Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The south store block, with Famous-Barr in the background. This
rendering was derived from one of Rob Power's photos, from his
www.builtstlouis.net website.
A physical layout of the center, during its early years. The stores at
the front faced onto an upper level of parking, while those on the
first level were accessed from a lower parking lot in the rear. There
were also several outparcels, such as Northland Cinema, which opened
in 1967.
The North Court, with Famous-Barr on the left. This rendering
-derived from another of Rob Power's photos- shows the visually-
intriguing angularity of the shopping center. This aspect was
obviously given much thought by its designers....something sadly
lacking in the conception of today's cookie-cutter-concocted
shopping centers.
A sight no longer seen, a Mid-Mod Burger Chef hamburger stand. A
store just like the one seen here once occupied the southeast corner
of the NORTHLAND CENTER site. Frankly, I think that the flame-
broiled Big Chef was the best-tasting cheesburger ever!
NORTHLAND CENTER
West Florissant Avenue and Lucas and Hunt Road
Jennings, Missouri
One of the earliest regional shopping centers in metropolitan Saint Louis opened in August 1955. It was located 7 miles northwest of the downtown area, in the "North County" suburb of Jennings, Missouri.
NORTHLAND CENTER was not a shopping mall, per se, but is being inducted into the Mall Hall Of Fame because of its sheer size (at the time, among the largest of America's suburban shopping complexes), its stunning 'Mid Mod" architectural details and its unique design.
The 60 acre complex was developed by the Saint Louis-based Nooney and Company; Russell Mullgardt, Schwartz and Van Hoef were its architects.
NORTHLAND was, in essence, a strip shopping center, but was complex, and clever, in layout. It was anchored by a huge, Saint Louis-based Famous-Barr, from which its three store blocks extended.
The first (on the Upper -front-facing- Level) was connected to the north side of Famous-Barr. The second (also a part of the Upper -front-facing- Level) was on Famous Barr's south side. A Lower -rear-facing- store block was situated below the entire Upper Level of the shopping center and also had a single-level wing stretching to the northwest.
The NORTHLAND Famous-Barr was the department store chain's first shopping center location. The 5-level (331,000 square foot) store was almost as large as the downtown flagship and was nearly twice the size of any of the suburban stores that followed it. Its interior was done in grand style, with fine wood paneling and floors of marble.
All retail spaces of the open-air shopping center were air-conditioned, which -in 1955- was still considered something of a luxury. Moreover, there was ample parking in the upper and lower level lots.
NORTHLAND opened with forty-five stores, including an S.S. Kresge 5 and 10, Walgreen Drug, Pope's Cafeteria and Lerner Shop. A bowling alley was added to the Lower Level, Northwest Wing. There were also several outparcel structures, such as Schnucks Foods, Goodyear Tire and Auto and 3-level Medical Center (which eventually became an office complex).
The first retail competitor in the area, RIVER ROADS MALL (1961), 1.5 miles east of NORTHLAND, was also in Jennings. Next, came NORTHWEST PLAZA (1966). It was located 6 miles west, in unincorporated St. Ann. JAMESTOWN MALL, 6 miles north, near Florissant, was completed in 1977. Even with all of its regional retail rivals, NORTHLAND prospered.
The situation began to change by the late 1980s, when the demographics of the area surrounding the center had shifted. By the early 1990s, the once-fabulous Famous-Barr was a derelict, delapidated shadow of its former self.
The national chain mall merchants had long since vacated. Space in the center was now leased by smaller, local retailers. In 1994, Famous-Barr pulled out; a blow from which the thirty-nine year-old shopping center could not recover.
NORTHLAND, once a regional-class shopping venue, was now more on the level of an over-sized, community retail center. Its nearest interstate highway connection, over 1 mile south, left it not within easy access of the surrounding population. It wasn't long before its owners, the Saint Louis-based Sansome Group, began to view it as an obsolete, dinosaur structure.
And so, the typical, oft-repeated scenario was underway. A unique, architecturally-significant, mid-20th century retail center had outlived its -perceived- usefulness. No consideration was given to its importance as an historic structure, well worthy of restoration.
It was not old enough to benefit from any mandated preservation effort. In April 2005, it had its destiny date with the wrecking ball. The site is now home to a mundane power center, PLAZA ON THE BOULEVARD.
As an adjunct here, anyone wanting to read more detailed accounts of NORTHLAND CENTER- or wanting to see photographs of the grand, mid-century modern shopping complex -should consult Toby Weiss' splendid tribute website "Toby Weiss' Northland" [www.tobyweiss.com] or Rob Power's "Built Saint Louis / Northland" [www.builtstlouis.net].
Sources:
www.builtstlouis.net/northland
www.tobyweiss.com
"Northland Center" article on Dead Malls.com / Ed Franke's Commentary
"The Final Sale - The decision to Close the Famous-Barr Northland Store" / Saint Louis University John Cook School Of Business, Emerson Center for Business Ethics / International Journal of Case Studies and Research / Volume 5, Number 1, 1997 / Jim Fisher, Dr. Mark J. Arnold and John T. Rueue
West Florissant Avenue and Lucas and Hunt Road
Jennings, Missouri
One of the earliest regional shopping centers in metropolitan Saint Louis opened in August 1955. It was located 7 miles northwest of the downtown area, in the "North County" suburb of Jennings, Missouri.
NORTHLAND CENTER was not a shopping mall, per se, but is being inducted into the Mall Hall Of Fame because of its sheer size (at the time, among the largest of America's suburban shopping complexes), its stunning 'Mid Mod" architectural details and its unique design.
The 60 acre complex was developed by the Saint Louis-based Nooney and Company; Russell Mullgardt, Schwartz and Van Hoef were its architects.
NORTHLAND was, in essence, a strip shopping center, but was complex, and clever, in layout. It was anchored by a huge, Saint Louis-based Famous-Barr, from which its three store blocks extended.
The first (on the Upper -front-facing- Level) was connected to the north side of Famous-Barr. The second (also a part of the Upper -front-facing- Level) was on Famous Barr's south side. A Lower -rear-facing- store block was situated below the entire Upper Level of the shopping center and also had a single-level wing stretching to the northwest.
The NORTHLAND Famous-Barr was the department store chain's first shopping center location. The 5-level (331,000 square foot) store was almost as large as the downtown flagship and was nearly twice the size of any of the suburban stores that followed it. Its interior was done in grand style, with fine wood paneling and floors of marble.
All retail spaces of the open-air shopping center were air-conditioned, which -in 1955- was still considered something of a luxury. Moreover, there was ample parking in the upper and lower level lots.
NORTHLAND opened with forty-five stores, including an S.S. Kresge 5 and 10, Walgreen Drug, Pope's Cafeteria and Lerner Shop. A bowling alley was added to the Lower Level, Northwest Wing. There were also several outparcel structures, such as Schnucks Foods, Goodyear Tire and Auto and 3-level Medical Center (which eventually became an office complex).
The first retail competitor in the area, RIVER ROADS MALL (1961), 1.5 miles east of NORTHLAND, was also in Jennings. Next, came NORTHWEST PLAZA (1966). It was located 6 miles west, in unincorporated St. Ann. JAMESTOWN MALL, 6 miles north, near Florissant, was completed in 1977. Even with all of its regional retail rivals, NORTHLAND prospered.
The situation began to change by the late 1980s, when the demographics of the area surrounding the center had shifted. By the early 1990s, the once-fabulous Famous-Barr was a derelict, delapidated shadow of its former self.
The national chain mall merchants had long since vacated. Space in the center was now leased by smaller, local retailers. In 1994, Famous-Barr pulled out; a blow from which the thirty-nine year-old shopping center could not recover.
NORTHLAND, once a regional-class shopping venue, was now more on the level of an over-sized, community retail center. Its nearest interstate highway connection, over 1 mile south, left it not within easy access of the surrounding population. It wasn't long before its owners, the Saint Louis-based Sansome Group, began to view it as an obsolete, dinosaur structure.
And so, the typical, oft-repeated scenario was underway. A unique, architecturally-significant, mid-20th century retail center had outlived its -perceived- usefulness. No consideration was given to its importance as an historic structure, well worthy of restoration.
It was not old enough to benefit from any mandated preservation effort. In April 2005, it had its destiny date with the wrecking ball. The site is now home to a mundane power center, PLAZA ON THE BOULEVARD.
As an adjunct here, anyone wanting to read more detailed accounts of NORTHLAND CENTER- or wanting to see photographs of the grand, mid-century modern shopping complex -should consult Toby Weiss' splendid tribute website "Toby Weiss' Northland" [www.tobyweiss.com] or Rob Power's "Built Saint Louis / Northland" [www.builtstlouis.net].
Sources:
www.builtstlouis.net/northland
www.tobyweiss.com
"Northland Center" article on Dead Malls.com / Ed Franke's Commentary
"The Final Sale - The decision to Close the Famous-Barr Northland Store" / Saint Louis University John Cook School Of Business, Emerson Center for Business Ethics / International Journal of Case Studies and Research / Volume 5, Number 1, 1997 / Jim Fisher, Dr. Mark J. Arnold and John T. Rueue
St. Louis' Crestwood Plaza
An aerial of the mid-century merchandising mecca, taken after the
1967 addition of Stix, Baer and Fuller (upper right corner).
Photo from www.millstonebangert.com
An aerial of the mid-century merchandising mecca, taken after the
1967 addition of Stix, Baer and Fuller (upper right corner).
Photo from www.millstonebangert.com
The original strip center, which was located on America's legendary
Route 66 highway. One might even imagine Todd Stiles and Buzz
Murdoch pulling the Corvette into the Sears Auto Center for a new
set of tires...hee hee.
1969, and CRESTWOOD PLAZA was an enclosed mall...well, partially,
anyway. A mall corridor -and Stix, Baer and Fuller- were added to
the east end of the existing complex. Also, the Vandervoort's location
had been bought -and rebranded- by Famous-Barr.
1984, and the open-air strip center becomes a fully-enclosed retail
complex. At the time, it was one of -if not the- largest interior malls
in the region.
A 1999 physical layout of the Westfield-owned shopopolis. By now,
the mall was in a downward spiral, with way too many vacant
storefronts. Apparently, the shopping center was too close to the ST.
LOUIS GALLERIA.
CRESTWOOD PLAZA
Watson Road / US 66 and Sappington Road
Crestwood, Missouri
The third regional shopping center in the St. Louis Metro was situated on 48 acres, 12 miles southwest of the downtown area. CRESTWOOD PLAZA was developed by Milton and Lewis Zorensky / Hycel Properties and completed in 1957.
Originally an open-air, strip-format complex with a single retail level and service basement, CRESTWOOD PLAZA was anchored by a 2-level (156,600 square foot), St. Louis-based Scruggs, Vandervoort and Barney (the second suburban branch in the chain) and 2-Level (221,300 square foot) Sears.
The center's thirty-five charter tenants included Walgreen Drug, Lerner Shops, F.W. Woolworth and a Kroger supermarket.
There was no on-site cinema at the circa-'57 center. However, the 66 Park-In, a drive-in theater, had opened in 1948. It was located directly across from the shopping center and was in business until 1994. A sit-down venue, the Crestwood Theatre, operated between 1964 and 1986. It was located one half mile west of CRESTWOOD PLAZA, on Watson Road.
Commercial competitors of CRESTWOOD included WESTROADS CENTER (1955), near Richmond Heights, SOUTH COUNTY CENTER (1963), near Mehlville, and WEST COUNTY CENTER (1969), in Des Peres.
A fully-enclosed mall structure was added to the existing strip center in 1967. It was built over a two-level parking garage and included a 3-level (240,000 square foot), St. Louis-based Stix, Baer and Fuller.
Anchor rebrandings at CRESTWOOD PLAZA commenced in 1969, when St. Louis-based Famous-Barr bought the Vandervoort's store. The Stix nameplated lasted until 1984, when the chain was purchased by Dillard's.
A second expansion of the shopping venue was completed in 1984. During this project, the Woolworth wing at the front of the complex was razed. The remaining strip center and adjacent mall building were rebuilt into a fully-enclosed shopping mall of nearly 1 million leasable square feet.
A large food court was installed in the basement along with the 5-screen, AMC Crestwood 5 multiplex. The newly-created mall housed over one hundred and forty stores and services, including The Limited, The Gap and Zales Jewelers.
Australia-based Westfield Holdings (now the Westfield Group) acquired the mall in January 1998. The following year, a third expansion came inline which included the construction of a new 10-screen, AMC multiplex in the northeast corner of the complex. The original basement level theater became a video arcade.
In a questionable attempt at branding all of its retail properties, Westfield saddled the shopping center with the lengthy name WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN CRESTWOOD...eventually shortened to WESTFIELD CRESTWOOD.
By the early 2000s, the shopping center was in decline. The typical scenario of changing regional demographics had taken its toll on the mall. Moreover, the proximity of ST. LOUIS GALLERIA (a 1985-'86 rebuild of WESTROADS CENTER) did not bode well for the CRESTWOOD complex.
Famous-Barr considered closing its WESTFIELD CRESTWOOD location in September 2005. However, the store remained open up to -and after- its "Macy-ation" in September 2006. Dillard's did pull the plug on their store in October 2007...leaving approximately sixty other retailers in business.
The struggling center was sold to a joint venture of Chicago-based Centrum Properties and New York City-based Angelo, Gordon and Company in March 2008. The official name of the retail hub was changed to CRESTWOOD COURT.
An ambitious redevelopment was soon announced, with most of the existing structure to be demolished and replaced with an open-air, lifestyle center. However, given the shaky economy of late and the shuttering of the mall's Macy's in early 2009, one would imagine that this project might be mothballed until the retail scene begins to improve.
Sources:
www.deadmall.com / K.C. Dierkes' commentary
www.westfield.com
www.joneslanglasalle.com
www.city-data.com
www.cinematreasures.com / Charles Van Bibber submission
Watson Road / US 66 and Sappington Road
Crestwood, Missouri
The third regional shopping center in the St. Louis Metro was situated on 48 acres, 12 miles southwest of the downtown area. CRESTWOOD PLAZA was developed by Milton and Lewis Zorensky / Hycel Properties and completed in 1957.
Originally an open-air, strip-format complex with a single retail level and service basement, CRESTWOOD PLAZA was anchored by a 2-level (156,600 square foot), St. Louis-based Scruggs, Vandervoort and Barney (the second suburban branch in the chain) and 2-Level (221,300 square foot) Sears.
The center's thirty-five charter tenants included Walgreen Drug, Lerner Shops, F.W. Woolworth and a Kroger supermarket.
