Photo from www.pleasantfamilyshopping.blogspot.com
Thursday, September 25, 2008
The directionally-designated malls of Columbus. Three regional
centers, NORTHLAND, EASTLAND and WESTLAND, were built
during the 1960s. SOUTHLAND, although referred to as a "mall",
was actually a smaller strip center that opened in 1975. Only one
of these 1960s malls, EASTLAND, has survived as a viable retail
entity. The other two were done in during the region's mall-building
binge of 1997-2001.
In 1964, Columbus caught up with its urban rival cities in Ohio, shopping
mall-wise. Cleveland had opened its first in 1954; Cincinnati in 1956.
Here, we see the physical layout of Columbus' first mall, in its original,
open-air configuration. The center was the first mall to be developed by
(what eventually became) Cleveland's Richard E. Jacobs Group.
The NORTHLAND Lazarus, the retailer's second suburban store, opened
-along with the shopping center- in 1964.
A circa-1980 site plan. The mall, recently remodeled into a fully-enclosed
shopping venue, now had a third anchor store...J.C. Penney. Likewise,
the Lazarus location was expanded by 154,000 square feet and a Food
Court had been built, utilyzing a portion of previously-existing store
space.
A sign showing the mall's most recent logo.
Photo from www.tallgeorge.com
The West Wing of the abandoned shopping center, which was being
prepared for its 2003 wrecking ball renovation.
Photo from www.illicitohio.com
Drawings of NORTHLAND VILLAGE, which will be the successor
of NORTHLAND MALL, following its completion in the years between
2012 and 2014.
Renderings from www.stonehenge-company.com
NORTHLAND CENTER
Morse and Karl Roads
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus' first shopping mall was one of three directionally-designated centers that were built in the rapidly-expanding metro area of Ohio's capital during the 1960s.
NORTHLAND CENTER, developed by Cleveland's Meade-Jacobs Company (a precursor of today's Richard E. Jacobs Group) opened for business in 1964. EASTLAND, Columbus' first fully-enclosed mall, opened in 1968. WESTLAND, built onto what had been a freestanding Lazarus store, was completed in 1969.
NORTHLAND was originally an open-air center. It was located on an 84 acre tract, 6.5 miles north of the Ohio Capitol, on -what was then- land within unincorporated Mifflin Township / Franklin County. The site was eventually annexed into the Columbus city limits.
There were originally two anchors; a 3-level (196,000 square foot), Columbus-based F & R Lazarus and 2-level Sears. The complex also featured a single-screen cinema on its eastern concourse, as well as an Alber's (later Big Star) supermarket.
A major renovation was done in 1978-'79, with the mall's courts and concourses being fully-enclosed. A 2-level (175,000 square foot) J.C. Penney and 10-bay Food Court were added to the south side of the mall. Likewise, Lazarus was expanded into a total retail area of 350,000 square feet. The shopping center, now known as NORTHLAND MALL, encompassed 986,800 leasable square feet.
In December 1985, a newly-built, 8 screen multiplex cinema opened in the southeast parking area, replacing the older theatrical venue within the mall.
NORTHLAND began a downward trajectory after 1989, when COLUMBUS CITY CENTER was dedicated, in downtown Columbus. Ten years later, the new EASTON TOWN CENTER opened, as a major merchandising competitor. EASTON, the city's first lifestyle center, was built only 3.5 miles east of NORTHLAND.
The final blow to NORTHLAND came with the opening of POLARIS FASHION PLACE. This fully-enclosed, upscale mall was located 5.5 miles north of NORTHLAND and, upon its opening in 2001, snatched the older mall's three anchor stores.
NORTHLAND was left anchorless and populated by many small, mom and pop-type businesses. Most of the major, national chain stores had moved to either EASTON or POLARIS.
The final retailer at NORTHLAND closed in October 2002. By this time, the mall had been bought by the Columbus Urban Growth Corporation, a consortium of city officials and local businessmen. Their plan, referred to as NorthlPARK, proposed to redevelop the grayfield site as a mixed-use retail, office and residential complex.
Demolition of the mall took place in 2003, leaving only the J.C. Penney and Lazarus buildings; the latter being renovated into offices for the Ohio Department of Taxation.
The 8-screen cinema, which had closed in 2000, was purchased by Vaud-Villities, a local theater group. It became a venue for live productions and reheasals.
The land parcel was dissected by new city streets. Traffic signals were also installed, along with sidewalks and landscaping. Unfortunately, the NorthPARK project was unsuccessful. Home Depot, plotted to be the anchor of the new complex, backed out in late 2006.
Columbus Urban Growth started selling-off the NorthPARK site in March 2008; the buyer being the Gahanna, Ohio-based Stonehenge Company. They announced a revised plan for redevelopment.
In the new proposal, an 80 million dollar retail and office center, known as NORTHLAND VILLAGE, would be implemented in three phases, with building beginning in late 2008 and commencing four to six years hence.
Eau Claire, Wisconsin-based Menard's Home Improvement will occupy a 1-level (160,000 square foot) anchor store, which is scheduled to open in the spring of 2009.
Sources:
www.illicitohio.com
Cinema Treasures website / "Northland Mall Cinema" article and postings
www.urbangrowth.org / "NorthlandPARK"
www.vvproductions.com / Vaud-Villities Productions / "NorthlandPARK"
"Lazarus" article on Wikipedia
"Eastland Mall" article on Wikipedia
"Franklin County" (Ohio) website
http://www.stonehenge-company.com/
Morse and Karl Roads
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus' first shopping mall was one of three directionally-designated centers that were built in the rapidly-expanding metro area of Ohio's capital during the 1960s.
NORTHLAND CENTER, developed by Cleveland's Meade-Jacobs Company (a precursor of today's Richard E. Jacobs Group) opened for business in 1964. EASTLAND, Columbus' first fully-enclosed mall, opened in 1968. WESTLAND, built onto what had been a freestanding Lazarus store, was completed in 1969.
NORTHLAND was originally an open-air center. It was located on an 84 acre tract, 6.5 miles north of the Ohio Capitol, on -what was then- land within unincorporated Mifflin Township / Franklin County. The site was eventually annexed into the Columbus city limits.
There were originally two anchors; a 3-level (196,000 square foot), Columbus-based F & R Lazarus and 2-level Sears. The complex also featured a single-screen cinema on its eastern concourse, as well as an Alber's (later Big Star) supermarket.
A major renovation was done in 1978-'79, with the mall's courts and concourses being fully-enclosed. A 2-level (175,000 square foot) J.C. Penney and 10-bay Food Court were added to the south side of the mall. Likewise, Lazarus was expanded into a total retail area of 350,000 square feet. The shopping center, now known as NORTHLAND MALL, encompassed 986,800 leasable square feet.
In December 1985, a newly-built, 8 screen multiplex cinema opened in the southeast parking area, replacing the older theatrical venue within the mall.
NORTHLAND began a downward trajectory after 1989, when COLUMBUS CITY CENTER was dedicated, in downtown Columbus. Ten years later, the new EASTON TOWN CENTER opened, as a major merchandising competitor. EASTON, the city's first lifestyle center, was built only 3.5 miles east of NORTHLAND.
The final blow to NORTHLAND came with the opening of POLARIS FASHION PLACE. This fully-enclosed, upscale mall was located 5.5 miles north of NORTHLAND and, upon its opening in 2001, snatched the older mall's three anchor stores.
NORTHLAND was left anchorless and populated by many small, mom and pop-type businesses. Most of the major, national chain stores had moved to either EASTON or POLARIS.
The final retailer at NORTHLAND closed in October 2002. By this time, the mall had been bought by the Columbus Urban Growth Corporation, a consortium of city officials and local businessmen. Their plan, referred to as NorthlPARK, proposed to redevelop the grayfield site as a mixed-use retail, office and residential complex.
Demolition of the mall took place in 2003, leaving only the J.C. Penney and Lazarus buildings; the latter being renovated into offices for the Ohio Department of Taxation.
The 8-screen cinema, which had closed in 2000, was purchased by Vaud-Villities, a local theater group. It became a venue for live productions and reheasals.
The land parcel was dissected by new city streets. Traffic signals were also installed, along with sidewalks and landscaping. Unfortunately, the NorthPARK project was unsuccessful. Home Depot, plotted to be the anchor of the new complex, backed out in late 2006.
Columbus Urban Growth started selling-off the NorthPARK site in March 2008; the buyer being the Gahanna, Ohio-based Stonehenge Company. They announced a revised plan for redevelopment.
In the new proposal, an 80 million dollar retail and office center, known as NORTHLAND VILLAGE, would be implemented in three phases, with building beginning in late 2008 and commencing four to six years hence.
Eau Claire, Wisconsin-based Menard's Home Improvement will occupy a 1-level (160,000 square foot) anchor store, which is scheduled to open in the spring of 2009.
Sources:
www.illicitohio.com
Cinema Treasures website / "Northland Mall Cinema" article and postings
www.urbangrowth.org / "NorthlandPARK"
www.vvproductions.com / Vaud-Villities Productions / "NorthlandPARK"
"Lazarus" article on Wikipedia
"Eastland Mall" article on Wikipedia
"Franklin County" (Ohio) website
http://www.stonehenge-company.com/
Columbus, Ohio's Eastland Mall
The center's southwest anchor -and its largest store- a 234,400 square
foot Sears.
Photo from Franklin County, Ohio tax assessor website
The center's southwest anchor -and its largest store- a 234,400 square
foot Sears.
Photo from Franklin County, Ohio tax assessor website
The original, 1968 footprint of EASTLAND, Columbus' first fully-
enclosed shopping mall. At the time, the 813,300 square foot structure
housed sixty-nine inline stores.
The newly-revamped EASTLAND in 2005. The ten-store STREETSCAPE
had been added to the southeast-facing front and a 120,000 square foot
Kaufmann's came inline in October.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Dirty Harry"
Interior and exterior shots of the mall's former northeast anchor store,
during its brief tenure as a Macy's.
Photo from Franklin County, Ohio tax assessor website
A circa-'06 aerial of EASTLAND. Plans are in the making to raze
the vacant Lazarus / Macy's (on the right) and replace it with a new
J.C. Penney. These plans are presently on hold, due to the stagnant
economy.
Photo from www.glimcher.com
EASTLAND MALL
Refugee and South Hamilton Roads
Columbus, Ohio
The first interior mall in Columbus was situated on a 60 acre site, located 8.3 miles southeast of the Ohio Statehouse. The property was adjacent to the proposed route of the "Outerbelt" / Interstate 270 Expressway, with the section accessing the mall opening in late 1970.
EASTLAND was developed by Cleveland's Visconsi, Mead-Jacobs Company (a precursor of today's Richard E. Jacobs Group). The single-level, 813,300 square foot center was dedicated in February 1968.
It anchors were a 3-level (160,000 square foot) F and R Lazarus, 3-level (149,600 square foot) J.C. Penney and 2-level (234,400 square foot) Sears. There were sixty-nine inline stores, including an F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10, French's Restaurant and single-screen Eastland Mall Cinema.
The shopping venue completed its first addition in 1976, when the Lazarus location was expanded to 222,400 square feet. A facelift remodeling was done in 1989, with a third renovation taking place in 1998. This entailed gutting a shuttered Woolworth store which was refashioned into a 7-bay Food Court.
The first anchor rebranding occurred in 2003, when Lazarus morphed into Lazarus-Macy's. The location was fully "Macy-ated" March 6, 2005, with the store closing for good in late 2006.
In December 2003, the Columbus-based Glimcher Realty Trust had acquired EASTLAND MALL. A fourth expansion / renovation of the complex had been planned by the previous owners. Glimcher went ahead with the project.
A thorough renovation was given to the shopping center. Trees in the interior courts were removed, concourses were carpeted and a soft children's play area installed in the Central Court.
In addition, the southeast-facing front of the complex underwent a dramatic transformation. 30,000 square feet of "streetscape" retail was added, comprised of ten new store spaces. Moreover, a 1-level (120,000 square foot), Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's was constructed.
The mall now encompassed 1,025,800 leasable square feet and eighty inline stores.
Kaufmann's held its grand opening October 26, 2005. However, it was rebranded in less that a year. With the May / Federated merger of August 2005, the Pennsylvania-based chain ceased to exist. Stores were refitted with the Macy's masthead September 9, 2006.
A fifth renovation of EASTLAND is planned. This would entail the demolition of the vacant Lazarus / Macy's structure and construction of a new J.C. Penney in its place. The project, scheduled to get underway in 2007, has been postponed indefinitely due to the economic downturn of the late 2000s.
Sources:
www.glimcher.com
Franklin County, Ohio tax assessor website
www.bizjournals.com
Comment post by "Dirty Harry"
Refugee and South Hamilton Roads
Columbus, Ohio
The first interior mall in Columbus was situated on a 60 acre site, located 8.3 miles southeast of the Ohio Statehouse. The property was adjacent to the proposed route of the "Outerbelt" / Interstate 270 Expressway, with the section accessing the mall opening in late 1970.
EASTLAND was developed by Cleveland's Visconsi, Mead-Jacobs Company (a precursor of today's Richard E. Jacobs Group). The single-level, 813,300 square foot center was dedicated in February 1968.
It anchors were a 3-level (160,000 square foot) F and R Lazarus, 3-level (149,600 square foot) J.C. Penney and 2-level (234,400 square foot) Sears. There were sixty-nine inline stores, including an F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10, French's Restaurant and single-screen Eastland Mall Cinema.
The shopping venue completed its first addition in 1976, when the Lazarus location was expanded to 222,400 square feet. A facelift remodeling was done in 1989, with a third renovation taking place in 1998. This entailed gutting a shuttered Woolworth store which was refashioned into a 7-bay Food Court.
The first anchor rebranding occurred in 2003, when Lazarus morphed into Lazarus-Macy's. The location was fully "Macy-ated" March 6, 2005, with the store closing for good in late 2006.
In December 2003, the Columbus-based Glimcher Realty Trust had acquired EASTLAND MALL. A fourth expansion / renovation of the complex had been planned by the previous owners. Glimcher went ahead with the project.
A thorough renovation was given to the shopping center. Trees in the interior courts were removed, concourses were carpeted and a soft children's play area installed in the Central Court.
In addition, the southeast-facing front of the complex underwent a dramatic transformation. 30,000 square feet of "streetscape" retail was added, comprised of ten new store spaces. Moreover, a 1-level (120,000 square foot), Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's was constructed.
The mall now encompassed 1,025,800 leasable square feet and eighty inline stores.
Kaufmann's held its grand opening October 26, 2005. However, it was rebranded in less that a year. With the May / Federated merger of August 2005, the Pennsylvania-based chain ceased to exist. Stores were refitted with the Macy's masthead September 9, 2006.
A fifth renovation of EASTLAND is planned. This would entail the demolition of the vacant Lazarus / Macy's structure and construction of a new J.C. Penney in its place. The project, scheduled to get underway in 2007, has been postponed indefinitely due to the economic downturn of the late 2000s.
Sources:
www.glimcher.com
Franklin County, Ohio tax assessor website
www.bizjournals.com
Comment post by "Dirty Harry"
Columbus, Ohio's Westland Mall
In this shot, we see the west end of WESTLAND. Today, the Sears
seen here is the mall's only surving anchor store. Staples assumed
the vacated Woolworth space soon after that chain's demise, in
1997. The office supply center sealed its interior mall connection, in
favor of an exterior entry.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
In this shot, we see the west end of WESTLAND. Today, the Sears
seen here is the mall's only surving anchor store. Staples assumed
the vacated Woolworth space soon after that chain's demise, in
1997. The office supply center sealed its interior mall connection, in
favor of an exterior entry.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
Probably the last major mall in the nation to be built as an open-air
shopping center, Columbus' WESTLAND, dedicated in February 1969,
was the third of the city's directionally-designated retail hubs.
The mall, after it officially became a "mall". This 1984 physical layout
shows the newly-enclosed shopping center and its recently-expanded
Lazarus location.
The nucleus of what eventually became WESTLAND MALL. Lazarus
was originally a 162,000 square foot, freestanding store, which had
opened in 1962. The mall -and its Penney's and Sears- were added
in 1968-'69.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Dirty Harry"
A view of the Lazarus mall entryway. The Columbus-based retailer,
an arm of Cincinnati's Federated Stores, was rebranded by that well-
known Manhattan merchandiser in 2005. This store was shuttered
in the spring of 2007.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
WESTLAND MALL is organized around a spacious Center Court area.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
An interior view of the mall's Main Entrance and Chi-Chi's Mexican
Restaurante.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
The exterior of the same area. This shot, snapped by Labelscar's
"Prange Way", shows the mall's ill-fated Mexican-themed eatery.
