periphery. The junior high campus
was eventually demolished. Its space became expanded parking area
and additional outparcel retail and restaurants.
The fabulous, single-screen, Fox Winrock Cinerama, soon after its
October 1963 inauguration. The venue was twinned and -then-
demolished in the mid-1970s.
Photo from www.topcities.com
The newer of the dual Dillard's locations at
WINROCK, previously a Penney's.
Photo from Dillard's website
A 1990s physical layout. The basic footprint of the mall did not change
substantially in the years hence. The portion of Montgomery Ward that
remained when the original store was subdivided with Marshalls (in
1990) became Bed, Bath and Beyond after Ward's folded (in 2001).
Today's WINROCK CENTER, at least while it lasts. Here we see the
northwest facade of the 930,000 square foot structure. Its redevel-
opment has been on the drawing board for the past several years,
but has been stymied by rising construction costs. With a new owner,
the process may get underway in the near future.
Photo from www.abqblogs.com
WINROCK CENTER
Louisiana Boulevard and Coronado Freeway / Interstate 40
Albuquerque, New Mexico
The first shopping mall in the Land of Enchantment was designed by Victor Gruen and developed by Little Rock's Winthrop Rockefeller and the University of New Mexico.
The 500,000 square foot center occupied an 82 acre tract, located 6 miles east of downtown Albuquerque. The site was adjacent to the Interstate 40 freeway, which had opened in 1959.
The grand opening of WINROCK CENTER was held March 2, 1961, with thirty-eight inline stores. There were forty-two in the fully-completed mall. The original anchors were a 2-level (214,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward and a (dry goods only) J.C. Penney. There were also an S.S. Kresge 5 and 10, Fedway discount mart and Safeway supermarket.
The 10 million dollar mall was a semi-enclosed structure. It had a roofed-in concourse area, with open grillwork along the top to allow for air circulation from the outside. There were also completely open-air plazas on the east and west ends of the complex.
WINROCK CENTER was a forerunner of mixed-use venues, such as Houston's GALLERIA [June 2007 archive]. It was one of the first developments to include a retail mall, motor hotel, office spaces and housing units on its periphery.
The major retail competitor to WINROCK CENTER came along in 1965. CORONADO CENTER [March 2007 archive], was located less than a mile northwest, and drained a good deal of trade from the older shopping center.
The Fox Winrock Cinerama Theatre, an outparcel in the mall's north parking area, debuted in October 1963. It was replaced with the newly-built Winrock 6 multiplex in 1975.
1975 was also when the covered -but still open to the elements- mall, nicknamed "Windy Rock", was expanded, fully-enclosed and climate controlled.
Dillard's had opened their first WINROCK store in 1972. After the closing of J.C. Penney in 1990, a second Dillard's location came inline. This was devoted to Women's merchandise, with the original location becoming a Men's, Children's and Home Store.
The mall was well into a downward trajectory by the time its Montgomery Ward closed in 2001. 30,000 square feet of the Ward's space had been subdivided into a Marshalls eleven years previously. With the complete shuttering of the anchor, the remainder of the store space became Bed Bath and Beyond.
More and more vacant spaces lined the courts and concourses. The final blow to WINROCK came in the fall of 2006, when the ABQ UPTOWN lifestyle center opened, which was next door to the failing mall.
By this time, the owners, Parsippany, New Jersey-based Prudential Real Estate Investors, had announced plans to redevelop the 931,000 square foot complex as an open-air shopping center. Tenants (what few were left) were given eviction notices.
Later, the demalling project was put on indefinite hold, with rising construction costs cited as the reason. Prudential threw in the towel, so to say, in September 2007 and sold the vacant venue to Albuquerque-based GK Partners, Limited Liability Company. They are presently working on their own plan for redevelopment.
Louisiana Boulevard and Coronado Freeway / Interstate 40
Albuquerque, New Mexico
The first shopping mall in the Land of Enchantment was designed by Victor Gruen and developed by Little Rock's Winthrop Rockefeller and the University of New Mexico.
The 500,000 square foot center occupied an 82 acre tract, located 6 miles east of downtown Albuquerque. The site was adjacent to the Interstate 40 freeway, which had opened in 1959.
The grand opening of WINROCK CENTER was held March 2, 1961, with thirty-eight inline stores. There were forty-two in the fully-completed mall. The original anchors were a 2-level (214,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward and a (dry goods only) J.C. Penney. There were also an S.S. Kresge 5 and 10, Fedway discount mart and Safeway supermarket.
The 10 million dollar mall was a semi-enclosed structure. It had a roofed-in concourse area, with open grillwork along the top to allow for air circulation from the outside. There were also completely open-air plazas on the east and west ends of the complex.
WINROCK CENTER was a forerunner of mixed-use venues, such as Houston's GALLERIA [June 2007 archive]. It was one of the first developments to include a retail mall, motor hotel, office spaces and housing units on its periphery.
The major retail competitor to WINROCK CENTER came along in 1965. CORONADO CENTER [March 2007 archive], was located less than a mile northwest, and drained a good deal of trade from the older shopping center.
The Fox Winrock Cinerama Theatre, an outparcel in the mall's north parking area, debuted in October 1963. It was replaced with the newly-built Winrock 6 multiplex in 1975.
1975 was also when the covered -but still open to the elements- mall, nicknamed "Windy Rock", was expanded, fully-enclosed and climate controlled.
Dillard's had opened their first WINROCK store in 1972. After the closing of J.C. Penney in 1990, a second Dillard's location came inline. This was devoted to Women's merchandise, with the original location becoming a Men's, Children's and Home Store.
The mall was well into a downward trajectory by the time its Montgomery Ward closed in 2001. 30,000 square feet of the Ward's space had been subdivided into a Marshalls eleven years previously. With the complete shuttering of the anchor, the remainder of the store space became Bed Bath and Beyond.
More and more vacant spaces lined the courts and concourses. The final blow to WINROCK came in the fall of 2006, when the ABQ UPTOWN lifestyle center opened, which was next door to the failing mall.
By this time, the owners, Parsippany, New Jersey-based Prudential Real Estate Investors, had announced plans to redevelop the 931,000 square foot complex as an open-air shopping center. Tenants (what few were left) were given eviction notices.
Later, the demalling project was put on indefinite hold, with rising construction costs cited as the reason. Prudential threw in the towel, so to say, in September 2007 and sold the vacant venue to Albuquerque-based GK Partners, Limited Liability Company. They are presently working on their own plan for redevelopment.
New Jersey's Cherry Hill Mall
The circa-'61 CHERRY HILL MALL, with the Cherry Hill Inn seen
in the foreground.
Photo from Paul Altobelli's Cherry Hill Mall Blog
The circa-'61 CHERRY HILL MALL, with the Cherry Hill Inn seen
in the foreground.
Photo from Paul Altobelli's Cherry Hill Mall Blog
The original, Gruen footprint. The center was the first large-scale,
fully-enclosed mall east of the Mississippi. Interior malls had been
built in Baltimore, Charlotte and Birmingham. However, they were
in the 235-to-350 thousand square foot range. The CHERRY HILL
Strawbridge's anchor store -itself- spanned 258 thousand square
feet.
Two views of the stunning Cherry Court, fountained focal point of the
mall. The primary anchor of the South Jersey complex, Strawbridge
and Clothier, fronted along the west side of the court....out of view in
these shots.
Photos from Paul Altobelli's Cherry Hill Mall Blog
The bird aviary, at midpoint between the Cherry and Market Courts,
on the west side of the mall.
Photo from Paul Altobelli's Cherry Hill Mall Blog
Market Court, at the north end of the original complex. It featured
a small kiddie ride area and entrances to the Thrift Drug and Food
Fair supermarket.
Photo from Paul Altobelli's Cherry Hill Mall Blog
The Market Court mall entrance to Food Fair. The store structure was
demolished as part of the 1977-1978 renovation and expansion, which
added the multi-level J.C. Penney Wing to the north end of the shopping
complex.
Photo from http://www.groceteria.com/
The west end of the original mall. Here we see the south-facing facade
of Strawbridge and Clothier.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
The east end of the original mall. Woolworth, and its associated Harvest
House Cafeteria, is on the left. The center's second anchor, New Jersey-
based Bamburger's, is seen on the right.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
A mid-'80s physical layout. The 9-story office tower was completed
in 1973, Penney's wing in 1978, Food Court in 1985.
A medallion on the exterior of the CHERRY HILL Strawbridge's.
The building was razed in the spring of 2007 to make way for a
new bi-level wing and Nordstrom.
Photo from Jonah Norason
The 174,000 square foot J.C. Penney, at the end of the north wing.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
Site plan of the renovated and expanded CHERRY HILL MALL.
The latest renovation of the retail hub was completed in the
spring of 2009.
CHERRY HILL MALL
Haddonfield Road and Kaighn Avenue
Delaware Township (Camden County), New Jersey
New Jersey's first interior mall -the twelth enclosed, regional class shopping center in the nation- was also the first in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. CHERRY HILL MALL SHOPPING CENTER, designed by Victor Gruen, was built by James Rouse, under the auspices of the Community Research and Development Corporation.
CHERRY HILL opened October 11, 1961, amidst a great deal of media attention and tourist traffic. It was situated on an 85 acre land parcel, located 8 miles east of Center City Philadelphia, in the Camden County, New Jersey suburbs.
The area, originally known as Delaware Township, officially became Cherry Hill Township after the passage of a voter referendum held in late 1961.
Originally CHERRY HILL MALL was anchored by a 3-level (258,000 square foot), Philadelphia-based Strawbridge and Clothier and 3-level, Newark, New Jersey-based Bamberger's (a Macy's subsidiary).
There were also F.W. Woolworth and S.S. Kresge 5 and 10's, a Thrift Drug, Food Fair supermarket, Florsheim Shoes, Park Lane Hosiery, Paris Hats, Sherwin Williams Paints, four hundred seat Community Hall and single-screen Cherry Hill Mall Cinema. As was the case with nearly every shopping mall of the time, there was also a liquor store on the premises.
The first competing shopping venue in the region, MOORESTOWN MALL [February 2008 archive], opened in Moorestown Township, New Jersey in 1963. This was followed by ECHELON MALL (1970), in Vorhees Township, DEPTFORD MALL (1975), in Deptford Township and BURLINGTON COUNTY MALL (1982), in Burlington Township.
Several renovations were done to CHERRY HILL over the years. The One Cherry Hill office tower was built in 1973. The mall's Market Court was torn out and the north corridor extended with a new 2-level wing and 2-level (174,000 square foot) J.C. Penney. This addition was completed in 1978.
Moreover, a Food Court was added in 1985 and the Bamberger's anchor store expanded to 317,000 square feet. This location was "Macy-ated" in 1986.
The 1,263,000 square foot complex was acquired by the Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust in April 2003. Following the shuttering of the Strawbridge's location in 2006, the new owners embarked upon a 198 million dollar makeover.
The old Strawbridge's building and Cherry Court were demolished. Their replacement was a 2-level (120,000 square foot) retail wing, anchored by a 2-level (138,200 square foot Nordstrom). The store opened March 27, 2009.
During the 2006-2009 renovation, the Food Court was relocated to the upper level of Penney's wing, an open-air "Bistro Row" was added to the front of the complex and a new parking garage was constructed north of Nordstrom.
Haddonfield Road and Kaighn Avenue
Delaware Township (Camden County), New Jersey
New Jersey's first interior mall -the twelth enclosed, regional class shopping center in the nation- was also the first in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. CHERRY HILL MALL SHOPPING CENTER, designed by Victor Gruen, was built by James Rouse, under the auspices of the Community Research and Development Corporation.
CHERRY HILL opened October 11, 1961, amidst a great deal of media attention and tourist traffic. It was situated on an 85 acre land parcel, located 8 miles east of Center City Philadelphia, in the Camden County, New Jersey suburbs.
The area, originally known as Delaware Township, officially became Cherry Hill Township after the passage of a voter referendum held in late 1961.
Originally CHERRY HILL MALL was anchored by a 3-level (258,000 square foot), Philadelphia-based Strawbridge and Clothier and 3-level, Newark, New Jersey-based Bamberger's (a Macy's subsidiary).