There was no on-site cinema at the circa-'57 center. However, the 66 Park-In, a drive-in theater, had opened in 1948. It was located directly across from the shopping center and was in business until 1994. A sit-down venue, the Crestwood Theatre, operated between 1964 and 1986. It was located one half mile west of CRESTWOOD PLAZA, on Watson Road.
Commercial competitors of CRESTWOOD included WESTROADS CENTER (1955), near Richmond Heights, SOUTH COUNTY CENTER (1963), near Mehlville, and WEST COUNTY CENTER (1969), in Des Peres.
A fully-enclosed mall structure was added to the existing strip center in 1967. It was built over a two-level parking garage and included a 3-level (240,000 square foot), St. Louis-based Stix, Baer and Fuller.
Anchor rebrandings at CRESTWOOD PLAZA commenced in 1969, when St. Louis-based Famous-Barr bought the Vandervoort's store. The Stix nameplated lasted until 1984, when the chain was purchased by Dillard's.
A second expansion of the shopping venue was completed in 1984. During this project, the Woolworth wing at the front of the complex was razed. The remaining strip center and adjacent mall building were rebuilt into a fully-enclosed shopping mall of nearly 1 million leasable square feet.
A large food court was installed in the basement along with the 5-screen, AMC Crestwood 5 multiplex. The newly-created mall housed over one hundred and forty stores and services, including The Limited, The Gap and Zales Jewelers.
Australia-based Westfield Holdings (now the Westfield Group) acquired the mall in January 1998. The following year, a third expansion came inline which included the construction of a new 10-screen, AMC multiplex in the northeast corner of the complex. The original basement level theater became a video arcade.
In a questionable attempt at branding all of its retail properties, Westfield saddled the shopping center with the lengthy name WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN CRESTWOOD...eventually shortened to WESTFIELD CRESTWOOD.
By the early 2000s, the shopping center was in decline. The typical scenario of changing regional demographics had taken its toll on the mall. Moreover, the proximity of ST. LOUIS GALLERIA (a 1985-'86 rebuild of WESTROADS CENTER) did not bode well for the CRESTWOOD complex.
Famous-Barr considered closing its WESTFIELD CRESTWOOD location in September 2005. However, the store remained open up to -and after- its "Macy-ation" in September 2006. Dillard's did pull the plug on their store in October 2007...leaving approximately sixty other retailers in business.
The struggling center was sold to a joint venture of Chicago-based Centrum Properties and New York City-based Angelo, Gordon and Company in March 2008. The official name of the retail hub was changed to CRESTWOOD COURT.
An ambitious redevelopment was soon announced, with most of the existing structure to be demolished and replaced with an open-air, lifestyle center. However, given the shaky economy of late and the shuttering of the mall's Macy's in early 2009, one would imagine that this project might be mothballed until the retail scene begins to improve.
Sources:
www.deadmall.com / K.C. Dierkes' commentary
www.westfield.com
www.joneslanglasalle.com
www.city-data.com
www.cinematreasures.com / Charles Van Bibber submission
A circa-'61 site plan of the Show-Me State's second interior mall.
The first, Kansas City's WARD PARKWAY CENTER, came inline
in 1959.
RIVER ROADS MALL TENANTS 1962
(PARTIAL LIST):
STIX, BAER AND FULLER (with Snack Bar and Pavilion Restaurant) / J.C. PENNEY (dry goods only) / F.W. WOOLWORTH (with lunch counter and Steamboat Room Restaurant) / Walgreen Drug (with lunch counter and Wag's Restaurant) / Kroger / Lane Bryant / Wolf's For Men / Downs For Men / Spencer's Lanes Bowling Alley (basement level) / Plattner's Modern Man / Regal Shoes / Hardy Shoes / Thom McAn Shoes / Robins Shoes / Hartig Jewelers / Vicki's Cards / Union Jack / Singer Sewing Center / Dandy Men's Store / S and H Green Stamps Redemption Center
(PARTIAL LIST):
STIX, BAER AND FULLER (with Snack Bar and Pavilion Restaurant) / J.C. PENNEY (dry goods only) / F.W. WOOLWORTH (with lunch counter and Steamboat Room Restaurant) / Walgreen Drug (with lunch counter and Wag's Restaurant) / Kroger / Lane Bryant / Wolf's For Men / Downs For Men / Spencer's Lanes Bowling Alley (basement level) / Plattner's Modern Man / Regal Shoes / Hardy Shoes / Thom McAn Shoes / Robins Shoes / Hartig Jewelers / Vicki's Cards / Union Jack / Singer Sewing Center / Dandy Men's Store / S and H Green Stamps Redemption Center
RIVER ROADS, during its incarnation as a discount-oriented outlet
center. By this time, J.C. Penney, added to the mall in 1971, had been
demoted to a clearance store. Dillard's, who rebranded the Stix store
in 1984, stayed in business at the location for only two years.
Two shots of the mall in its better days. Here we see the Stix, Baer and
Fuller anchor store, which was the retailer's second suburban branch.
The Pavilion Restaurant was located in the structure on the left.
Photo from Michael Allen
The mall's Woolworth 5 and 10, in 1988. In 1961, this was the New York
City-based chain's largest shopping center store. It was shuttered in the
spring of 1991.
Photo from Michael Allen
A circa-2004 shot of the portal of the mall's service tunnel. The
long-abandoned Stix store looms in the background.
Photo from Michael Allen
northeast.
Photo from Michael Allen
RIVER ROADS MALL
Jennings Station and Halls Ferry Roads
Jennings, Missouri
The second fully-enclosed shopping center in the Show-Me State, and the first in Metropolitan St. Louis, was developed by St. Louis-based Stix, Baer and Fuller and opened for business in the fall of 1961.
RIVER ROADS MALL sat on 55 acres, 8 miles northwest of the urban core. The original center was anchored by a 3-level (250,000 square foot) Stix store (the second suburban branch in the chain). The mall structure consisted of a main level of retail and service basement with a forty-two lane bowling alley.
At the time of the mall's completion, its 2-level (62,000 square foot) Woolworth was the largest shopping center location in the 2,200 store chain.
Inline stores in the circa-'61 RIVER ROADS included Singer Sewing Center, Hardy Shoes, Dandy's Men's Store and Walgreen Drug, as well as an S & H Green Stamps Redemption Center and Kroger supermarket.
There were also several sit-down restaurants in the mall. Woolworth operated a lunch counter and the Steamboat Room. Walgreen Drug had its Wag's Restaurant. Stix, Baer and Fuller featured the Pavilion, which overlooked a lavish sunken garden. There were also dining options at the restaurant and cocktail lounge in the basement bowling alley.
An expansion and renovation of the shopping center was done in 1970-'71. A 3-level (200,000 square foot) J.C. Penney was constructed on the north side of the complex and the mall's interior was redecorated in a Moorish Modern motif. With this renovation, the retail hub encompassed 600,000 leasable square feet.
The primary retail rival of RIVER ROADS had always been NORTHLAND CENTER (1955), also in Jennings. In addition, there were CROSS KEYS CENTER (1969) in Florissant and JAMESTOWN MALL (1977), near Florissant.
Anchor alterations at RIVER ROADS began in 1984. Stix, Baer and Fuller became Dillard's and J.C. Penney was demoted to the status of an Outlet Center. Kroger closed in 1986 and reopened as Food For Less. Dillard's shuttered their store in 1986, as well. Soon the mall was in a downward spiral exacerbated by the decline of the area around it.
Buffalo-based Benderson Development bought the mall in July 1988 and attempted to repositioned it as a regional discount outlet center, with varying degrees of success. By this time, the shopping center had become notorious as a haven for criminal activity.
A redevelopment / demolition plan was proposed in 1990, which was approved by the Jennings City Council in 1992. However, no progress was made beyond this point. The mall, experiencing more and more vacancies, began to deteriorate.
Woolworth was shuttered in 1991, with the J.C. Penney Outlet Center closing for good in May 1994. A proposed acquisition by the British-based Midland Group fell through at this time. The interior of the "vacant shell of a shopping center" shut down in June 1995, leaving only exterior-entranced stores in operation.
The complex, purchased by Raleigh, North Carolina-based Whichard Realty in 2000, was "flipped" by Whichard...with St Louis-based Taylor-Morley Homes becoming its new owner. Their redevelopment plan came to light in January 2001.
This deal fell through when the two families owning the Taylor-Morley organization split-up. St. Louis-based Pyramid development entered the picture. They proposed a 66 million dollar demolition and construction project, which was to include office space, residential units, retail stores and a new city hall for Jennings.
Demolition of RIVER ROADS MALL got underway in late 2006 and was completed in the summer of 2007. Only the Kroger / Food For Less and Penney's / Firestone Auto Center were left standing.
Pyramid Development shut down in May 2008. The newly-cleared mall site, now a gaping hole filled with rain water and breeding mosquitos, sits idle with no new construction taking place. Any further development appears unlikely at this time.
Sources:
"River Roads Mall" article on Wikipedia
www.umsl.edu
www.deadmalls.com
www.builtstlouis.net
Information from "Dan A2k"
www.slfp.com
www.undergroundozarks.com
www.cityofjennings.com
www.bizjournals.com / StLouis
A MALL-RELATED MOVING PICTURE:
St. Louis native "Dan A2k" recently recorded a video drive-by
at the RIVER ROADS MALL site. Click on the link below to
watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF0Wg7cZLDI
Jennings Station and Halls Ferry Roads
Jennings, Missouri
The second fully-enclosed shopping center in the Show-Me State, and the first in Metropolitan St. Louis, was developed by St. Louis-based Stix, Baer and Fuller and opened for business in the fall of 1961.
RIVER ROADS MALL sat on 55 acres, 8 miles northwest of the urban core. The original center was anchored by a 3-level (250,000 square foot) Stix store (the second suburban branch in the chain). The mall structure consisted of a main level of retail and service basement with a forty-two lane bowling alley.
At the time of the mall's completion, its 2-level (62,000 square foot) Woolworth was the largest shopping center location in the 2,200 store chain.
Inline stores in the circa-'61 RIVER ROADS included Singer Sewing Center, Hardy Shoes, Dandy's Men's Store and Walgreen Drug, as well as an S & H Green Stamps Redemption Center and Kroger supermarket.
There were also several sit-down restaurants in the mall. Woolworth operated a lunch counter and the Steamboat Room. Walgreen Drug had its Wag's Restaurant. Stix, Baer and Fuller featured the Pavilion, which overlooked a lavish sunken garden. There were also dining options at the restaurant and cocktail lounge in the basement bowling alley.
An expansion and renovation of the shopping center was done in 1970-'71. A 3-level (200,000 square foot) J.C. Penney was constructed on the north side of the complex and the mall's interior was redecorated in a Moorish Modern motif. With this renovation, the retail hub encompassed 600,000 leasable square feet.
The primary retail rival of RIVER ROADS had always been NORTHLAND CENTER (1955), also in Jennings. In addition, there were CROSS KEYS CENTER (1969) in Florissant and JAMESTOWN MALL (1977), near Florissant.
Anchor alterations at RIVER ROADS began in 1984. Stix, Baer and Fuller became Dillard's and J.C. Penney was demoted to the status of an Outlet Center. Kroger closed in 1986 and reopened as Food For Less. Dillard's shuttered their store in 1986, as well. Soon the mall was in a downward spiral exacerbated by the decline of the area around it.
Buffalo-based Benderson Development bought the mall in July 1988 and attempted to repositioned it as a regional discount outlet center, with varying degrees of success. By this time, the shopping center had become notorious as a haven for criminal activity.
A redevelopment / demolition plan was proposed in 1990, which was approved by the Jennings City Council in 1992. However, no progress was made beyond this point. The mall, experiencing more and more vacancies, began to deteriorate.
Woolworth was shuttered in 1991, with the J.C. Penney Outlet Center closing for good in May 1994. A proposed acquisition by the British-based Midland Group fell through at this time. The interior of the "vacant shell of a shopping center" shut down in June 1995, leaving only exterior-entranced stores in operation.
The complex, purchased by Raleigh, North Carolina-based Whichard Realty in 2000, was "flipped" by Whichard...with St Louis-based Taylor-Morley Homes becoming its new owner. Their redevelopment plan came to light in January 2001.
This deal fell through when the two families owning the Taylor-Morley organization split-up. St. Louis-based Pyramid development entered the picture. They proposed a 66 million dollar demolition and construction project, which was to include office space, residential units, retail stores and a new city hall for Jennings.
Demolition of RIVER ROADS MALL got underway in late 2006 and was completed in the summer of 2007. Only the Kroger / Food For Less and Penney's / Firestone Auto Center were left standing.
Pyramid Development shut down in May 2008. The newly-cleared mall site, now a gaping hole filled with rain water and breeding mosquitos, sits idle with no new construction taking place. Any further development appears unlikely at this time.
Sources:
"River Roads Mall" article on Wikipedia
www.umsl.edu
www.deadmalls.com
www.builtstlouis.net
Information from "Dan A2k"
www.slfp.com
www.undergroundozarks.com
www.cityofjennings.com
www.bizjournals.com / StLouis
A MALL-RELATED MOVING PICTURE:
St. Louis native "Dan A2k" recently recorded a video drive-by
at the RIVER ROADS MALL site. Click on the link below to
watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF0Wg7cZLDI
St. Louis' South County Center
The SOUTH COUNTY CENTER Famous-Barr, which opened in 1963,
was the retailer's first rotunda store. Three more would be built over
the next ten years.
The SOUTH COUNTY CENTER Famous-Barr, which opened in 1963,
was the retailer's first rotunda store. Three more would be built over
the next ten years.
A late '60s depiction of St Louis' second shopping mall. As the copy
below indicates, the early years of SOUTH COUNTY CENTER are
not well documented. The complex, which was completed in 1963,
possibly started out as an open-air venue with one anchor store...
Famous Barr. The full-line J.C. Penney was, more than likely, a
later addition.
Tenholder Plaza, an outparcel strip center, was added to the mall site
in the late 1960s.
Photo from www.loopnet.com
The mall, following its late '70s renovation. The original single-level
center was expanded into a split-level format of three floors and a
third anchor -St. Louis-based Stix, Baer and Fuller- was added.
A circa-2006 physical layout. A new bi-level wing (shown in light gray)
had been added in 2000-2001. It included a 3-level Sears. Moreover,
the north-facing front of the mall had been extended with an exterior-
entranced group of stores and restaurants.
A new Borders store was added to the north-facing front of the mall
during its 2000-2001 renovation and expansion.
Photo from www.eyecorp.com
SOUTH COUNTY CENTER
Lindbergh Boulevard / US 50, 61 & 67 and Lemay Ferry Road / US 61 & 67
Saint Louis County, Missouri
The early history of Metropolitan St. Louis' second mall-type shopping center is not well documented. It is known that SOUTH COUNTY CENTER opened for business sometime in 1963 and that the complex was developed by St. Louis-based May Centers.