The Chi-Chi's chain went out of business in September 2004, due
to the ramifications of a hepatitis A outbreak, attributed to green
onions served at a Pennsylvania location.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
A present-day view of the same location, which reopened as the Los
Candiles Mexican Restaurant, following the demise of Chi-Chi's.
Photo from Franklin County, Ohio tax assessor website
WESTLAND MALL
West Broad Street / US 40 and Georgesville Road
Franklin Township (Franklin County), Ohio
The third of Columbus' directionally-designated malls was built onto an existing F and R Lazarus, which had opened in 1962 as the Columbus-based chain's first suburban store. WESTLAND MALL was developed by Cleveland's Visconsi, Mead-Jacobs Company (a precursor of today's Richard E. Jacobs Group).
Its construction may now be seen as the end of an era in America's mid-20th century shopping malls, as WESTLAND was one of the last major, open-air malls in the nation. By 1969, regional and superregional malls in the United States were all being developed as fully-enclosed complexes.
WESTLAND, dedicated on February 12, 1969, occupied a 59.9 acre plot, 6 miles west of the Ohio Statehouse. The site was adjacent to the future route of the "Outerbelt"/ Interstate 270 Expressway, with the section running by the mall opening in August 1970.
The single-level center, originally encompassing around 800,000 leasable square feet, was anchored by the 2-level (162,000 square foot) Lazarus, a 1-level (104,800 square foot) J.C. Penney and 2-level (176,900 square foot) Sears. Inline stores included an F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10, Orange Julius and The Limited.
The mall underwent a major renovation in 1982-'83. The courts and concourses were fully-enclosed and the Lazarus remodeled and enlarged to 211,700 square feet. WESTLAND MALL now encompassed 860,000 leasable square feet
By this time, the Westland I and II Cinema was in operation in a southeast parking area strip center that had been built along with the mall proper, in 1968-'69. This theater was replaced with the Westland 8 multiplex in early 1986, which was in business until late 2000. A third cinema operation, the Dollar Cinemas Westland, was shuttered in the late '00s.
Commercial competitors of WESTLAND MALL were COLUMBUS CITY CENTER (1989), in downtown Columbus, and MALL AT TUTTLE CROSSING (1997), near Dublin.
In fact, with the dedication of MALL AT TUTTLE CROSSING, in July 1997, the J.C. Penney at WESTLAND moved to the newer shopping center. The vacated Penney's at WESTLAND was never permanently retenanted. Changing neighborhood demographics also contributed to a decline of WESTLAND MALL.
In November 2002, two Beverly Hills-based realtors, Sammy Kahen and Jack Kashani, bought the struggling shopping mall, which was approximately sixty percent leased. The mall's exodus of tenants, underway for some time, gained impetus with the closing of KB Toys, Sam Goody, Payless ShoeSource and Skyline Chili, in December 2002.
A plan to redevelop WESTLAND, following the tenets of New Urbanism, was announced. The mall, itself, was to be demolished, leaving the Sears and Lazarus structures intact.
A city street grid was to be imposed, with open-air shopping and office spaces constructed. Unfortunately, the redevelopment stalled after the failure of a similar plan at Columbus' NORTHLAND MALL [September 2008 archive].
The owners of WESTLAND sold a fifty percent share in the center to Columbus-based Plaza Properties, in April 2005, with the Beachwood, Ohio-based Krone Group enlisted as a redevelopment and management agent. The earlier redevelopment proposal was revived and a new mall moniker, WESTON TOWN CENTER, adopted. However, no demolition or construction took place.
The Lazarus, by now rebranded a Macy's, was shuttered in July 2007, creating a stumbling block to progress toward the revitilization of the shopping venue.
As of this writing, the mall sits virtually vacant, with only a single anchor -Sears- and thirty-seven stores and services in operation. Its fate is uncertain.
Sources:
"Westland Mall" article on Wikipedia
www.labelscar.com
www.deadmalls.com
Franklin County, Ohio tax assessor website
www.cinematreasures.com
www.thekronegroup.com
West Broad Street / US 40 and Georgesville Road
Franklin Township (Franklin County), Ohio
The third of Columbus' directionally-designated malls was built onto an existing F and R Lazarus, which had opened in 1962 as the Columbus-based chain's first suburban store. WESTLAND MALL was developed by Cleveland's Visconsi, Mead-Jacobs Company (a precursor of today's Richard E. Jacobs Group).
Its construction may now be seen as the end of an era in America's mid-20th century shopping malls, as WESTLAND was one of the last major, open-air malls in the nation. By 1969, regional and superregional malls in the United States were all being developed as fully-enclosed complexes.
WESTLAND, dedicated on February 12, 1969, occupied a 59.9 acre plot, 6 miles west of the Ohio Statehouse. The site was adjacent to the future route of the "Outerbelt"/ Interstate 270 Expressway, with the section running by the mall opening in August 1970.
The single-level center, originally encompassing around 800,000 leasable square feet, was anchored by the 2-level (162,000 square foot) Lazarus, a 1-level (104,800 square foot) J.C. Penney and 2-level (176,900 square foot) Sears. Inline stores included an F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10, Orange Julius and The Limited.
The mall underwent a major renovation in 1982-'83. The courts and concourses were fully-enclosed and the Lazarus remodeled and enlarged to 211,700 square feet. WESTLAND MALL now encompassed 860,000 leasable square feet
By this time, the Westland I and II Cinema was in operation in a southeast parking area strip center that had been built along with the mall proper, in 1968-'69. This theater was replaced with the Westland 8 multiplex in early 1986, which was in business until late 2000. A third cinema operation, the Dollar Cinemas Westland, was shuttered in the late '00s.
Commercial competitors of WESTLAND MALL were COLUMBUS CITY CENTER (1989), in downtown Columbus, and MALL AT TUTTLE CROSSING (1997), near Dublin.
In fact, with the dedication of MALL AT TUTTLE CROSSING, in July 1997, the J.C. Penney at WESTLAND moved to the newer shopping center. The vacated Penney's at WESTLAND was never permanently retenanted. Changing neighborhood demographics also contributed to a decline of WESTLAND MALL.
In November 2002, two Beverly Hills-based realtors, Sammy Kahen and Jack Kashani, bought the struggling shopping mall, which was approximately sixty percent leased. The mall's exodus of tenants, underway for some time, gained impetus with the closing of KB Toys, Sam Goody, Payless ShoeSource and Skyline Chili, in December 2002.
A plan to redevelop WESTLAND, following the tenets of New Urbanism, was announced. The mall, itself, was to be demolished, leaving the Sears and Lazarus structures intact.
A city street grid was to be imposed, with open-air shopping and office spaces constructed. Unfortunately, the redevelopment stalled after the failure of a similar plan at Columbus' NORTHLAND MALL [September 2008 archive].
The owners of WESTLAND sold a fifty percent share in the center to Columbus-based Plaza Properties, in April 2005, with the Beachwood, Ohio-based Krone Group enlisted as a redevelopment and management agent. The earlier redevelopment proposal was revived and a new mall moniker, WESTON TOWN CENTER, adopted. However, no demolition or construction took place.
The Lazarus, by now rebranded a Macy's, was shuttered in July 2007, creating a stumbling block to progress toward the revitilization of the shopping venue.
As of this writing, the mall sits virtually vacant, with only a single anchor -Sears- and thirty-seven stores and services in operation. Its fate is uncertain.
Sources:
"Westland Mall" article on Wikipedia
www.labelscar.com
www.deadmalls.com
Franklin County, Ohio tax assessor website
www.cinematreasures.com
www.thekronegroup.com
A circa-'69 site plan. The mall's developer, the Youngstown-based
Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation, was quite prolific during this time
frame. I have counted four malls that DeBartolo opened during 1969-
'70. There may be even more that I am unaware of.
Although the original footprint of WOODVILLE MALL has never been
changed, the shopping venue was given a facelift renovation in the late
1980s. Here we see the mall as it was situated following this remodeling
project. With the exception of the Woolworth (which closed in 1997) the
mall is essentially the same in 2008.
Sears, the only anchor of the three with its original (albeit updated)
nameplate.
Photo from www.loopnet.com
The label-scarred Orange Julius location. This store was one of the
mall's charter tenants.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
Elder-Beerman, for years a Dayton-based chain, was bought by Reading,
Pennsylvania-based The Bon Ton in 2003. The location in WOODVILLE
MALL started out as a Toledo-based LaSalle's, had a brief stint as a
Macy's, and received its present nameplate in 1985.
Photo from www.loopnet.com
The original mall's J.C. Penney opened April 16, 1969 and was shuttered
in 1986. The store space reopened as a Maumee, Ohio-based The
Andersons in 1987.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
The sky blue Center Court at WOODVILLE MALL was remodeled during
the 1986-'87 renovation. Originally, the area featured a large, shooting
fountain with multi-colored lights.
Photo from www.loopnet.com
WOODVILLE MALL
Woodville and Williston Roads
Northwood, Ohio
WOODVILLE MALL, the first enclosed shopping complex in Metropolitan Toledo, was the tenth to be developed by the Youngstown, Ohio-based Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation.
In May 1967, ground was broken on an 89.8 acre site, located 5.6 miles southeast of the center city. A "soft opening" was held at the shopping center on April 16, 1969. By the end of the year, the mall was fully-leased.
The single-level center encompassed 871,000 leasable square feet and was anchored by a 2-level (106,600 square foot), Toledo-based LaSalle's, 2-level (104,700 square foot) J.C. Penney and a 1-level (146,800 square foot) Sears.
F.W. Woolworth served as a junior anchor. The complex also included the single-screen Fox Theatre, Karmelkorn, Straus Bakery, Fanny Farmer Candies, Schubach Jewelers, Merry-Go-Round, Spencer Gifts, Orange Julius and Goodyear Tire and Appliance.
WOODVILLE was -and is- the only regional mall on the east bank of the Maumee River. It had been built, in the late '60s, in anticipation of a population boom that never panned out.
Moreover, competition came from the Metro-Toledo malls that followed it. These included FRANKLIN PARK MALL (1971) [September 2008 archive], in northwest Toledo, SOUTHWYCK MALL (1972), in southwest Toledo and NORTHTOWN SQUARE (1980), in north Toledo.
The first anchor store rebranding at WOODVILLE MALL transpired in 1981 when LaSalle's (owned by Macy's) was refitted with a Macy's nameplate. The store was eventually shuttered and taken by Dayton-based Elder-Beerman.
J.C. Penney was shuttered in 1986. The anchor spot became a Maumee, Ohio-based The Andersons in 1987. The Andersons is not a traditional department store, per se, but is more along the line of a hybrid grocery / building supply / lawn and garden outlet.
A facelift renovation of WOODVILLE MALL was also done in 1986-'87. This included the installation of new flooring, a remodeled Center Court and the construction of a 13-bay Food Court in existing space. However, the renovation did not change the fortunes of the mall, which was beginning to decline.
By the advent of the 21st Century, the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, who had acquired the mall in their 1996 takeover of the Edward J. Debartolo Corporation, had decided to unload the failing shopping center.
It was sold to two Beverly Hills-based realtors, Jack Kashani and Sammy Kahen, in September 2004. They enlisted the Beachwood, Ohio-based Krone Group as a redevelopment and management agent.
A large-scale renovation was proposed, which was to include a full remodeling and retenanting of the mall, plus new office and residential space, as well as an ice rink and multiplex cinema. After the purchase of adjoining land and construction of a new access road into the existing complex, the redevelopment stalled-out.
A second, less ambitious redevelopment scenario proposed to turn the virtually vacant mall into a reinvigorated retail hub by demolishing the mall proper and reworking its anchor stores into an open-air format. Thus far, this plan has not been implemented.
At present, the mall lingers in a sixty-percent-leased, twilight state. There are seventeen inline stores in operation, out of a total of eighty-nine spaces. The center is currently for sale on the open market.
Sources:
www.labelscar.com
www.deadmalls.com
Wood County, Ohio tax assessor website
www.loopnet.com
www.toledoblade.com
Woodville and Williston Roads
Northwood, Ohio
WOODVILLE MALL, the first enclosed shopping complex in Metropolitan Toledo, was the tenth to be developed by the Youngstown, Ohio-based Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation.
In May 1967, ground was broken on an 89.8 acre site, located 5.6 miles southeast of the center city. A "soft opening" was held at the shopping center on April 16, 1969. By the end of the year, the mall was fully-leased.
The single-level center encompassed 871,000 leasable square feet and was anchored by a 2-level (106,600 square foot), Toledo-based LaSalle's, 2-level (104,700 square foot) J.C. Penney and a 1-level (146,800 square foot) Sears.
F.W. Woolworth served as a junior anchor. The complex also included the single-screen Fox Theatre, Karmelkorn, Straus Bakery, Fanny Farmer Candies, Schubach Jewelers, Merry-Go-Round, Spencer Gifts, Orange Julius and Goodyear Tire and Appliance.
WOODVILLE was -and is- the only regional mall on the east bank of the Maumee River. It had been built, in the late '60s, in anticipation of a population boom that never panned out.
Moreover, competition came from the Metro-Toledo malls that followed it. These included FRANKLIN PARK MALL (1971) [September 2008 archive], in northwest Toledo, SOUTHWYCK MALL (1972), in southwest Toledo and NORTHTOWN SQUARE (1980), in north Toledo.
The first anchor store rebranding at WOODVILLE MALL transpired in 1981 when LaSalle's (owned by Macy's) was refitted with a Macy's nameplate. The store was eventually shuttered and taken by Dayton-based Elder-Beerman.
J.C. Penney was shuttered in 1986. The anchor spot became a Maumee, Ohio-based The Andersons in 1987. The Andersons is not a traditional department store, per se, but is more along the line of a hybrid grocery / building supply / lawn and garden outlet.
A facelift renovation of WOODVILLE MALL was also done in 1986-'87. This included the installation of new flooring, a remodeled Center Court and the construction of a 13-bay Food Court in existing space. However, the renovation did not change the fortunes of the mall, which was beginning to decline.
By the advent of the 21st Century, the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, who had acquired the mall in their 1996 takeover of the Edward J. Debartolo Corporation, had decided to unload the failing shopping center.
It was sold to two Beverly Hills-based realtors, Jack Kashani and Sammy Kahen, in September 2004. They enlisted the Beachwood, Ohio-based Krone Group as a redevelopment and management agent.
A large-scale renovation was proposed, which was to include a full remodeling and retenanting of the mall, plus new office and residential space, as well as an ice rink and multiplex cinema. After the purchase of adjoining land and construction of a new access road into the existing complex, the redevelopment stalled-out.
A second, less ambitious redevelopment scenario proposed to turn the virtually vacant mall into a reinvigorated retail hub by demolishing the mall proper and reworking its anchor stores into an open-air format. Thus far, this plan has not been implemented.
At present, the mall lingers in a sixty-percent-leased, twilight state. There are seventeen inline stores in operation, out of a total of eighty-nine spaces. The center is currently for sale on the open market.
Sources:
www.labelscar.com
www.deadmalls.com
Wood County, Ohio tax assessor website
www.loopnet.com
www.toledoblade.com
Toledo, Ohio's Franklin Park Mall
The primary anchor of the center, in its Marshall Field's phase. Originally
the store was a Detroit-based Hudson's. It now sports a Macy's name-
plate.
Photo from Lucas County, Ohio AREIS
The primary anchor of the center, in its Marshall Field's phase. Originally
the store was a Detroit-based Hudson's. It now sports a Macy's name-
plate.
Photo from Lucas County, Ohio AREIS
FRANKLIN PARK MALL, in its original tri-anchor configuration.
The mall featured one of James Rouse's early Food Courts. This
followed earlier versions in Philly's PLYMOUTH MEETING and
New Jersey's PARAMUS PARK malls.
The original mall's second anchor, J.C. Penney. This architecture just
screams 1971!
Photo from Lucas County, Ohio AREIS
The original mall's third anchor, a Lamson Brothers
between 1971 and 1976, was a Jacobson's until 2002.
The structure was razed in 2004 to allow for the con-
struction of the new South Wing.
Photo from Lucas County, Ohio AREIS
The circa-'72 cinema. It was replaced by a new 16-screen
Cinema De Lux in 2005.