There were also F.W. Woolworth and S.S. Kresge 5 and 10's, a Thrift Drug, Food Fair supermarket, Florsheim Shoes, Park Lane Hosiery, Paris Hats, Sherwin Williams Paints, four hundred seat Community Hall and single-screen Cherry Hill Mall Cinema. As was the case with nearly every shopping mall of the time, there was also a liquor store on the premises.
The first competing shopping venue in the region, MOORESTOWN MALL [February 2008 archive], opened in Moorestown Township, New Jersey in 1963. This was followed by ECHELON MALL (1970), in Vorhees Township, DEPTFORD MALL (1975), in Deptford Township and BURLINGTON COUNTY MALL (1982), in Burlington Township.
Several renovations were done to CHERRY HILL over the years. The One Cherry Hill office tower was built in 1973. The mall's Market Court was torn out and the north corridor extended with a new 2-level wing and 2-level (174,000 square foot) J.C. Penney. This addition was completed in 1978.
Moreover, a Food Court was added in 1985 and the Bamberger's anchor store expanded to 317,000 square feet. This location was "Macy-ated" in 1986.
The 1,263,000 square foot complex was acquired by the Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust in April 2003. Following the shuttering of the Strawbridge's location in 2006, the new owners embarked upon a 198 million dollar makeover.
The old Strawbridge's building and Cherry Court were demolished. Their replacement was a 2-level (120,000 square foot) retail wing, anchored by a 2-level (138,200 square foot Nordstrom). The store opened March 27, 2009.
During the 2006-2009 renovation, the Food Court was relocated to the upper level of Penney's wing, an open-air "Bistro Row" was added to the front of the complex and a new parking garage was constructed north of Nordstrom.
Rochester, New York's Midtown Plaza
Recently, Rochester finalized plans to demolish its famed MIDTOWN PLAZA, which was the nation's first fully-enclosed, center city shopping and office redevelopment project.
Dedicated early in 1962, the revolutionary retail mecca was designed by Victor Gruen. It served as a model for the many urban renewal projects that attempted (rather unsuccessfully) to revitalize America's withering central cities.
MIDTOWN PLAZA is the nation's last, remaining Gruen-designed structure that still retains a great deal of its original interior design elements. After its destruction in April 2009, one wonders whether the office-retail-residential redevelopment that is to replace it will be able to draw enough patronage to make it a success where the original, circa-'62 structure was a failure.
SO LONG MIDTOWN.....
Recently, Rochester finalized plans to demolish its famed MIDTOWN PLAZA, which was the nation's first fully-enclosed, center city shopping and office redevelopment project.
Dedicated early in 1962, the revolutionary retail mecca was designed by Victor Gruen. It served as a model for the many urban renewal projects that attempted (rather unsuccessfully) to revitalize America's withering central cities.
MIDTOWN PLAZA is the nation's last, remaining Gruen-designed structure that still retains a great deal of its original interior design elements. After its destruction in April 2009, one wonders whether the office-retail-residential redevelopment that is to replace it will be able to draw enough patronage to make it a success where the original, circa-'62 structure was a failure.
SO LONG MIDTOWN.....
Atrium of the 35 million dollar downtown mall. Along this bi-level,
central court area were over forty stores and services. The complex's
Continental Sidewalk Cafe was an early '60s prototype of the food
courts that became a shopping mall staple in the 1980s.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
MIDTOWN PLAZA'S Clock of Nations, a centerpiece
of the complex. On the hour and half hour, it presented
puppet shows, representing different cultures, complete
with musical accompaniment.
Photo from Malls Of America Blogspot
Site plan of Rochester's trend-setting center city shopopolis. Eventually
encompassing 1.6 million square feet ot retail and office space, the
complex was heralded as "the Nation’s most spectacular center-city
revival project".
Midtown Tower, a component of the MIDTOWN
PLAZA development. In the present, there is much
confusion over what to do with it. Of course, renovating
is out of the question (?). Due to asbestos-related issues,
demolition will cost a fortune. How about just leaving the
historic structure the hell alone?
Photo from Malls Of America Blogspot
A site not to be seen again, MIDTOWN PLAZA's annual Christmas
decorating extravaganza. The associated holiday festivities became
a regional tradition. One wonders...with MIDTOWN PLAZA gone
by 2009, what is this to be replaced with?
Photo from Midtown Rochester website
A contemporary view of the grand, Internationalist Style Atrium at
MIDTOWN PLAZA. The famous Clock of Nations is visible in the
background. As this shot shows, the interior of the mall is virtually
unchanged from its original, 1962 appearance.
Photo from MidtownRochester website
MIDTOWN PLAZA
East Main and South Clinton Streets
Rochester, New York
Plans for the nation's first center city shopping mall got underway in late 1956, when Gilbert J.C. McCurdy and Maurice R. Forman -two Rochester retailers- met with Victor Gruen to discuss a concept they had devised to attempt to save their downtown department stores from the ravages of suburbanization.
The Austrian architect's proposal was submitted to McCurdy and Forman in September 1958 and was enthusiastically received. Following clandestine land acquistions and City Council approval of the project, demolition work began in April 1959.
The completed, 35 million dollar MIDTOWN PLAZA was dedicated April 10, 1962. The complex occupied an 8.6 acre site in Rochester's downtown core, which had previously been city blocks and Cortland Street.These were replaced by a 3-level (1,800 space) subterranean parking garage and 2-level (220,000 square foot), enclosed shopping mall, which was topped off by an 8-level office tower and 3-level (78 room) hotel. The new-style center also included a multi-modal bus terminal and supermarket.
This forerunner of mixed-use retail / office projects garnered much media coverage and served as a model for subsequent urban renewal projects across the United States.
Renovation/additions were completed in the 1970s and '80s, with the PLAZA being incorporated into an above-street-level Skyway network, eventually connecting it with several office buildings. Unfortunately, the shift of downtown commerce to the suburbs -which MIDTOWN PLAZA had been created to curtail- had continued unabated.
The shuttering of its anchor stores -McCurdy's and Forman's- in 1994 created vacancies that were difficult to fill. Eventually, Lawrenceville, Virginia-based Peebles leased the the first floor of the former Forman's, with the remainder of the building -and the entirety of the old McCurdy's- being renovated into office space.
MIDTOWN PLAZA languished as a dead mall for the remainder of the 1990s. As the 21st century rolled around, various plans to demolish and / or "redevelop" the struggling center were put forward, gaining momentum in 2006.
The present scenario has the City of Rochester spending 14 million dollars to purchase the property and relocate its forty-five remaining tenants. After the center is completely shuttered at the end of 2008, its demolition will commence in June 2009.
MOURNING MIDTOWN
With numerous city and state politicians jumping on the mow down Midtown Mall bandwagon, it wasn't long before a final, concrete plan for its demolition was announced.
79 million dollars in public funds will be used to demolish the historic, mid-20th century landmark. It needs to be taken out of the way so that a private company -the Perinton, New York-based PAETEC Holding Corporation- can build its shiny, new 500,000 square foot World Headquarters. The remaining land, we are told, will be sold off for development as residential, retail and office space.
It's the same old song and dance we so often hear. The structure has passed its prime. However, we never seem to hear that there is lots of public money to move around...and lots of hands grabbing for a piece of the pie.
Could the 79 million dollars being used to destroy MIDTOWN PLAZA have been used to demolish some of the structure and renovate the more interesting parts? I don't know if anyone even bothered to consider this......
Putting forth a piece of personal philosophy, I feel that at least SOME of this historic structure should be retained and renovated for posterity. Here we have one of the few nearly pristine examples of (rapidly-vanishing) Mid-Century Modern/Internationalist-Style architecture, which has not been smeared over with glitzy renovations over the years.
Let's face it. The concept of trying to redevelop MIDTOWN PLAZA as a shopping center should have deen dismissed long ago. I envision the Atrium / Clock of Nations area left standing and being renovated into a Mid-20th Century America Museum.
Such a museum could have focused on the years between 1935 and 1975. A whole helluva lot happened during this time frame, including the FDR administration, the suburbanization of America, the New York World's Fair of 1939 / 1940 and 1964 / 1965, etcetera, etcetera.
There would have been an incredible array of subject matter to explore concerning people and events of New York State alone....and this is only scratching the surface. A true center of culture and tourism could have been created, instead of -yet- another mundane, mixed-use, office park.
There are not too many --if any-- museums dedicated exclusively to the mid-20th century era in the United States. The "Mid-Mod" MIDTOWN PLAZA would have been the perfect location for such a museum. Rochester could have generated a tremendous amount of press coverage, media attention, commercialism and commerce......along the lines of what Cleveland did with its Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Oh well......it's too late to stop the bulldozer brigade now. In summation, all I can add is that the powers that be in and around Rochester, New York are laying a grade A, large-size egg with this ill-conceived destruction of a true American landmark.
At least Victor Gruen isn't around the bemoan another "bastard development".......
East Main and South Clinton Streets
Rochester, New York
Plans for the nation's first center city shopping mall got underway in late 1956, when Gilbert J.C. McCurdy and Maurice R. Forman -two Rochester retailers- met with Victor Gruen to discuss a concept they had devised to attempt to save their downtown department stores from the ravages of suburbanization.
The Austrian architect's proposal was submitted to McCurdy and Forman in September 1958 and was enthusiastically received. Following clandestine land acquistions and City Council approval of the project, demolition work began in April 1959.
The completed, 35 million dollar MIDTOWN PLAZA was dedicated April 10, 1962. The complex occupied an 8.6 acre site in Rochester's downtown core, which had previously been city blocks and Cortland Street.These were replaced by a 3-level (1,800 space) subterranean parking garage and 2-level (220,000 square foot), enclosed shopping mall, which was topped off by an 8-level office tower and 3-level (78 room) hotel. The new-style center also included a multi-modal bus terminal and supermarket.
This forerunner of mixed-use retail / office projects garnered much media coverage and served as a model for subsequent urban renewal projects across the United States.
Renovation/additions were completed in the 1970s and '80s, with the PLAZA being incorporated into an above-street-level Skyway network, eventually connecting it with several office buildings. Unfortunately, the shift of downtown commerce to the suburbs -which MIDTOWN PLAZA had been created to curtail- had continued unabated.
The shuttering of its anchor stores -McCurdy's and Forman's- in 1994 created vacancies that were difficult to fill. Eventually, Lawrenceville, Virginia-based Peebles leased the the first floor of the former Forman's, with the remainder of the building -and the entirety of the old McCurdy's- being renovated into office space.
MIDTOWN PLAZA languished as a dead mall for the remainder of the 1990s. As the 21st century rolled around, various plans to demolish and / or "redevelop" the struggling center were put forward, gaining momentum in 2006.
The present scenario has the City of Rochester spending 14 million dollars to purchase the property and relocate its forty-five remaining tenants. After the center is completely shuttered at the end of 2008, its demolition will commence in June 2009.
MOURNING MIDTOWN
With numerous city and state politicians jumping on the mow down Midtown Mall bandwagon, it wasn't long before a final, concrete plan for its demolition was announced.
79 million dollars in public funds will be used to demolish the historic, mid-20th century landmark. It needs to be taken out of the way so that a private company -the Perinton, New York-based PAETEC Holding Corporation- can build its shiny, new 500,000 square foot World Headquarters. The remaining land, we are told, will be sold off for development as residential, retail and office space.
It's the same old song and dance we so often hear. The structure has passed its prime. However, we never seem to hear that there is lots of public money to move around...and lots of hands grabbing for a piece of the pie.
Could the 79 million dollars being used to destroy MIDTOWN PLAZA have been used to demolish some of the structure and renovate the more interesting parts? I don't know if anyone even bothered to consider this......
Putting forth a piece of personal philosophy, I feel that at least SOME of this historic structure should be retained and renovated for posterity. Here we have one of the few nearly pristine examples of (rapidly-vanishing) Mid-Century Modern/Internationalist-Style architecture, which has not been smeared over with glitzy renovations over the years.
Let's face it. The concept of trying to redevelop MIDTOWN PLAZA as a shopping center should have deen dismissed long ago. I envision the Atrium / Clock of Nations area left standing and being renovated into a Mid-20th Century America Museum.
Such a museum could have focused on the years between 1935 and 1975. A whole helluva lot happened during this time frame, including the FDR administration, the suburbanization of America, the New York World's Fair of 1939 / 1940 and 1964 / 1965, etcetera, etcetera.