Constructed on a 69 acre site located 11 miles southwest of center city St. Louis, SOUTH COUNTY CENTER was designed with input from Los Angeles-based Victor Gruen and Associates [May 2008 archive].
Local accounts seem to indicate that the center was originally open-air in configuration. It is for certain that it was anchored by a 3-level (208,000 square foot), St. Louis-based Famous-Barr.
A second anchor, a 2-level (178,000 square foot) J.C. Penney, was, most likely, a later addition...probably opened when the existing shopping center was fully-enclosed in 1967.
SOUTH COUNTY CENTER was the first of three malls built in the South County suburbs; the other two being CRESTWOOD PLAZA (1957, malled in 1967 and 1984) and WEST COUNTY CENTER (1969).
The first of two SOUTH COUNTY CENTER expansions was completed in 1979. A 2-level (108,000 square foot), St. Louis-based Stix, Baer and Fuller was added, along with a wing of upper and lower level retail stores. This was built in a split-level congfiguration, with the existing mall structure becoming a "Middle Level". With this addition, the shopping center encompassed 762,000 leasable square feet.
The Stix store became the first SOUTH COUNTY anchor to receive a new nameplate -that of Dillard's- in 1984.
Westfield Holdings (now the Westfield Group) acquired SOUTH COUNTY CENTER, via its acquisition of CentreMark Properties, in 1994. They eventually renamed the shopping venue WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN SOUTH COUNTY...shortening this unwieldy moniker to simply WESTFIELD SOUTH COUNTY in 2005.
Meanwhile, a 200 million dollar make-over of the "functionally obsolete" mall was proposed in October 1996, which was to take advantage of 40 million dollars in publicly-provided, tax increment financing. This plan was halted by opposition from the local citizenry.
A second, less ambitious, redevelopment plan was formulated, with its construction beginning in July 2000. The 54 million dollar project included a 2-level (117,500 square foot) Southwest Wing, anchored by a 3-level (158,800 square foot) Sears. Moreover, a 12-bay Food Court was installed in previously-existing space adjacent to J.C. Penney.
Inline stores in the new structure opened in November 2001. WESTFIELD SOUTH COUNTY now spanned 1,038,300 leasable square feet and housed one hundred and twenty stores and services.
The mall changed hands in August 2007. It became a property of a joint venture between the Westfield Group and Chattanooga-based CBL and Associates Properties [March 2008 archive], with CBL controlling the "investment vehicle".
With this transaction, the official name of the shopping center reverted back to its original moniker, that of SOUTH COUNTY CENTER.
Sources:
www.westfield.com
www.cblproperties.com
www.shopsouthcounty.com
www.urbanstl.com
St. Louis Post Dispatch
Lindbergh Boulevard / US 50, 61 & 67 and Lemay Ferry Road / US 61 & 67
Saint Louis County, Missouri
The early history of Metropolitan St. Louis' second mall-type shopping center is not well documented. It is known that SOUTH COUNTY CENTER opened for business sometime in 1963 and that the complex was developed by St. Louis-based May Centers.
Constructed on a 69 acre site located 11 miles southwest of center city St. Louis, SOUTH COUNTY CENTER was designed with input from Los Angeles-based Victor Gruen and Associates [May 2008 archive].
Local accounts seem to indicate that the center was originally open-air in configuration. It is for certain that it was anchored by a 3-level (208,000 square foot), St. Louis-based Famous-Barr.
A second anchor, a 2-level (178,000 square foot) J.C. Penney, was, most likely, a later addition...probably opened when the existing shopping center was fully-enclosed in 1967.
SOUTH COUNTY CENTER was the first of three malls built in the South County suburbs; the other two being CRESTWOOD PLAZA (1957, malled in 1967 and 1984) and WEST COUNTY CENTER (1969).
The first of two SOUTH COUNTY CENTER expansions was completed in 1979. A 2-level (108,000 square foot), St. Louis-based Stix, Baer and Fuller was added, along with a wing of upper and lower level retail stores. This was built in a split-level congfiguration, with the existing mall structure becoming a "Middle Level". With this addition, the shopping center encompassed 762,000 leasable square feet.
The Stix store became the first SOUTH COUNTY anchor to receive a new nameplate -that of Dillard's- in 1984.
Westfield Holdings (now the Westfield Group) acquired SOUTH COUNTY CENTER, via its acquisition of CentreMark Properties, in 1994. They eventually renamed the shopping venue WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN SOUTH COUNTY...shortening this unwieldy moniker to simply WESTFIELD SOUTH COUNTY in 2005.
Meanwhile, a 200 million dollar make-over of the "functionally obsolete" mall was proposed in October 1996, which was to take advantage of 40 million dollars in publicly-provided, tax increment financing. This plan was halted by opposition from the local citizenry.
A second, less ambitious, redevelopment plan was formulated, with its construction beginning in July 2000. The 54 million dollar project included a 2-level (117,500 square foot) Southwest Wing, anchored by a 3-level (158,800 square foot) Sears. Moreover, a 12-bay Food Court was installed in previously-existing space adjacent to J.C. Penney.
Inline stores in the new structure opened in November 2001. WESTFIELD SOUTH COUNTY now spanned 1,038,300 leasable square feet and housed one hundred and twenty stores and services.
The mall changed hands in August 2007. It became a property of a joint venture between the Westfield Group and Chattanooga-based CBL and Associates Properties [March 2008 archive], with CBL controlling the "investment vehicle".
With this transaction, the official name of the shopping center reverted back to its original moniker, that of SOUTH COUNTY CENTER.
Sources:
www.westfield.com
www.cblproperties.com
www.shopsouthcounty.com
www.urbanstl.com
St. Louis Post Dispatch
St. Louis' Northwest Plaza
*
An aerial view of Saint Louie's third shopping mall. It was taken in the
late 1970s, soon after Stix, Baer and Fuller (the black building in the
background) was added to the center.
Photo from www.millstonebangert.com
A site plan of the meandering, open-air mall as it was
situated at its completion in 1967. It was one of the
nation's first malls to feature four anchor stores.
A fountain in a court at the original, open-air mall. That's Famous-Barr's
rotunda in the background.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
The Brogues, a Missouri-based rock quintet, pose for a pic on one
of the circa-'66 mall's fountains. Left to right are Gene Dauster,
Tom Mowry, Howie Schmitt, Jim Metcalf and Jim Burke.
Photo www.homeatt.net~nostalgia1966
Another shot of one of the fountains at the
olden days mall. Titled "Genesis", they were
designed by Aristides Demetrious.
Photo from www.millstonebangers.com
The First Northwest Building, a 12-story office tower,
was built as a part of the original mall.
Photo from www.millstonebangert.com
The single-screen Northwest Plaza Cinema, a western
parking area peripheral structure, opened in June, 1969.
It was made into a twin-screen venue in 1974 and replaced
by a 9-screen multiplex -inside the mall- in 1989.
Photo from www.millstonebangert.com
A circa-1984 ad for NORTHWEST PLAZA.
Ad from Malls Of America Blogspot
The NORTHWEST PLAZA Stix, Baer and Fuller,
added to the mall in 1977, was rebranded as a
Dillard's in 1984.
Photo from www.dillards.com
1989 and NORTHWEST PLAZA becomes an interior
mall! Newly-created retail area is indicated in medium
gray. The mall now encompassed an astounding 1,768,500
leasable square feet.
A circa-1999 site plan. The physical layout of the mall in 2008
is unchanged. However, Famous-Barr became Macy's in 2006,
Burlington Coat Factory moved out in 2004, Office Max was
shuttered in 2003 and Penney's bit the dust in 2002.
An exterior view of today's NORTHWEST PLAZA Macy's. The famous
Famous-Barr rotunda towers in the background.
The 300,000+ square foot Sears was given a 7 million dollar
Center Court at WESTFIELD NORTHWEST. The Express store, seen
in the distance, was originally the upper level of the mall's F.W. Wool-
worth 5 and dime.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
The Food Court was built in space originally comprising the main level
of the Scruggs, Vandervoort and Barney anchor store.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
Macy's, formerly Famous-Barr, presides over the mall's South Court.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
A circa-2002 shot of the west end of the South Court. Here we see
the Burlington Coat Factory, which vacated its space in 2004.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
Sears, the first store to open in the circa-'60s center, and its
entrance onto the North Court of the mall.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
NORTHWEST PLAZA
Lindbergh Boulevard / US 67 and St. Charles Rock Road
St. Ann, Missouri
The third mall-type center in the St. Louis metro area was situated on a 122 acre parcel, lying 14 miles northwest of the center city.
NORTHWEST PLAZA was developed by St. Louis-based Hycel Properties. Stores in the open-air center came inline during 1966 and 1967. The original PLAZA consisted of a main mall level, with a retail and service basement opening on the west and south sides of the structure.
There were originally four anchors; a 3-level (331,700 square foot) Sears, 3-level (162,000 square foot) J.C. Penney, 3-level, St. Louis-based Scruggs, Vandervoort and Barney and 2-level (200,000 square foot), St. Louis-based Famous-Barr.
Inline stores included Boyd's For Men, Walgreen Drug, Richman Brothers, Pope's Cafeteria, Magic Pan Restaurant, Chandler's Shoes, Wild Pair Shoes, Tall Fashions, Joan Bari For Ladies and a 2-level, F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10.
In addition, there were the 12 story First Northwest office building, at the southeast corner of the mall, and an outparcel supermarket. The Northwest Plaza Cinema, an 1800 seat, single-screen venue, opened June 25, 1969. It was twinned in December 1974 and was shuttered and demolished fifteen years later.
Scruggs, Vandervoort and Barney, nee "Vandervoort's", became the first anchor to be shuttered and rebranded, in 1969. The upper levels of the building became a Famous-Barr Home Store. Its lower level was leased out as offices for the St. Louis-based Venture discount mart chain.
The first renovation of the mall was completed in 1977, when a 3-level (217,900 square foot), St. Louis-based Stix, Baer and Fuller was built at the north end of the complex. A new northwest block of stores also came inline.
A second, more comprehensive, renovation of the mall was undertaken between 1986 and 1989 by the mall's owner, the New York City-based Paramount Group. The courts and concourses were fully-enclosed and over 200,000 square feet of retail space was added, most of this filling in previously open areas.
Famous-Barr was expanded into a 238,400 square foot location. Moreover, the Vandervoort's / Famous-Barr Home Store was rebuilt into a 3-level, entertainment complex. The first level became a Tilt video arcade. The second (main mall) level, a 12-bay Food Court, with the third housing a 9-screen multiplex.
Business at the new NORTHWEST PLAZA kicked off with a gala "Prince's Ball", held November 12, 1989. The complex now encompassed 1,768,500 leasable square feet, with one hundred and twenty store spaces. At the time, it was the largest shopping mall in the region.
A facelift renovation was done in 1994. Three years later, the Paramount Group initiated a repositioning of the mall into a "value-oriented", discount shopping venue. During, and after, this remarketing endeavor, new Office Max, Burlington Coat Factory and Dick Clark's American Bandstand Grill stores opened.
Australia-based Westfield Holdings acquired the shopping venue in December 1997, soon renaming it WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN NORTHWEST. By this time, the center had been in varying degrees of decline for some years. Westfield began to focus on its five other St. Louis retail properties. Maintenance and upkeep at their NORTHWEST property was deferred and vacancies piled up.
The first major anchor abandonment happened in 2002, with the shuttering of J.C. Penney. The November 2003 completion of SAINT LOUIS MILLS, in Hazelwood, exacerbated the exodus of stores from WESTFIELD NORTHWEST; Burlington Coat Factory being one of the stores to move to the new mall.
Steve and Barry's University Sportswear was recruited to fill the vacant Penney's space, in 2004. However, the following year saw the closing of the Northwest Plaza 9 multiplex and Tilt Arcade.
Westfield sold the past-its-prime property in June 2006; the buyer being Santa Barbara-based Somera Capital Management. They announced a 250 million dollar redevelopment plan, to be anchored by a newly-built Wal-Mart SuperCenter. Rumours also circulated that a Swedish-based Ikea would open a store.
A new-style shopopolis, known as LINDBERGH TOWN CENTER, was to be anchored by Wal-Mart and Ikea, as well as the existing Famous-Barr ("Macy-ated in September 2006) and Sears. Existing mall space would either be demolished or reconfigured into an open-air format.
However, Ikea backed out of the deal. The stagnating economy also contributed to the abandonment of the redevelopment plan. The deteriorating shopping center was placed on the open market...as is.
Steve and Barry's shuttered their location in September 2008, leaving approximately fifty stores in business. The eventual fate of the virtually vacant NORTHWEST PLAZA in unknown at the present time.
Sources:
"Northwest Plaza" article on Wikipedia
www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
www.westfield.com
Comment posts by Jonah Norason
www.cinematreasures.com
Malls of America Blogspot / Keith Milford webmaster
Lindbergh Boulevard / US 67 and St. Charles Rock Road
St. Ann, Missouri
The third mall-type center in the St. Louis metro area was situated on a 122 acre parcel, lying 14 miles northwest of the center city.
NORTHWEST PLAZA was developed by St. Louis-based Hycel Properties. Stores in the open-air center came inline during 1966 and 1967. The original PLAZA consisted of a main mall level, with a retail and service basement opening on the west and south sides of the structure.
There were originally four anchors; a 3-level (331,700 square foot) Sears, 3-level (162,000 square foot) J.C. Penney, 3-level, St. Louis-based Scruggs, Vandervoort and Barney and 2-level (200,000 square foot), St. Louis-based Famous-Barr.
Inline stores included Boyd's For Men, Walgreen Drug, Richman Brothers, Pope's Cafeteria, Magic Pan Restaurant, Chandler's Shoes, Wild Pair Shoes, Tall Fashions, Joan Bari For Ladies and a 2-level, F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10.
In addition, there were the 12 story First Northwest office building, at the southeast corner of the mall, and an outparcel supermarket. The Northwest Plaza Cinema, an 1800 seat, single-screen venue, opened June 25, 1969. It was twinned in December 1974 and was shuttered and demolished fifteen years later.
Scruggs, Vandervoort and Barney, nee "Vandervoort's", became the first anchor to be shuttered and rebranded, in 1969. The upper levels of the building became a Famous-Barr Home Store. Its lower level was leased out as offices for the St. Louis-based Venture discount mart chain.
The first renovation of the mall was completed in 1977, when a 3-level (217,900 square foot), St. Louis-based Stix, Baer and Fuller was built at the north end of the complex. A new northwest block of stores also came inline.