Photo from Lucas County, Ohio AREIS
The mall's fourth anchor, which was a Toledo-based Lion department
store between 1993 and 1998. The building now houses a Dillard's.
Photo from Lucas County, Ohio AREIS
WESTFIELD FRANKLIN PARK after two major renovations;
the first in 1993 (indicated in medium gray) and the second in
2004-2005 (shown in darker gray). The shopping venue is the
city's only mid-century mall that has survived -as a successful
retail center- into the 21st century.
The new southeast mall entrance and Claddagh's Irish Pub.
Photo from Lucas County, Ohio AREIS
Elephant Bar and Restaurant, one of several new bistros in the
restyled shopopolis.
Photo from Lucas County, Ohio AREIS
Dick's Sporting Goods, one of the new retail stores brought in with
the 2005 expansion.
Photo from Lucas County, Ohio AREIS
FRANKLIN PARK MALL
Monroe Street and Talmadge Road
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo's second fully-enclosed shopping complex was built by the Maryland-based James Rouse Company. FRANKLIN PARK MALL occupied an 80.8 acre tract, 7 miles northwest of downtown Toledo and was dedicated in July 1971.
The single-level center was originally anchored by a 2-level (186,600 square foot), Detroit-based- J.L Hudson (Ohio's first), 2-level (265,300 square foot J.C. Penney and 2-level (110,700 square foot), Toledo-based Lamson Brothers.
Charter tenants at FRANKLIN PARK MALL included Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips, Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor, Lane Bryant and Lerner Shops. The 6-screen, Franklin Park Mall Theatre opened, in 1972, in an outparcel structure that had been a Kroger supermarket.
Competing complexes in the vacinity included SOUTHWYCK MALL (1972) and NORTH TOWNE CENTER (1980). However, NORTH TOWNE, which was the nearest retail rival, was eventually eclipsed by FRANKLIN PARK.
The first of several anchor store rebrandings took place in 1976 when Lamson Brothers became a Jackson, Michigan-based Jacobson's.
A major addition to the north side of the center came inline during 1993. A new wing of stores was added along with a 2-level (192,100 square foot), Toldeo-based Lion department store.
This location was placed under a Dillard's nameplate in 1998. In the previous year, Hudson's had been replaced by a Chicago-based Marshall Field's.
In April 2002, the Australia-based Westfield Group purchased FRANKLIN PARK MALL. This was also the year in which the Jacobson's anchor was shuttered. The vacant building was bulldozed in 2004 in conjunction with a large-scale renovation and expansion of the mall.
Two parking garages were added, in the northwest and southeast corners. Moreover, a one hundred and seventeen million dollar, 238,000 square foot expansion of stores and restaurants was built on the south end of the center, now known as WESTFIELD FRANKLIN PARK.
Included were Borders, Dick's Sporting Goods, a new Food Court and 16-screen, Franklin Park De Lux Cinema. The new mall wing opened in May 2005.
Currently, WESTFIELD FRANKLIN PARK is comprised of 1.2 million leasable square feet, with over two hundred sixty inline stores and services.
Sources:
"Westfield Franklin Park" article on Wikipedia
www.westfield.com
Lucas County, Ohio Auditor's Real Estate Information System
Monroe Street and Talmadge Road
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo's second fully-enclosed shopping complex was built by the Maryland-based James Rouse Company. FRANKLIN PARK MALL occupied an 80.8 acre tract, 7 miles northwest of downtown Toledo and was dedicated in July 1971.
The single-level center was originally anchored by a 2-level (186,600 square foot), Detroit-based- J.L Hudson (Ohio's first), 2-level (265,300 square foot J.C. Penney and 2-level (110,700 square foot), Toledo-based Lamson Brothers.
Charter tenants at FRANKLIN PARK MALL included Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips, Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor, Lane Bryant and Lerner Shops. The 6-screen, Franklin Park Mall Theatre opened, in 1972, in an outparcel structure that had been a Kroger supermarket.
Competing complexes in the vacinity included SOUTHWYCK MALL (1972) and NORTH TOWNE CENTER (1980). However, NORTH TOWNE, which was the nearest retail rival, was eventually eclipsed by FRANKLIN PARK.
The first of several anchor store rebrandings took place in 1976 when Lamson Brothers became a Jackson, Michigan-based Jacobson's.
A major addition to the north side of the center came inline during 1993. A new wing of stores was added along with a 2-level (192,100 square foot), Toldeo-based Lion department store.
This location was placed under a Dillard's nameplate in 1998. In the previous year, Hudson's had been replaced by a Chicago-based Marshall Field's.
In April 2002, the Australia-based Westfield Group purchased FRANKLIN PARK MALL. This was also the year in which the Jacobson's anchor was shuttered. The vacant building was bulldozed in 2004 in conjunction with a large-scale renovation and expansion of the mall.
Two parking garages were added, in the northwest and southeast corners. Moreover, a one hundred and seventeen million dollar, 238,000 square foot expansion of stores and restaurants was built on the south end of the center, now known as WESTFIELD FRANKLIN PARK.
Included were Borders, Dick's Sporting Goods, a new Food Court and 16-screen, Franklin Park De Lux Cinema. The new mall wing opened in May 2005.
Currently, WESTFIELD FRANKLIN PARK is comprised of 1.2 million leasable square feet, with over two hundred sixty inline stores and services.
Sources:
"Westfield Franklin Park" article on Wikipedia
www.westfield.com
Lucas County, Ohio Auditor's Real Estate Information System
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The original, circa'65 mall. At the time, it was an open-air center with
a single anchor store...J.C. Penney.
MELLETT MALL TENANTS, 1970:
Americana Shops / Andre Duval Beauty Salon / Beneficial Finance / Betty's Beauty Salon / Bond's apparel / Bretean's / Camelot Music / C & J Shoe Service / Carousel Snack Bar / Cha Razzo's / Cleveland Fabrics / Docktor's Pets / Faflik Shoes / Fanny Farmer Candies / Father & Son Shoes / First National Bank / Goodyear Service Store / Gray Drug / Griffin Home Decorating / Harvard Clothing / Holiday Shoes / Hot Sams Pretzels / Juniors Limited / Lamplighter Men's Shop / Little East in the West / London's Candies / Mall Trip & Travel Center / Malvern Book Store / Martin's Pastries / Mellett Homes / Mellett Mall Barber Shop / Mellett Mall Cinema (single-screen) / Mellett Mall Coin Laundry / MONTGOMERY WARD / Mother-to-be-Shops / National Shirt Shops / Norman's Shoes / Ohio Tux Shop / O'NEIL'S / Orange Julius / Paris Boutique / Parklane Hosiery / J.C. PENNEY / Petries' Apparel / Petries' Boutique / Radio Shack / Rapport's Apparel / Religious Goods Center / Schorsten-Nationwide Insurance Agency / Sherwin-Williams Paints / Singer Sewing Center / Spencer Gifts / Stone-Wagoner Shoes / Toys by Rizzi / John Todd Optical / New Troy Laundry / Village Store / Winkelman's apparel / F. W. Woolworth / Zales Jewelers / Zwick's Department Store
Americana Shops / Andre Duval Beauty Salon / Beneficial Finance / Betty's Beauty Salon / Bond's apparel / Bretean's / Camelot Music / C & J Shoe Service / Carousel Snack Bar / Cha Razzo's / Cleveland Fabrics / Docktor's Pets / Faflik Shoes / Fanny Farmer Candies / Father & Son Shoes / First National Bank / Goodyear Service Store / Gray Drug / Griffin Home Decorating / Harvard Clothing / Holiday Shoes / Hot Sams Pretzels / Juniors Limited / Lamplighter Men's Shop / Little East in the West / London's Candies / Mall Trip & Travel Center / Malvern Book Store / Martin's Pastries / Mellett Homes / Mellett Mall Barber Shop / Mellett Mall Cinema (single-screen) / Mellett Mall Coin Laundry / MONTGOMERY WARD / Mother-to-be-Shops / National Shirt Shops / Norman's Shoes / Ohio Tux Shop / O'NEIL'S / Orange Julius / Paris Boutique / Parklane Hosiery / J.C. PENNEY / Petries' Apparel / Petries' Boutique / Radio Shack / Rapport's Apparel / Religious Goods Center / Schorsten-Nationwide Insurance Agency / Sherwin-Williams Paints / Singer Sewing Center / Spencer Gifts / Stone-Wagoner Shoes / Toys by Rizzi / John Todd Optical / New Troy Laundry / Village Store / Winkelman's apparel / F. W. Woolworth / Zales Jewelers / Zwick's Department Store
MELLETT MALL was given a second major renovation in 1987-1988,
emerging as CANTON CENTRE. A Food Court had been built at the
Main Entrance and other smaller access halls had been filled-in with
additional stores. In 1995, a newly-built multiplex movie house -the
Canton Centre 8- replaced the old twin-screen venue in the East Wing.
The mall following its third major renovation, completed in 2005. The
Ward's and East Wing had been razed and replaced by a Wal-Mart
Supercenter.
In this aerial view of the mall that was, we see the original
1965 complex and its J.C. Penney anchor store. The building in
the foreground was a Penney's Auto Center. After Penney's
got out of the Auto Center business in 1983, it was leased to
Firestone.
Photo from http://www.nassimirealty.com/
A second aerial view of CANTON CENTRE, before its demolition
in mid-2008. The O'Neil's / Macy's can be seen in the foreground.
The Wal-Mart, a part of the mall that was not connected into it, is
in the background.
Photo from http://www.nassimirealty.com/
The first of my October 2007 CANTON CENTRE pics. Here we see the
Northeast Entrance, created in the 2005 demalling. At one time, the mall
corridor extended past this point into an East Wing and Montgomery
Ward. These were severed from the existing mall, with a Wal-Mart
Supercenter built on the spot.
This photo -and the five that follow- are probably the last pictures to be
taken inside MELLETT MALL (nee CANTON CENTRE) . Here we see
the vacant Picnic Place Food Court, which was installed in 1988.
What was, in 1965, a "new look" J.C. Penney, on an open-air mall
promenade. After the current demalling, the store will -again- have
only exterior entrances.
A northward view of the Penney's mall entrance.
The abandoned site of MELLETT MALL's F.W.
Woolworth 5 and dime.
The main entrance to O'Neil's / May Co. / Kaufmann's /
Macy's, at the south end of the mall concourse. The store
was shuttered in February 2008, soon after these pictures
were taken. It had a destiny date with the wrecking ball
in mid-2008.
The interior of the first floor of the former Macy's.
A possible future site plan for CANTON CENTRE. Work is presently
underway on a reconfigured store block at the front of the original
center. This will be completed in 2009. The fate of the remainder of
the complex is uncertain. Perhaps the economic meltdown of late has
postponed further demolition / renovation plans...
MELLETT MALL
Tuscarawas Street West and Whipple Avenue Southwest
Canton, Ohio
Canton's first mall started out as a single level, open-air shopping center, which opened for business in August 1965. It was located 2.5 miles west of the Central Business District, in the southwest quadrant of the city.
MELLETT MALL was developed by Mellett Homes, a consortium of residents of a World War II-era housing development that had been named in honor of Canton's gang-busting newspaperman, Donald Ring Mellett, who had been gunned-down by the mob in 1926.
The property owners pooled their assets, formed a corporation, and built the mall on 28.6 acres of the former residential project. The original center was anchored by a 2-level (158,200 square foot) J.C. Penney.
There was also an F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10, Gray Drug, Fanny Farmer Candies, Holiday Shoes, National Shirt Shop, Singer Sewing Center and Richman Brothers apparel.
A large-scale renovation was announced in 1966 and completed in 1968. The existing mall was expanded with a 2-level (116,200 square foot), Akron-based O'Neil's. Moreover, an East Wing and 2-level Montgomery Ward were added. New inline stores included Spencer Gifts and Docktor's Pets.
The first cinema at the center, the single-screen Mellett Mall Cinema, opened (along with the new East Wing) in 1968. This theatre was in business until 1980. The twin-screen Mellett Mall I and II operated during 1985.
The second regional center in the area, BELDEN VILLAGE MALL [September 2008 archive], had been dedicated in 1970. It provided a great deal of commercial competition for the older shopping venue. As a competitive measure, MELLETT MALL was fully-enclosed and climate-controlled in 1977.
A 16 million dollar renovation was conducted in 1987-1988. A 10-bay Food Court was built into the front-facing facade of the mall and its interior given a facelift. At its official rededication, held in March 1988, the complex was bestowed a new name...CANTON CENTRE.
O'Neil's was rebranded as a Cleveland-based May Company in 1989. The old twin cinema re-opened (briefly) as the Canton Centre I and II.
In 1993, the May Company received a new nameplate; that of Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's. Two years later, an all-new cinema was built at the southeast corner of the mall, which was known as the Canton Centre 8.
By this time, the mall had been struggling for quite a few years. THE STRIP, a power center opened in North Canton in November 1996, reduced patronage at CANTON CENTRE. Moreover, neighborhood demographics changed.
Eventually, things hit rock bottom. CANTON CENTRE was auctioned off in September 2001 and sold again in October 2004. The new owners, the New York City-based Nassimi Realty Limited Liability Company, embarked upon a demalling project.
The Ward's store and East Wing were torn down, along with the multiplex cinema. In their spot was built a 1-level ( 200,000 square foot) Wal-Mart Supercenter, which opened in spring 2005. The Wal-Mart was an outparcel, "shadow anchor" of the shopping center and did not have an interior mall connection.
The mall's Kaufmann's officially became a Macy's in September 2006. In February 2008, the store was shuttered.
Currently, the 433,500 square foot CANTON CENTRE includes J.C. Penney, Footlocker, Deb, The Finish Line, Kay Jewelers, Velocity and Ziegler's.
The complex may end up undergoing a second demalling. A reworking of the mall structure is underway in the front parking area facing Tuscarawas Street. Inline stores in a reconfigured store block will include Hibbett Sports, Dot's ladies' apparel and Sally Beauty, with existing tenants Finish Line and Deb relocating from the original mall. Completion is slated for spring 2009.
Thus far, the fate of the remainder of the enclosed mall is uncertain. However, J.C. Penney has no plans to vacate the store that they have operated since 1965.
Sources:
"O'Neil's" article on Wikipedia
"Don Mellett" article on Wikipedia
Canton, Ohio Repository / G. Patrick Kelley
info@cantoncentre.com
www.cinematreasures.com
wwwnassimirealty.com
Stark County, Ohio tax assessor website
Tuscarawas Street West and Whipple Avenue Southwest
Canton, Ohio
Canton's first mall started out as a single level, open-air shopping center, which opened for business in August 1965. It was located 2.5 miles west of the Central Business District, in the southwest quadrant of the city.
MELLETT MALL was developed by Mellett Homes, a consortium of residents of a World War II-era housing development that had been named in honor of Canton's gang-busting newspaperman, Donald Ring Mellett, who had been gunned-down by the mob in 1926.
The property owners pooled their assets, formed a corporation, and built the mall on 28.6 acres of the former residential project. The original center was anchored by a 2-level (158,200 square foot) J.C. Penney.
There was also an F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10, Gray Drug, Fanny Farmer Candies, Holiday Shoes, National Shirt Shop, Singer Sewing Center and Richman Brothers apparel.
A large-scale renovation was announced in 1966 and completed in 1968. The existing mall was expanded with a 2-level (116,200 square foot), Akron-based O'Neil's. Moreover, an East Wing and 2-level Montgomery Ward were added. New inline stores included Spencer Gifts and Docktor's Pets.
The first cinema at the center, the single-screen Mellett Mall Cinema, opened (along with the new East Wing) in 1968. This theatre was in business until 1980. The twin-screen Mellett Mall I and II operated during 1985.
The second regional center in the area, BELDEN VILLAGE MALL [September 2008 archive], had been dedicated in 1970. It provided a great deal of commercial competition for the older shopping venue. As a competitive measure, MELLETT MALL was fully-enclosed and climate-controlled in 1977.
A 16 million dollar renovation was conducted in 1987-1988. A 10-bay Food Court was built into the front-facing facade of the mall and its interior given a facelift. At its official rededication, held in March 1988, the complex was bestowed a new name...CANTON CENTRE.
O'Neil's was rebranded as a Cleveland-based May Company in 1989. The old twin cinema re-opened (briefly) as the Canton Centre I and II.