There would have been an incredible array of subject matter to explore concerning people and events of New York State alone....and this is only scratching the surface. A true center of culture and tourism could have been created, instead of -yet- another mundane, mixed-use, office park.
There are not too many --if any-- museums dedicated exclusively to the mid-20th century era in the United States. The "Mid-Mod" MIDTOWN PLAZA would have been the perfect location for such a museum. Rochester could have generated a tremendous amount of press coverage, media attention, commercialism and commerce......along the lines of what Cleveland did with its Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Oh well......it's too late to stop the bulldozer brigade now. In summation, all I can add is that the powers that be in and around Rochester, New York are laying a grade A, large-size egg with this ill-conceived destruction of a true American landmark.
At least Victor Gruen isn't around the bemoan another "bastard development".......
The original Carson Pirie Scott at RANDHURST. In 1962, this retail hub
was the world's largest enclosed shopping complex...the nation's -and
world's- first superregional center.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
Site plan for Chicagoland's first enclosed shopping
mall. Gruen's triangular layout was perhaps the
most unique plan for a retail complex ever devised.
mall. Gruen's triangular layout was perhaps the
most unique plan for a retail complex ever devised.
The five levels of Victor Gruen's mega-mall, built in a time when
a two-level shopping center was cutting edge.
The shopping center and its outlots, circa-1974.
In the southeast corner of the site sits the new
Randhurst Twin Ice arena. It was used, temporarily,
as a home venue for the Chicago Cougars ice hockey
team. Wieboldt's Tire Center and the Randhurst
Theatre (in the northeast corner) were soon to be
razed and replaced by a new Jewel supermarket.
What was known as the Galleria in the circa-'60s center. The lower
floor was called the Bazaar Level, with the area above it referred to
as the Pavilion level.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
The Promenade Entrance was added to the existing structure during
a 2004 renovation.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
A circa-1998 site plan. The three original anchors had
been supplemented by the addition of fourth and fifth
department stores during the late 1980s. One of these,
on the mall's west side, had been subdivided into Circuit
City and Old Navy in 1995.
One of three Arcade areas in the complex. Here we see the mall
entrance to Carson Pirie Scott.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
Exterior of Carson Pirie Scott, the north anchor of the complex. It
was originally a Chicago-based Wieboldt's. This store, and the mall's
other anchors, will be left standing when the rest of RANDHURST
gets a wrecking ball renovation in 2008.
Photo from Wikipedia / "JonRev"
What will serve as the final footprint of the once-
mighty RANDHURST. The mall underwent a large-
scale renovation in 2004, with two anchor stores being
demolished and another partially razed. A new Costco
demolished and another partially razed. A new Costco
was built at the site of the old Carson's/Penney's.
THE LARGEST ENCLOSED SHOPPING
MALLS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1967:
1. SUNVALLEY MALL / Concord/Pleasant Hill, CA
2. RANDHURST CENTER / Mount Prospect, IL
3. NORTHPARK CENTER / Dallas, TX
4. SEVERANCE CENTER / Cleveland Heights, OH
5. WALT WHITMAN MALL / Huntington, NY
RANDHURST CENTER
Rand and Elmhurst Roads
Mount Prospect, Illinois
Victor Gruen's eleventh major mall project got underway in July 1959, when three Chicago retailers formed the Randhurst Corporation. The idea was to build the nation's largest, fully-enclosed and air-conditioned shopping center, which would be the first to feature three major department stores.
RANDHURST CENTER was located on a 100 acre site, 22 miles northwest of "The Loop". The 1,200,000 square foot complex was anchored by a 3-level (185,000 square foot) Wieboldt's (11th store in the chain), 3-level (200,000 square foot) Carson, Pirie, Scott ["Pirie" is pronounced "peer-ee"] (28th in the chain) and a 3-level (154,000 square foot) The Fair (5th in the chain). There was also an S.S. Kresge 5 and 10 and Jewel supermarket.
Gruen's design for RANDHURST was based on an equilateral triangle, with an anchor store at each apex. Along the outside of the triangle were bi-level store blocks, comprised of a Main (or "Mall") Level and Upper ("Professional Terrace") Level.
Inside the triangle was a 4-level Galleria area with an an enormous dome at its center; this supported by six steel columns. Anchored to these was a "floating platform" Pavilion Level. Beneath this was a Bazaar Level of open shops.
The Concourse Level -below the Galleria area- was populated with various mall businesses and included public restrooms, meeting rooms and a three hundred person capacity auditorium.
Around the dome, along the roofline, was a row of clerestory windows, with an inner ring of stained glass windows of various shapes. These directed beams of colored light into the Galleria of the mall.
Gruen himself oversaw the acquisition of over 100 thousand dollars worth of sculpture to grace the interior spaces. Moreover, the Galleria and adjacent department store Arcades were lavishly appointed with fountains and tropical plants.
The center was serviced by a twin-lane, subterranean freight tunnel, following the lines of the triangle, which would also serve as a fallout shelter in case of a nuclear halocaust. A state-of-the-art monitoring system kept tabs on what was going on at the mall. A huge electronic display board had one hundred positions of flashing lights. If anything went awry, an automated typewriter printed out messages describing the problem and indicating its location.
RANDHURST opened for business August 16, 1962, with fifty inline stores. In keeping with the times, there was a tremendous amount of fanfare and media hooplah. Opening festivities included a parade, the release of balloons and several cannon blasts.
The first change at RANDHURST occurred in 1964 when Montgomery Ward rebranded The Fair. Four years later, General Cinemas opened the outparcel, single-screen Randhurst Theater, which was adjacent to the northeast parking area.
By the early 1970s, the complex had adopted the official name of RANDHURST MALL. 1974 brought the completion of the Randhurst Twin Ice Arena, which was built -as an outparcel- at the southeast corner of the site.
The Arena served as a temporary home for the World Hockey Association Chicago Cougars (1972-1975). It was eventually demolished, along with a Child World toy store and the Ward's Auto Center. These were replaced by a Home Depot in the mid-1990s.
The mid-'70s were also when the Jewel supermarket moved from inside the mall to an outparcel location in the northeast corner of the site. This store was rebuilt in 1996.
In 1987, the first phase of alternating anchor stores at RANDHURST got underway; Wieboldt's was acquired by Peoria-based Bergner's. Later in the decade, two newly-built junior anchors came inline, Elgin-based Joseph Spies and Chicago-based Main Street, which was soon rebranded by Milwaukee-based Kohl's.
In 1990, Carson, Pirie and Scott took up shop in the vacant Wieboldt's / Bergner's location. The original Carson's was leased to J.C. Penney.
1995 brought the shuttering of Joseph Spies, and its reopening as Wickes Furniture, which was soon shuttered itself, and subdivided into new Circuit City and Old Navy stores. Boston-based Filene's Basement also opened a location in what was originally known as the Bazaar Level of the mall.
Around this time, RANDHURST, a facet of Chicago's many-malled metropolis, began to feel the crunch of competing shopping centers. WOODFIELD MALL [see June 2008 archive], finished a major expansion in 1996.
In 2000, DEER PARK TOWN CENTER was completed, which drew away more of RANDHURST'S potential business. To add insult to injury, the mall lost two major anchors in 2001, when both Ward's and Penney's closed. Kohl's moved on in 2003.
A large-scale renovation was completed in 2004. The vacant Carson's/Penney's was razed and replaced by an Issaquah, Washington-based Costco.
Moreover, the old Fair / Montgomery Ward was partially demolished and a new "Promenade Entrance" built in its vacinity. The Circuit City and Old Navy stores were vacated in 2005. Bed, Bath and Beyond leased the Circuit City space. Steve and Barry's University Sportswear took the old Old Navy store -and adjacent restaurant / retail spaces- and created a new store out of them.
Major redevelopment is currently in the works. RANDHURST, owned by New York City-based J.P. Morgan Chase, is to be demalled into a mixed-use, lifestyle-type venue.
The basement / fallout shelter level will become an underground parking garage. Over this will be new retail, residential units and a hotel. The circa-1996 16-plex cinema will be replaced by a new 18-screen theatre. The reconstruction is being overseen by Sarasota-based Casto Lifestyle Properties.
RANDHURST MALL closed for good on September 30, 2008, ending a retail reign of forty-six years. Demolition commenced soon after. The bulk of the complex is to be bulldozed, leaving its anchor stores intact. These will be worked into the new RANDHURST VILLAGE, which is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2010.
RANDHURST CENTER TENANTS 1962:
PAVILION LEVEL (beneath the Dome):
Tree Top Restaurant / Bird's Next Cocktail Lounge / Coffee Shop
MALL, BAZAAR and CONCOURSE LEVELS:
CARSON, PIRIE & SCOTT (with Coiffures Americana Beauty Salon)/ WIEBOLDT'S (with beauty salon) / THE FAIR / Jewel Supermarket / S.S. Kresge 5 and 10 (with lunch counter) / Sun Self-service Drug / Frank Jewelers / Randhurst Music Shop / Randhurst Camera / Karpet Showcase / Walton Rug and Furniture Company / Craft Studio / Wm. A. Lewis ladies' apparel / Marianne Shop ladies' apparel / Norman's ladies' apparel / Stuarts ladies apparel / Cover Girl Lingerie / Kay Campbell Sportswear / Ted's Sportswear / Claire Hats / Lorsey's Fashion Accessories / Hosiery Bar / Baskin's Store for Men and Women / Maurice L. Rothschild Family Clothing / Lauter's For Men / Benson-Rixon men's apparel / Randhurst Tie Rack / Baker's Shoes / Chandler's Shoes / Florsheim Shoes / Flagg Brothers Shoes / O'Conner and Goldberg Shoes / Youthful Shoes / Kinney Shoes / Fabric Mart / Singer Sewing Center / Brautingam Florist and Gifts / The Card Shop / Dutch Mill Candies / Le Rendezvous Snack Bar / Corned Beef Center Restaurant / Apple Basket Restaurant and Pancake Shop / Le Petit Cafe / Randhurst Bank / Tartan Tray Cafeteria / Randhurst Heel Bar / Randhurst Key Shop / Emery's Tailor Shop / Joe's Barber Shop
PROFESSIONAL TERRACE:
Almer Coe Optical / Dr. Frank E. Grogman, D.D.S. / Dr. Dwain F. Marquette D.D.S. / Dr. John Napier
OUTPARCELS:
Wieboldt's Tire Center / Montgomery Ward Auto Center
MALLS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1967:
1. SUNVALLEY MALL / Concord/Pleasant Hill, CA
2. RANDHURST CENTER / Mount Prospect, IL
3. NORTHPARK CENTER / Dallas, TX
4. SEVERANCE CENTER / Cleveland Heights, OH
5. WALT WHITMAN MALL / Huntington, NY
RANDHURST CENTER
Rand and Elmhurst Roads
Mount Prospect, Illinois
Victor Gruen's eleventh major mall project got underway in July 1959, when three Chicago retailers formed the Randhurst Corporation. The idea was to build the nation's largest, fully-enclosed and air-conditioned shopping center, which would be the first to feature three major department stores.
RANDHURST CENTER was located on a 100 acre site, 22 miles northwest of "The Loop". The 1,200,000 square foot complex was anchored by a 3-level (185,000 square foot) Wieboldt's (11th store in the chain), 3-level (200,000 square foot) Carson, Pirie, Scott ["Pirie" is pronounced "peer-ee"] (28th in the chain) and a 3-level (154,000 square foot) The Fair (5th in the chain). There was also an S.S. Kresge 5 and 10 and Jewel supermarket.
Gruen's design for RANDHURST was based on an equilateral triangle, with an anchor store at each apex. Along the outside of the triangle were bi-level store blocks, comprised of a Main (or "Mall") Level and Upper ("Professional Terrace") Level.
Inside the triangle was a 4-level Galleria area with an an enormous dome at its center; this supported by six steel columns. Anchored to these was a "floating platform" Pavilion Level. Beneath this was a Bazaar Level of open shops.
The Concourse Level -below the Galleria area- was populated with various mall businesses and included public restrooms, meeting rooms and a three hundred person capacity auditorium.