A second, more comprehensive, renovation of the mall was undertaken between 1986 and 1989 by the mall's owner, the New York City-based Paramount Group. The courts and concourses were fully-enclosed and over 200,000 square feet of retail space was added, most of this filling in previously open areas.
Famous-Barr was expanded into a 238,400 square foot location. Moreover, the Vandervoort's / Famous-Barr Home Store was rebuilt into a 3-level, entertainment complex. The first level became a Tilt video arcade. The second (main mall) level, a 12-bay Food Court, with the third housing a 9-screen multiplex.
Business at the new NORTHWEST PLAZA kicked off with a gala "Prince's Ball", held November 12, 1989. The complex now encompassed 1,768,500 leasable square feet, with one hundred and twenty store spaces. At the time, it was the largest shopping mall in the region.
A facelift renovation was done in 1994. Three years later, the Paramount Group initiated a repositioning of the mall into a "value-oriented", discount shopping venue. During, and after, this remarketing endeavor, new Office Max, Burlington Coat Factory and Dick Clark's American Bandstand Grill stores opened.
Australia-based Westfield Holdings acquired the shopping venue in December 1997, soon renaming it WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN NORTHWEST. By this time, the center had been in varying degrees of decline for some years. Westfield began to focus on its five other St. Louis retail properties. Maintenance and upkeep at their NORTHWEST property was deferred and vacancies piled up.
The first major anchor abandonment happened in 2002, with the shuttering of J.C. Penney. The November 2003 completion of SAINT LOUIS MILLS, in Hazelwood, exacerbated the exodus of stores from WESTFIELD NORTHWEST; Burlington Coat Factory being one of the stores to move to the new mall.
Steve and Barry's University Sportswear was recruited to fill the vacant Penney's space, in 2004. However, the following year saw the closing of the Northwest Plaza 9 multiplex and Tilt Arcade.
Westfield sold the past-its-prime property in June 2006; the buyer being Santa Barbara-based Somera Capital Management. They announced a 250 million dollar redevelopment plan, to be anchored by a newly-built Wal-Mart SuperCenter. Rumours also circulated that a Swedish-based Ikea would open a store.
A new-style shopopolis, known as LINDBERGH TOWN CENTER, was to be anchored by Wal-Mart and Ikea, as well as the existing Famous-Barr ("Macy-ated in September 2006) and Sears. Existing mall space would either be demolished or reconfigured into an open-air format.
However, Ikea backed out of the deal. The stagnating economy also contributed to the abandonment of the redevelopment plan. The deteriorating shopping center was placed on the open market...as is.
Steve and Barry's shuttered their location in September 2008, leaving approximately fifty stores in business. The eventual fate of the virtually vacant NORTHWEST PLAZA in unknown at the present time.
Sources:
"Northwest Plaza" article on Wikipedia
www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
www.westfield.com
Comment posts by Jonah Norason
www.cinematreasures.com
Malls of America Blogspot / Keith Milford webmaster
Southwestern Illinois' St. Clair Square
Famous-Barr, the shopping center's original north anchor, opened in
1973. Its early '70s-style, Moorish Modern-influenced architecture is
apparent in this photo. The anchor was Famous' fourth -and final-
rotunda store, a design used in earlier locations at the SOUTH COUNTY,
NORTHWEST PLAZA and WEST COUNTY malls.
Photo from www.urbanstl.com / submitted by "Tysalpha"
Famous-Barr, the shopping center's original north anchor, opened in
1973. Its early '70s-style, Moorish Modern-influenced architecture is
apparent in this photo. The anchor was Famous' fourth -and final-
rotunda store, a design used in earlier locations at the SOUTH COUNTY,
NORTHWEST PLAZA and WEST COUNTY malls.
Photo from www.urbanstl.com / submitted by "Tysalpha"
Illinois' ST. CLAIR SQUARE, a dual-level, 4-anchor mall, which housed
over one hundred stores and services when it was completed in the
mid-1970s.
The recently-expanded Dillard's was originally a
Saint Louis-based Stix, Baer and Fuller. It was
rebranded in 1984.
Photo from www.dillards.com
The mall's new outparcel SHOPPES AT ST. CLAIR SQUARE. This
15-store lifestyle center addition was dedicated in March 2007.
Rendering from www.cblproperties.com
With basically the same physical layout that it had at its dedication in
late 1974, SAINT CLAIR SQUARE has remained the only major mall
in southwestern Illinois. It was -and is- one of the largest enclosed
centers in the Trans-Mississippi metro.
The Food Court at ST. CLAIR SQUARE was installed, in existing
space on the Upper Level, in 1997.
Photo from www.herschmanarchitects.com
ST. CLAIR SQUARE
Lincoln Highway and North Illinois Street
Fairview Heights, Illinois
The seventh regional-class shopping center in Metropolitan St. Louis was a constructed on an 88.8 acre plot, 13.9 miles east of the center city, in the suburb of Fairview Height, Illinois. Serving as the area's only trans-Mississippi mall, ST. CLAIR SQUARE was dedicated in October 1974.
The 2-level, fully-enclosed complex encompassed 984,000 leasable square feet. It was anchored by two St. Louis-based retailers; a 2-level (247,000 square foot ) Famous-Barr and 2-level Stix, Baer and Fuller. There were also 2-level J.C. Penney and Sears locations. Other charter tenants included Motherhood Maternity, Spencer Gifts, Lane Bryant and Waldenbooks.
Stix, Baer and Fuller was rebranded by Dillard's in 1984. The first renovation of the retail hub (an updating face-lift), was completed in 1993. Another minor remodeling was done in 1997, when an 8-bay food court was installed on the Upper Level.
The shopping center had been acquired by Chattanooga-based CBL and Associates Properties in November 1996. The first -and only- physical expansion of the structure got underway in 2004.
An 8,000 square foot J.Buck's restaurant was added to the front of the mall and Dillard's was expanded by 55,000 square feet. In 2006, ST. CLAIR SQUARE's Famous-Barr was "Macy-ated". The recent renovation and expansion also included the construction of an 84,000 square foot lifestyle center, known as THE SHOPPES AT ST. CLAIR SQUARE.
The SHOPPES was built as an outparcel of the mall proper, occupying its southwest parking area. Its tenant list included Ann Taylor Loft, Barnes and Noble and Talbots. The "associated center" was dedicated in March 2007.
Sources:
http://www.stclairsquare.com/
http://www.almanancecrossing.com/
http://www.cblproperties.com/
St. Louis' Jamestown Mall
*
The JAMESTOWN Stix store, one of the mall's two charter anchors,
was rebranded by Dillard's in 1984.
The original shopping center. It had a rather interesting
layout, as it was one of the few single-level malls with a
2-level parking area. The base of the complex was accessed
from the lower level lots, with the upper levels of the two
anchors opening onto the upper lots.
The Wehrenbergh Jamestown 14 multiplex, built into existing mall
space, opened in late 1998.
Photo from www.jonelanglasalle.com
An 8-bay Food Court was fashioned out of the original twin cinema at
JAMESTOWN MALL.
Photo from www.joneslanglasalle.com
JAMESTOWN, post-1995 expansion. Its reconfiguration, into
an x-shaped shopping center, included two new anchors. At
present, the mall is in a state of retail limbo. Its South (Stix /
Dillard's) Wing is closed and Sears has been shuttered. A re-
development has been postponed due to the sour economy.
*
Center Court in the circa-'77 part of the mall. Here we see the fountain,
an original fixture that is still in operation in 2009. In the distance is
the walled-off South Wing.
Photo from "Dan A2k"
*
The entry into the new (1994-1995) addition. To the right, would
The entry into the new (1994-1995) addition. To the right, would
have been Famous-Barr...now Macy's. A turn to the left would
take one to J.C. Penney, which became an Outlet Store in the
early 2000s.
Photo from "Dan A2k"
*
Nameplate of the J.C. Penney Outlet Store, JAMESTOWN MALL's
northeast anchor.
Photo from "Dan A2k"
*
The present-day directory. Note how the South Wing has vanished.
Photo from "Dan A2k"
Sears, the original north anchor, threw in the towel in January 2009.
This shuttering leaves the mall with only Macy's and a J.C. Penney
Outlet Store to anchor it. A redevelopment, into more of a mixed-use
facility, may get underway if the economy improves.
Photo from "Dan A2k"
A sign of the times (pardon the pun) announces the closing of the
Sears Auto Center.
Photo from "Dan A2k"
JAMESTOWN MALL
Lindbergh Boulevard / US 67 and Old Jamestown Road
Saint Louis County, Missouri
The eighth regional shopping center in the Saint Louis metropolitan area was completed in 1977. JAMESTOWN MALL, in the far "North County" (Saint Louis County) area, occupied a portion of a 128 acre tract, located 16 miles northwest of center city Saint Louis, near suburban Florissant.
Lindbergh Boulevard / US 67 and Old Jamestown Road
Saint Louis County, Missouri
The eighth regional shopping center in the Saint Louis metropolitan area was completed in 1977. JAMESTOWN MALL, in the far "North County" (Saint Louis County) area, occupied a portion of a 128 acre tract, located 16 miles northwest of center city Saint Louis, near suburban Florissant.
The single-level, 682,200 square foot shopping venue was anchored by a 4-level (215,800 square foot), Saint Louis-based Stix, Baer and Fuller and 2-level (192,700 square foot) Sears.
There were also the Jamestown Twin Theatre, Sam Goody, Merry-Go-Round, Pass Pets, Hamilton Music, Pier One Imports, Aladdin's Castle video arcade and approximately sixty-nine other stores and services.
A major expansion, concluded in 1995, added 328,100 square feet of leasable area. There were twenty-three new stores, including a 2-level (123,900 square foot) J.C. Penney and 2-level (164,500 square foot), Saint Louis-based Famous-Barr.
This store moved from a former location in Jennings, Missouri's NORTHLAND CENTER (1955) [October 2008 archive], which was demolished in 2005.
Anchor store rebrandings consisted of Dillard's acquiring Stix, Baer and Fuller in 1984 (with that store being shuttered in June 2006), Macy's placing their namepate on Famous-Barr, also in 2006, and J.C. Penney reducing their full-line location to an Outlet Store.
RIVER ROADS MALL (1961) -also in Jennings- was razed in 2006-2007. With two of its olden days competitors out of the picture, JAMESTOWN MALL still faced the new, 1.1 million square foot, SAINT LOUIS MILLS (2003), in Hazelwood. Soon, JAMESTOWN was in a state of decline.
The New York City-based Carlyle Development Group acquired the 1,010,400 square foot center in June 2003. Chicago-based Jones Lang LaSalle was contracted to take care of its management and leasing.
A 120 million "mixed-use commerce center" redevelopment for JAMESTOWN was announced in mid-2008. The vacant Stix / Dillard's was to be renovated into office spaces and existing retail tenants moved to the North and East Wings . Moreover, new residential structures were proposed. Construction work was to begin in early 2009.
However, the shuttering of Sears' JAMESTOWN store in January 2009 -and the faltering national economy in general- will surely delay these plans indefinitely.
Sources:
Saturday, October 18, 2008
THE LOST MALLS OF
CLEARWATER-ST. PETE
Western Florida's Pinellas Peninsula, at the southern end of Pinellas County, sits across the bay from Tampa and includes the cities of Clearwater and St. Petersburg.
It is connected to the mainland by four trans-bay causeways. Going north to south, these are the Courtney Campbell, Howard Frankland, Gandy and Sunshine Skyway bridges.
The original Sunshine Skyway was completed in 1954 and 1969. It -and the Howard Frankland Bridge- conducted the original route of Interstate 75 through the area. This stretch of the highway was opened to traffic in May 1971.
A mainland route for I-75 was completed in 1980, with the original routing (via Pinellas County) being redesignated as Interstate 275. A new Sunshine Skyway Bridge was dedicated in April 1987.
CLEARWATER-ST. PETE
Western Florida's Pinellas Peninsula, at the southern end of Pinellas County, sits across the bay from Tampa and includes the cities of Clearwater and St. Petersburg.
It is connected to the mainland by four trans-bay causeways. Going north to south, these are the Courtney Campbell, Howard Frankland, Gandy and Sunshine Skyway bridges.
The original Sunshine Skyway was completed in 1954 and 1969. It -and the Howard Frankland Bridge- conducted the original route of Interstate 75 through the area. This stretch of the highway was opened to traffic in May 1971.
A mainland route for I-75 was completed in 1980, with the original routing (via Pinellas County) being redesignated as Interstate 275. A new Sunshine Skyway Bridge was dedicated in April 1987.
The Florida Suncoast's Pinellas Peninsula. The region's LOST MALLS
are indicated with black squares. Other mall-type centers are shown
with gray squares. A fifth LOST MALL, the BAY AREA OUTLET MALL,
existed on the outskirts of Clearwater between 1984 and 2005. However,
being as how it was completed after the 1979, mid-century mall cut-off
point, it will not be covered in this article.
Click on the image for a larger view.
Tampa's WESTSHORE PLAZA, the first fully-enclosed shopping mall in the Bay Area, came inline in 1967. The second and third interior malls in the region, GATEWAY MALL and SUNSHINE MALL, opened during 1968.
These were located in St. Petersburg and Clearwater, respectively. They will now be considered the first and second of Clearwater-St. Pete's LOST MALLS. The third, CLEARWATER MALL, was complete by September 1973.
PINELLAS SQUARE, the fourth -and final- LOST MALL to be covered here, was located in the city of Pinellas Park. This DeBartolo-developed shopping center opened in April 1977.
The GATEWAY and SUNSHINE MALLS, which had opened in 1968, also had their destiny dates with a wrecking ball during 1998. CLEARWATER MALL was knocked down in late 2002, with PINELLAS SQUARE (by then known as PARKSIDE MALL) being bulldozed in July 2004.
GATEWAY, CLEARWATER and PINELLAS SQUARE were replaced by open-air power centers. The SUNSHINE site was redeveloped as a residential complex.
A drawing of the Pinellas Peninsula mall that never was. Seen here
is the CARRIAGE HILL MALL that was proposed for the intersection
of Ulmerton and Seminole Roads, in Largo. It was the talk of the town
between 1967 and 1974. However, the center was never built as it was
originally conceived. In 1991, a power center complex opened on the
property. Going by LARGO MALL, it is one of those incorrectly-named
shopping centers that's not -and never was- truly a "mall".
Rendering from The St. Petersburg Times
These were located in St. Petersburg and Clearwater, respectively. They will now be considered the first and second of Clearwater-St. Pete's LOST MALLS. The third, CLEARWATER MALL, was complete by September 1973.