In 1993, the May Company received a new nameplate; that of Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's. Two years later, an all-new cinema was built at the southeast corner of the mall, which was known as the Canton Centre 8.
By this time, the mall had been struggling for quite a few years. THE STRIP, a power center opened in North Canton in November 1996, reduced patronage at CANTON CENTRE. Moreover, neighborhood demographics changed.
Eventually, things hit rock bottom. CANTON CENTRE was auctioned off in September 2001 and sold again in October 2004. The new owners, the New York City-based Nassimi Realty Limited Liability Company, embarked upon a demalling project.
The Ward's store and East Wing were torn down, along with the multiplex cinema. In their spot was built a 1-level ( 200,000 square foot) Wal-Mart Supercenter, which opened in spring 2005. The Wal-Mart was an outparcel, "shadow anchor" of the shopping center and did not have an interior mall connection.
The mall's Kaufmann's officially became a Macy's in September 2006. In February 2008, the store was shuttered.
Currently, the 433,500 square foot CANTON CENTRE includes J.C. Penney, Footlocker, Deb, The Finish Line, Kay Jewelers, Velocity and Ziegler's.
The complex may end up undergoing a second demalling. A reworking of the mall structure is underway in the front parking area facing Tuscarawas Street. Inline stores in a reconfigured store block will include Hibbett Sports, Dot's ladies' apparel and Sally Beauty, with existing tenants Finish Line and Deb relocating from the original mall. Completion is slated for spring 2009.
Thus far, the fate of the remainder of the enclosed mall is uncertain. However, J.C. Penney has no plans to vacate the store that they have operated since 1965.
Sources:
"O'Neil's" article on Wikipedia
"Don Mellett" article on Wikipedia
Canton, Ohio Repository / G. Patrick Kelley
info@cantoncentre.com
www.cinematreasures.com
wwwnassimirealty.com
Stark County, Ohio tax assessor website
A circa-'71 physical layout of Metro-Canton's second shopping mall. It
was built as a competitor to the city's five-year-old MELLETT MALL.
BELDEN eventually triumphed, leaving MELLETT to go through sever-
al renovations -a name change- and two demallings.
Two vintage views of the Center Court at BELDEN VILLAGE MALL. The
fountain, seen in view 2, was removed during a facelift renovation.
Photos from Malls of America Blogspot
Today's Westfield-owned shopopolis. The west and center anchors
have been rebranded and a Food Court installed in previously-
existing space. The mall has never been physically expanded, but
this could change in the next few years.
Westfield's proposed "Main Street" expansion at BELDEN VILLAGE.
The 120,000 square foot lifestyle addition would include the typical up-
scale boutiques and bistros. With the current state of the economy, it
is probably safe to say that construction of the project could be delayed
indefinitely.
Rendering from www.westfield.com
BELDEN VILLAGE MALL
Everhard Road Northwest and Whipple Avenue Northwest
Stark County (Jackson Township), Ohio
Just up from MELLETT MALL -on Whipple Avenue- was built the city's second mid-century mall. BELDEN VILLAGE MALL was developed by a joint venture of the Belden family, Herbert Strawbridge and Cleveland's Richard E. Jacobs Group . It sat on a 63.9 acre spread, 5 miles northwest of center city Canton. The site was adjacent to the Interstate 77 expressway and fell within unincorporated Jackson Township.
Dedicated October 1, 1970, the single-level BELDEN VILLAGE was anchored by a 2-level (191,000 square foot), Cleveland-based Halle's, 2-level (131,000 square foot), Akron-based O'Neil's and 2-level (188,100 square foot) Sears.
Inline stores in the complex included a Canton-based Stern and Mann, Thom McAn Shoes, Vicary's for Men and Fleischer's Shoes. The center also had a theatrical venue on its periphery, the Belden Village Twin, an across-the-street outparcel. The cinema was in operation between 1973 and 1997.
During its first thirty-plus years, the 823,000 square foot shopping venue had only slight modifications. There were no major expansions, but facelift renovations were done, with a Food Court also added in previously-existing space.
BELDEN VILLAGE competed with the original major shopping center in Metro-Canton, MELLETT MALL, but eventually gained prominence. The former's first anchor store rebranding took place in 1982, with the demise of the Halle's chain. Its space was taken by Cleveland-based Higbee's. Ten years later, Higbee's was bought by Dillard's.
O'Neil's was rebranded by Cleveland-based May Company of Ohio in 1989. In 1993, Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's came in. They succombed to that famous Manhattan merchandiser in 2006.
The mall was acquired by Australia-based Westfield Holdings (nee Westfield Group) in December 2001. Its new moniker WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN BELDEN VILLAGE was shortened (sans "Shoppingtown") in 2005.
Today, the center has one hundred and thirteen inline stores and three outparcels; Sears Auto Center (1970), Max and Erma's (2005) and Bravo! Cucina Italiana (2006).
An outdoor "Main Street" front facade, with new retailers and sit-down restaurants, is being proposed by Westfield. If built, the 120,000 square foot lifestyle addition could be completed by 2011.
Sources:
"Westfield Belden Village" article on Wikipedia
Stark County, Ohio tax assessor website
www.eyecorp.com
www.westfield.com
Malls of America Blogspot / Keith Milford webmaster
Everhard Road Northwest and Whipple Avenue Northwest
Stark County (Jackson Township), Ohio
Just up from MELLETT MALL -on Whipple Avenue- was built the city's second mid-century mall. BELDEN VILLAGE MALL was developed by a joint venture of the Belden family, Herbert Strawbridge and Cleveland's Richard E. Jacobs Group . It sat on a 63.9 acre spread, 5 miles northwest of center city Canton. The site was adjacent to the Interstate 77 expressway and fell within unincorporated Jackson Township.
Dedicated October 1, 1970, the single-level BELDEN VILLAGE was anchored by a 2-level (191,000 square foot), Cleveland-based Halle's, 2-level (131,000 square foot), Akron-based O'Neil's and 2-level (188,100 square foot) Sears.
Inline stores in the complex included a Canton-based Stern and Mann, Thom McAn Shoes, Vicary's for Men and Fleischer's Shoes. The center also had a theatrical venue on its periphery, the Belden Village Twin, an across-the-street outparcel. The cinema was in operation between 1973 and 1997.
During its first thirty-plus years, the 823,000 square foot shopping venue had only slight modifications. There were no major expansions, but facelift renovations were done, with a Food Court also added in previously-existing space.
BELDEN VILLAGE competed with the original major shopping center in Metro-Canton, MELLETT MALL, but eventually gained prominence. The former's first anchor store rebranding took place in 1982, with the demise of the Halle's chain. Its space was taken by Cleveland-based Higbee's. Ten years later, Higbee's was bought by Dillard's.
O'Neil's was rebranded by Cleveland-based May Company of Ohio in 1989. In 1993, Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's came in. They succombed to that famous Manhattan merchandiser in 2006.
The mall was acquired by Australia-based Westfield Holdings (nee Westfield Group) in December 2001. Its new moniker WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN BELDEN VILLAGE was shortened (sans "Shoppingtown") in 2005.
Today, the center has one hundred and thirteen inline stores and three outparcels; Sears Auto Center (1970), Max and Erma's (2005) and Bravo! Cucina Italiana (2006).
An outdoor "Main Street" front facade, with new retailers and sit-down restaurants, is being proposed by Westfield. If built, the 120,000 square foot lifestyle addition could be completed by 2011.
Sources:
"Westfield Belden Village" article on Wikipedia
Stark County, Ohio tax assessor website
www.eyecorp.com
www.westfield.com
Malls of America Blogspot / Keith Milford webmaster
Friday, September 19, 2008
SUMMIT MALL 1965. The 700,000 square foot complex, the fourth
fully-enclosed mall in Ohio, was "Akorn's" first mall-type shopping
center. It was followed by a second (in 1967) and third (in 1975).
Brooklein Books, one of SUMMIT MALL's old-timey tenants. This
Cleveland-based book seller maintained a store in the shopping
center in the 1970s and '80s.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
The mall's south anchor, originally a Cleveland-based Halle's, later
a Cleveland-based Higbee's, became a Dillard's Men's, Children's
and Home Store in 1992.
SUMMIT MALL, following its 1996-1997 renovation. A new Food
Court was installed in previously-existing space and a Ruby Tues-
day restaurant came inline on the south end of the complex. By
this time, the Goodyear and Firestone stores (1965 charter tenants)
had downsized into smaller spaces. The Theatre and Woolworth had
also closed, with thier spaces being carved into new inline stores.
The circa-1997 Main Entrance. It was recently reconfigured, along
with the entire south-facing front of the shopping center.
Photo from Wikipedia / Nick Juhasz
A contemporary footprint of SUMMIT MALL. The newly-constructed
lifestyle facade, along the south side of the complex, is shown in medium
gray.
The new Main Entrance, under construction in 2007.
Photo from www.law-co.com
Another view of the building of the 2007 expansion.
Photo from www.simon.com
The newly-renovated Food Court, originally opened in 1997.
Photo from www.simon.com
The SUMMIT Center Court.
Photo from www.simon.com
One of the center's "double-header" Dillard's locations.
Photo from www.simon.com
Bravo! Cucina Italiana opened, along with the new lifestyle renovation,
in 2008. The spot was previously leased to Stir Fire.
Photo from www.simon.com
SUMMIT MALL
West Market Street and Ghent Road
Fairlawn, Ohio
The Rubber Capital's first shopping mall was developed by Youngstown's Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation and designed by Frank DeBartolo. The single-level, fully-enclosed complex was built on a 45.8 acre parcel, located 6 miles northwest of downtown Akron.
At the time of its construction, the shopping center was in Fairlawn Village. This municipality was incorporated as a city in 1970.
A grand opening celebration for SUMMIT MALL took place October 25, 1965. The anchors were a 2-level (125,800 square foot), Akron-based O'Neil's, 2-level (125,700 square foot), Akron-based Polsky's and 2-level (111,400 square foot), Cleveland-based Halle's.
Inline stores included Nobil Shoes, Volbracht Furs, Thom McAn Shoes, Goodyear and Firestone tire and appliance, a Stouffer's restaurant, Kroger supermarket and F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10.
There was also the Summit Mall Theatre, which had an interior mall entrance. The cinema opened, along with the mall, as a single-screen venue. It was twinned in the 1970s and shuttered in July 1989.
The second shopping mall in the region, CHAPEL HILL (1967) [September 2008 archive] was located in the northeast quadrant of the city. The area's third enclosed center, ROLLING ACRES MALL (1975) [September 2008 archive], was constructed in the southwestern suburbs.
By the 1980s, ROLLING ACRES had become the premier mall in Greater Akron, with SUMMIT seen as a smaller, out-of-date competitor. A facelift given to the SUMMIT property in 1982 did not change the fortunes of the mall.
However, the newness of ROLLING ACRES eventually wore off, leaving it in a state of decline. In 1996, SUMMIT MALL was acquired by the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group. They performed a 20 million dollar renovation, which included the installation of a 9-bay Food Court. The remodeling was a sucess, with SUMMIT being reinstated as the mall in Akron.
During its ups and downs, SUMMIT MALL's anchor stores had been rebranded. The first nameplate change occurred in 1978, with the shuttering of Polsky's. This store was leased primarily by Jewel Mart, who maintained a showroom on the upper level. The lower was shared by Jewel Mart's warehouse, Rizzi's Ristorante and Charlotte's West for Women.
When Jewel Mart closed, Cleveland-based Higbee's established one of two SUMMIT MALL locations in the space. The upper level was used entirely by Higbee's. The lower was shared with Rizzi's Ristorante and Charlotte's West for Women.
Dillard's conversion of all Higbee's locations -in 1992- resulted in Rizzi's and Charlotte's West being forced out. The entire building became a Dillard's Women's location.
The SUMMIT MALL O'Neil's was expanded on two occassions, into a 195,700 square foot store. It became a Cleveland-based May Company of Ohio in 1989, Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's in 1993, and was "Macy-ated" in 2006.
The third anchor at the original mall, Halle's, was given a Higbee's nameplate in 1982. Dillard's established a Men's, Children's and Home Store there in 1992.
The Little Rock-based retailer embarked upon a 50 million dollar renovation of its "double-header" stores at SUMMIT MALL in 2004. Work on the Women's store was completed in September 2005; the Men's / Children's / Home store was rededicated the following April.
Moreover, Simon announced a renovation for the mall proper in January 2007. 9,000 square feet of leasable area was added and the south-facing facade given a major makeover, with a "lifestyle" orientation. The south parking area was reconfigured, the main entrance replaced and tenants such as Bravo! Cucina Italiana, David's Bridal, Coldwater Creek and Ann Taylor Loft came inline.
The project was completed in the summer of 2008. With it, SUMMIT MALL encompassed 771,000 leasable square feet and one hundred and twenty stores and services.
Sources:
"Summit Mall" article on Wikipedia
Summit County, Ohio tax assessor website
"At The Dawn of Summit Mall" / Fairlawn Historical Commission / Jim Kroeger
www.simon.com
Summit Mall memories of "Hst80Akron"
West Market Street and Ghent Road
Fairlawn, Ohio
The Rubber Capital's first shopping mall was developed by Youngstown's Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation and designed by Frank DeBartolo. The single-level, fully-enclosed complex was built on a 45.8 acre parcel, located 6 miles northwest of downtown Akron.
At the time of its construction, the shopping center was in Fairlawn Village. This municipality was incorporated as a city in 1970.
A grand opening celebration for SUMMIT MALL took place October 25, 1965. The anchors were a 2-level (125,800 square foot), Akron-based O'Neil's, 2-level (125,700 square foot), Akron-based Polsky's and 2-level (111,400 square foot), Cleveland-based Halle's.
Inline stores included Nobil Shoes, Volbracht Furs, Thom McAn Shoes, Goodyear and Firestone tire and appliance, a Stouffer's restaurant, Kroger supermarket and F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10.
There was also the Summit Mall Theatre, which had an interior mall entrance. The cinema opened, along with the mall, as a single-screen venue. It was twinned in the 1970s and shuttered in July 1989.
The second shopping mall in the region, CHAPEL HILL (1967) [September 2008 archive] was located in the northeast quadrant of the city. The area's third enclosed center, ROLLING ACRES MALL (1975) [September 2008 archive], was constructed in the southwestern suburbs.
By the 1980s, ROLLING ACRES had become the premier mall in Greater Akron, with SUMMIT seen as a smaller, out-of-date competitor. A facelift given to the SUMMIT property in 1982 did not change the fortunes of the mall.
However, the newness of ROLLING ACRES eventually wore off, leaving it in a state of decline. In 1996, SUMMIT MALL was acquired by the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group. They performed a 20 million dollar renovation, which included the installation of a 9-bay Food Court. The remodeling was a sucess, with SUMMIT being reinstated as the mall in Akron.
During its ups and downs, SUMMIT MALL's anchor stores had been rebranded. The first nameplate change occurred in 1978, with the shuttering of Polsky's. This store was leased primarily by Jewel Mart, who maintained a showroom on the upper level. The lower was shared by Jewel Mart's warehouse, Rizzi's Ristorante and Charlotte's West for Women.
When Jewel Mart closed, Cleveland-based Higbee's established one of two SUMMIT MALL locations in the space. The upper level was used entirely by Higbee's. The lower was shared with Rizzi's Ristorante and Charlotte's West for Women.
Dillard's conversion of all Higbee's locations -in 1992- resulted in Rizzi's and Charlotte's West being forced out. The entire building became a Dillard's Women's location.
The SUMMIT MALL O'Neil's was expanded on two occassions, into a 195,700 square foot store. It became a Cleveland-based May Company of Ohio in 1989, Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's in 1993, and was "Macy-ated" in 2006.
The third anchor at the original mall, Halle's, was given a Higbee's nameplate in 1982. Dillard's established a Men's, Children's and Home Store there in 1992.
The Little Rock-based retailer embarked upon a 50 million dollar renovation of its "double-header" stores at SUMMIT MALL in 2004. Work on the Women's store was completed in September 2005; the Men's / Children's / Home store was rededicated the following April.
Moreover, Simon announced a renovation for the mall proper in January 2007. 9,000 square feet of leasable area was added and the south-facing facade given a major makeover, with a "lifestyle" orientation. The south parking area was reconfigured, the main entrance replaced and tenants such as Bravo! Cucina Italiana, David's Bridal, Coldwater Creek and Ann Taylor Loft came inline.