Around the dome, along the roofline, was a row of clerestory windows, with an inner ring of stained glass windows of various shapes. These directed beams of colored light into the Galleria of the mall.
Gruen himself oversaw the acquisition of over 100 thousand dollars worth of sculpture to grace the interior spaces. Moreover, the Galleria and adjacent department store Arcades were lavishly appointed with fountains and tropical plants.
The center was serviced by a twin-lane, subterranean freight tunnel, following the lines of the triangle, which would also serve as a fallout shelter in case of a nuclear halocaust. A state-of-the-art monitoring system kept tabs on what was going on at the mall. A huge electronic display board had one hundred positions of flashing lights. If anything went awry, an automated typewriter printed out messages describing the problem and indicating its location.
RANDHURST opened for business August 16, 1962, with fifty inline stores. In keeping with the times, there was a tremendous amount of fanfare and media hooplah. Opening festivities included a parade, the release of balloons and several cannon blasts.
The first change at RANDHURST occurred in 1964 when Montgomery Ward rebranded The Fair. Four years later, General Cinemas opened the outparcel, single-screen Randhurst Theater, which was adjacent to the northeast parking area.
By the early 1970s, the complex had adopted the official name of RANDHURST MALL. 1974 brought the completion of the Randhurst Twin Ice Arena, which was built -as an outparcel- at the southeast corner of the site.
The Arena served as a temporary home for the World Hockey Association Chicago Cougars (1972-1975). It was eventually demolished, along with a Child World toy store and the Ward's Auto Center. These were replaced by a Home Depot in the mid-1990s.
The mid-'70s were also when the Jewel supermarket moved from inside the mall to an outparcel location in the northeast corner of the site. This store was rebuilt in 1996.
In 1987, the first phase of alternating anchor stores at RANDHURST got underway; Wieboldt's was acquired by Peoria-based Bergner's. Later in the decade, two newly-built junior anchors came inline, Elgin-based Joseph Spies and Chicago-based Main Street, which was soon rebranded by Milwaukee-based Kohl's.
In 1990, Carson, Pirie and Scott took up shop in the vacant Wieboldt's / Bergner's location. The original Carson's was leased to J.C. Penney.
1995 brought the shuttering of Joseph Spies, and its reopening as Wickes Furniture, which was soon shuttered itself, and subdivided into new Circuit City and Old Navy stores. Boston-based Filene's Basement also opened a location in what was originally known as the Bazaar Level of the mall.
Around this time, RANDHURST, a facet of Chicago's many-malled metropolis, began to feel the crunch of competing shopping centers. WOODFIELD MALL [see June 2008 archive], finished a major expansion in 1996.
In 2000, DEER PARK TOWN CENTER was completed, which drew away more of RANDHURST'S potential business. To add insult to injury, the mall lost two major anchors in 2001, when both Ward's and Penney's closed. Kohl's moved on in 2003.
A large-scale renovation was completed in 2004. The vacant Carson's/Penney's was razed and replaced by an Issaquah, Washington-based Costco.
Moreover, the old Fair / Montgomery Ward was partially demolished and a new "Promenade Entrance" built in its vacinity. The Circuit City and Old Navy stores were vacated in 2005. Bed, Bath and Beyond leased the Circuit City space. Steve and Barry's University Sportswear took the old Old Navy store -and adjacent restaurant / retail spaces- and created a new store out of them.
Major redevelopment is currently in the works. RANDHURST, owned by New York City-based J.P. Morgan Chase, is to be demalled into a mixed-use, lifestyle-type venue.
The basement / fallout shelter level will become an underground parking garage. Over this will be new retail, residential units and a hotel. The circa-1996 16-plex cinema will be replaced by a new 18-screen theatre. The reconstruction is being overseen by Sarasota-based Casto Lifestyle Properties.
RANDHURST MALL closed for good on September 30, 2008, ending a retail reign of forty-six years. Demolition commenced soon after. The bulk of the complex is to be bulldozed, leaving its anchor stores intact. These will be worked into the new RANDHURST VILLAGE, which is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2010.
RANDHURST CENTER TENANTS 1962:
PAVILION LEVEL (beneath the Dome):
Tree Top Restaurant / Bird's Next Cocktail Lounge / Coffee Shop
MALL, BAZAAR and CONCOURSE LEVELS:
CARSON, PIRIE & SCOTT (with Coiffures Americana Beauty Salon)/ WIEBOLDT'S (with beauty salon) / THE FAIR / Jewel Supermarket / S.S. Kresge 5 and 10 (with lunch counter) / Sun Self-service Drug / Frank Jewelers / Randhurst Music Shop / Randhurst Camera / Karpet Showcase / Walton Rug and Furniture Company / Craft Studio / Wm. A. Lewis ladies' apparel / Marianne Shop ladies' apparel / Norman's ladies' apparel / Stuarts ladies apparel / Cover Girl Lingerie / Kay Campbell Sportswear / Ted's Sportswear / Claire Hats / Lorsey's Fashion Accessories / Hosiery Bar / Baskin's Store for Men and Women / Maurice L. Rothschild Family Clothing / Lauter's For Men / Benson-Rixon men's apparel / Randhurst Tie Rack / Baker's Shoes / Chandler's Shoes / Florsheim Shoes / Flagg Brothers Shoes / O'Conner and Goldberg Shoes / Youthful Shoes / Kinney Shoes / Fabric Mart / Singer Sewing Center / Brautingam Florist and Gifts / The Card Shop / Dutch Mill Candies / Le Rendezvous Snack Bar / Corned Beef Center Restaurant / Apple Basket Restaurant and Pancake Shop / Le Petit Cafe / Randhurst Bank / Tartan Tray Cafeteria / Randhurst Heel Bar / Randhurst Key Shop / Emery's Tailor Shop / Joe's Barber Shop
PROFESSIONAL TERRACE:
Almer Coe Optical / Dr. Frank E. Grogman, D.D.S. / Dr. Dwain F. Marquette D.D.S. / Dr. John Napier
OUTPARCELS:
Wieboldt's Tire Center / Montgomery Ward Auto Center
The original layout of TOPANGA PLAZA. The parking lot and mall
had 2 levels, with building entrances coming off of both. Entries on
the south end connected to the mall's Upper Level, while those on
the north end led into the Lower. The main entrance connected to
both parking lots.
A December 1963 shot of "May's Topanga". Obviously, the site was still
under construction at the time. The store was one of the first in the mall
to open, in February 1964.
Photo from UCLA Library Digital Archive/L.A. Times
An aerial of the completed mall, which was California's first enclosed
shopping complex. May Company is seen in the lower left, with The
Broadway in the upper right. These two stores were arch -retail- rivals.
It was rare, indeed, when both would be anchoring a single shopping
center!
Photo from Malls Of America Blogspot
The stunning "falling glycerin" fountain, a
centerpiece of South Court.
Photo from Malls Of America Blogspot
The sunlit North Court, overlooked by May Co.'s Terrace Restaurant.
A bird aviary, the standard feature of a Gruen-designed shopping mall,
is seen on the left.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
.jpg)
Two circa-'67 stills from Columbia Pictures' "Divorce American Style".
In the first, we see the southeast corner of North Court. The Upper
Level North Court, and Joseph Magnin, are seen in the second.
Photos from Columbia Pictures
An aerial of today's TOPANGA. This view, looking northwest, shows the
new Nordstrom in the lower left corner.
Photo from Westfield website
The present-day layout of L.A.'s "TOPANGA MALL". The first
phase of a massive, 500 million dollar renovation was completed
in late 2006 (indicated in dark gray). It nearly doubled the size of
the existing shopping center. The second phase -including a new
Neiman Marcus- was dedicated in September 2008.
TOPANGA PLAZA
Topanga Canyon and Victory Boulevards
Los Angeles, California
Victor Gruen was involved in the design of the first enclosed shopping mall to open on the West Coast. TOPANGA PLAZA was developed by May Centers, Incorporated and built in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley, on a 58 acre tract, 25 miles northwest of the center city.
The original mall was situated around two levels and housed eighty-three retailers. The first anchor store in business was the 3-level (231,000 square foot), Los Angeles-based May Company of California, which held its gala grand opening on February 10, 1964.
By November of the year, the 2-level (136,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward and 3-level (140,200 square foot), Los Angeles-based The Broadway were also inline, as was a Food Fair supermarket.
Other charter tenants included Joseph Magnin apparel, Mullen and Bluett ladies' apparel, Silverwood's men's apparel, Lane Bryant ladies' apparel, Kay Jewelers, Florsheim Shoes, Hardy Shoes, Frederick's Of Hollywood, Hudson's Jewelers and Sutton Brothers Home Decorating.
Grand openings at TOPANGA tended to be star-studded affairs, attended by Hollywood personalities such as Zsa Zsa Gabor, Lorne Green, Buster Keaton, Steve Allen, Jayne Meadows and Bea Benedaret.
The Topanga Plaza Ice Arena formally opened -to much media fanfare- in March 1964. It was located on the mall's first level, at the southeast corner. There was also a distinctive "falling glycerin" fountain in the South Court. The North Court featured the Terrace Restaurant, which overlooked it from a third level, built atop the May Company store.
The mall was used in location shooting for Columbia Pictures' "Divorce American Style", in 1967. In the film, Debbie Reynolds and Emmaline Henry stroll the North Court, acend an escalator to the second level, traipse through Florsheim Shoes and then head into Joseph Magnin.
Mallophile's may want to check out these couple minutes of footage. They present a mid-'60s time capsule of what a shopping mall was like...topped off by some kooky-sounding "shopping mall music", filtering through the court and corridors.
TOPANGA PLAZA had been conceived as a predominantly "middle market" shopping center, with most stores and services geared toward a middle class clientele. In 1973, the PROMENADE AT WOODLAND HILLS opened, which was two blocks south. This new mall was positioned as an upscale counterpart to the older shopping center.
A New York City-based Ohrbach's opened in the shuttered space of Joseph Magnin in August 1980. This TOPANGA PLAZA store closed in December 1986. The first expansion and renovation of "TOPANGA MALL" came inline in 1984.
Included was a new -more upscale- tenant, a 2-level (154,000 square foot) Nordstrom. This renovation also brought a new Food Court, installed in the old Ice Arena space.
Subsequent renovations were carried out in 1992 and 1994; the latter repairing damage to the shopping center from the Northridge Earthquake of January 17, 1994.
Other changes took place at TOPANGA in the 1990s. The mall was sold to Australia-based Westfield Holdings (now Westfield Group) in 1993. The May Company store was rebranded as Robinsons-May, also in 1993.
The Broadway location was acquired by Sears in 1996 and the Montgomery Ward closed in 1999. By this time, the mall, officially renamed WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN TOPANGA, was a superregional shopping center, with 1,043,800 leasable square feet and one hundred twenty-five stores.
A fourth renovation of the mall began in February 2005. The old Montgomery Ward was torn down and a multi-level addition built, which nearly doubled the size of the existing structure.
This project included the construction of a new, 3-level (200,000 square foot) Nordstrom, 2-level (100,000 square foot) Target, and over one hundred stores and restaurants; most of these situated around an attractive "Canyon Court" area. Three parking garages were also added. As an adjunct to these changes, the Robinsons-May store was rebranded as Macy's in September 2006.
A new, totally refurbished, WESTFIELD TOPANGA was dedicated in October 2006. With this renovation, the mall encompassed 1,438,800 leasable square feet and housed two hundred forty stores.
However, the 500 million dollar renovation project was far from being finished. A second phase of construction replaced the circa-1984 Nordstrom with a 2-level (120,000 square foot) Neiman Marcus. The newly-constructed store was dedicated September 5, 2008.
WESTFIELD TOPANGA now encompassed 1.6 million leasable square feet and trumped NORTHRIDGE FASHION CENTER [December 2008 archive] as the largest shopping mall in the San Fernando Valley.
The renovation project is ongoing. In late 2007, Westfield finalized plans to connect WESTFIELD TOPANGA and WESTFIELD PROMENADE with a 700 million dollar THE VILLAGE lifestyle component.
The open-air, mixed-use development will straddle Victory Boulevard and feature 500,000 square feet of retail, 75,000 square feet of restaurants and 215,000 square feet of office space...in addition to a "boutique hotel".