PINELLAS SQUARE, the fourth -and final- LOST MALL to be covered here, was located in the city of Pinellas Park. This DeBartolo-developed shopping center opened in April 1977.
The GATEWAY and SUNSHINE MALLS, which had opened in 1968, also had their destiny dates with a wrecking ball during 1998. CLEARWATER MALL was knocked down in late 2002, with PINELLAS SQUARE (by then known as PARKSIDE MALL) being bulldozed in July 2004.
GATEWAY, CLEARWATER and PINELLAS SQUARE were replaced by open-air power centers. The SUNSHINE site was redeveloped as a residential complex.
A drawing of the Pinellas Peninsula mall that never was. Seen here
is the CARRIAGE HILL MALL that was proposed for the intersection
of Ulmerton and Seminole Roads, in Largo. It was the talk of the town
between 1967 and 1974. However, the center was never built as it was
originally conceived. In 1991, a power center complex opened on the
property. Going by LARGO MALL, it is one of those incorrectly-named
shopping centers that's not -and never was- truly a "mall".
Rendering from The St. Petersburg Times
The Publix, at the circa-'68 center. It sat outside the southern entrance
to the mallway. This store was demolished, along with the mall, in 1998.
A second Publix location opened, as part of a new power center, in 2000.
An April 1968 advert heralding the beginning of business
at GATEWAY MALL. The festivities were attended by St.
Petersburg Mayor Jones who arrived via helicopter, as
traffic was backed up for thirty-five blocks along 9th Street
North.
Ad from The Evening Independent
Woolco came inline -with the bulk of the mall- in April 1968. The store
closed -along with the chain- in January 1983. Its space at GATEWAY
reopened as a Zayre, which was rebranded by Ames in 1989.
GATEWAY MALL TENANTS 1968
(Inline At Grand Opening):
WOOLCO / PUBLIX supermarket / J.G. McCRORY 5 and 10 / ECKERD DRUG / Century Theatre (single screen) / Frances Willard Candies and Ice Cream / Vogue Shops of Jacksonville / Toy King / Country Dinner Theatre / Radio Shack / World Imports of St. Petersburg / Pierce Pastry / Orange Julius / House of Time / Sewing Circle / Morrison's Cafeteria / Lerner Shops / Thom McAn Shoes / Gordon's Jewelers / Coiffure de Roma / Esquire Barber Shop / U.S. Post Office / Fifth Avenue Card Shop / Heap Big Beef
(Inline At Grand Opening):
WOOLCO / PUBLIX supermarket / J.G. McCRORY 5 and 10 / ECKERD DRUG / Century Theatre (single screen) / Frances Willard Candies and Ice Cream / Vogue Shops of Jacksonville / Toy King / Country Dinner Theatre / Radio Shack / World Imports of St. Petersburg / Pierce Pastry / Orange Julius / House of Time / Sewing Circle / Morrison's Cafeteria / Lerner Shops / Thom McAn Shoes / Gordon's Jewelers / Coiffure de Roma / Esquire Barber Shop / U.S. Post Office / Fifth Avenue Card Shop / Heap Big Beef
A circa-'70 physical layout of the first interior mall on Florida's
Pinellas Peninsula. In late 1970, Miami-based J. Byron opened
their GATEWAY MALL store in conjunction with another new
location at Clearwater's SUNSHINE MALL.
A modern day aerial of GATEWAY MARKET CENTER, nee'
GATEWAY MALL. The 1960s shopping complex was demol-
ished and redeveloped between 1998 and 2000.
Photo from www.ddr.com (Developers Diversified Realty)
GATEWAY MALL
9th Street North and 83rd Avenue North
Saint Petersburg, Florida
The tenth interior mall in the Sunshine State was built on a 50 acre plot, located 6 miles north of downtown Saint Petersburg. GATEWAY MALL, developed by New York City-based Winston-Muss Incorporated and designed by Clearwater's Frank Mudano, originally encompassed 340,000 leasable square feet.
The single level center was formally dedicated on March 13, 1968. Its primary anchor, a 1-level (115,000 square foot) Woolco, sat on the north end of the enclosed mallway. On the south end was a Publix supermarket.
In between were the single-screen, 1,100 seat, Century Theatre, 400 seat Country Dinner Theatre, Eckerd Drug, a J.G. McCrory 5 and 10 and inline stores such as Thom McAn Shoes, Morrison's Cafeteria and Lerner Shops.
A contemporary account of the GATEWAY grand opening describes the mall as "a controlled environment with constant temperatures, shade and shelter, (where) music will fill the mall area (and) artistic lighting and design will induce a mood of relaxation and pleasure."
One might note how, in the present day and age, these qualities are viewed as being rather passe'. A typical retail center in the new millennium is entirely open-air, with shoppers exposed to rain, sun and wind.
The atmosphere seems hurried. Patrons dodge cars in a centralized parking lot to rush in and out of stores. There is no time to waste in relaxation and comfort.
And this is considered progress?
Getting back to GATEWAY MALL, a 1-level (60,000 square foot), Miami-based J. Byron was added to the southeast corner. It opened in November 1970.
The center's first anchor rebranding took place after Woolco closed its doors on January 1, 1983. The store became a Framingham, Massachusetts-based Zayre. In turn, the location received a Rocky Hill, Connecticut-based Ames nameplate in early 1989.
By this time, GATEWAY MALL was showing its age. The fountains that once graced its interior were shut down and made into planters. Commerce had moved to newer and larger malls on the Florida Suncoast, such as TYRONE SQUARE (1972) [October 2008 archive] and PINELLAS SQUARE (1977) [October 2008 archive].
A redevelopment, conducted by a joint venture of the Oakbrook, Illinois-based Inland Group and Beachwood, Ohio-based Developers Diversified Realty, got underway in 1998. The entirety of the mall was leveled and a 353,100 square foot power center, known as GATEWAY MARKET CENTER, opened in 2000.
The new venue included Bradenton, Florida-based Bealls, as well as Target, Publix, Eckerd (later CVS) Drug, PetsMart and Office Depot. Developers Diversified Realty established full ownership of the center in 2007. Soon after, its official name reverted to GATEWAY MALL.
Sources:
The St. Petersburg Evening Independent
www.crazedfanboy.com
www.ddr.com (Developers Diversified Realty)
9th Street North and 83rd Avenue North
Saint Petersburg, Florida
The tenth interior mall in the Sunshine State was built on a 50 acre plot, located 6 miles north of downtown Saint Petersburg. GATEWAY MALL, developed by New York City-based Winston-Muss Incorporated and designed by Clearwater's Frank Mudano, originally encompassed 340,000 leasable square feet.
The single level center was formally dedicated on March 13, 1968. Its primary anchor, a 1-level (115,000 square foot) Woolco, sat on the north end of the enclosed mallway. On the south end was a Publix supermarket.
In between were the single-screen, 1,100 seat, Century Theatre, 400 seat Country Dinner Theatre, Eckerd Drug, a J.G. McCrory 5 and 10 and inline stores such as Thom McAn Shoes, Morrison's Cafeteria and Lerner Shops.
A contemporary account of the GATEWAY grand opening describes the mall as "a controlled environment with constant temperatures, shade and shelter, (where) music will fill the mall area (and) artistic lighting and design will induce a mood of relaxation and pleasure."
One might note how, in the present day and age, these qualities are viewed as being rather passe'. A typical retail center in the new millennium is entirely open-air, with shoppers exposed to rain, sun and wind.
The atmosphere seems hurried. Patrons dodge cars in a centralized parking lot to rush in and out of stores. There is no time to waste in relaxation and comfort.
And this is considered progress?
Getting back to GATEWAY MALL, a 1-level (60,000 square foot), Miami-based J. Byron was added to the southeast corner. It opened in November 1970.
The center's first anchor rebranding took place after Woolco closed its doors on January 1, 1983. The store became a Framingham, Massachusetts-based Zayre. In turn, the location received a Rocky Hill, Connecticut-based Ames nameplate in early 1989.
By this time, GATEWAY MALL was showing its age. The fountains that once graced its interior were shut down and made into planters. Commerce had moved to newer and larger malls on the Florida Suncoast, such as TYRONE SQUARE (1972) [October 2008 archive] and PINELLAS SQUARE (1977) [October 2008 archive].
A redevelopment, conducted by a joint venture of the Oakbrook, Illinois-based Inland Group and Beachwood, Ohio-based Developers Diversified Realty, got underway in 1998. The entirety of the mall was leveled and a 353,100 square foot power center, known as GATEWAY MARKET CENTER, opened in 2000.
The new venue included Bradenton, Florida-based Bealls, as well as Target, Publix, Eckerd (later CVS) Drug, PetsMart and Office Depot. Developers Diversified Realty established full ownership of the center in 2007. Soon after, its official name reverted to GATEWAY MALL.
Sources:
The St. Petersburg Evening Independent
www.crazedfanboy.com
www.ddr.com (Developers Diversified Realty)
A September 1968 newspaper ad announcing the official
grand opening of Clearwater's new "quarter mile shopping
city".
Ad from the St. Petersburg Times
The "new look" Penney's at SUNSHINE MALL. It was the shopping
center's sole anchor department store until J.Byron opened -on the
south end of the complex- in late 1970.
Rendering from the St. Petersburg Times
SUNSHINE MALL TENANTS 1968:
J.C. PENNEY (with outparcel Auto Center) / PANTRY PRIDE supermarket / SUPER X DRUG / J.G. McCRORY 5 and 10 / Trans-Lux Theatre (single screen) / Christian Science Reading Room / Clearwater-Largo Real Estate / Leopard Cocktail Lounge / Squire Formal Shop / Squire Ties, Limited / Squire Barber Shop / Cake Box Bakery / Merle Norman Cosmetics / Sunshine Fabric Center / DiPaulo Delicatessen / Clearwater Sun / Photographic Arts Center / Audio Visual Centre / International Card and Gift / Florida Fruit Shippers / Petrie Shoes / Fremacs For Men / Bressler's 33 Flavors Ice Cream / Ranch House Restaurant / The Slack Bar / Stanley Jewelers / R. C. Miller Men's Wear / Hillsboro Finance / Stuarts Ladies Ready-to-Wear / Nobel Jewelers / Frances Willard Candies and Ice Cream / Garden Gate Restaurant / Kiddy Land / Thom McAn Shoes / Russell's Women's Wear / Burnham's Buster Brown Shoes / Wig Town / Singer Sewing Center / Jim Stewart's Shoes / Vogue Shops of Jacksonville / Houston's Hickory House Restaurant / Nacol Jewelers / Global Decor / Guff American Realty / Robert's Cafe / So-Fro Fabrics / Sunshine Beauty Lane Hair Stylists/ Ron Fisher and Associates / Mall Optometrist / Lundy's Flowers and Gifts / Le Beautique / Holiday Magic Cosmetics Distributor / Margie's Fashions / Karousel Children's Care Center / Bakers Shoes / Griffin's Candy Shoppe / Showcase Gifts / Gulf American Corporation / Economy TV / 12 and-a-half To 24 and-a-half Dress Shop / Gulf Uniform / The Red Gate Junior Fashions / Fabric Garden / Tax Masters, Incorporated / Sounds of Music Electronics / Deans Canterbury Shop / Imperial Gifts / Cobbs Cupboard / Sunshine Fabric Care Coin Laundry / Goodbody and Company / Richard A. Leandri and Associates / Community Room / Aloha Cafeteria / Ryans Gems and Junk / City National Bank / 2nd National Bank
J.C. PENNEY (with outparcel Auto Center) / PANTRY PRIDE supermarket / SUPER X DRUG / J.G. McCRORY 5 and 10 / Trans-Lux Theatre (single screen) / Christian Science Reading Room / Clearwater-Largo Real Estate / Leopard Cocktail Lounge / Squire Formal Shop / Squire Ties, Limited / Squire Barber Shop / Cake Box Bakery / Merle Norman Cosmetics / Sunshine Fabric Center / DiPaulo Delicatessen / Clearwater Sun / Photographic Arts Center / Audio Visual Centre / International Card and Gift / Florida Fruit Shippers / Petrie Shoes / Fremacs For Men / Bressler's 33 Flavors Ice Cream / Ranch House Restaurant / The Slack Bar / Stanley Jewelers / R. C. Miller Men's Wear / Hillsboro Finance / Stuarts Ladies Ready-to-Wear / Nobel Jewelers / Frances Willard Candies and Ice Cream / Garden Gate Restaurant / Kiddy Land / Thom McAn Shoes / Russell's Women's Wear / Burnham's Buster Brown Shoes / Wig Town / Singer Sewing Center / Jim Stewart's Shoes / Vogue Shops of Jacksonville / Houston's Hickory House Restaurant / Nacol Jewelers / Global Decor / Guff American Realty / Robert's Cafe / So-Fro Fabrics / Sunshine Beauty Lane Hair Stylists/ Ron Fisher and Associates / Mall Optometrist / Lundy's Flowers and Gifts / Le Beautique / Holiday Magic Cosmetics Distributor / Margie's Fashions / Karousel Children's Care Center / Bakers Shoes / Griffin's Candy Shoppe / Showcase Gifts / Gulf American Corporation / Economy TV / 12 and-a-half To 24 and-a-half Dress Shop / Gulf Uniform / The Red Gate Junior Fashions / Fabric Garden / Tax Masters, Incorporated / Sounds of Music Electronics / Deans Canterbury Shop / Imperial Gifts / Cobbs Cupboard / Sunshine Fabric Care Coin Laundry / Goodbody and Company / Richard A. Leandri and Associates / Community Room / Aloha Cafeteria / Ryans Gems and Junk / City National Bank / 2nd National Bank
A circa-'72 site plan of SUNSHINE MALL. Its two court
areas featured "wonderfall" simulated fountains. Similar
waterless features were used in South Florida's PALM
BEACH MALL and Southern California's TOPANGA
PLAZA...to name a few.
One of the residential complexes at Clearwater's RENAISSANCE
SQUARE, which replaced the demolished SUNSHINE MALL.
Photo from www.ced-concord.com
Photo from www.ced-concord.com
SUNSHINE MALL
South Missouri Avenue and Lakeview Road
Clearwater, Florida
Ground was broken for the second fully-enclosed mall on the Pinellas Peninsula on September 18, 1967. The official dedication for SUNSHINE MALL was held September 26, 1968.
The single-level, 345,000 square foot, shopping venue was built on a 36 acre parcel, 1.8 miles southwest of Clearwater's urban core. It was developed by New Haven, Connecticut-based Gambest Associates and designed by Clearwater's Frank Mudano.