The project was completed in the summer of 2008. With it, SUMMIT MALL encompassed 771,000 leasable square feet and one hundred and twenty stores and services.
Sources:
"Summit Mall" article on Wikipedia
Summit County, Ohio tax assessor website
"At The Dawn of Summit Mall" / Fairlawn Historical Commission / Jim Kroeger
www.simon.com
Summit Mall memories of "Hst80Akron"
Akron, Ohio's Chapel Hill Mall
The center's center anchor, a 2-level, 194,100 square foot J.C. Penney.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Dang Apricot"
The center's center anchor, a 2-level, 194,100 square foot J.C. Penney.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Dang Apricot"
CHAPEL HILL MALL, circa-1970. The tri-
anchor complex featured the Buckeye State's
first built-in twin cinema.
Alvin's Jewelers, on the Center Court; one of the mall's eighty-four
inline stores.
Photo from www.cblproperties.com (CBL & Associates Properties)
A present-day site plan of CHAPEL HILL MALL. The
in-mall cinema, the first business to open in the complex,
closed in the late '80s. Its space became an Old Navy and
Finish Line. The 13-bay Food Court was a 1994 addition.
The entire mall was renovated and re-opened, with festiv-
ities, on November 4, 2006.
CHAPEL HILL MALL
Brittain Road and Howe Avenue
Akron, Ohio
Akron's first fully-enclosed shopping venue, SUMMIT MALL [September 2008 archive], was dedicated in October 1965. At the same time, an 830,000 square foot, fully-enclosed mall was being developed by Akron's Richard Bucholzer and Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises.
CHAPEL HILL MALL was situated on an 80 acre plot, 4.5 miles northeast of center city Akron. The single-level complex opened October 12, 1967, anchored by a 2-level (165,100 square foot), Akron-based O'Neil's, 2-level (194,100 square foot) J.C. Penney and 1-level (200,000 square foot) Sears. The original mall included an F.W. Woolworth, Gray Drug, Jo-Ann Fabrics and Lane Bryant.
The mall's twin-screen cinema, on the south concourse, had been completed in October 1966 and was the first twin movie house in the state of Ohio. It was made into a tri-plex in 1973, eventually being subdivided into a five-screen venue.
The theater closed after the opening of the AMC Plaza at Chapel Hill (located one-half mile west of the mall). This venue opened in 1987. A third CHAPEL HILL area cinema, the Regal Independence 10, was built across the avenue from the shopping center's southwest parking area. It opened in 1996.
By the early 1970s, CHAPEL HILL MALL was tenanted by such mid- century mall merchants as Rivet Jeans, Chess King apparel and Camelot Music.
Akron's two enclosed shopping venues were joined by the new ROLLING ACRES MALL [September 2008 archive] in August 1975. This center eventually fell upon hard times and has become a rather high profile dead mall. However, the two older shopping centers in the region survived the changing face of retail in the 1990s.
Like other stores in the chain, the CHAPEL HILL O'Neil's was rebranded a Cleveland-based May Company in 1989, Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's in 1993 and Macy's in 2006.
In 1994, a 23,000 square foot Food Court -with Carousel- was constructed in front of the original Main Entrance to the mall. The interior of the complex was also renovated at this time.
Chattanooga-based CBL and Associates acquired CHAPEL HILL MALL in May 2004. In August 2007, they entered a joint venture for ownership of the center with the Australia-based Westfield Group. However, CBL and Associates will continue to manage and lease the property.
Sources:
"Chapel Hill Mall" article on Wikipedia
"O'Neil's" article on Wikipedia
Summit County, Ohio tax assessor website
www.cblproperties.com (CBL & Associates Properties)
Chapel Hill Mall memories of "BM67"
Brittain Road and Howe Avenue
Akron, Ohio
Akron's first fully-enclosed shopping venue, SUMMIT MALL [September 2008 archive], was dedicated in October 1965. At the same time, an 830,000 square foot, fully-enclosed mall was being developed by Akron's Richard Bucholzer and Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises.
CHAPEL HILL MALL was situated on an 80 acre plot, 4.5 miles northeast of center city Akron. The single-level complex opened October 12, 1967, anchored by a 2-level (165,100 square foot), Akron-based O'Neil's, 2-level (194,100 square foot) J.C. Penney and 1-level (200,000 square foot) Sears. The original mall included an F.W. Woolworth, Gray Drug, Jo-Ann Fabrics and Lane Bryant.
The mall's twin-screen cinema, on the south concourse, had been completed in October 1966 and was the first twin movie house in the state of Ohio. It was made into a tri-plex in 1973, eventually being subdivided into a five-screen venue.
The theater closed after the opening of the AMC Plaza at Chapel Hill (located one-half mile west of the mall). This venue opened in 1987. A third CHAPEL HILL area cinema, the Regal Independence 10, was built across the avenue from the shopping center's southwest parking area. It opened in 1996.
By the early 1970s, CHAPEL HILL MALL was tenanted by such mid- century mall merchants as Rivet Jeans, Chess King apparel and Camelot Music.
Akron's two enclosed shopping venues were joined by the new ROLLING ACRES MALL [September 2008 archive] in August 1975. This center eventually fell upon hard times and has become a rather high profile dead mall. However, the two older shopping centers in the region survived the changing face of retail in the 1990s.
Like other stores in the chain, the CHAPEL HILL O'Neil's was rebranded a Cleveland-based May Company in 1989, Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's in 1993 and Macy's in 2006.
In 1994, a 23,000 square foot Food Court -with Carousel- was constructed in front of the original Main Entrance to the mall. The interior of the complex was also renovated at this time.
Chattanooga-based CBL and Associates acquired CHAPEL HILL MALL in May 2004. In August 2007, they entered a joint venture for ownership of the center with the Australia-based Westfield Group. However, CBL and Associates will continue to manage and lease the property.
Sources:
"Chapel Hill Mall" article on Wikipedia
"O'Neil's" article on Wikipedia
Summit County, Ohio tax assessor website
www.cblproperties.com (CBL & Associates Properties)
Chapel Hill Mall memories of "BM67"
ROLLING ACRES MALL, circa-1975. At its August 6
dedication, the complex consisted of a single retail
level, twenty-one inline stores and a single anchor...
Sears. A 2-level J.C. Penney was completed in January,
1976, as a part of a new 2-level mall, on the south end
of the structure.
ROLLING ACRES MALL TENANTS, 1978:
Akron National Bank / Alice’s Women’s Wear / Allstate Insurance / American Commodore Tuxedo / American Girl / B. Dalton Bookseller / Bakers Shoes / Bally's Play Palace video arcade / Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream / Borman's Hallmark / Brooks Fashions / Butler’s Shoes / Cards 'N Such / Carousel Snack Bar / Casual Corner / Chess King / Claire's Boutique / Cocktail Lounge / County Seat / Cut the Mustard / Der Dog Haus / Diamond’s Menswear / Doctor Hess, M.D. / Family Restaurant / Fanny Farmer Candies / First Federal Savings and Loan / Flagg Brothers Shoes / Florsheim Shoes / Foxmoor Casuals / Friendly's Ice Cream / General Nutrition Center / Gourmet Fudge / Grecni Music / Haircut House / Hickory Farms of Ohio / Homemaker Shop / J.B. Robinson Jewelers / J.C. PENNEY / Jo-Ann Fabrics / John Todd Optical / Karmelkorn / KBee Toys / Kinney Shoes / Koch’s for Men / Lerner Shops / Leroy's Keepsake Diamonds / Mad Male / McKelvey’s Loft / McKelvey's Clip Joint / Merry-Go-Round / Misc. Miss / Modern Man / MONTGOMERY WARD / National Shirt Shop / Nobil Shoes / O’NEIL'S / Paul Harris for Women / Petries apparel / Pizza Star / Plus One Fashion Jewelry / Radio Shack / Rare Elements / Recordland / Richman Brothers apparel / Rite Aid Drug / Rivet Jeans / Rolling Acres Cinema I, II, III / SEARS / Silverman’s Menswear / So-Fro Fabrics / The Bottom Half / The Limited / The Shoe Lace / Thom McAn Shoes / Vanguard / Waldenbooks / York Steak House / Zales Jewelers
Akron National Bank / Alice’s Women’s Wear / Allstate Insurance / American Commodore Tuxedo / American Girl / B. Dalton Bookseller / Bakers Shoes / Bally's Play Palace video arcade / Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream / Borman's Hallmark / Brooks Fashions / Butler’s Shoes / Cards 'N Such / Carousel Snack Bar / Casual Corner / Chess King / Claire's Boutique / Cocktail Lounge / County Seat / Cut the Mustard / Der Dog Haus / Diamond’s Menswear / Doctor Hess, M.D. / Family Restaurant / Fanny Farmer Candies / First Federal Savings and Loan / Flagg Brothers Shoes / Florsheim Shoes / Foxmoor Casuals / Friendly's Ice Cream / General Nutrition Center / Gourmet Fudge / Grecni Music / Haircut House / Hickory Farms of Ohio / Homemaker Shop / J.B. Robinson Jewelers / J.C. PENNEY / Jo-Ann Fabrics / John Todd Optical / Karmelkorn / KBee Toys / Kinney Shoes / Koch’s for Men / Lerner Shops / Leroy's Keepsake Diamonds / Mad Male / McKelvey’s Loft / McKelvey's Clip Joint / Merry-Go-Round / Misc. Miss / Modern Man / MONTGOMERY WARD / National Shirt Shop / Nobil Shoes / O’NEIL'S / Paul Harris for Women / Petries apparel / Pizza Star / Plus One Fashion Jewelry / Radio Shack / Rare Elements / Recordland / Richman Brothers apparel / Rite Aid Drug / Rivet Jeans / Rolling Acres Cinema I, II, III / SEARS / Silverman’s Menswear / So-Fro Fabrics / The Bottom Half / The Limited / The Shoe Lace / Thom McAn Shoes / Vanguard / Waldenbooks / York Steak House / Zales Jewelers
A 1978 footprint. The original, single-anchor center of
1975 now featured four major department stores. A
fifth was proposed for the southwest parking area, oppo-
site J.C. Penney.
A circa-'70s shot of the Court of 12 Trees Fountain, the epicenter
of the mall.
Photo from www.rollingacres.org / John H.
Another vintage view. This time, we see the J.C. Penney Court, in the
south end of the shopping center.
Photo from www.rollingacres.org / John H.
The final footprint of Akron's mega-mall, circa-1995. A
96,500 square foot Target had been added, as an exten-
sion of the Lower Level. This fulfilled plans for a "future
fifth department store", proposed twenty years earlier.
The Main Entrance was remodeled in 2000, featuring the mall's new logo.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
The Southwest Wing, built onto the existing mall in 1995. The Target
mall entrance may be seen in the distance. This store closed in Feb-
ruary 2006.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
Thursday, September 18, 2008
One of the earliest shopping mall Food Courts, and the very first in
Akron-Canton. This collection of eateries opened in 1978, along with
the mall's "Promenade Level".
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
J.C. Penney was a 1976 addition. The store became an Outlet Center
in the mid-1990s.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
ROLLING ACRES' south anchor, originally an Akron-based O'Neil's,
went through several nameplate changes before being permanently
shuttered in February 2008. Here, we see it as a Kaufmann's (1993-
2006).
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
ROLLING ACRES MALL
Romig and Harlem Roads
Akron, Ohio
Conceived as the first mega-mall in northeast Ohio, ROLLING ACRES was developed by Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises. The center was situated on 86.7 acres, 6 miles southwest of downtown Akron. At first comprising a single level of retail, the 450,000 square foot complex was dedicated August 6, 1975.
At the time, the fully-enclosed retail hub was anchored only by a 1-level (151,700 square foot) Sears. There were twenty-one inline stores, including Foxmoor Casuals, Recordland, The Limited and Jo-Ann Fabrics. A 2-level (179,200 square foot) J.C. Penney was completed in early 1976. By this time, there were fifty inline stores.
A first expansion, dedicated in 1977, included a 1-level (125,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward and new stores such as Pizza Star and Rivet Jeans. All were centered on the Court of Aquarius, which included a large aquarium and seating area.
The second addition, coming inline in 1978, featured a 2-level (89,500 square foot), Akron-based O'Neil's. The uncompleted lower retail level, underneath the southern half of the mall structure, was also opened. Known as the Promenade Level, it included "Prom and Eat", the first shopping mall Food Court in the region and a tri-screen cinema.
With its basic footprint now established, ROLLING ACRES MALL encompassed approximately 1,035,900 leasable square feet. It was the second-largest shopping venue in northeast Ohio and the preeminent mall in the Akron-Canton metropolis. By 1984, there were one hundred and forty inline stores.
The mall underwent a facelift renovation in 1985. Its color palette was muted from dark, 1970s-style earthtones to '80s pastels. The Food Court became "Picnic Place".
Anchor store nameplate conversions began with the shuttering of Montgomery Ward in 1986. The store became a Cleveland-based Higbee's, until being rebranded by Dillard's in 1992.
O'Neil's was the next department store to change hands. Cleveland-based May Company of Ohio took over in 1989. This was followed by Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's in 1993 and Macy's in 2006.
Meanwhile, mall management had made a major blunder in 1991 by letting the staff of off-duty police officers go in favor of a cheaper, in-house security force. This proved to be a fatal error, with the shopping center becoming a haven for juvenile delinquents and harder-core criminals.
Nevertheless, an expansion was built on the southwest corner of the center, which was dedicated in late 1995. This was anchored by a 1-level (96,500 square foot) Target. At about the same time, J.C. Penney demoted their location to an outlet store. The same fate awaited the mall's Dillard's.
The final nail in the proverbial coffin was driven in 1997, with the completion of a renovation at SUMMIT MALL (1965) [September 2008 archive]. ROLLING ACRES was, by then, a dying retail center. A renovation in 2000 offered a new logo, main entrance and stores...but did not result in a revival of commerce.
Two anchors pulled out in 2006; Target in February and Dillard's in August. A new owner, Beverly Hills-based Invest Commercial (Michael Mirharooni), took over in July.
The most recent anchor store shuttering transpired in February 2008, when Macy's pulled the plug. This left the 1.3 million square foot ROLLING ACRES with just Sears, a Penney's Outlet, Ohio Wholesale (in the old Target space)...and eight inline stores.
With an unpaid -130 thousand dollar- electric bill, as well as 269 thousand dollars owed in property taxes, the owner of ROLLING ACRES MALL decided to close the shopping center down in late October 2008. The exterior-entranced Sears and Penney's will remain open.
Sources:
www.rollingacres.org
"Rolling Acres Mall" article on Wikipedia
www.deadmall.com / submission by John H.
Summit County, Ohio tax assessor website
www.ohio.com
Romig and Harlem Roads
Akron, Ohio
Conceived as the first mega-mall in northeast Ohio, ROLLING ACRES was developed by Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises. The center was situated on 86.7 acres, 6 miles southwest of downtown Akron. At first comprising a single level of retail, the 450,000 square foot complex was dedicated August 6, 1975.
At the time, the fully-enclosed retail hub was anchored only by a 1-level (151,700 square foot) Sears. There were twenty-one inline stores, including Foxmoor Casuals, Recordland, The Limited and Jo-Ann Fabrics. A 2-level (179,200 square foot) J.C. Penney was completed in early 1976. By this time, there were fifty inline stores.
A first expansion, dedicated in 1977, included a 1-level (125,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward and new stores such as Pizza Star and Rivet Jeans. All were centered on the Court of Aquarius, which included a large aquarium and seating area.
The second addition, coming inline in 1978, featured a 2-level (89,500 square foot), Akron-based O'Neil's. The uncompleted lower retail level, underneath the southern half of the mall structure, was also opened. Known as the Promenade Level, it included "Prom and Eat", the first shopping mall Food Court in the region and a tri-screen cinema.
With its basic footprint now established, ROLLING ACRES MALL encompassed approximately 1,035,900 leasable square feet. It was the second-largest shopping venue in northeast Ohio and the preeminent mall in the Akron-Canton metropolis. By 1984, there were one hundred and forty inline stores.
The mall underwent a facelift renovation in 1985. Its color palette was muted from dark, 1970s-style earthtones to '80s pastels. The Food Court became "Picnic Place".
Anchor store nameplate conversions began with the shuttering of Montgomery Ward in 1986. The store became a Cleveland-based Higbee's, until being rebranded by Dillard's in 1992.