With the completion of the project sometime in the next decade, the married malls -and their connecting commercial concourse- will comprise California's largest shopping complex, encompassing 2,773,800 leasable square feet...demoting Orange County's 2,212,000 square foot SOUTH COAST PLAZA [May 2008 archive] to the status of second-largest shopopolis in the Golden State.
Fair use of "Divorce American Style" still photos in TOPANGA PLAZA article:
The screenshots from Divorce American Style (film) illustrate a key moment in the mall's history that is described in the article. The screenshots are of lower resolution than the original film (copies made from it will be of inferior quality). The images are not replaceable with a free-use or public-domain image. The screenshots do not limit the copyright owners' rights to distribute the film in any way. The screenshots are being used for informational purposes only, and their use is not believed to detract from the original film in any way.
Topanga Canyon and Victory Boulevards
Los Angeles, California
Victor Gruen was involved in the design of the first enclosed shopping mall to open on the West Coast. TOPANGA PLAZA was developed by May Centers, Incorporated and built in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley, on a 58 acre tract, 25 miles northwest of the center city.
The original mall was situated around two levels and housed eighty-three retailers. The first anchor store in business was the 3-level (231,000 square foot), Los Angeles-based May Company of California, which held its gala grand opening on February 10, 1964.
By November of the year, the 2-level (136,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward and 3-level (140,200 square foot), Los Angeles-based The Broadway were also inline, as was a Food Fair supermarket.
Other charter tenants included Joseph Magnin apparel, Mullen and Bluett ladies' apparel, Silverwood's men's apparel, Lane Bryant ladies' apparel, Kay Jewelers, Florsheim Shoes, Hardy Shoes, Frederick's Of Hollywood, Hudson's Jewelers and Sutton Brothers Home Decorating.
Grand openings at TOPANGA tended to be star-studded affairs, attended by Hollywood personalities such as Zsa Zsa Gabor, Lorne Green, Buster Keaton, Steve Allen, Jayne Meadows and Bea Benedaret.
The Topanga Plaza Ice Arena formally opened -to much media fanfare- in March 1964. It was located on the mall's first level, at the southeast corner. There was also a distinctive "falling glycerin" fountain in the South Court. The North Court featured the Terrace Restaurant, which overlooked it from a third level, built atop the May Company store.
The mall was used in location shooting for Columbia Pictures' "Divorce American Style", in 1967. In the film, Debbie Reynolds and Emmaline Henry stroll the North Court, acend an escalator to the second level, traipse through Florsheim Shoes and then head into Joseph Magnin.
Mallophile's may want to check out these couple minutes of footage. They present a mid-'60s time capsule of what a shopping mall was like...topped off by some kooky-sounding "shopping mall music", filtering through the court and corridors.
TOPANGA PLAZA had been conceived as a predominantly "middle market" shopping center, with most stores and services geared toward a middle class clientele. In 1973, the PROMENADE AT WOODLAND HILLS opened, which was two blocks south. This new mall was positioned as an upscale counterpart to the older shopping center.
A New York City-based Ohrbach's opened in the shuttered space of Joseph Magnin in August 1980. This TOPANGA PLAZA store closed in December 1986. The first expansion and renovation of "TOPANGA MALL" came inline in 1984.
Included was a new -more upscale- tenant, a 2-level (154,000 square foot) Nordstrom. This renovation also brought a new Food Court, installed in the old Ice Arena space.
Subsequent renovations were carried out in 1992 and 1994; the latter repairing damage to the shopping center from the Northridge Earthquake of January 17, 1994.
Other changes took place at TOPANGA in the 1990s. The mall was sold to Australia-based Westfield Holdings (now Westfield Group) in 1993. The May Company store was rebranded as Robinsons-May, also in 1993.
The Broadway location was acquired by Sears in 1996 and the Montgomery Ward closed in 1999. By this time, the mall, officially renamed WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN TOPANGA, was a superregional shopping center, with 1,043,800 leasable square feet and one hundred twenty-five stores.
A fourth renovation of the mall began in February 2005. The old Montgomery Ward was torn down and a multi-level addition built, which nearly doubled the size of the existing structure.
This project included the construction of a new, 3-level (200,000 square foot) Nordstrom, 2-level (100,000 square foot) Target, and over one hundred stores and restaurants; most of these situated around an attractive "Canyon Court" area. Three parking garages were also added. As an adjunct to these changes, the Robinsons-May store was rebranded as Macy's in September 2006.
A new, totally refurbished, WESTFIELD TOPANGA was dedicated in October 2006. With this renovation, the mall encompassed 1,438,800 leasable square feet and housed two hundred forty stores.
However, the 500 million dollar renovation project was far from being finished. A second phase of construction replaced the circa-1984 Nordstrom with a 2-level (120,000 square foot) Neiman Marcus. The newly-constructed store was dedicated September 5, 2008.
WESTFIELD TOPANGA now encompassed 1.6 million leasable square feet and trumped NORTHRIDGE FASHION CENTER [December 2008 archive] as the largest shopping mall in the San Fernando Valley.
The renovation project is ongoing. In late 2007, Westfield finalized plans to connect WESTFIELD TOPANGA and WESTFIELD PROMENADE with a 700 million dollar THE VILLAGE lifestyle component.
The open-air, mixed-use development will straddle Victory Boulevard and feature 500,000 square feet of retail, 75,000 square feet of restaurants and 215,000 square feet of office space...in addition to a "boutique hotel".
With the completion of the project sometime in the next decade, the married malls -and their connecting commercial concourse- will comprise California's largest shopping complex, encompassing 2,773,800 leasable square feet...demoting Orange County's 2,212,000 square foot SOUTH COAST PLAZA [May 2008 archive] to the status of second-largest shopopolis in the Golden State.
Fair use of "Divorce American Style" still photos in TOPANGA PLAZA article:
The screenshots from Divorce American Style (film) illustrate a key moment in the mall's history that is described in the article. The screenshots are of lower resolution than the original film (copies made from it will be of inferior quality). The images are not replaceable with a free-use or public-domain image. The screenshots do not limit the copyright owners' rights to distribute the film in any way. The screenshots are being used for informational purposes only, and their use is not believed to detract from the original film in any way.
A 1965 newspaper ad promoting the sparkling new
GREENGATE MALL. At the time, there were forty-five
inline stores, including the Joseph Horne Company
anchor. J.C. Penney and Montgomery Ward came along
a few years later.
Photo from www.jacobbest.com
An Upper Level layout of Gruen's GREENGATE. The
complex was the second of three malls designed by
Victor Gruen and developed by James Rouse. The
first was New Jersey's CHERRY HILL, the third,
Philly's PLYMOUTH MEETING.
The Moorish Modern-influenced J.C. Penney, north anchor
of GREENGATE.
Photo from http://www.freewebs.com/greengatemallrevisited
"Greengate Mall Revisited"
Montgomery Ward, the mall's east anchor.
Photo from http://www.freewebs.com/greengatemallrevisited
"Greengate Mall Revisited"
Typical of most mid-century five and dime stores, the Murphy's at
GREENGATE featured a lunch counter / cafe.
Photo from http://www.freewebs.com/greengatemallrevisited
"Greengate Mall Revisited"
A 3D aerial of the mall, done by Gary Nelson, webmaster of the
Greengate Mall Revisited website. This view would be looking
over the mall, toward the southwest.
Drawing from http://www.freewebs.com/greengatemallrevisited
"Greengate Mall Revisited"
Another of Gary's 3D pictorials shows the southeast facade of the
Horne's anchor store.
Drawing from http://www.freewebs.com/greengatemallrevisited
"Greengate Mall Revisited"
From this virtual reality viewpoint, we see the Center Court, looking
north, toward Penney's.
Drawing from http://www.freewebs.com/greengatemallrevisited
"Greengate Mall Revisited"
One of the store blocks in today's GREENGATE CENTRE, which replaced
Gruen's GREENGATE MALL in 2005.
Photo from THF Realty website
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
GREENGATE MALL
Lincoln Highway / US 30 and North Greengate Boulevard
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
CHERRY HILL MALL [June 2007 archive], the first collaboration of mall mavens Victor Gruen and James Rouse, was completed in the New Jersey environs of Philadelphia in October 1961. Their second shopping mall project was built on the outskirts of Pittsburgh in 1964-1965.
GREENGATE MALL, one of Metropolitan Pittsburgh's first enclosed shopping centers, was located on a 90 acre tract, 32 miles southeast of the downtown "Golden Triangle". The site was situated just outside the western corporate limits of the city of Greensburg.
The bi-level shopping complex, anchored by a 3-level -Pittsburgh-based- Joseph Horne Company, was dedicated August 9, 1965. At the time, there were forty-five inline stores, including Lang's Fashions, Bakers Shoes, Carlton's Men's, Fanny Farmer Candies, Lerner Shops and a G.C. Murphy 5 and 10.
By 1967, a 2-level J.C. Penney had opened, as the mall's north anchor. The retail roster now featured sixty-three inline stores. A single level (with basement) Montgomery Ward was also completed in 1970. GREENGATE MALL now encompassed 615,000 leasable square feet and over eighty shops and services.
The shopping venue was presented with a major retail rival in 1977, under the auspices of the WESTMORELAND MALL. The new 850,000 square foot center, constructed in the eastern environs of Greensburg, was expanded over the years, eventually becoming one of the largest malls in the Pittsburgh megapolis.
As a competitive measure, outparcel strip plazas were added to the periphery of GREENGATE MALL in the 1970s and '80s. GREENGATE NORTH included the Greengate I-III Cinema. GREENGATE EAST featured a Giant Eagle supermarket. Moreover, the mall proper was given a facelift renovation in 1985.
Unfortunately, WESTMORELAND MALL prevailed. J.C. Penney vacated its space at GREENGATE in 1994, opting for a newer and larger store at WESTMORELAND. The old Penney's at GREENGATE was re-leased as Expo Center, which hosted occasional trade shows.
In May of the same year, the Joseph Horne Company location was rebranded by Columbus, Ohio-based Lazarus. This store was shuttered in late 1997.
The "underperforming" mall was acquired by the New York City-based Property Holding Company in August 1998. They sought to reinvent the struggling shopopolis as NET TECH 30, a telecom complex. This initiative failed. Tenants in the mall were given eviction notices in July 2001.
Virtually vacant, GREENGATE was sold -again- in February 2003. The new owners, Saint Louis-based THF Realty, dispensed with any notions of its reinvention. The "antiquated" mall was demolished in 2003.
A new, open-air complex, GREENGATE CENTRE, debuted April 13, 2005. Anchored by a 203,600 square foot Wal-Mart, the venue included Fashion Bug, GNC, Panera Bread, Steak and Shake and Chilli's.
Be sure and visit the Greengate Mall Revisited site...
http://www.freewebs.com/greengatemallrevisited/
Here, you will find more drawings and details about the shopping center than I could ever hope to include in this brief rundown. Great job, Gary!
Lincoln Highway / US 30 and North Greengate Boulevard
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
CHERRY HILL MALL [June 2007 archive], the first collaboration of mall mavens Victor Gruen and James Rouse, was completed in the New Jersey environs of Philadelphia in October 1961. Their second shopping mall project was built on the outskirts of Pittsburgh in 1964-1965.
GREENGATE MALL, one of Metropolitan Pittsburgh's first enclosed shopping centers, was located on a 90 acre tract, 32 miles southeast of the downtown "Golden Triangle". The site was situated just outside the western corporate limits of the city of Greensburg.
The bi-level shopping complex, anchored by a 3-level -Pittsburgh-based- Joseph Horne Company, was dedicated August 9, 1965. At the time, there were forty-five inline stores, including Lang's Fashions, Bakers Shoes, Carlton's Men's, Fanny Farmer Candies, Lerner Shops and a G.C. Murphy 5 and 10.
By 1967, a 2-level J.C. Penney had opened, as the mall's north anchor. The retail roster now featured sixty-three inline stores. A single level (with basement) Montgomery Ward was also completed in 1970. GREENGATE MALL now encompassed 615,000 leasable square feet and over eighty shops and services.
The shopping venue was presented with a major retail rival in 1977, under the auspices of the WESTMORELAND MALL. The new 850,000 square foot center, constructed in the eastern environs of Greensburg, was expanded over the years, eventually becoming one of the largest malls in the Pittsburgh megapolis.