At the time of its dedication, the center was hailed as the third-largest interior mall in the state, following South Florida's PALM BEACH MALL and Tampa's WESTSHORE PLAZA.
SUNSHINE was anchored by a predominantly 1-level (135,000 square foot) J.C. Penney. There was a Pantry Pride supermarket and single-screen, Trans-Lux Theatre on its north end and sixty-nine inline stores stretching southward. These included Fremacs for Men, Stuarts Ready-to-Wear For Ladies, Super X Drug and a J.G. McCrory 5 and 10.
A 1968 account of the shopping center's grand opening mentions that Clearwater Mayor H. Everett Hougen and Sheri Kooken, "Miss Clearwater 1968", were on hand to cut the ceremonial ribbon. It goes on to say that "mini-skirted cowgirls" operated a shopper's shuttle between the parking lot and mall entrances and that traffic was backed up on South Missouri Avenue for 10 miles.
A single-level (60,000 square foot), Miami-based J. Byron opened, near the south entrance, in November 1970. At the time a freestanding structure, it was joined to the mall by a thirty store addition, which was completed in mid-1972. The theater was twinned in 1970 and expanded into a 5-plex in 1975.
Unfortunately, the days of SUNSHINE basking as the new mall on the block, so to say, were short. The center was joined by the 750,000 square foot CLEARWATER MALL in August 1973. An even larger venue, COUNTRYSIDE MALL, opened, in the northern environs of Pinellas County, in September 1975.
The SUNSHINE property declined to a delapidated, poorly-maintained, dead mall. Its owners, New Haven, Connecticut-based Fusco Builders, proposed a retail-centered redevelopment in early-1995. However, their big box-based SUNSHINE PLAZA plan did not pan out.
The virtually vacant shopping center was shuttered and demolished in July 1998. Clearwater-based Gulf Coast Consulting, Incorporated replaced the mall with RENAISSANCE SQUARE, a six hundred and forty unit residential complex.
Sources:
St. Petersburg Times
www.clearwater-fl.com
www.cinematreasures.com
South Missouri Avenue and Lakeview Road
Clearwater, Florida
Ground was broken for the second fully-enclosed mall on the Pinellas Peninsula on September 18, 1967. The official dedication for SUNSHINE MALL was held September 26, 1968.
The single-level, 345,000 square foot, shopping venue was built on a 36 acre parcel, 1.8 miles southwest of Clearwater's urban core. It was developed by New Haven, Connecticut-based Gambest Associates and designed by Clearwater's Frank Mudano.
At the time of its dedication, the center was hailed as the third-largest interior mall in the state, following South Florida's PALM BEACH MALL and Tampa's WESTSHORE PLAZA.
SUNSHINE was anchored by a predominantly 1-level (135,000 square foot) J.C. Penney. There was a Pantry Pride supermarket and single-screen, Trans-Lux Theatre on its north end and sixty-nine inline stores stretching southward. These included Fremacs for Men, Stuarts Ready-to-Wear For Ladies, Super X Drug and a J.G. McCrory 5 and 10.
A 1968 account of the shopping center's grand opening mentions that Clearwater Mayor H. Everett Hougen and Sheri Kooken, "Miss Clearwater 1968", were on hand to cut the ceremonial ribbon. It goes on to say that "mini-skirted cowgirls" operated a shopper's shuttle between the parking lot and mall entrances and that traffic was backed up on South Missouri Avenue for 10 miles.
A single-level (60,000 square foot), Miami-based J. Byron opened, near the south entrance, in November 1970. At the time a freestanding structure, it was joined to the mall by a thirty store addition, which was completed in mid-1972. The theater was twinned in 1970 and expanded into a 5-plex in 1975.
Unfortunately, the days of SUNSHINE basking as the new mall on the block, so to say, were short. The center was joined by the 750,000 square foot CLEARWATER MALL in August 1973. An even larger venue, COUNTRYSIDE MALL, opened, in the northern environs of Pinellas County, in September 1975.
The SUNSHINE property declined to a delapidated, poorly-maintained, dead mall. Its owners, New Haven, Connecticut-based Fusco Builders, proposed a retail-centered redevelopment in early-1995. However, their big box-based SUNSHINE PLAZA plan did not pan out.
The virtually vacant shopping center was shuttered and demolished in July 1998. Clearwater-based Gulf Coast Consulting, Incorporated replaced the mall with RENAISSANCE SQUARE, a six hundred and forty unit residential complex.
Sources:
St. Petersburg Times
www.clearwater-fl.com
www.cinematreasures.com
A mid-'70s physical layout of Clearwater's first major shopping mall,
built on the site of the former Seville Peacock Farm. The circa-'73
center was twice the size of the original SUNSHINE MALL, also located
in Clearwater. An addition to CLEARWATER MALL, shown in dark
gray, expanded its GLA to almost 1 million square feet.
CLEARWATER MALL TENANTS 1975:
IN MALL ANNEX:
PANTRY PRIDE supermarket / Clearwater Four Star Theaters / Frank Shea's Sports Mart / Firestone / Music Palace / Candle Cove / J and B Gift / Allstate Securities / Eagle Realty / Tri-City Hearing Aid / Michael Anthony's Beauty Salon / Scissor Wizard Barber Shop / Morr Travel / Clearwater Mall Community Bank / Island Interiors / Corned Beef Corner
IN MALL PROPER (Partial List):
IVEY'S / MONTGOMERY WARD (with outparcel Auto Center) / GAYFERS / Lawton and Gordon / Hallmark / Flagg Naturalizer Shoes / National Shirt Shop / Waldenbooks / Zales Jewelers / Howard Johnson's Restaurant / Kinney Shoes / Florsheim Shoes / Apple's Men's Wear / Thom McAn Shoes / Mangle's Women's Fashions / Fanny Farmer Candies / Smoke 'N Snuff / Claire's Boutique / Radio Shack / Chick-Fil-A / Kinney Shoes / The Gap / GNC / Casual Corner / Lerner Shops / Bressler's 33 Flavors Ice Cream
IN EXPANSION WING (Partial List):
BURDINES/ Stuart's Women's Wear / Flower World / The Hobby Center / Charlies On The Mall / Main Street Ice Cream / Cole's The Book People / Nettle Crafts
IN MALL ANNEX:
PANTRY PRIDE supermarket / Clearwater Four Star Theaters / Frank Shea's Sports Mart / Firestone / Music Palace / Candle Cove / J and B Gift / Allstate Securities / Eagle Realty / Tri-City Hearing Aid / Michael Anthony's Beauty Salon / Scissor Wizard Barber Shop / Morr Travel / Clearwater Mall Community Bank / Island Interiors / Corned Beef Corner
IN MALL PROPER (Partial List):
IVEY'S / MONTGOMERY WARD (with outparcel Auto Center) / GAYFERS / Lawton and Gordon / Hallmark / Flagg Naturalizer Shoes / National Shirt Shop / Waldenbooks / Zales Jewelers / Howard Johnson's Restaurant / Kinney Shoes / Florsheim Shoes / Apple's Men's Wear / Thom McAn Shoes / Mangle's Women's Fashions / Fanny Farmer Candies / Smoke 'N Snuff / Claire's Boutique / Radio Shack / Chick-Fil-A / Kinney Shoes / The Gap / GNC / Casual Corner / Lerner Shops / Bressler's 33 Flavors Ice Cream
IN EXPANSION WING (Partial List):
BURDINES/ Stuart's Women's Wear / Flower World / The Hobby Center / Charlies On The Mall / Main Street Ice Cream / Cole's The Book People / Nettle Crafts
CLEARWATER MALL TENANTS 1996:
-Charter stores in bold face-
Pretzel Twister / GAYFERS / Mole Hole / Mail Boxes, Etcetera / Trade Secret / CPI Photo Finish / Gesner Fine Art & Estate Jewelry / Smoke & Snuff / Write Occasions / Mannequins / Claire's Boutique / Sunglass Hut / Jarman Shoes / Mom's Cinnamon Rolls / Ritz Camera / Paul Harris / Hair Plus / Freshens Yogurt / Great American Cookie Company / One Dollar Depot / Regis Hairstylists / San Francisco Music Box / Mango Bay / Card America / Kay-Bee Toys & Hobby Shop / Athletic Attic / Lerner Shops / Waldenbooks / Blockbuster Music / MONTGOMERY WARD / Pocket Change / Radio Shack / Eldridge Fine Jewelry / Bressler's Ice Cream & Yogurt / Rye Field Deli / Sbarro Italian Eatery / Chick-Fil-A / Big Easy Cajun / Manchu Wok / Sakkio Japan / Great Steak & Fry Company / Gloria Jean's Coffee Bean / Kinney Shoes / The Gap / DILLARD'S / Thomas Douglas Jewelers / Worldwide Gold & Diamonds / Footlocker / Bond Jewelers / Candy Shoppe / Victoria's Secret / The Limited / World of Science / Bentley's Luggage / Body Shop / Bombay Company / Things Engraved / Instant Replay / Naturalizer Shoes / GNC / GTE Phone Mart / Sacino's Formalwear / Candleman / Mastercuts Family Haircutters / Lee Nails / Afterthoughts Boutique / Cobbie Shop / Rave / Champs Sports / Casual Corner / Musicland / Express / Poston's Arts & Crafts / Pizza Planet / Drotos Kehoe & Williams, Inc. / Vanco Hearing / Clearwater 4 Theaters / Don Olsen Firestone / Lens Crafters / Bombay Bicycle Club
-Charter stores in bold face-
Pretzel Twister / GAYFERS / Mole Hole / Mail Boxes, Etcetera / Trade Secret / CPI Photo Finish / Gesner Fine Art & Estate Jewelry / Smoke & Snuff / Write Occasions / Mannequins / Claire's Boutique / Sunglass Hut / Jarman Shoes / Mom's Cinnamon Rolls / Ritz Camera / Paul Harris / Hair Plus / Freshens Yogurt / Great American Cookie Company / One Dollar Depot / Regis Hairstylists / San Francisco Music Box / Mango Bay / Card America / Kay-Bee Toys & Hobby Shop / Athletic Attic / Lerner Shops / Waldenbooks / Blockbuster Music / MONTGOMERY WARD / Pocket Change / Radio Shack / Eldridge Fine Jewelry / Bressler's Ice Cream & Yogurt / Rye Field Deli / Sbarro Italian Eatery / Chick-Fil-A / Big Easy Cajun / Manchu Wok / Sakkio Japan / Great Steak & Fry Company / Gloria Jean's Coffee Bean / Kinney Shoes / The Gap / DILLARD'S / Thomas Douglas Jewelers / Worldwide Gold & Diamonds / Footlocker / Bond Jewelers / Candy Shoppe / Victoria's Secret / The Limited / World of Science / Bentley's Luggage / Body Shop / Bombay Company / Things Engraved / Instant Replay / Naturalizer Shoes / GNC / GTE Phone Mart / Sacino's Formalwear / Candleman / Mastercuts Family Haircutters / Lee Nails / Afterthoughts Boutique / Cobbie Shop / Rave / Champs Sports / Casual Corner / Musicland / Express / Poston's Arts & Crafts / Pizza Planet / Drotos Kehoe & Williams, Inc. / Vanco Hearing / Clearwater 4 Theaters / Don Olsen Firestone / Lens Crafters / Bombay Bicycle Club
A circa-2003 aerial of the nearly completed redevelopment of
CLEARWATER MALL. The power center-to-be was to encompass
over 795,000 leasable square feet; 45,000 more than the circa-'73
interior mall that preceded it.
Photo from www.kearnydev.com
CLEARWATER MALL
Gulf-To-Bay Boulevard and US 19 North
Clearwater, Florida
The first regional-class, fully-enclosed shopping mall on Florida's Pinellas Peninsula, St. Pete's TYRONE SQUARE [October 2008 archive], was dedicated in October 1972. The second major mall in the region was built on a 60 acre plot, 4.4 miles east of downtown Clearwater.
Plans for CLEARWATER MALL had been announced in May 1968. Construction commenced September 8, 1971, with the mall officially dedicated August 2, 1973. The 750,000 square foot shopopolis was developed by Clearwater's William and Wallace Blackburn, with its design handled by local architect Frank Mudano.
The mall's first phase, a 1-level (75,000 square foot) annex, built at the northwest corner of the site, was completed late in 1972. The structure included a Pantry Pride supermarket, Fairco Drug, Firestone Tire and the 4-plex Clearwater Four Star Theater.
Work got underway on the second phase (the mall proper) in mid-1972. Predominantly a single level building, the complex had a small upper level at its center.
Its original anchors were a 2-level, Charlotte-based J.B. Ivey, 2-level, Mobile-based Gayfers and 2-level (126,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward. Inline stores included National Shirt Shop, Waldenbooks, Kinney Shoes and Zales Jewelers.
A glass elevator was the highlight of the Center Court area. There was also an 80' by 200' bird aviary in the Court of the Peacocks, an Aquarium Court and Court of the Four Seasons (which fronted on Gayfers).
The third construction phase of the mall, a single level Northeast Wing, came inline in October 1975. This was anchored by a 2-level (160,000 square foot), Miami-based Burdines.
With this addition, CLEARWATER MALL encompassed nearly 1 million leasable square feet and one hundred stores and services.
A sizable retail rival, COUNTRYSIDE MALL, was dedicated, in northern Pinellas County, in September 1975. It was to eventually eclipse CLEARWATER MALL and, along with St. Pete's TYRONE SQUARE, become one of the dominant retail centers in the Suncoast region.
The first anchor rebranding at CLEARWATER MALL transpired in 1990, when Dillard's acquired the J.B. Ivey chain. Dillard's also bought the Fairfield, Ohio-based Mercantile Stores conglomerate in May 1998, of which Gayfers was a subsidiary.
After considering a "double-header" (double Dillard's) operation, and then a move into a single store in the Gayfers building, the Arkansas-based retailer eventually decided to shutter both stores in the struggling shopping center. This action was completed in 2000.
The last of the venue's four anchors, Montgomery Ward and Burdines, closed during 2001, leaving CLEARWATER MALL abandoned and anchorless. It closed for good on February 1, 2002.
A joint venture had been formed between New York City-based New Plan Excel Realty Trust and the St. Petersburg-based Sembler Company. The "irrelevant" mall was demolished in September 2002.
Not surprisingly, an open-air power center was built on the site. Encompassing 795,100 leasable square feet, the "value-oriented, big-box dominated" center was anchored by Costco, Lowe's and a SuperTarget, with inline stores such as Borders and PetsMart.
Known as CLEARWATER MALL, the complex was formally dedicated on November 6, 2003.