O'Neil's was the next department store to change hands. Cleveland-based May Company of Ohio took over in 1989. This was followed by Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's in 1993 and Macy's in 2006.
Meanwhile, mall management had made a major blunder in 1991 by letting the staff of off-duty police officers go in favor of a cheaper, in-house security force. This proved to be a fatal error, with the shopping center becoming a haven for juvenile delinquents and harder-core criminals.
Nevertheless, an expansion was built on the southwest corner of the center, which was dedicated in late 1995. This was anchored by a 1-level (96,500 square foot) Target. At about the same time, J.C. Penney demoted their location to an outlet store. The same fate awaited the mall's Dillard's.
The final nail in the proverbial coffin was driven in 1997, with the completion of a renovation at SUMMIT MALL (1965) [September 2008 archive]. ROLLING ACRES was, by then, a dying retail center. A renovation in 2000 offered a new logo, main entrance and stores...but did not result in a revival of commerce.
Two anchors pulled out in 2006; Target in February and Dillard's in August. A new owner, Beverly Hills-based Invest Commercial (Michael Mirharooni), took over in July.
The most recent anchor store shuttering transpired in February 2008, when Macy's pulled the plug. This left the 1.3 million square foot ROLLING ACRES with just Sears, a Penney's Outlet, Ohio Wholesale (in the old Target space)...and eight inline stores.
With an unpaid -130 thousand dollar- electric bill, as well as 269 thousand dollars owed in property taxes, the owner of ROLLING ACRES MALL decided to close the shopping center down in late October 2008. The exterior-entranced Sears and Penney's will remain open.
Sources:
www.rollingacres.org
"Rolling Acres Mall" article on Wikipedia
www.deadmall.com / submission by John H.
Summit County, Ohio tax assessor website
www.ohio.com
Monday, September 08, 2008
MASSACHUSETTS' GOLDEN TRIANGLE
Now considered the largest concentration of retail in New England, the GOLDEN TRIANGLE of Framingham-Natick ["nay-tick"] is bounded by Worcester ["wuh-stir"] Road, Cochituate ["kuh-chich-oo-it"] Road, Speen Street and Concord Street. The area is bisected by the corporation line of the cities of Framingham and Natick and lies 19 miles southwest of central Boston.
Originally, the grouping of merchandisers were situated along a stretch of Worcester Turnpike / Road, referred to as the GOLDEN MILE. The first large retail entity, the SHOPPERS' WORLD open-air mall, was dedicated in late 1951. Soon, all of the major New England discount chains had built stores in that center's periphery.
Zayre, in the new SHERWOOD PLAZA, was completed in May 1960. A freestanding Bradlees came along in 1962, along with a Caldor in 1966. By this time, the shopping district had expanded from the GOLDEN MILE nucleus and was known collectively as the GOLDEN TRIANGLE.
A second regional shopping center, NATICK MALL, held its grand opening in April 1966. This was followed by the smaller ROUTE 30 MALL in 1971, CLOVERLEAF MALL in 1978 and FRAMINGHAM MALL in 1979. An even smaller, enclosed center, known as MARSHALLS MALL, also debuted in 1979.
Now considered the largest concentration of retail in New England, the GOLDEN TRIANGLE of Framingham-Natick ["nay-tick"] is bounded by Worcester ["wuh-stir"] Road, Cochituate ["kuh-chich-oo-it"] Road, Speen Street and Concord Street. The area is bisected by the corporation line of the cities of Framingham and Natick and lies 19 miles southwest of central Boston.
Originally, the grouping of merchandisers were situated along a stretch of Worcester Turnpike / Road, referred to as the GOLDEN MILE. The first large retail entity, the SHOPPERS' WORLD open-air mall, was dedicated in late 1951. Soon, all of the major New England discount chains had built stores in that center's periphery.
Zayre, in the new SHERWOOD PLAZA, was completed in May 1960. A freestanding Bradlees came along in 1962, along with a Caldor in 1966. By this time, the shopping district had expanded from the GOLDEN MILE nucleus and was known collectively as the GOLDEN TRIANGLE.
A second regional shopping center, NATICK MALL, held its grand opening in April 1966. This was followed by the smaller ROUTE 30 MALL in 1971, CLOVERLEAF MALL in 1978 and FRAMINGHAM MALL in 1979. An even smaller, enclosed center, known as MARSHALLS MALL, also debuted in 1979.
The illustration above is a depiction of the GOLDEN TRIANGLE area, circa-1980. Superhighway access, via the "MassPike" (Massachusetts Turnpike), had been instituted in May 1957.
Stores in operation in 1980 included the aforementioned discount marts, plus Jordan Marsh, Filene's ["fiy-leenz"], Filene's Basement, Sears, K-Mart, F.W. Woolworth, Marshalls, Lechmere ["leech-meer"], Service Merchandise, Toys "R" Us and Channel Home Center.
The predominant supermarket in the GOLDEN TRIANGLE of 1980 was the Super Stop and Shop (located behind the FRAMINGHAM MALL). Second in line would have been the Heartland Food Warehouse in SHERWOOD PLAZA.
There were also two multiplex cinemas in the region; the Cinema I-IV (at SHOPPERS' WORLD) and Loews Theaters I-IV, located across from the mall, on the south side of Worcester Turnpike. In addition, SHERWOOD PLAZA had its Flick Movie Theater.
Stores in operation in 1980 included the aforementioned discount marts, plus Jordan Marsh, Filene's ["fiy-leenz"], Filene's Basement, Sears, K-Mart, F.W. Woolworth, Marshalls, Lechmere ["leech-meer"], Service Merchandise, Toys "R" Us and Channel Home Center.
The predominant supermarket in the GOLDEN TRIANGLE of 1980 was the Super Stop and Shop (located behind the FRAMINGHAM MALL). Second in line would have been the Heartland Food Warehouse in SHERWOOD PLAZA.
There were also two multiplex cinemas in the region; the Cinema I-IV (at SHOPPERS' WORLD) and Loews Theaters I-IV, located across from the mall, on the south side of Worcester Turnpike. In addition, SHERWOOD PLAZA had its Flick Movie Theater.
By the late '00s, things have changed considerably. SHOPPERS' WORLD has been demalled into a "parking lot pandemonium" power center. The FRAMINGHAM MALL has given way to a Target Greatland. Bradlees has been rebuilt into Kohl's, Caldor into Wal-Mart.
The CLOVERLEAF center is now an un-mall MARKETPLACE. MARSHALLS MALL has been gutted and renovated into Bed Bath and Beyond and a Home Depot has been built at the intersection of Speen Street and Chrysler Road. However, the most significant change has been the dramatic metamorphosis of NATICK MALL into the upscale NATICK COLLECTION.
A 15-screen AMC complex replaced the Shoppers' World and Loews multiplex movie houses.
Stores currently in operation in Massachusetts' major merchandising mecca include Sears, Macy's, Macy's Furniture, J.C. Penney, Lord and Taylor, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Ethan Allen Design Center, Filene's Basement, Circuit City, Marshalls, Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, Linens 'N Things, Dick's Sporting Goods and Dress Barn.
Sources:
Framingham Natick Retail / Justin Tardiff webmaster
http://framingham.wordpress.com
The CLOVERLEAF center is now an un-mall MARKETPLACE. MARSHALLS MALL has been gutted and renovated into Bed Bath and Beyond and a Home Depot has been built at the intersection of Speen Street and Chrysler Road. However, the most significant change has been the dramatic metamorphosis of NATICK MALL into the upscale NATICK COLLECTION.
A 15-screen AMC complex replaced the Shoppers' World and Loews multiplex movie houses.
Stores currently in operation in Massachusetts' major merchandising mecca include Sears, Macy's, Macy's Furniture, J.C. Penney, Lord and Taylor, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Ethan Allen Design Center, Filene's Basement, Circuit City, Marshalls, Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, Linens 'N Things, Dick's Sporting Goods and Dress Barn.
Sources:
Framingham Natick Retail / Justin Tardiff webmaster
http://framingham.wordpress.com
MAJOR MALLS
SHOPPERS' WORLD
"Klattu barada Jordan Marsh?". The site of the futuristic, "space
ship-shaped" SHOPPERS' WORLD anchor might make one imagine
the Gort robot walking out of its main entrance. In fact, "The Day
SHOPPERS' WORLD
"Klattu barada Jordan Marsh?". The site of the futuristic, "space
ship-shaped" SHOPPERS' WORLD anchor might make one imagine
the Gort robot walking out of its main entrance. In fact, "The Day
The Earth Stood Still" premiered September 28,1951....Jordan Marsh
came inline less than a week later.
An announcement mailed to Framingham and Natick residents
heralding the October 4, 1951 grand opening of the Jordan
Marsh at the new SHOPPERS' WORLD center.
Photo from http://framingham.wordpress.com
A circa-'51 physical layout. The bi-level mall, the first
ever built, was situated around a large, open courtyard.
A kiddie ride area was at its north end. This feature was
copied in nearly every shopping mall built over the next
fifteen years.
A cut-away view of the north end of the original mid-century
shopopolis. It had several unique design features, such as its
absence of stairs or escalators between its two retail levels.
Patrons entered from the parking lot and used ramps to get
either up or down. In essence, the mall was handicapped-acces-
sible years before this was mandated.
A view of the center courtyard area. It had trees, flowers and a large,
"dancing waters" fountain. Patterned after water features at the 1939-
40 New York World's Fair, it featured synchronized colored lights and
an accompanying music soundtrack.
Photo from http://framingham.wordpress.com/
The original SHOPPERS' WORLD Cinema. The structure was
dedicated in October 1951, but was used as a live performance
venue for its first few years.
Photo from www.generalcinematheatres.com
SHOPPERS' WORLD, circa-1964. A Stop and Shop
supermarket (indicated in dark gray) was built onto
the north end of the existing mall in 1960, along with
an expansion of the existing Jordan Marsh on the
south end. This was followed by an enlargement of
the single-screen Cinema -into a twinplex- in 1963-
1964.
The east side of the Cinema complex as it appeared following the
addition of the second auditorium in 1963-1964.
Photo from www.generalcinematheatres.com
An interior view of the newly-added Cinema II.
Photo from www.generalcinematheatres.com
A circa-'74 site plan. The north end of the complex had been
fully closed-off with the addition of a Jordan Marsh Basement
store and enclosed atrium area (shown in medium gray). More-
over, the twin cinema had been expanded into a fourplex by
this time.
The 1980s incarnation of the Shoppers' World Cinema, now a 6-
screen complex.
Photo from www.genralcinematheatres.com
Two views of today's SHOPPERS WORLD (now written without the
apostrophe). The original mall was demolished and replaced by an
open-air power center in 1995- 1996.
Photos from www.framinghamnatickretail.com
SHOPPERS' WORLD
Worcester Turnpike and Cochituate Road
Framingham, Massachusetts
The nation's second quote / unquote "shopping mall" was the result of eight years of planning by a consortium of four architectural firms, with additional input from a retail consulting service.
Construction on SHOPPERS' WORLD got underway in April 1950. The grand opening was held in October 1951; officiated by Massachusetts Governor Paul A. Dever. The new era, open-air retail center was heralded as "a palace from another world".
SHOPPERS' WORLD was built on a 70 acre tract, nestled between two major highways, which was 18 miles southwest of downtown Boston. The 6 million dollar center featured forty-four stores in its first phase and had six thousand parking spaces.
The complex was anchored by a huge, spaceship-shaped, Jordan Marsh, which was the first suburban branch of the Boston-based department store chain. This 165,000 square foot, "flying saucer store" sat at the southern end of the center. It was 227 feet in diameter, 54 feet in height and served as a major landmark for the entire region.
The shopping center, itself, consisted of two 2-level retail wings, which extended north from the Jordan Marsh. These had a 100 foot-wide courtyard area at the center; a green, with fountains, flowers, shrubbery and trees. On three sides, ran 15 foot-wide walkways, with store entrances coming off of them. On the fourth (open) side, was an area with kiddie rides.
One of the more interesting design features of the original SHOPPERS' WORLD was the absence of stairways or escalators between floors. Patrons entered from the parking lot and took ramps -going either up or down- to the get to the two retail levels.
A one thousand four hundred seat, single-screen cinema was also opened at SHOPPERS' WORLD, in October 1951. This cinema is sometimes cited as being the first "mall movie house" in the United States.
However, a similar cinema at Seattle, Washington's NORTHGATE CENTER [see article above] opened a few weeks before the one at SHOPPERS' WORLD. So, with no further revelations, this makes the cinema at SHOPPERS' WORLD the nation's second "mall movie house".
In 1960, a Stop and Shop supermarket was added to the north end of the complex. Jordan Marsh was also expanded (into a 250,000 square foot store) on its west side and a Car Care Center built as a peripheral structure. This was followed by an enlargement of the existing cinema, into a twin-auditorium venue, which was completed in 1964.
Soon after, a large, enclosed area was built on the north end of the mall, which became a venue for concerts and other promotions. A Jordan Marsh Basement store was added, as well. The final expansion of the mall, completed in 1974, entailed the addition of two more auditoriums to the cinema complex. In 1982, the first two auditoriums were also split into...for a total of six. The mall proper now encompassed 710,000 leasable square feet.
The completion of the new, fully-enclosed, NATICK ["nay-tik"] MALL in 1966 did not significantly impact business at SHOPPERS' WORLD, even though the complexes were only a quarter mile apart. However, as the years progressed, stores relocated from SHOPPERS' WORLD to the newer venue.
In the early 1980s, a plan was devised, whereby SHOPPERS' WORLD would be redeveloped into an upscale, fully-enclosed shopping center. NATICK MALL was to be rebuilt into an open-air power center. After several changes -and a contentious lawsuit between interested parties- this plan was abandoned.
Chicago-based Homart Development bought both properties in 1992. They reversed the previous redevelopment plan, rebuilding the NATICK property into an upscale interior mall. SHOPPERS' WORLD was demolished in December 1994 and reconstructed as a power center.
The new NATICK MALL had been dedicated in November 1994. Stores in the SHOPPERS WORLD power center opened during 1995 and 1996. These included Toys "R" Us, Jordan Marsh (Later Macy's) Furniture Gallery, T.J Maxx, DSW Shoe Warehouse, Marshalls, Nobody Beats The Wiz Electronics and Barnes and Noble.
Today, SHOPPERS WORLD encompasses 778,400 leasable square feet and is tenanted by such stores as Old Navy, Best Buy, PetSmart, Sports Authority and Office Depot. The center was acquired by Beachwood, Ohio-based Developers Diversified Realty in November 1995.
Sources:
"Shoppers' World" article on Wikipedia
"Massachusetts Turnpike" article on Wikipedia
www.framinghamnatickretail.com / Justin Tardiff webmaster http://framingham.wordpress.com/
Impressions of Craig Brickey, former Shoppers' World patron
"Shoppers' World" / Framingham News / October, 1951
Worcester Turnpike and Cochituate Road
Framingham, Massachusetts
The nation's second quote / unquote "shopping mall" was the result of eight years of planning by a consortium of four architectural firms, with additional input from a retail consulting service.
Construction on SHOPPERS' WORLD got underway in April 1950. The grand opening was held in October 1951; officiated by Massachusetts Governor Paul A. Dever. The new era, open-air retail center was heralded as "a palace from another world".
SHOPPERS' WORLD was built on a 70 acre tract, nestled between two major highways, which was 18 miles southwest of downtown Boston. The 6 million dollar center featured forty-four stores in its first phase and had six thousand parking spaces.
The complex was anchored by a huge, spaceship-shaped, Jordan Marsh, which was the first suburban branch of the Boston-based department store chain. This 165,000 square foot, "flying saucer store" sat at the southern end of the center. It was 227 feet in diameter, 54 feet in height and served as a major landmark for the entire region.
The shopping center, itself, consisted of two 2-level retail wings, which extended north from the Jordan Marsh. These had a 100 foot-wide courtyard area at the center; a green, with fountains, flowers, shrubbery and trees. On three sides, ran 15 foot-wide walkways, with store entrances coming off of them. On the fourth (open) side, was an area with kiddie rides.
One of the more interesting design features of the original SHOPPERS' WORLD was the absence of stairways or escalators between floors. Patrons entered from the parking lot and took ramps -going either up or down- to the get to the two retail levels.
A one thousand four hundred seat, single-screen cinema was also opened at SHOPPERS' WORLD, in October 1951. This cinema is sometimes cited as being the first "mall movie house" in the United States.