As a competitive measure, outparcel strip plazas were added to the periphery of GREENGATE MALL in the 1970s and '80s. GREENGATE NORTH included the Greengate I-III Cinema. GREENGATE EAST featured a Giant Eagle supermarket. Moreover, the mall proper was given a facelift renovation in 1985.
Unfortunately, WESTMORELAND MALL prevailed. J.C. Penney vacated its space at GREENGATE in 1994, opting for a newer and larger store at WESTMORELAND. The old Penney's at GREENGATE was re-leased as Expo Center, which hosted occasional trade shows.
In May of the same year, the Joseph Horne Company location was rebranded by Columbus, Ohio-based Lazarus. This store was shuttered in late 1997.
The "underperforming" mall was acquired by the New York City-based Property Holding Company in August 1998. They sought to reinvent the struggling shopopolis as NET TECH 30, a telecom complex. This initiative failed. Tenants in the mall were given eviction notices in July 2001.
Virtually vacant, GREENGATE was sold -again- in February 2003. The new owners, Saint Louis-based THF Realty, dispensed with any notions of its reinvention. The "antiquated" mall was demolished in 2003.
A new, open-air complex, GREENGATE CENTRE, debuted April 13, 2005. Anchored by a 203,600 square foot Wal-Mart, the venue included Fashion Bug, GNC, Panera Bread, Steak and Shake and Chilli's.
Be sure and visit the Greengate Mall Revisited site...
http://www.freewebs.com/greengatemallrevisited/
Here, you will find more drawings and details about the shopping center than I could ever hope to include in this brief rundown. Great job, Gary!
Detroit's Westland Center
A vintage view of the East Court glass elevator, in the circa-'65
WESTLAND CENTER. Seeing this photo, one can almost hear the
bossa nova music that was probably coming over the mall's p.a.
system.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
A vintage view of the East Court glass elevator, in the circa-'65
WESTLAND CENTER. Seeing this photo, one can almost hear the
bossa nova music that was probably coming over the mall's p.a.
system.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
Victor Gruen's WESTLAND CENTER, in its early years a rather small,
box-shaped interior mall, surrounding a ginormous -4-floor- J.L.
Hudson.
The East Court, with the glass elevator -to the second level cafe'- in the
background. The eastern entrance to the Hudson's anchor store is seen
on the left.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
East Court, from the opposite direction...and on the mezzanine level.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
WESTLAND West Court...the original one, that is. The Kresge five and
dime is on the left. In the distance is the entry to the "Connecting Mall".
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
The Quo Vadis (Latin for "where are you going?") Theater opened,
across the road from WESTLAND CENTER, in 1966. In typical '60s
style, it served cocktails along with its motion picture fare. Today,
the formerly fabulous movie house sits derelict and decaying.
Photo from www.savetheqv.org
A shot of the Romanesque interior. This theater
would have been a perfect accessory for Denver's
VILLA ITALIA MALL [January 2008 archive],
which was also completed in 1966.
Photo from www.savetheqv.org
Circa-'08 physical layout of WESTLAND CENTER. The 1965, Gruen-
designed mall is shown in black. The 1975 J.C. Penney expansion
appears in medium gray. Main Street/Kohl's, added in 1986, shows up
in light gray. Sears joined the fold in 1997.
Victoria's Secret presently leases a spot on what was originally
referred to as the "Connecting Mall". This is directly across
from Hudson's/Marshall/Macy's.
Photo from Jones Lang LaSalle website
Kay Jewelers, located on the mall's Center Court
(originally the West Court).
Photo from Jones Lang LaSalle website
WESTLAND CENTER
West Warren Road and North Wayne Road
Westland, Michigan
Victor Gruen's third Michigan mall, designed with the assistance of Louis G. Redstone Associates, was located 23 miles west of downtown Detroit. At the time of the shopping center's groundbreaking, the 66 acre site was within Nankin Township / Wayne County. It became part of the newly-incorporated city of Westland in May, 1966.
The first stores at the fully-enclosed WESTLAND CENTER had opened July 23, 1965. Detroit-based J.L. Hudson's 4-level (354,000 square foot) store was the primary anchor of the mall, which was also developed by Hudson's.
The complex was primarily a single-level retail venue, with a basement service level and second story mezzanine, which overlooked its East Court.
Inline stores included S.S. Kresge, Thom McAn Shoes, Winkelman's apparel, Hughes The Hatcher apparel, Raimi's Lingerie and a Kroger supermarket. The Quo Vadis Theater, designed by Minori Yamasaki, opened (as an across-the-street outparcel) in 1966.
The first addition to the mall was completed in 1975. During this project, the Kroger, on the west end of the structure, was demolished. The West Court was extended into a new retail wing, with a 2-level (177,100 square foot) J.C. Penney at its end.
The next expansion -in 1986- added a 1-level, Chicago-based Main Street -and two new stores- to the mall's southeast corner. The third addition (to the center's existing West Wing) consisted of a 2-level (188,700 square foot) Sears, which began business October 25, 1997.
Many other changes took place at WESTLAND during the ensuing years. The Main Street chain was acquired by Milwaukee-based Kohl's, with all stores, including the WESTLAND location, receiving the Kohl's nameplate in 1989. This store was eventually expanded to 89,900 square feet.
Moreover, the mall received a major facelift in 2000. It's Hudson's was rebranded a Chicago-based Marshall Field's in early 2001 and Macy's in September 2006.
The shopping venue encountered commercial competition from three regional malls in nearby Livonia; WONDERLAND CENTER (1959), LIVONIA MALL (1964) and -eventually- LAUREL PARK PLACE MALL (1989). FAIRLANE TOWN CENTER (1976) [May 2008 archive], in Dearborn, was also too close for comfort.
The 1,059,015 square foot WESTLAND was acquired by Atlanta-based Gregory Greenfield and Associates in June 2003, with Chicago-based Jones Lang LaSalle enlisted to take care of its management and leasing.
West Warren Road and North Wayne Road
Westland, Michigan
Victor Gruen's third Michigan mall, designed with the assistance of Louis G. Redstone Associates, was located 23 miles west of downtown Detroit. At the time of the shopping center's groundbreaking, the 66 acre site was within Nankin Township / Wayne County. It became part of the newly-incorporated city of Westland in May, 1966.
The first stores at the fully-enclosed WESTLAND CENTER had opened July 23, 1965. Detroit-based J.L. Hudson's 4-level (354,000 square foot) store was the primary anchor of the mall, which was also developed by Hudson's.
The complex was primarily a single-level retail venue, with a basement service level and second story mezzanine, which overlooked its East Court.
Inline stores included S.S. Kresge, Thom McAn Shoes, Winkelman's apparel, Hughes The Hatcher apparel, Raimi's Lingerie and a Kroger supermarket. The Quo Vadis Theater, designed by Minori Yamasaki, opened (as an across-the-street outparcel) in 1966.
The first addition to the mall was completed in 1975. During this project, the Kroger, on the west end of the structure, was demolished. The West Court was extended into a new retail wing, with a 2-level (177,100 square foot) J.C. Penney at its end.
The next expansion -in 1986- added a 1-level, Chicago-based Main Street -and two new stores- to the mall's southeast corner. The third addition (to the center's existing West Wing) consisted of a 2-level (188,700 square foot) Sears, which began business October 25, 1997.
Many other changes took place at WESTLAND during the ensuing years. The Main Street chain was acquired by Milwaukee-based Kohl's, with all stores, including the WESTLAND location, receiving the Kohl's nameplate in 1989. This store was eventually expanded to 89,900 square feet.
Moreover, the mall received a major facelift in 2000. It's Hudson's was rebranded a Chicago-based Marshall Field's in early 2001 and Macy's in September 2006.
The shopping venue encountered commercial competition from three regional malls in nearby Livonia; WONDERLAND CENTER (1959), LIVONIA MALL (1964) and -eventually- LAUREL PARK PLACE MALL (1989). FAIRLANE TOWN CENTER (1976) [May 2008 archive], in Dearborn, was also too close for comfort.
The 1,059,015 square foot WESTLAND was acquired by Atlanta-based Gregory Greenfield and Associates in June 2003, with Chicago-based Jones Lang LaSalle enlisted to take care of its management and leasing.
Philadelphia's Plymouth Meeting Mall
A "then" shot of the mall's West Court and Fountain, circa-1966.
Photo from Malls Of America Blogspot
A "then" shot of the mall's West Court and Fountain, circa-1966.
Photo from Malls Of America Blogspot
A "now" view of the very same area and fountain, circa-2006.
Photo from Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust Website
Site plan of the Lower Level of the '60s-era shopping center. At this
time, it was centered on a large, 2-level Woolworth. A Food Fair super-
market, on the Upper Level, fronted on Hickory Road.
One Plymouth Meeting. The 9-floor office center was completed in
1969. It was built on the south side of the mall, adjacent to the center's
original cinema.
Photo from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania tax assessor website
PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL
TENANTS (PARTIAL LIST) 1970:
STRAWBRIDGE and CLOTHIER / LIT BROTHERS / FOOD FAIR SUPERMARKET / F.W. WOOLWORTH (with Harvest House Cafeteria) / Cinema on the Mall / Ray Panella Ski Shop / Hickory Farms Of Ohio / Waldenbooks / Wee Three Records / Peoples Drug / Docktor's Pets / Hobbyland / Scott and Hunsicker Mens / Morville Clothes For Men / Spencer Gifts / Fabric Tree / Buster Brown Shoes / Jacob Reed and Sons Mens / Anderson-Little / B. Dalton Bookseller / Tuerkes Leather and Luggage / J.E. Caldwell Jewelers / Cork 'n Crown Pub / The Hungry Pilgrim Restaurant/ Sam Goody Records / Wall and Ochs Optical / Plymouth Barber Shop/ The Gap / Pennyback apparel / Plymouth Grille / One Plymouth Meeting offices
TENANTS (PARTIAL LIST) 1970:
STRAWBRIDGE and CLOTHIER / LIT BROTHERS / FOOD FAIR SUPERMARKET / F.W. WOOLWORTH (with Harvest House Cafeteria) / Cinema on the Mall / Ray Panella Ski Shop / Hickory Farms Of Ohio / Waldenbooks / Wee Three Records / Peoples Drug / Docktor's Pets / Hobbyland / Scott and Hunsicker Mens / Morville Clothes For Men / Spencer Gifts / Fabric Tree / Buster Brown Shoes / Jacob Reed and Sons Mens / Anderson-Little / B. Dalton Bookseller / Tuerkes Leather and Luggage / J.E. Caldwell Jewelers / Cork 'n Crown Pub / The Hungry Pilgrim Restaurant/ Sam Goody Records / Wall and Ochs Optical / Plymouth Barber Shop/ The Gap / Pennyback apparel / Plymouth Grille / One Plymouth Meeting offices
North-facing facade of Strawbridge and Clothier, "Macy-ated" in 2006.
Photo from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania tax assessor website
The mall's second anchor started out as a Philly-based Lit Brothers. It
was rebranded by Hess's in 1979 and Boscov's in 1996.
Photo from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania tax assessor website
Legend has it that James Rouse installed America's first shopping mall
food court at PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL in 1971. By all accounts, it
was a very small operation, with just a few vendors and a tiny seating
area. It was not successful and was removed soon after being put in.
Here we see an enlarged (and successful) version of the same, built into
another area of the mall in 1998.
Photo from Alexander Building Construction Company website
Another first for PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL..the nation's earliest Ikea,
which opened in 1985.
Photo from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania tax assessor website
The new lifestyle-format Plaza Shops Wing, anchored by a 65,000
square foot Whole Foods Market, has replaced the vacant Ikea store.
Drawing from Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust website
A 2009 site plan. Since 2006, additions to PLYMOUTH MEETING
MALL have been under construction. Lifestyle-type bistros P.F.
Chang's, Redstone American Grill and California Pizza Kitchen -in
the north parking area- were dedicated in May and June of 2008.
The first stores in the Plaza Shops wing opened for business May 1,
2009. Whole Foods Market is scheduled to open in the fall.
PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL
Hickory Road and West Germantown Pike
Plymouth Township (Montgomery County), Pennsylvania
Metropolitan Philadelphia's sixth regional mall was dedicated in February 1966. Designed by Victor Gruen and developed by James Rouse's Community Research and Development, the bi-level, fully-enclosed complex sat on an 89 acre plot. The site was 19 miles northwest of Center City Philadelphia, in suburban Plymouth Township.
PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL comprised seventy stores in its early years. Its anchors were a (214,600 square foot) Philadelphia-based Strawbridge and Clothier and (185,000 square foot) Philadelphia-based Lit Brothers.
The 784,000 square foot center also included Peoples Drug, Hobbyland, Fabric Tree, F.W. Woolworth (with Harvest House Cafeteria), as well as a Food Fair supermarket and single-screen Cinema on the Mall. The 9-story, One Plymouth Meeting office tower was built, as an outparcel to the mall proper, in 1969.
On December 26, 1970, a fire raged through the East Wing of the mall. This portion of the structure was closed off for repairs. When it reopened in 1971, the cinema had become a twinplex. Later, in 1979, the mall's east anchor store, Lit Brothers, was rebranded by Allentown, Pennsylvania-based Hess's.
The primary commercial competitor of PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL was -and is- KING OF PRUSSIA PLAZA (1963) [April 2007 archive], in Upper Merion Township. Other regional retail rivals include MONTGOMERY MALL (1978), in the Borough of North Wales, and WILLOW GROVE MALL (1982), in Abington Township.
An addition to PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL was completed in 1980. Church On the Mall, a Presbyterian congregation that had held Sunday services in a court area since the center's grand opening days, moved into a newly-built sanctuary, constructed on the south side of the complex.
In June 1985, America's first Ikea opened at PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL; a 160,000 square foot, south parking area outparcel. The new store was part of a minor renovation of the mall done in 1983-1984.
Hess's, shuttered in March 1993, reopened as a Reading, Pennsylvania-based Boscov's in October 1996. Two years later, a large-scale remodeling of PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL got underway.
The interior received a facelift, three new entrances were built, a "restaurant row" was added to the south facade and the Food Court (occupying the old Cinema on the Mall space) was revamped. Moreover, a newly-built, 12-screen multiplex opened in the southeast parking lot.
With the new century came a new owner for the mall. The Philadephia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust acquired the complex in March 2003. In 2006, PLYMOUTH MEETING's Strawbridge's was rebranded by Macy's.
The first earth was turned for a 100 million dollar mall expansion in May 2006. The project included demolition of the Ikea store (vacated in early 2003) and construction of a 207,000 square foot lifestyle component known as the Plaza Shops.
This new wing extends south of the existing mall. Its first inline stores, Ann Taylor Loft, Coldwater Creek, Chico's and Jos. A. Bank, opened May 1, 2009.
A 65,000 square foot Whole Foods Market anchors the addition and will be completed in the fall of 2009. PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL will then encompass 1,021,000 leasable square feet.
Hickory Road and West Germantown Pike
Plymouth Township (Montgomery County), Pennsylvania
Metropolitan Philadelphia's sixth regional mall was dedicated in February 1966. Designed by Victor Gruen and developed by James Rouse's Community Research and Development, the bi-level, fully-enclosed complex sat on an 89 acre plot. The site was 19 miles northwest of Center City Philadelphia, in suburban Plymouth Township.
PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL comprised seventy stores in its early years. Its anchors were a (214,600 square foot) Philadelphia-based Strawbridge and Clothier and (185,000 square foot) Philadelphia-based Lit Brothers.
The 784,000 square foot center also included Peoples Drug, Hobbyland, Fabric Tree, F.W. Woolworth (with Harvest House Cafeteria), as well as a Food Fair supermarket and single-screen Cinema on the Mall. The 9-story, One Plymouth Meeting office tower was built, as an outparcel to the mall proper, in 1969.
On December 26, 1970, a fire raged through the East Wing of the mall. This portion of the structure was closed off for repairs. When it reopened in 1971, the cinema had become a twinplex. Later, in 1979, the mall's east anchor store, Lit Brothers, was rebranded by Allentown, Pennsylvania-based Hess's.
The primary commercial competitor of PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL was -and is- KING OF PRUSSIA PLAZA (1963) [April 2007 archive], in Upper Merion Township. Other regional retail rivals include MONTGOMERY MALL (1978), in the Borough of North Wales, and WILLOW GROVE MALL (1982), in Abington Township.
An addition to PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL was completed in 1980. Church On the Mall, a Presbyterian congregation that had held Sunday services in a court area since the center's grand opening days, moved into a newly-built sanctuary, constructed on the south side of the complex.
In June 1985, America's first Ikea opened at PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL; a 160,000 square foot, south parking area outparcel. The new store was part of a minor renovation of the mall done in 1983-1984.
Hess's, shuttered in March 1993, reopened as a Reading, Pennsylvania-based Boscov's in October 1996. Two years later, a large-scale remodeling of PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL got underway.
The interior received a facelift, three new entrances were built, a "restaurant row" was added to the south facade and the Food Court (occupying the old Cinema on the Mall space) was revamped. Moreover, a newly-built, 12-screen multiplex opened in the southeast parking lot.
With the new century came a new owner for the mall. The Philadephia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust acquired the complex in March 2003. In 2006, PLYMOUTH MEETING's Strawbridge's was rebranded by Macy's.
The first earth was turned for a 100 million dollar mall expansion in May 2006. The project included demolition of the Ikea store (vacated in early 2003) and construction of a 207,000 square foot lifestyle component known as the Plaza Shops.
This new wing extends south of the existing mall. Its first inline stores, Ann Taylor Loft, Coldwater Creek, Chico's and Jos. A. Bank, opened May 1, 2009.
A 65,000 square foot Whole Foods Market anchors the addition and will be completed in the fall of 2009. PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL will then encompass 1,021,000 leasable square feet.
Southern California's South Coast Plaza
*
The newly-completed mall, in late 1967. In this view, it is surrounded by
farms and fields. Obviously, the setting would appear quite a bit different
in 2009.
Photo from www.mitchglaser.com
*
The newly-completed mall, in late 1967. In this view, it is surrounded by
farms and fields. Obviously, the setting would appear quite a bit different
in 2009.
Photo from www.mitchglaser.com
Gruen's plan for the PLAZA. The center, which celebrated
its 40th year in business in 2007, has been expanded to
over three times its original size. The legacy of this mid-
century mall is rather uplifting. In a world of dying -and
demolished- commercial counterparts, this one is more
successful than ever.
The 600 foot-long "Bridge of the Gardens" was built in 2000. It connects
the primary shopping center structure with the adjoining mall, formerly
known as the CRYSTAL COURT.
Photo from www.mitchglaser.com
The Center Court and its Carousel, a feature of the circa-'67 center still
in operation.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Arnold C."
Something of an extrapolation on information from Mitch Glaser's
"South Coast Plaza Story", this diagram attempts to document the
many shuttered and rebranded anchors at Orange County's sprawl-
ing merchandising mecca.
SOUTH COAST PLAZA
Bristol Street and San Diego Freeway / Interstate 405
Costa Mesa, California
One of the last shopping malls designed by Victor Gruen was developed by Henry J. Segerstrom. SOUTH COAST PLAZA was built on a 128 acre spread, located 40 miles southeast of center city Los Angeles. The mall site was adjacent to a proposed stretch of "The 405" / San Diego Freeway, which was completed through Orange County in 1969.
The 2-level shopping mall structure was anchored by a 3-level (195,000 square foot) May Company, which opened February 22, 1966. The second anchor, a 1-level with basement (377,000 square foot) Sears, began business on November 10 of that year.
The Sears was very likely the largest store in the chain at the time, having more retail area than the previous contender, the 330,000 square foot location at L.A.'s FALLBROOK SQUARE [May 2007 archive].
SOUTH COAST PLAZA held its official grand opening March 15, 1967. Inline stores included F.W. Woolworth, Gudes Barnett ladies apparel, Mullen and Bluett ladies apparel, House of 9 ladies apparel, Lillian's ladies apparel, Harris and Frank apparel and a Singer Sewing Center.
Like Gruen's earlier TOPANGA PLAZA project, SOUTH COAST PLAZA was originally conceived as a "middle market" mall, geared toward the (then) middle class demographics of the area in which it had been located.
During the 1970s, the region, by then being referred to as the "South Coast Metro", was becoming more affluent. This prompted the owners to recruit a more upscale anchor for the first expansion of their shopping center.
A 2-level (280,000 square foot), Los Angeles-based Bullock's opened in September 1973, as the focal point of a new, more upscale, West Wing. This was followed by the additions of a 3-level (60,900 square foot) I. Magnin in August 1977, 3-level (90,000 square foot) Nordstrom in May 1978 and 3-level (103,600 square foot) Saks Fifth Avenue in November 1979. The new Nordstrom was noteworthy in that it was the Seattle-based retailer's first foray outside of the Pacific Northwest.
Other shopping malls built in the region included FASHION ISLAND (1967) [December 2008 archive], in Newport Beach, and THE MARKET PLACE / "The TMP" (1988), in Tustin.
By the mid-1980s, SOUTH COAST PLAZA was the preeminent, upscale shopping mall in Orange County. Retailers were clamoring to be added to the list of tenants, but there wasn't room for a sizable enough expansion of the existing mall.
The owners, by then known as Segerstrom and Sons, decided to build an annex shopping center on an adjoining property. Dubbed CRYSTAL COURT, it encompassed three retail levels and 588,000 square feet. The 100 million dollar shopping venue opened October 31, 1986. It was anchored by two 3-level, Los Angeles-based department stores; a 189,000 square foot The Broadway and 211,600 square foot J.W. Robinson.
At the same time, the original mall was given a major makeover, using elements of ancient Egyptian design. A 237,000 square foot Nordstrom was built at the rear of the older store, which was subdivided into smaller retail spaces. The existing Bullock's was also expanded.
The 1990s brought on several anchor store changes. I. Magnin was the first to succomb, in 1991. 1993 saw the J.W. Robinsons chain absorbed into the massive May Company, with stores of both conglomerates rebranded as Robinsons-May. Then, there was the Federated/Broadway merger, in 1996, which resulted in Bullock's and Broadway locations coming under the Macy's nameplate.
In 2000, a 100 thousand dollar renovation of SOUTH COAST PLAZA and its CRYSTAL COURT took place. The two centers were joined into one entity via the 600 foot long "Bridge of the Gardens" pedestrian walkway.
Moreover, the dual Robinsons-May locations were consolidated into the original SOUTH COAST PLAZA May Company. This store was expanded by 50,000 square feet. It eventually closed in 2006 and reopened as a Bloomingdales in April 2007.
Today, SOUTH COAST PLAZA (not counting the CRYSTAL COURT structure) encompasses 2,212,000 leasable square feet. It is the nation's seventh-largest enclosed shopping center and the largest in California. The complex is still owned by the Segerstrom family, its original developers.
Bristol Street and San Diego Freeway / Interstate 405
Costa Mesa, California
One of the last shopping malls designed by Victor Gruen was developed by Henry J. Segerstrom. SOUTH COAST PLAZA was built on a 128 acre spread, located 40 miles southeast of center city Los Angeles. The mall site was adjacent to a proposed stretch of "The 405" / San Diego Freeway, which was completed through Orange County in 1969.
The 2-level shopping mall structure was anchored by a 3-level (195,000 square foot) May Company, which opened February 22, 1966. The second anchor, a 1-level with basement (377,000 square foot) Sears, began business on November 10 of that year.
The Sears was very likely the largest store in the chain at the time, having more retail area than the previous contender, the 330,000 square foot location at L.A.'s FALLBROOK SQUARE [May 2007 archive].
SOUTH COAST PLAZA held its official grand opening March 15, 1967. Inline stores included F.W. Woolworth, Gudes Barnett ladies apparel, Mullen and Bluett ladies apparel, House of 9 ladies apparel, Lillian's ladies apparel, Harris and Frank apparel and a Singer Sewing Center.
Like Gruen's earlier TOPANGA PLAZA project, SOUTH COAST PLAZA was originally conceived as a "middle market" mall, geared toward the (then) middle class demographics of the area in which it had been located.
During the 1970s, the region, by then being referred to as the "South Coast Metro", was becoming more affluent. This prompted the owners to recruit a more upscale anchor for the first expansion of their shopping center.