Sources:
St. Peterburg Times
www.hawkinsnet.com
www.kearnydev.com
http://www.sembler.com/
Gulf-To-Bay Boulevard and US 19 North
Clearwater, Florida
The first regional-class, fully-enclosed shopping mall on Florida's Pinellas Peninsula, St. Pete's TYRONE SQUARE [October 2008 archive], was dedicated in October 1972. The second major mall in the region was built on a 60 acre plot, 4.4 miles east of downtown Clearwater.
Plans for CLEARWATER MALL had been announced in May 1968. Construction commenced September 8, 1971, with the mall officially dedicated August 2, 1973. The 750,000 square foot shopopolis was developed by Clearwater's William and Wallace Blackburn, with its design handled by local architect Frank Mudano.
The mall's first phase, a 1-level (75,000 square foot) annex, built at the northwest corner of the site, was completed late in 1972. The structure included a Pantry Pride supermarket, Fairco Drug, Firestone Tire and the 4-plex Clearwater Four Star Theater.
Work got underway on the second phase (the mall proper) in mid-1972. Predominantly a single level building, the complex had a small upper level at its center.
Its original anchors were a 2-level, Charlotte-based J.B. Ivey, 2-level, Mobile-based Gayfers and 2-level (126,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward. Inline stores included National Shirt Shop, Waldenbooks, Kinney Shoes and Zales Jewelers.
A glass elevator was the highlight of the Center Court area. There was also an 80' by 200' bird aviary in the Court of the Peacocks, an Aquarium Court and Court of the Four Seasons (which fronted on Gayfers).
The third construction phase of the mall, a single level Northeast Wing, came inline in October 1975. This was anchored by a 2-level (160,000 square foot), Miami-based Burdines.
With this addition, CLEARWATER MALL encompassed nearly 1 million leasable square feet and one hundred stores and services.
A sizable retail rival, COUNTRYSIDE MALL, was dedicated, in northern Pinellas County, in September 1975. It was to eventually eclipse CLEARWATER MALL and, along with St. Pete's TYRONE SQUARE, become one of the dominant retail centers in the Suncoast region.
The first anchor rebranding at CLEARWATER MALL transpired in 1990, when Dillard's acquired the J.B. Ivey chain. Dillard's also bought the Fairfield, Ohio-based Mercantile Stores conglomerate in May 1998, of which Gayfers was a subsidiary.
After considering a "double-header" (double Dillard's) operation, and then a move into a single store in the Gayfers building, the Arkansas-based retailer eventually decided to shutter both stores in the struggling shopping center. This action was completed in 2000.
The last of the venue's four anchors, Montgomery Ward and Burdines, closed during 2001, leaving CLEARWATER MALL abandoned and anchorless. It closed for good on February 1, 2002.
A joint venture had been formed between New York City-based New Plan Excel Realty Trust and the St. Petersburg-based Sembler Company. The "irrelevant" mall was demolished in September 2002.
Not surprisingly, an open-air power center was built on the site. Encompassing 795,100 leasable square feet, the "value-oriented, big-box dominated" center was anchored by Costco, Lowe's and a SuperTarget, with inline stores such as Borders and PetsMart.
Known as CLEARWATER MALL, the complex was formally dedicated on November 6, 2003.
Sources:
St. Peterburg Times
www.hawkinsnet.com
www.kearnydev.com
http://www.sembler.com/
PINELLAS SQUARE MALL TENANTS 1978 (PARTIAL LIST):
J.C. PENNEY (with outparcel Auto Center) / MONTGOMERY WARD (with adjoining Auto Center) / IVEY'S / Pinellas Square Cinemas I, II, III / Big Top Sandwich Shop / Hot Sam Pretzels / Tobacco Den / Hickory Farms of Ohio / Bernard Wigs / Father and Son Shoes / Zales Jewelers / Fanny Farmer Candies / Gordon's Jewelers / Thom McAn Shoes / American Greeting Cards / Bressler's 33 Flavors Ice Cream / Ponderosa Steakhouse / Things Remembered / Lowery Music / Radio Shack / Flowerama of America / GNC / Pearle Optical / Swiss Colony / Waldenbooks / Bob's Old-Fashioned Ice Cream / Stuart's Women's Wear / The Tinder Box / Bathique / Jewelery Gazebo / Zondervan Family Books / Pewter Palace / Hoop Women's Wear / Athlete's Foot / Foxy T-Shirts / Brooks Fashions / Butler's Shoes / Colony Shops / Merle Norman Cosmetics / Scotto's New York Style Pizza / St. Petersburg Federal Savings and Loan / Chick-Fil-A / GallenKamp Shoes
J.C. PENNEY (with outparcel Auto Center) / MONTGOMERY WARD (with adjoining Auto Center) / IVEY'S / Pinellas Square Cinemas I, II, III / Big Top Sandwich Shop / Hot Sam Pretzels / Tobacco Den / Hickory Farms of Ohio / Bernard Wigs / Father and Son Shoes / Zales Jewelers / Fanny Farmer Candies / Gordon's Jewelers / Thom McAn Shoes / American Greeting Cards / Bressler's 33 Flavors Ice Cream / Ponderosa Steakhouse / Things Remembered / Lowery Music / Radio Shack / Flowerama of America / GNC / Pearle Optical / Swiss Colony / Waldenbooks / Bob's Old-Fashioned Ice Cream / Stuart's Women's Wear / The Tinder Box / Bathique / Jewelery Gazebo / Zondervan Family Books / Pewter Palace / Hoop Women's Wear / Athlete's Foot / Foxy T-Shirts / Brooks Fashions / Butler's Shoes / Colony Shops / Merle Norman Cosmetics / Scotto's New York Style Pizza / St. Petersburg Federal Savings and Loan / Chick-Fil-A / GallenKamp Shoes
A 1978 site plan of Edward J. DeBartolo's second Pinellas County mall.
In its original incarnation seen here, it was 329,000 square feet smaller
than TYRONE SQUARE, its sibling center in St. Petersburg.
A 2001 site plan of the shopping venue, by now known as PARKSIDE
MALL. A renovation, done between 1998 and 2001, added a Center
Court Ice Rink, upper level Food Court and 16-screen multiplex.
Unfortunately, these improvements were not enough to save the
struggling mall from a wrecking ball renovation in July 2004.
PARKSIDE MALL TENANTS 2002:
-Charter stores in bold face-
After Hours / Almond House / Amtrak Ticket Office / Arts Star Inc. Modern Collections / Artsmart / Asian Cafe / Boardman's / Bravo! Centre for the Arts / Bressler's Ice Cream and Yogurt / Cara's Pizza / Chick-Fil-A / Christian Education Center / Claire's / DILLARD'S / Discount Sports Shoes / Dollar Garden / Dairy Queen-Orange Julius-Karmel Korn / Florida Jewelry and Lapidary / Foot Action USA / Global Group Wireless / GNC / Healthy Families Pinellas / Jason Jewelers / J.C. PENNEY OUTLET STORE / Jensen Jewelers Plus / Lee Nails / Merle Norman Cosmetics / Mis Young Fashions / M and N Jewelers / Monograms Plus / PARKSIDE MOVIES 16 / New Image Nails / N.Y. Flava / Optical Outlet / Perry's Coffee and Tea Company / Philly's Cheesesteaks, Subs and Salads / Pinellas Park Art Society / Pinellas Park Mid-County Chamber of Commerce / Pinellas Park Police Substation / Radio Shack / Studio Sashay / Shoe Doctors Instant Shoe Repair / Simplicity / Pets At ParkSide / Sports Fan Attic / Tampa Bay Skating Academy Ice Rink / Time Warner Cable / Tires Plus / Today's Woman / Urban Hair and Spa / Verizon Phone Mart / Waldenbooks / W and J Greeting Cards
-Charter stores in bold face-
After Hours / Almond House / Amtrak Ticket Office / Arts Star Inc. Modern Collections / Artsmart / Asian Cafe / Boardman's / Bravo! Centre for the Arts / Bressler's Ice Cream and Yogurt / Cara's Pizza / Chick-Fil-A / Christian Education Center / Claire's / DILLARD'S / Discount Sports Shoes / Dollar Garden / Dairy Queen-Orange Julius-Karmel Korn / Florida Jewelry and Lapidary / Foot Action USA / Global Group Wireless / GNC / Healthy Families Pinellas / Jason Jewelers / J.C. PENNEY OUTLET STORE / Jensen Jewelers Plus / Lee Nails / Merle Norman Cosmetics / Mis Young Fashions / M and N Jewelers / Monograms Plus / PARKSIDE MOVIES 16 / New Image Nails / N.Y. Flava / Optical Outlet / Perry's Coffee and Tea Company / Philly's Cheesesteaks, Subs and Salads / Pinellas Park Art Society / Pinellas Park Mid-County Chamber of Commerce / Pinellas Park Police Substation / Radio Shack / Studio Sashay / Shoe Doctors Instant Shoe Repair / Simplicity / Pets At ParkSide / Sports Fan Attic / Tampa Bay Skating Academy Ice Rink / Time Warner Cable / Tires Plus / Today's Woman / Urban Hair and Spa / Verizon Phone Mart / Waldenbooks / W and J Greeting Cards
A sign erected during the shopping center's metamorphosis
into PARKSIDE MALL, in 1998-1999.
Photo from www.myhomewithGod.jpg
Waldenbooks, a 1977 charter tenant, held on till the bitter end,
twenty-seven years later.
Photo from www.myhomewithGod.jpg
Chick-Fil-A, another charter tenant, closed their original 1977 store,
only to open a new one -several years later- in the remodeled mall.
Photo from www.myhomewithGod.com
One of the combo Orange Julius / Dairy Queen / KarmelKorn locations.
This one operated in the Food Court installed in 1999.
Photo from www.myhomewithGod.com
The former shopping mall's Amtrak ticket office.
Photo from www.myhomewithGod.com
As a part of the mall's 1998-1999 renovation, its entrances were rebuilt.
Photo from www.myhomewithGod.com
ParkSide Movies 16 replaced the old 3-plex in PINELLAS SQUARE.
This stadium seating multiplex opened in April 2001. It was the only
structure from the mall proper to make the transition to the new
SHOPPES AT PARK PLACE power center.
Photo from www.myhomewithGod.com
A present-day aerial of SHOPPES AT PARK PLACE. Here we see a
westward view of the restyled retail center.
Photo from www.boulderventure.net
Photo from www.boulderventure.net
PINELLAS SQUARE MALL
Park Boulevard North and US 19 North
Pinellas Park, Florida
The ninth Florida shopping mall built by the Youngstown-based Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation [October 2008 archive] was designed by Frank DeBartolo and built on a 63.6 acre plot, 7 miles northwest of downtown St. Petersburg. The site was within the corporate limits of the city of Pinellas Park.
Originally encompassing 847,000 leasable square feet, with room for one hundred and fifteen tenants, the bi-level PINELLAS SQUARE MALL was formally dedicated, at a forty store soft opening, on April 13, 1977.
The 2-level (174,000 square foot) J.C. Penney was dedicated at this time. A 2-level (140,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward came inline the following November. The center's third anchor, a 2-level (113,400 square foot), Charlotte-based J.B. Ivey, held its grand opening on September 18, 1978.
A fellow DeBartolo-developed mall, St. Pete's TYRONE SQUARE (1972) [October 2008 archive] was the primary retail rival of PINELLAS SQUARE. Competition -to a lesser degree- was also provided by GATEWAY MALL (1968), in St. Pete, SEMINOLE MALL (1970), in Seminole and BAY AREA OUTLET MALL (1985), in Clearwater.
Ivey's was the first PINELLAS SQUARE anchor to sport a new nameplate. The chain was acquired -and rebranded- by Dillard's in 1990. Soon after, J.C. Penney was demoted to the status of an outlet center.
In 1996, most of the retail portfolio of the DeBartolo Corporation was merged with the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group. PINELLAS SQUARE was not included in this transaction. The financer of the shopping venue, Boston-based John Hancock Life Insurance, acquired the property by default on their loan.
They embarked upon a large-scale redevelopment of the struggling retail complex, which got underway in 1998. An ice rink was installed in the Center Court, with a new Food Court built overlooking it from the Upper Level. The "dark and gloomy" interior was also given a facelift and new entrances were built. The newly-renovated retail hub became known as PARKSIDE MALL.
Moreover, the original 3-plex cinema was shuttered and replaced by a new, 16-screen, stadium seating venue, built onto the southwest corner of the mall. This cinema, which held a gala grand opening in April 2001, was named Parkside Movies 16.
However, this attempt to reposition the shopping center was unsucessful. The Hancock Company sold the property to Clearwater-based Boulder Venture South in January 2003. A second redevelopment plan was formulated.
This time around, the mall was to be demolished, leaving only the new cinema and an outparcel Applebee's restaurant standing. In place of the late '70s vintage, concrete caisson-like mall would be built an open-air power center.
The 70 million dollar plan was approved by city officials in October 2003. The mall closed for good on June 30, 2004. The wrecking ball hit in July.
Target became the first store to open in the new, 585,000 square foot, SHOPPES AT PARK PLACE, in October 2005. It was eventually joined by such stores as Marshalls, Michaels Arts and Crafts, Dress Barn and Petco.
Sources:
The St. Petersburg Evening Independent
St. Petersburg Times
www.myhomewithGod.com
www.divaris.com
www.boulderventure.net
Park Boulevard North and US 19 North
Pinellas Park, Florida
The ninth Florida shopping mall built by the Youngstown-based Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation [October 2008 archive] was designed by Frank DeBartolo and built on a 63.6 acre plot, 7 miles northwest of downtown St. Petersburg. The site was within the corporate limits of the city of Pinellas Park.
Originally encompassing 847,000 leasable square feet, with room for one hundred and fifteen tenants, the bi-level PINELLAS SQUARE MALL was formally dedicated, at a forty store soft opening, on April 13, 1977.
The 2-level (174,000 square foot) J.C. Penney was dedicated at this time. A 2-level (140,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward came inline the following November. The center's third anchor, a 2-level (113,400 square foot), Charlotte-based J.B. Ivey, held its grand opening on September 18, 1978.
A fellow DeBartolo-developed mall, St. Pete's TYRONE SQUARE (1972) [October 2008 archive] was the primary retail rival of PINELLAS SQUARE. Competition -to a lesser degree- was also provided by GATEWAY MALL (1968), in St. Pete, SEMINOLE MALL (1970), in Seminole and BAY AREA OUTLET MALL (1985), in Clearwater.
Ivey's was the first PINELLAS SQUARE anchor to sport a new nameplate. The chain was acquired -and rebranded- by Dillard's in 1990. Soon after, J.C. Penney was demoted to the status of an outlet center.