However, a similar cinema at Seattle, Washington's NORTHGATE CENTER [see article above] opened a few weeks before the one at SHOPPERS' WORLD. So, with no further revelations, this makes the cinema at SHOPPERS' WORLD the nation's second "mall movie house".
In 1960, a Stop and Shop supermarket was added to the north end of the complex. Jordan Marsh was also expanded (into a 250,000 square foot store) on its west side and a Car Care Center built as a peripheral structure. This was followed by an enlargement of the existing cinema, into a twin-auditorium venue, which was completed in 1964.
Soon after, a large, enclosed area was built on the north end of the mall, which became a venue for concerts and other promotions. A Jordan Marsh Basement store was added, as well. The final expansion of the mall, completed in 1974, entailed the addition of two more auditoriums to the cinema complex. In 1982, the first two auditoriums were also split into...for a total of six. The mall proper now encompassed 710,000 leasable square feet.
The completion of the new, fully-enclosed, NATICK ["nay-tik"] MALL in 1966 did not significantly impact business at SHOPPERS' WORLD, even though the complexes were only a quarter mile apart. However, as the years progressed, stores relocated from SHOPPERS' WORLD to the newer venue.
In the early 1980s, a plan was devised, whereby SHOPPERS' WORLD would be redeveloped into an upscale, fully-enclosed shopping center. NATICK MALL was to be rebuilt into an open-air power center. After several changes -and a contentious lawsuit between interested parties- this plan was abandoned.
Chicago-based Homart Development bought both properties in 1992. They reversed the previous redevelopment plan, rebuilding the NATICK property into an upscale interior mall. SHOPPERS' WORLD was demolished in December 1994 and reconstructed as a power center.
The new NATICK MALL had been dedicated in November 1994. Stores in the SHOPPERS WORLD power center opened during 1995 and 1996. These included Toys "R" Us, Jordan Marsh (Later Macy's) Furniture Gallery, T.J Maxx, DSW Shoe Warehouse, Marshalls, Nobody Beats The Wiz Electronics and Barnes and Noble.
Today, SHOPPERS WORLD encompasses 778,400 leasable square feet and is tenanted by such stores as Old Navy, Best Buy, PetSmart, Sports Authority and Office Depot. The center was acquired by Beachwood, Ohio-based Developers Diversified Realty in November 1995.
Sources:
"Shoppers' World" article on Wikipedia
"Massachusetts Turnpike" article on Wikipedia
www.framinghamnatickretail.com / Justin Tardiff webmaster http://framingham.wordpress.com/
Impressions of Craig Brickey, former Shoppers' World patron
"Shoppers' World" / Framingham News / October, 1951
A computer-generated rendering of the original NATICK MALL Sears. The store, a replacement for a smaller, catalogue and appliance operation at the adjacent SHOPPERS' WORLD, was razed in 1995. A new, 190,000 square foot store replaced this location in 1994.
A physical layout of the circa-'66 NATICK MALL. The 725,000 square
foot shopping venue was the second fully-enclosed mall in Greater
Boston. Its interior features included a fountain court in front of Sears
and tropical garden at the Filene's mall entrance.
A new version of NATICK MALL debuted in October 1995. The
core of Filene's, indicated in black, was the only remaininmg vestige
of the original mall. Now encompassing 1,155,000 leasable square
feet, the bi-level, superregional center housed two hundred stores
and services.
A view of the Penney's Wing, a part of the circa-1994 structure. The
store originally opened as a Jordan Marsh on September 16, 1994.
After a ten year stint as a Macy's, it reopened as a J.C. Penney on
March 4, 2007.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
The sole remaining structure from the original, 1966 NATICK MALL.
Formerly Filene's, the store was renovated and expanded in 1990-
1991. It received its present-day Macy's nameplate in late 2006.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
The store's mallside entryway.
Photo from www.framinghamnatickretail.com
A sign showing the new logo of the mall, which received a new name
-NATICK COLLECTION- in February 2007.
Photo from www.framinghamnatickretail.com
Neiman Marcus joined the retail roster in September 2007.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
Interior view of today's NATICK COLLECTION. Here we see a section
of the North Wing addition, completed in late 2007.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Katsuki"
A circa-'08 physical layout of General Growth Properties' NATICK
COLLECTION. The 1994 NATICK MALL (indicated in dark gray) was
expanded by 550,000 square feet, with a North Wing (shown in medium
gray). This was anchored by Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. With the
completion of the addition -in September 2007- the 1,705,000 square
foot mega-mall assumed the position of the largest shopping center in
New England.
Aerial of the NATICK COLLECTION, looking westward. The new
Neiman Marcus / Nordstrom North Wing is shown in the right half of
the photo.
Photo from www.ggp.com (General Growth Properties)
Three interior views of the architecturally-stunning North Wing
addition at NATICK COLLECTION.
Photos from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
NATICK MALL
Worcester Road and Speen Street
Natick, Massachusetts
The second shopping mall in the GOLDEN TRIANGLE was developed by S.R. Weiner and dedicated April 27, 1966. The fully-enclosed NATICK MALL sat on a 52 acre plot at the intersection of Worcester Road / State Route 9 and Speen Street.
Originally encompassing 725,000 leasable square feet, the single level center was built between two freestanding department stores; a 2-level (140,000 square foot), Boston-based Filene's and 2-level Sears. There were twenty-five inline stores, including F.W. Woolworth, Boston Baby, Hot Shoppes Cafeteria, Fanny Famer Candies and Brigham's Ice Cream.
The mall's major competitor, SHOPPERS' WORLD (1951) [September 2008 archive] was located less than a half mile west, just over the Framingham corporation line. The next retail rival was MALL AT CHESTNUT HILL (1974), in Newton. Then came ATRIUM MALL (1989), also in Newton, and SOLOMON POND MALL (1996), in Marlborough.
Boston Baby, one of the mall's two junior anchors, closed in the early 1980s. Its space was sectioned into twelve smaller store spaces; two of which being The Gap and My Store For Levis. A small Food Court was also installed.
Hot Shoppes Cafeteria, a charter tenant, had morphed into a York Steakhouse by the late-1970s. This business closed in 1985. Its area became new inline stores, such as J. Jill and Land's End, with the mall now housing fifty stores and services.
A major renovation was started in 1990, which was to include the addition of Jordan Marsh and Lord and Taylor anchor stores. Moreover, the mall proper was to be fitted with a second retail level.
As a first phase of the project, the existing Filene's was expanded into a 210,000 square foot store, with a new facade on two sides. Its grand reopening took place November 1, 1991.
The mall renovation project was halted in May 1992, when Chicago-based Homart Development bought NATICK MALL and the adjacent SHOPPERS' WORLD. A new plan was formulated, whereby both malls would be demolished. The larger SHOPPERS' WORLD property was to become an exclusive, bi-level, fully-enclosed mall, with the NATICK property being rebuilt as an open-air power center.
However, Filene's, who had just expanded and renovated their store at NATICK MALL, was reluctant to build a new store at the proposed SHOPPERS' WORLD. Homart decided to reverse the plan, reconstructing SHOPPERS' WORLD as a power center, while rebuilding NATICK into a superregional interior mall.
Tenants at NATICK MALL moved into vacant space at SHOPPERS' WORLD. In June 1993, the NATICK property was demolished, with only its Filene's left standing. A new, 1.1 million square foot, bi-level structure was erected. In addition to Filene's, it was to be anchored by a 2-level (190,000 square foot) Sears, 2-level (115,000 square foot) Lord and Taylor and 3-level (210,000 square foot) Jordan Marsh.
This was a new location for the Jordan Marsh "spaceship store" at SHOPPERS' WORLD, which had opened in 1951. The new NATICK operation was the eighteenth store in the chain and would turn out to be the last Jordan Marsh ever built. The store was "Macy-ated in 1996.
Encompassing over 200 stores, the new NATICK MALL was dedicated October 12, 1994. The 150 million dollar center, now the dominant mall in Boston's "MetroWest" suburbs, included an 11-bay Food Court and three parking garages. During its acquisition of Homart Development in 1995, Chicago's General Growth Properties added NATICK MALL to its property portfolio.
With the recently-expanded shopping center occupying all available space on the land parcel, GGP decided to purchase the 16 acre, Wonder Bread baking plant, on the north side of the property.
The 283,000 square foot factory, built in 1964, was demolished in September 2004, in anticipation of a major expansion of NATICK MALL. After a great deal of controversy and community opposition, work -on Phase One of the mall expansion- started August 30, 2005.
The first phase of the bi-level addition encompassed 550,000 square feet. Two anchor stores were built; a 2-level (144,000 square foot) Nordstrom and 2-level (112,000 square foot) Neiman Marcus, along with eighty inline stores.
The north parking structure of the circa-1994 mall had been demolished. It was replaced by two underground parking decks, built beneath the new Nordstrom / Neiman Marcus Wing, along with a sixth parking structure, located at the northwest of the mall complex.
The official grand opening of the Phase One addition was held September 6, 2007. The Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom locations opened September 15. The mall now encompassed 1,705,000 leasable square feet with over 270 stores and services. It assumed the position of the largest shopping mall in New England.
During the construction process, two anchor store rebrandings had taken place. On September 9, 2006, Filene's was "Macy-ated, resulting in a vacancy at the old Jordan Marsh / Macy's. This store reopened as a J.C. Penney March 4, 2007.
Likewise, a heated controversy had erupted when GGP bestowed a new name on the shopping center. It became known as simply "NATICK" on November 17, 2006. The city of Natick, concerned about the confusion that would result with a similarly-named city and shopping mall, implored the proprietors to cease and desist.
The mall's official moniker reverted to NATICK MALL on January 18, 2007. An all-new title, NATICK COLLECTION, was unveiled February 20, 2007.
The second phase of the NATICK COLLECTION expansion was completed in mid-2008 and entailed the addition of the 12-story, NOUVELLE AT NATICK condominiums. The two hundred and fifteen unit, luxury living project was to be the first mixed-use residential development directly connected into a retail mall.
A third expansion phase, the PROMENADE AT NATICK COLLECTION, is an open-air, lifestyle component, featuring a Cheesecake Factory, Maggiano's Little Italy and 2-level Crate and Barrel. This latest augmentation of mall space will be completed in November 2008.
Lastly, a fourth -and final- phase of expansion entails the construction of a ten-to-twelve story luxury hotel, which will be situated east of the J.C. Penney. Construction is expected to get underway in the spring of 2009.
Sources:
Craig Brickey, former "Mass" resident
"Original Natick Mall" video by "BlizzyTiger"
"Natick Collection" article on Wikipedia
"Framingham-Natick Retail / Justin Tardiff webmaster
www.labelscar.com
www.ggp.com
Worcester Road and Speen Street
Natick, Massachusetts
The second shopping mall in the GOLDEN TRIANGLE was developed by S.R. Weiner and dedicated April 27, 1966. The fully-enclosed NATICK MALL sat on a 52 acre plot at the intersection of Worcester Road / State Route 9 and Speen Street.
Originally encompassing 725,000 leasable square feet, the single level center was built between two freestanding department stores; a 2-level (140,000 square foot), Boston-based Filene's and 2-level Sears. There were twenty-five inline stores, including F.W. Woolworth, Boston Baby, Hot Shoppes Cafeteria, Fanny Famer Candies and Brigham's Ice Cream.
The mall's major competitor, SHOPPERS' WORLD (1951) [September 2008 archive] was located less than a half mile west, just over the Framingham corporation line. The next retail rival was MALL AT CHESTNUT HILL (1974), in Newton. Then came ATRIUM MALL (1989), also in Newton, and SOLOMON POND MALL (1996), in Marlborough.
Boston Baby, one of the mall's two junior anchors, closed in the early 1980s. Its space was sectioned into twelve smaller store spaces; two of which being The Gap and My Store For Levis. A small Food Court was also installed.
Hot Shoppes Cafeteria, a charter tenant, had morphed into a York Steakhouse by the late-1970s. This business closed in 1985. Its area became new inline stores, such as J. Jill and Land's End, with the mall now housing fifty stores and services.
A major renovation was started in 1990, which was to include the addition of Jordan Marsh and Lord and Taylor anchor stores. Moreover, the mall proper was to be fitted with a second retail level.
As a first phase of the project, the existing Filene's was expanded into a 210,000 square foot store, with a new facade on two sides. Its grand reopening took place November 1, 1991.
The mall renovation project was halted in May 1992, when Chicago-based Homart Development bought NATICK MALL and the adjacent SHOPPERS' WORLD. A new plan was formulated, whereby both malls would be demolished. The larger SHOPPERS' WORLD property was to become an exclusive, bi-level, fully-enclosed mall, with the NATICK property being rebuilt as an open-air power center.
However, Filene's, who had just expanded and renovated their store at NATICK MALL, was reluctant to build a new store at the proposed SHOPPERS' WORLD. Homart decided to reverse the plan, reconstructing SHOPPERS' WORLD as a power center, while rebuilding NATICK into a superregional interior mall.
Tenants at NATICK MALL moved into vacant space at SHOPPERS' WORLD. In June 1993, the NATICK property was demolished, with only its Filene's left standing. A new, 1.1 million square foot, bi-level structure was erected. In addition to Filene's, it was to be anchored by a 2-level (190,000 square foot) Sears, 2-level (115,000 square foot) Lord and Taylor and 3-level (210,000 square foot) Jordan Marsh.
This was a new location for the Jordan Marsh "spaceship store" at SHOPPERS' WORLD, which had opened in 1951. The new NATICK operation was the eighteenth store in the chain and would turn out to be the last Jordan Marsh ever built. The store was "Macy-ated in 1996.
Encompassing over 200 stores, the new NATICK MALL was dedicated October 12, 1994. The 150 million dollar center, now the dominant mall in Boston's "MetroWest" suburbs, included an 11-bay Food Court and three parking garages. During its acquisition of Homart Development in 1995, Chicago's General Growth Properties added NATICK MALL to its property portfolio.
With the recently-expanded shopping center occupying all available space on the land parcel, GGP decided to purchase the 16 acre, Wonder Bread baking plant, on the north side of the property.
The 283,000 square foot factory, built in 1964, was demolished in September 2004, in anticipation of a major expansion of NATICK MALL. After a great deal of controversy and community opposition, work -on Phase One of the mall expansion- started August 30, 2005.
The first phase of the bi-level addition encompassed 550,000 square feet. Two anchor stores were built; a 2-level (144,000 square foot) Nordstrom and 2-level (112,000 square foot) Neiman Marcus, along with eighty inline stores.
The north parking structure of the circa-1994 mall had been demolished. It was replaced by two underground parking decks, built beneath the new Nordstrom / Neiman Marcus Wing, along with a sixth parking structure, located at the northwest of the mall complex.
The official grand opening of the Phase One addition was held September 6, 2007. The Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom locations opened September 15. The mall now encompassed 1,705,000 leasable square feet with over 270 stores and services. It assumed the position of the largest shopping mall in New England.
During the construction process, two anchor store rebrandings had taken place. On September 9, 2006, Filene's was "Macy-ated, resulting in a vacancy at the old Jordan Marsh / Macy's. This store reopened as a J.C. Penney March 4, 2007.
Likewise, a heated controversy had erupted when GGP bestowed a new name on the shopping center. It became known as simply "NATICK" on November 17, 2006. The city of Natick, concerned about the confusion that would result with a similarly-named city and shopping mall, implored the proprietors to cease and desist.
The mall's official moniker reverted to NATICK MALL on January 18, 2007. An all-new title, NATICK COLLECTION, was unveiled February 20, 2007.
The second phase of the NATICK COLLECTION expansion was completed in mid-2008 and entailed the addition of the 12-story, NOUVELLE AT NATICK condominiums. The two hundred and fifteen unit, luxury living project was to be the first mixed-use residential development directly connected into a retail mall.
A third expansion phase, the PROMENADE AT NATICK COLLECTION, is an open-air, lifestyle component, featuring a Cheesecake Factory, Maggiano's Little Italy and 2-level Crate and Barrel. This latest augmentation of mall space will be completed in November 2008.
Lastly, a fourth -and final- phase of expansion entails the construction of a ten-to-twelve story luxury hotel, which will be situated east of the J.C. Penney. Construction is expected to get underway in the spring of 2009.