A 2-level (280,000 square foot), Los Angeles-based Bullock's opened in September 1973, as the focal point of a new, more upscale, West Wing. This was followed by the additions of a 3-level (60,900 square foot) I. Magnin in August 1977, 3-level (90,000 square foot) Nordstrom in May 1978 and 3-level (103,600 square foot) Saks Fifth Avenue in November 1979. The new Nordstrom was noteworthy in that it was the Seattle-based retailer's first foray outside of the Pacific Northwest.
Other shopping malls built in the region included FASHION ISLAND (1967) [December 2008 archive], in Newport Beach, and THE MARKET PLACE / "The TMP" (1988), in Tustin.
By the mid-1980s, SOUTH COAST PLAZA was the preeminent, upscale shopping mall in Orange County. Retailers were clamoring to be added to the list of tenants, but there wasn't room for a sizable enough expansion of the existing mall.
The owners, by then known as Segerstrom and Sons, decided to build an annex shopping center on an adjoining property. Dubbed CRYSTAL COURT, it encompassed three retail levels and 588,000 square feet. The 100 million dollar shopping venue opened October 31, 1986. It was anchored by two 3-level, Los Angeles-based department stores; a 189,000 square foot The Broadway and 211,600 square foot J.W. Robinson.
At the same time, the original mall was given a major makeover, using elements of ancient Egyptian design. A 237,000 square foot Nordstrom was built at the rear of the older store, which was subdivided into smaller retail spaces. The existing Bullock's was also expanded.
The 1990s brought on several anchor store changes. I. Magnin was the first to succomb, in 1991. 1993 saw the J.W. Robinsons chain absorbed into the massive May Company, with stores of both conglomerates rebranded as Robinsons-May. Then, there was the Federated/Broadway merger, in 1996, which resulted in Bullock's and Broadway locations coming under the Macy's nameplate.
In 2000, a 100 thousand dollar renovation of SOUTH COAST PLAZA and its CRYSTAL COURT took place. The two centers were joined into one entity via the 600 foot long "Bridge of the Gardens" pedestrian walkway.
Moreover, the dual Robinsons-May locations were consolidated into the original SOUTH COAST PLAZA May Company. This store was expanded by 50,000 square feet. It eventually closed in 2006 and reopened as a Bloomingdales in April 2007.
Today, SOUTH COAST PLAZA (not counting the CRYSTAL COURT structure) encompasses 2,212,000 leasable square feet. It is the nation's seventh-largest enclosed shopping center and the largest in California. The complex is still owned by the Segerstrom family, its original developers.
The original footprint of MIDLAND MALL. The Gruen-designed center
had several of the master architect's trademarks, such as an extremely
wide mall concourse. It was also situated with an upper and lower retail
level, with each entered from a respective upper and lower parking area.
There was, however, no underground service tunnel. Apparently, those
had become passe' by 1967.
Sears, the west anchor of MIDLAND MALL. The original east anchor,
the Providence-based Shepard Company, was shuttered in 1973.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
The abandoned Cherry and Webb, which was the first business to open
at MIDLAND MALL, on August 15, 1967. The store lasted until the year
2000.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
The glass elevator was added during MIDLAND'S 1984 metamorphosis
into RHODE ISLAND MALL.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
During the '84 renovation, the exterior was also given a redo. Here we
see one of the new mall entrances.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
The mall's two anchors that aren't. These divorced department stores,
one stacked on top of another, have something of a seperate main-
tenance arrangement with the rest of the complex.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
The Wal-Mart wall, seperating it -and Kohl's- from the double-
decked mall concourse to the west.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
A current physical layout of the shopping center. One third of the
original structure -and its east anchor- were demolished in 2000.
The truncated interior mall had new "destination stores" added to
its east end, which have only exterior entrances.
MIDLAND MALL
East Avenue and Bald Hill Road
Warwick, Rhode Island
Victor Gruen designed MIDLAND MALL, which was the first 2-level interior mall in New England. It was also the first enclosed mall in the Ocean State.
This distinction is often -incorrectly- attributed to the Providence Arcade (1828). However, this was a 19th century, inner city shopping gallery...not the suburban, mid-20th century shopping mall that it has been categorized as.
MIDLAND MALL, built by the Chicago-based Homart Development Company (a Sears subsidiary), was situated on a 58 acre parcel. This was located 7.6 miles southwest of the Rhode Island State Capitol, in suburban Warwick. The area was serviced by the Interstate 95 and 295 expressways, which intersected nearby.
The first store to open in the 450,400 square foot center, South Attleboro, Massachusetts-based Cherry and Webb ladies apparel, was dedicated August 15, 1967. One of the mall's two anchors, the 2-level, Providence-based Shepard Company, came inline August 24. The entire mall held its grand opening on October 2, 1967.
In addition to the Shepard Company, the complex included a 2-level (217,000 square foot) Sears, plus the Midland Cafeteria, Doktor's Pets, Orange Julius, Spencer Gifts, Thom McAn Shoes, Flagg Brothers Shoes and fifty-two other inline stores. There was also the small (200 seat) Midland Cinema on the mall's lower level.
The two-story mall had a highly unusual vertical transportation system. Instead of the usual escalator, there was an inclined "people mover" which worked much like the moving sidewalks of today, but was placed at an approximately 15 degree angle, connecting the two levels. This innovative feature was removed with the 1984 renovation and replaced with a conventional combination of escalators and elevators.
A larger, fully-enclosed shopping complex was built directly northeast of MIDLAND MALL, across the Pawtuxet River and Interstate 295 freeway. Known as WARWICK MALL [March 2007 archive], it was completed in 1971.
The sibling centers co-existed peacably for many years. However, WARWICK MALL eventually gained a competitive edge. Other newer and larger malls in the region drained commerce from the smaller and older MIDLAND.
These included LINCOLN MALL (1975), in Lincoln, Rhode Island, EMERALD SQUARE MALL (1989), in North Attleboro, Massachusetts and PROVIDENCE PLACE (1999), in downtown Providence.
MIDLAND MALL underwent a renovation in 1984. An area at the southeast corner of the Upper Level was made into the Greenhouse Cafes Food Court and the shuttered Cinema on the Lower Level was refitted as new store space. A facelift was given to the interior and exterior and the official name of the venue was changed to RHODE ISLAND MALL.
Anchor rebrandings at MIDLAND / RHODE ISLAND MALL began when the Shepard Company was shuttered in 1973. Four years later, the store reopened as a Hartford-based G. Fox. In 1993, this store was rebranded by Boston-based Filene's [pronounced "fiy-leenz"]. It closed for good in 1997.
The vacant Filene's was demolished, along with one third of the mall structure, in 2000. A new, bi-level Wal-Mart and Kohl's were built on the site.
Wal-Mart, occupying the lower level, opened in 2001. Kohl's, in the upper level, came inline in 2002. These new stores cannot be considered anchors, for they have no interior entrances into the mall concourse.
Cut off from the two new "destination" stores on its east end, RHODE ISLAND MALL founders. The center, with spaces for sixty-nine inline stores, has only eighteen in operation at the present time.
It has been reported that the region's Stop and Shop supermarket chain (a US subsidiary of the Amsterdam, Netherlands-based Ahold Corporation) leases vacant mall space so that the existing Wal-Mart cannot be expanded into a Supercenter format store...with supermarket.
RHODE ISLAND MALL was aquired by Munich, Germany-based GLL Real Estate Partners in September 2004. Management of the 579,500 square foot complex is handled by Woburn, Massachusetts-based Eastern Development, Limited Liability Company.
East Avenue and Bald Hill Road
Warwick, Rhode Island
Victor Gruen designed MIDLAND MALL, which was the first 2-level interior mall in New England. It was also the first enclosed mall in the Ocean State.
This distinction is often -incorrectly- attributed to the Providence Arcade (1828). However, this was a 19th century, inner city shopping gallery...not the suburban, mid-20th century shopping mall that it has been categorized as.
MIDLAND MALL, built by the Chicago-based Homart Development Company (a Sears subsidiary), was situated on a 58 acre parcel. This was located 7.6 miles southwest of the Rhode Island State Capitol, in suburban Warwick. The area was serviced by the Interstate 95 and 295 expressways, which intersected nearby.
The first store to open in the 450,400 square foot center, South Attleboro, Massachusetts-based Cherry and Webb ladies apparel, was dedicated August 15, 1967. One of the mall's two anchors, the 2-level, Providence-based Shepard Company, came inline August 24. The entire mall held its grand opening on October 2, 1967.
In addition to the Shepard Company, the complex included a 2-level (217,000 square foot) Sears, plus the Midland Cafeteria, Doktor's Pets, Orange Julius, Spencer Gifts, Thom McAn Shoes, Flagg Brothers Shoes and fifty-two other inline stores. There was also the small (200 seat) Midland Cinema on the mall's lower level.
The two-story mall had a highly unusual vertical transportation system. Instead of the usual escalator, there was an inclined "people mover" which worked much like the moving sidewalks of today, but was placed at an approximately 15 degree angle, connecting the two levels. This innovative feature was removed with the 1984 renovation and replaced with a conventional combination of escalators and elevators.
A larger, fully-enclosed shopping complex was built directly northeast of MIDLAND MALL, across the Pawtuxet River and Interstate 295 freeway. Known as WARWICK MALL [March 2007 archive], it was completed in 1971.
The sibling centers co-existed peacably for many years. However, WARWICK MALL eventually gained a competitive edge. Other newer and larger malls in the region drained commerce from the smaller and older MIDLAND.
These included LINCOLN MALL (1975), in Lincoln, Rhode Island, EMERALD SQUARE MALL (1989), in North Attleboro, Massachusetts and PROVIDENCE PLACE (1999), in downtown Providence.
MIDLAND MALL underwent a renovation in 1984. An area at the southeast corner of the Upper Level was made into the Greenhouse Cafes Food Court and the shuttered Cinema on the Lower Level was refitted as new store space. A facelift was given to the interior and exterior and the official name of the venue was changed to RHODE ISLAND MALL.
Anchor rebrandings at MIDLAND / RHODE ISLAND MALL began when the Shepard Company was shuttered in 1973. Four years later, the store reopened as a Hartford-based G. Fox. In 1993, this store was rebranded by Boston-based Filene's [pronounced "fiy-leenz"]. It closed for good in 1997.
The vacant Filene's was demolished, along with one third of the mall structure, in 2000. A new, bi-level Wal-Mart and Kohl's were built on the site.
Wal-Mart, occupying the lower level, opened in 2001. Kohl's, in the upper level, came inline in 2002. These new stores cannot be considered anchors, for they have no interior entrances into the mall concourse.
Cut off from the two new "destination" stores on its east end, RHODE ISLAND MALL founders. The center, with spaces for sixty-nine inline stores, has only eighteen in operation at the present time.
It has been reported that the region's Stop and Shop supermarket chain (a US subsidiary of the Amsterdam, Netherlands-based Ahold Corporation) leases vacant mall space so that the existing Wal-Mart cannot be expanded into a Supercenter format store...with supermarket.
RHODE ISLAND MALL was aquired by Munich, Germany-based GLL Real Estate Partners in September 2004. Management of the 579,500 square foot complex is handled by Woburn, Massachusetts-based Eastern Development, Limited Liability Company.
Physical layout of LAKEHURST. Although a fourth wing of stores-
and an additional anchor- were planned, they were never built.
The mall retained the same footprint during all of its twenty-nine
years in business.
Circa-early '70s shot of the Center Court, showing the garish interior
decor of the original shopping venue.
Photo from www.lakehurstmall.net / Nicole Yugovich
One of two Sunburst Fountains that graced the Center Court, following
the 1979 facelift.
Photo from www.lakehurstmall.net / Nicole Yugovich
Outside and inside views of the Wieboldt's anchor store. This location
closed in 1986. The entire Chicago-based chain folded in 1987.
Photo from www.lakehurstmall.net / Nicole Yugovich
The LAKEHURST Penney's would have been one of the last stores
to sport the circa-'63 "New Look" logo. It was retired in 1972, the
year after the mall was completed.
Photo from http://www.lakehurstmall.net / Nicole Yugovich
Exterior and interior views of the mall's Carson Pirie Scott.
Photos from www.lakehurstmall.net / Nicole Yugovich