Sources:
Craig Brickey, former "Mass" resident
"Original Natick Mall" video by "BlizzyTiger"
"Natick Collection" article on Wikipedia
"Framingham-Natick Retail / Justin Tardiff webmaster
www.labelscar.com
www.ggp.com
DISCOUNT MARTS & MOVIE HOUSES
The Framingham-based Zayre flagship store, an anchor of Natick's
SHERWOOD PLAZA. Its grand opening took place on May 2, 1960.
Photo from http://framingham.wordpress.com
The Framingham-based Zayre flagship store, an anchor of Natick's
SHERWOOD PLAZA. Its grand opening took place on May 2, 1960.
Photo from http://framingham.wordpress.com
A contemporary view of SHERWOOD PLAZA, sans Zayre. That
venerable discount chain was absorbed by Rocky Hill, Connecticut-
based Ames in 1988. Ames folded in 2002.
Photo from www.loopnet.com
A New London, Connecticut-based Bradlees opened, across from the
SHOPPERS' WORLD mall, in the early 1960s.
Photo from www.thisisframingham.com / Joseph Kacoyannakis
_Framingham_Justin+Tardiff.jpg)
A newly-built, 103,200 square foot Kohl's took the place of the shuttered
Bradlees in October 2002.
Photo from www.framinghamnatickretail.com
A circa-1967 rendering of the proposed Loews Framingham. Originally,
it was to be the first Loews "twin-theatre". However, when the complex
was completed in 1969, it featured just a single auditorium. This was
twinned in in the early 1970s. The building was expanded, with third
and fourth screens, in the mid-'70s...and fifth and sixth screens in 1982.
The complex was shuttered -and then demolished- in early 2004.
Rendering from www.tobaccodocuments.org
Circuit City moved from a circa-1992 store, into a new location (on the
site of the old Loews Framingham) in October 2004.
Photo from www.framinghamnatickretail.com
ROUTE 30 MALL TENANTS, 1971:
FINAST SUPERMARKET / MEDI-SHACK PHARMACY / Beaconway Fabrics / Pick-A-Dilly / Drapery City / Hot or Miss / Leo LaChance Realty / Papa Gino's Pizza / The Creative Touch / Buyer's Cards and Gifts
FINAST SUPERMARKET / MEDI-SHACK PHARMACY / Beaconway Fabrics / Pick-A-Dilly / Drapery City / Hot or Miss / Leo LaChance Realty / Papa Gino's Pizza / The Creative Touch / Buyer's Cards and Gifts
Encompassing a total of only 68,700 leasable square feet and
eleven stores and services, the ROUTE 30 complex was the
second-smallest of the GOLDEN TRIANGLE mini-malls.
MARSHALLS MALL, spanning 57,400 square feet, was the
smallest.
From Finast to Filene's Basement...the anchor spot at
ROUTE 30 MALL has housed eight different retailers
over the mall's thirty-seven years in business.
ROUTE 30 MALL
Cochituate and Caldor Roads
Framingham, Massachusetts
The first of the GOLDEN TRIANGLE mini-malls was built by M.T. Rhodes, with a building permit -for an eleven store shopping center- being issued on May 20, 1970.
Known as simply the ROUTE 30 MALL, the 68,700 square foot structure occupied 5 acres, at the corner of Cochituate Road / State Route 30 and Caldor Road. The anchor store of the original complex was a First National, a.k.a. Finast, supermarket. The first inline stores opened in October 1970, with the center being fully tenanted by January 1971.
Apparently, the Finast grocery was unable to compete with Stop and Shop at the nearby SHOPPERS' WORLD [September 2008 archive]. The ROUTE 30 MALL store was shuttered, reopening as a Big Buy supermarket. This was short-lived, as well.
Over the years, tenants for the Finast space came and went. After Big Buy folded, the space was a Channel Home Center, Child World toy store, Computer City, Office Depot and Frugal Fannie's. This store closed in late 2003, with its space sitting vacant for over a year.
Burlington, Massachusetts-based Filene's Basement renovated the mall structure and opened a location, in the old Finast spot, on November 17, 2004.
Today, ROUTE 30 MALL hosts nine tenants. The shopping center is owned and operated by Rochester, New York-based First Allied Corporation, who acquired it in February 2005.
Sources:
Framingham Natick Retail / Justin Tardiff webmaster
Town of Framingham, Massachusetts online database
www.firstalliedcorp.com
Cochituate and Caldor Roads
Framingham, Massachusetts
The first of the GOLDEN TRIANGLE mini-malls was built by M.T. Rhodes, with a building permit -for an eleven store shopping center- being issued on May 20, 1970.
Known as simply the ROUTE 30 MALL, the 68,700 square foot structure occupied 5 acres, at the corner of Cochituate Road / State Route 30 and Caldor Road. The anchor store of the original complex was a First National, a.k.a. Finast, supermarket. The first inline stores opened in October 1970, with the center being fully tenanted by January 1971.
Apparently, the Finast grocery was unable to compete with Stop and Shop at the nearby SHOPPERS' WORLD [September 2008 archive]. The ROUTE 30 MALL store was shuttered, reopening as a Big Buy supermarket. This was short-lived, as well.
Over the years, tenants for the Finast space came and went. After Big Buy folded, the space was a Channel Home Center, Child World toy store, Computer City, Office Depot and Frugal Fannie's. This store closed in late 2003, with its space sitting vacant for over a year.
Burlington, Massachusetts-based Filene's Basement renovated the mall structure and opened a location, in the old Finast spot, on November 17, 2004.
Today, ROUTE 30 MALL hosts nine tenants. The shopping center is owned and operated by Rochester, New York-based First Allied Corporation, who acquired it in February 2005.
Sources:
Framingham Natick Retail / Justin Tardiff webmaster
Town of Framingham, Massachusetts online database
www.firstalliedcorp.com
The original, 1979 CLOVERLEAF MALL. The center is anchored by Kmart
and Service Merchandise. The Michigan-based discount chain had a short
run at the complex. It was replaced by a Burlington Coat Factory within a
few years. Service Merchandise held on until 2002.
A circa-mid-'90s site plan. After several modifications, the MALL is no
longer a MALL. The interior corridor has been engulfed by surrounding
stores and all retailers are now accessed via exterior entrances.
Now going as CLOVERLEAF MARKETPLACE, the center has a new
eastern anchor (Golfer's Warehouse) and a recently-completed junior
anchor (Ethan Allen Design Center).
Ethan Allen added a new Design Center to the MARKETPLACE in 2003.
Photo from www.forestproperties.net
A frontal view of the store.
Photo from www.framinghamnatickretail.com
CLOVERLEAF APARTMENTS, a newly-opened residential complex, built
on the CLOVERLEAF MARKETPLACE parcel. Approval for the construc-
tion of the 183-unit structure was granted in 2006, following five years of
litigation.
Rendering from www.forestproperties.net
CLOVERLEAF MALL
Speen Street and Superior Drive
Natick, Massachusetts
The second of the GOLDEN TRIANGLE mini-malls was built on the site of the former Natick Drive-in Theater, which opened for business June 30, 1950 and closed in 1977.
Known as CLOVERLEAF MALL, the 225,000 square foot, single-level shopping venue was completed in 1978 and was originally anchored by a 25,000 square foot, Brentwood, Tennessee-based Service Merchandise and a larger K-Mart.
The K-Mart was short-lived, as it may have been unable to compete with three other discount mart-type stores in the immediate area. The store was shuttered and reopened as a Burlington Coat Factory.
By the early 1990s, most of the mall's south side tenant space had been incorporated into an exterior-entranced Michael's Arts and Crafts. After this, the mallway accessed only the Burlington Coat Factory, adjacent Paperama, Gino's Pizza, Beauty-Rama and Guitar Center stores. Service Merchandise, which had both exterior and interior entrances, opted to seal off their interior mall connection.
Eventually, the entire mallway was incorporated into additional space for Burlington Coat Factory and Guitar Center. Paperama / Paper Warehouse went out of business, with an expanded Burlington Coat Factory taking its space. All mall stores were now accessed only from the outside.
Two expansions of mall area were built on the west side of the center during the 1990s. The first was DirectTire. This was followed by a K and G Men's Superstore.
The Service Merchandise location closed, along with the entire chain, in early 2002. Its space was retenanted by Hartford, Connecticut-based Golfer's Warehouse. The next change at the shopping center, now going as CLOVERLEAF MARKETPLACE, involved the demolition of the K and G location. Its space was taken by a newly-built (20,000 square foot), Ethan Allen Design Center. This came inline in 2003.
A proposal for a 183 unit, 10-story apartment complex was submitted to the Town of Natick in 2001. Five years of litigation followed, with approval finally granted for construction of the project in late 2006. CLOVERLEAF APARTMENTS, occupying the northeast corner of the mall site, began leasing units in early 2008.
Today, CLOVERLEAF MARKETPLACE is owned by Elson Cloverleaf Limited Partnership, who acquired the property in May 1994. Newton, Massachusetts-based Forest Properties is the managing agent.
Sources:
Framingham Natick retail / Justin Tardiff webmaster
www.framinghamwordpress.com
www.natickmassinfo.com
www.forestproperties.net
Speen Street and Superior Drive
Natick, Massachusetts
The second of the GOLDEN TRIANGLE mini-malls was built on the site of the former Natick Drive-in Theater, which opened for business June 30, 1950 and closed in 1977.
Known as CLOVERLEAF MALL, the 225,000 square foot, single-level shopping venue was completed in 1978 and was originally anchored by a 25,000 square foot, Brentwood, Tennessee-based Service Merchandise and a larger K-Mart.
The K-Mart was short-lived, as it may have been unable to compete with three other discount mart-type stores in the immediate area. The store was shuttered and reopened as a Burlington Coat Factory.
By the early 1990s, most of the mall's south side tenant space had been incorporated into an exterior-entranced Michael's Arts and Crafts. After this, the mallway accessed only the Burlington Coat Factory, adjacent Paperama, Gino's Pizza, Beauty-Rama and Guitar Center stores. Service Merchandise, which had both exterior and interior entrances, opted to seal off their interior mall connection.
Eventually, the entire mallway was incorporated into additional space for Burlington Coat Factory and Guitar Center. Paperama / Paper Warehouse went out of business, with an expanded Burlington Coat Factory taking its space. All mall stores were now accessed only from the outside.
Two expansions of mall area were built on the west side of the center during the 1990s. The first was DirectTire. This was followed by a K and G Men's Superstore.
The Service Merchandise location closed, along with the entire chain, in early 2002. Its space was retenanted by Hartford, Connecticut-based Golfer's Warehouse. The next change at the shopping center, now going as CLOVERLEAF MARKETPLACE, involved the demolition of the K and G location. Its space was taken by a newly-built (20,000 square foot), Ethan Allen Design Center. This came inline in 2003.
A proposal for a 183 unit, 10-story apartment complex was submitted to the Town of Natick in 2001. Five years of litigation followed, with approval finally granted for construction of the project in late 2006. CLOVERLEAF APARTMENTS, occupying the northeast corner of the mall site, began leasing units in early 2008.
Today, CLOVERLEAF MARKETPLACE is owned by Elson Cloverleaf Limited Partnership, who acquired the property in May 1994. Newton, Massachusetts-based Forest Properties is the managing agent.
Sources:
Framingham Natick retail / Justin Tardiff webmaster
www.framinghamwordpress.com
www.natickmassinfo.com
www.forestproperties.net
Framingham Mall
*
At the time of its opening, the western anchor of the shopping center,
Lechmere, was owned by Minnesota's Dayton-Hudson Corporation.
They sold the chain in 1989...but ended up buying back this particular
property -along with the entire mall- in 1999.
The third mini-mall built in the GOLDEN TRIANGLE was completed
in early 1979. The complex was fully-tenanted by early 1980.
The TARGET GREATLAND HomeGoods is the only structure remaining
from the old FRAMINGHAM MALL. The store, previously a Filene's
Basement, opened in August 2000.
Photo from www.framinghamnatickretail.com
The primary anchor of today's 173,600 square foot shopping plaza.
Target debuted their Framingham location in October 2001.
Photo from www.framinghamnatickretail.com
FRAMINGHAM MALL
Cochituate Road and Whittier Street
Framingham, Massachusetts
The third GOLDEN TRIANGLE mini-mall was developed by Framingham Arbor Incorporated and built on a 14.2 acre site, at the intersection of Cochituate Road / State Route 30 and Whittier Street. The tentative name of the nineteen-store complex was WHITTIER MALL. However, by its January 1979 completion, the official name had become FRAMINGHAM MALL.
The single-level shopping venue was anchored by a Woburn ["woo-burn"], Massachusetts-based Lechmere ["leech-meer"] on the west end and Burlington, Massachusetts-based Filene's Basement on the east. Inline stores included Fanny Farmer Candies, B. Dalton Bookseller and Frederick's of Hollywood.
The retail hub did well until the redevelopment of the SHOPPERS WORLD and NATICK MALL complexes [September 2008 archive], in the mid-1990s. The shuttering of Lechmere, in November 1997, was the beginning of the end.
To counter the mall's decline, a facelift renovation was done in 1998...but was too little and too late. Moreover, a deal to sign Home Depot-owned, Expo Design Center as a new tenant for the vacant Lechmere space fell through. The mall was sold to the Minnesota-based Dayton-Hudson (nee Target) Corporation [August 2008 archive} in August 1999.
The new owners decided to raze the existing mall in mid-2000, leaving only its 25,000 square foot Filene's Basement structure standing. This store had closed earlier in the year. It was renovated into a Framingham-based Home Goods, which opened August 13, 2000.
The remainder of the original mall site was taken by a new, 1-level (143,000 square foot) Target Greatland and three smaller inline stores. Target held its grand opening October 14, 2001. The 173,600 square foot center was fully-leased by 2004.
Sources:
Framingham Natick Retail / Justin Tardiff webmaster
Town of Framingham, Massachusetts online database
"Home Goods", "Lechmere" and "Filene's Basement articles on Wikipedia
Cochituate Road and Whittier Street
Framingham, Massachusetts
The third GOLDEN TRIANGLE mini-mall was developed by Framingham Arbor Incorporated and built on a 14.2 acre site, at the intersection of Cochituate Road / State Route 30 and Whittier Street. The tentative name of the nineteen-store complex was WHITTIER MALL. However, by its January 1979 completion, the official name had become FRAMINGHAM MALL.
The single-level shopping venue was anchored by a Woburn ["woo-burn"], Massachusetts-based Lechmere ["leech-meer"] on the west end and Burlington, Massachusetts-based Filene's Basement on the east. Inline stores included Fanny Farmer Candies, B. Dalton Bookseller and Frederick's of Hollywood.
The retail hub did well until the redevelopment of the SHOPPERS WORLD and NATICK MALL complexes [September 2008 archive], in the mid-1990s. The shuttering of Lechmere, in November 1997, was the beginning of the end.
To counter the mall's decline, a facelift renovation was done in 1998...but was too little and too late. Moreover, a deal to sign Home Depot-owned, Expo Design Center as a new tenant for the vacant Lechmere space fell through. The mall was sold to the Minnesota-based Dayton-Hudson (nee Target) Corporation [August 2008 archive} in August 1999.
The new owners decided to raze the existing mall in mid-2000, leaving only its 25,000 square foot Filene's Basement structure standing. This store had closed earlier in the year. It was renovated into a Framingham-based Home Goods, which opened August 13, 2000.
The remainder of the original mall site was taken by a new, 1-level (143,000 square foot) Target Greatland and three smaller inline stores. Target held its grand opening October 14, 2001. The 173,600 square foot center was fully-leased by 2004.
Sources:
Framingham Natick Retail / Justin Tardiff webmaster
Town of Framingham, Massachusetts online database
"Home Goods", "Lechmere" and "Filene's Basement articles on Wikipedia
THE CREDIT WHERE DUE DEPARTMENT:
The preceding section was compiled, with a lion's share of assistance, from the FRAMINGHAM NATICK RETAIL site
[ www.framinghamnatickretail.com ].
I wish to thank the webmaster, Justin Tardiff, for providing so much material on the malls of Massachusetts' GOLDEN TRIANGLE area.
I could not have done this section without Justin's thoroughly-researched source material and photos.
The preceding section was compiled, with a lion's share of assistance, from the FRAMINGHAM NATICK RETAIL site
[ www.framinghamnatickretail.com ].
I wish to thank the webmaster, Justin Tardiff, for providing so much material on the malls of Massachusetts' GOLDEN TRIANGLE area.
I could not have done this section without Justin's thoroughly-researched source material and photos.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