In 1996, most of the retail portfolio of the DeBartolo Corporation was merged with the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group. PINELLAS SQUARE was not included in this transaction. The financer of the shopping venue, Boston-based John Hancock Life Insurance, acquired the property by default on their loan.
They embarked upon a large-scale redevelopment of the struggling retail complex, which got underway in 1998. An ice rink was installed in the Center Court, with a new Food Court built overlooking it from the Upper Level. The "dark and gloomy" interior was also given a facelift and new entrances were built. The newly-renovated retail hub became known as PARKSIDE MALL.
Moreover, the original 3-plex cinema was shuttered and replaced by a new, 16-screen, stadium seating venue, built onto the southwest corner of the mall. This cinema, which held a gala grand opening in April 2001, was named Parkside Movies 16.
However, this attempt to reposition the shopping center was unsucessful. The Hancock Company sold the property to Clearwater-based Boulder Venture South in January 2003. A second redevelopment plan was formulated.
This time around, the mall was to be demolished, leaving only the new cinema and an outparcel Applebee's restaurant standing. In place of the late '70s vintage, concrete caisson-like mall would be built an open-air power center.
The 70 million dollar plan was approved by city officials in October 2003. The mall closed for good on June 30, 2004. The wrecking ball hit in July.
Target became the first store to open in the new, 585,000 square foot, SHOPPES AT PARK PLACE, in October 2005. It was eventually joined by such stores as Marshalls, Michaels Arts and Crafts, Dress Barn and Petco.
Sources:
The St. Petersburg Evening Independent
St. Petersburg Times
www.myhomewithGod.com
www.divaris.com
www.boulderventure.net
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
In this MALL HALL Cavalcade, we shall delve into the legacy of one of the mid-20th century's most prolific shopping mall developers. Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr. was born Anthony Paonessa in Youngstown, Ohio, in May 1909.
While in high school, he adopted the surname of his Italian immigrant stepfather and soon went to work in his construction business. A degree in civil engineering was earned at Notre Dame University. After this, DeBartolo continued work in his stepfather's building business. Following the outbreak of World War II, he was commissioned into the Army Corps of Engineers.
Coming home to Youngstown, DeBartolo married and returned to the construction business under the auspices of the newly-formed Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation. The Post-War building boom was underway, with scores of families relocating from the inner city to newly-created, outlying suburbs.
This urban exodus created the need for scores of new homes. DeBartolo was quick to take advantage of this. Soon, his prefabricated dwellings were springing up on the outskirts of Youngstown. With these new neighborhoods came the need for more localized shopping options.
DeBartolo's first shopping center, BOARDMAN PLAZA, was completed in 1951. At the time, a grouping of stores built so far from the city center of Youngstown was considered sheer folly. However, the strip shopping plaza, deemed destined to fail by local realtors, soon proved to be an astounding success.
The first DeBartolo-developed retail complex, BOARDMAN PLAZA,
built -in 1951- in what was then considered the southern outskirts of
Youngstown, Ohio. Short-sighted observers at the time opined that
the shopping center would go bust within six months. It is still going
strong fifty-seven years later!
Photo from www.zarlengassociates.com
Before long, DeBartolo was flying around the Midwest, picking out potential sites for prospective shopping plazas. By the early '60s, he had gone the next step further by developing Mentor, Ohio's GREAT LAKES MALL, his first. Many more malls were to follow.
By the early 1970s, Edward J. DeBartlolo, Sr. had built over twenty enclosed shopping centers. These stretched from Baltimore to West Palm Beach and from New Jersey to Memphis, Tennessee. In early 1972, he was named the nation's top mall builder by Forbes Magazine.
The Sunshine State was to eventually become the focus of DeBartolo's shopping mall development, with over twenty-five malls built in Florida alone. By the late '70s, there were even DeBartolo malls in Seattle, Washington and Mission Viejo, California.
Delving into other areas of entrepreneurial endeavor, he opened the Toledo Foreign Trade Zone, purchased several horse racing parks and became the owner of the San Francisco 49ers football and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey francises.
In December 1994, DeBartolo's illustrious life came to a close. He had been commemorated with the Italian government's Order of Merit in 1981 and received his highest honor when Ronald Reagan awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 1988.
Sources:
"Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr." article on Wikipedia
www.bookrags.com / "Edward J. DeBartolo, Developer, 85, Is Dead" / By Adam Bryant / December 20, 1994
Cleveland Magazine, July 1976
www.fundinguniverse.com
Now, let us explore some of the early malls built by DeBartolo...
By the early 1970s, Edward J. DeBartlolo, Sr. had built over twenty enclosed shopping centers. These stretched from Baltimore to West Palm Beach and from New Jersey to Memphis, Tennessee. In early 1972, he was named the nation's top mall builder by Forbes Magazine.
The Sunshine State was to eventually become the focus of DeBartolo's shopping mall development, with over twenty-five malls built in Florida alone. By the late '70s, there were even DeBartolo malls in Seattle, Washington and Mission Viejo, California.
Delving into other areas of entrepreneurial endeavor, he opened the Toledo Foreign Trade Zone, purchased several horse racing parks and became the owner of the San Francisco 49ers football and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey francises.
In December 1994, DeBartolo's illustrious life came to a close. He had been commemorated with the Italian government's Order of Merit in 1981 and received his highest honor when Ronald Reagan awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 1988.
Sources:
"Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr." article on Wikipedia
www.bookrags.com / "Edward J. DeBartolo, Developer, 85, Is Dead" / By Adam Bryant / December 20, 1994
Cleveland Magazine, July 1976
www.fundinguniverse.com
Now, let us explore some of the early malls built by DeBartolo...
Cleveland's Great Lakes Mall
*
"May's Great Lakes" was added, as the center's first bona fide anchor
store, in 1964. The mall, itself, had opened three years before.
A circa-'62 physical layout of Edward J. DeBartolo's
first shopping mall project. The center started out as
a small, open-air complex, with junior anchor-sized
Penney's and Newberry's stores. Mr. D. reputedly
coaxed May Company into adding a full-line department
store to the mall by selling them a 15 acre parcel for the
grand sum of 10 dollars!
1970 and the original, community complex has evolved
into a superregional-sized center! By this time, Penney's
had been enlarged into a full-line store. A second expansion
of the mall had added Higbee's and Sears anchors. The mall-
way was enclosed between 1964 and 1969.
The oft-expanded DeBartolo development as it is
situated in 2008. The most recent renovations of
the mall are shown in light gray. A 13-bay Food
Court came inline in the 1980s. The mallway and
exterior were given a major redo in the late 1990s.
GREAT LAKES MALL
Mentor Avenue / US 20 and Plaza Boulevard
Mentor, Ohio
Edward J. DeBartolo and Company's first shopping mall was built on a 95 acre spread, 20.9 miles northeast of Cleveland's Public Square. The single-level, open-air center opened for business in mid-1961.
Originally a community-sized complex, GREAT LAKES MALL did not have a full-line department store -or stores- as its anchor in the beginning. The center was situated around a 1-level -dry goods only- J.C. Penney and 1-level "Newberry's" (a more full-line version of the 5 and 10 chain).
Inline stores in the circa-'61 mall included Gray Drug, Nobil Shoes, Watkins Furniture, Sherwin-Williams Paints, Richard's apparel, Kinney Shoes, Record Carnival, Bond's apparel and Stambaugh-Thompson Hardware. In addition, there were Fisher Foods and Kroger supermarkets at opposite ends of the complex.
The first expansion, completed in April 1964, entailed the addition of a 2-level (165,000 square foot), Cleveland-based May Company of Ohio. This store was attached to the north end of the shopping center, which was enclosed at the time. Moreover, J.C. Penney was expanded into a 2-level (162,700 square foot), full-line store.
The second enlargement of the complex, completed in 1969-1970, consisted of the construction of an extended -and fully-enclosed- South Wing. This included a 2-level (167,300 square foot), Cleveland-based Higbee's and 2-level (234,100 square foot) Sears. With all construction completed, GREAT LAKES MALL encompassed 1,114,600 leasable square feet.
The single-screen Great Lakes Mall Cinema had opened, as an eastern parking area outparcel, in 1968. It was twinned in 1973, expanded into a five-screen venue in 1980 and a nine-screen venue in 1990. The cinema closed in January 2004 and reopened, as a 16-screen, stadium seating multiplex, in the autumn of 2007.
Meanwhile, back at the mall proper, the May Company store had been remodeled in 1974-1975, with its area expanded to 189,100 square feet. A 2-level (118,200 square foot), Pittsburgh-based Joseph Horne Company also became the mall's fifth anchor. The mall now consisted of 1,258,000 leasable square feet.
The commercial competitors of GREAT LAKES MALL included RICHMOND MALL (1966) [DeBartolo's seventh mall project], in Richmond Heights, and EUCLID SQUARE MALL (1977), in Euclid.
A renovation in the 1980s added a 13-bay Food Court in previously-existing space. The interior and exterior were given a major makeover in the late 1990s. The mallway roof was rebuilt with new skylights. Newberry's was shuttered. Its area was sectioned into seven store spaces.
Anchor store rebrandings commenced in 1992 when the Higbee's chain, owned by a joint venture of DeBartolo / Dillard's since 1988, was acquired -in its entirety- by Dillard's. All Higbee's stores were rebranded as Dillard's, in addition to the five Ohio Horne's stores.
Hence, a Dillard's "double header" was created at GREAT LAKES MALL, with the Higbee's location becoming a Dillard's Women's and Horne's reopening as a Men's, Children's and Home Store. May Company was rebranded as a Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's in 1993 and "Macy-ated" on September 9, 2006.
The mall, itself, had changed hands as a result of the DeBartolo / Simon merger of August 1996...ending up as a Simon Property Group holding by 1998.
Today, GREAT LAKES MALL houses one hundred and ten store spaces. There are seven peripheral businesses, including Office Max, Barnes and Noble, Olive Garden and Max and Erma's.
Sources:
Comment post by "Anonymous"
"Great Lakes Mall" article on Wikipedia
"Higbee's" article on Wikipedia
www.simon.com
www.cinematreasures.com
Lake County, Ohio tax assessor website
Mentor Avenue / US 20 and Plaza Boulevard
Mentor, Ohio
Edward J. DeBartolo and Company's first shopping mall was built on a 95 acre spread, 20.9 miles northeast of Cleveland's Public Square. The single-level, open-air center opened for business in mid-1961.
Originally a community-sized complex, GREAT LAKES MALL did not have a full-line department store -or stores- as its anchor in the beginning. The center was situated around a 1-level -dry goods only- J.C. Penney and 1-level "Newberry's" (a more full-line version of the 5 and 10 chain).
Inline stores in the circa-'61 mall included Gray Drug, Nobil Shoes, Watkins Furniture, Sherwin-Williams Paints, Richard's apparel, Kinney Shoes, Record Carnival, Bond's apparel and Stambaugh-Thompson Hardware. In addition, there were Fisher Foods and Kroger supermarkets at opposite ends of the complex.
The first expansion, completed in April 1964, entailed the addition of a 2-level (165,000 square foot), Cleveland-based May Company of Ohio. This store was attached to the north end of the shopping center, which was enclosed at the time. Moreover, J.C. Penney was expanded into a 2-level (162,700 square foot), full-line store.
The second enlargement of the complex, completed in 1969-1970, consisted of the construction of an extended -and fully-enclosed- South Wing. This included a 2-level (167,300 square foot), Cleveland-based Higbee's and 2-level (234,100 square foot) Sears. With all construction completed, GREAT LAKES MALL encompassed 1,114,600 leasable square feet.
The single-screen Great Lakes Mall Cinema had opened, as an eastern parking area outparcel, in 1968. It was twinned in 1973, expanded into a five-screen venue in 1980 and a nine-screen venue in 1990. The cinema closed in January 2004 and reopened, as a 16-screen, stadium seating multiplex, in the autumn of 2007.
Meanwhile, back at the mall proper, the May Company store had been remodeled in 1974-1975, with its area expanded to 189,100 square feet. A 2-level (118,200 square foot), Pittsburgh-based Joseph Horne Company also became the mall's fifth anchor. The mall now consisted of 1,258,000 leasable square feet.
The commercial competitors of GREAT LAKES MALL included RICHMOND MALL (1966) [DeBartolo's seventh mall project], in Richmond Heights, and EUCLID SQUARE MALL (1977), in Euclid.
A renovation in the 1980s added a 13-bay Food Court in previously-existing space. The interior and exterior were given a major makeover in the late 1990s. The mallway roof was rebuilt with new skylights. Newberry's was shuttered. Its area was sectioned into seven store spaces.
Anchor store rebrandings commenced in 1992 when the Higbee's chain, owned by a joint venture of DeBartolo / Dillard's since 1988, was acquired -in its entirety- by Dillard's. All Higbee's stores were rebranded as Dillard's, in addition to the five Ohio Horne's stores.
Hence, a Dillard's "double header" was created at GREAT LAKES MALL, with the Higbee's location becoming a Dillard's Women's and Horne's reopening as a Men's, Children's and Home Store. May Company was rebranded as a Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's in 1993 and "Macy-ated" on September 9, 2006.
The mall, itself, had changed hands as a result of the DeBartolo / Simon merger of August 1996...ending up as a Simon Property Group holding by 1998.
Today, GREAT LAKES MALL houses one hundred and ten store spaces. There are seven peripheral businesses, including Office Max, Barnes and Noble, Olive Garden and Max and Erma's.
Sources:
Comment post by "Anonymous"
"Great Lakes Mall" article on Wikipedia
"Higbee's" article on Wikipedia
www.simon.com
www.cinematreasures.com
Lake County, Ohio tax assessor website
Jacksonville's Normandy Mall
*
NORMANDY was the third mall-type center in Greater Jacksonville;
following open-air centers PHILLIPS HIGHWAY PLAZA (1960) and
ROOSEVELT CENTER (1961). The Woolco seen here was added to the
NORMANDY MALL in 1970. It closed, along with the chain, in January
1983.
The original -DeBartolo designed and developed-
NORMANDY MALL. The center was Jacksonville's
first fully-enclosed retail complex, as well as the
Sunshine State's first shopping center built as a fully-
enclosed structure. Orlando's COLONIAL PLAZA
became Florida's first interior mall in 1962...but did
so with an addition to an existing strip shopping
center.
The final footprint of NORMANDY MALL. This was
following the addition of the 99,700 square foot Woolco,
on the north end of the complex, in 1970. The retail
venue now encompassed 416,000 leasable square feet.
The old NORMANDY MALL Ward's was renovated and reopened as
NORMANDY MARKETPLACE in September 1997.
Photo from www.thisisrobert.com
The western entrance to the new KINGDOM PLAZA AT NORMANDY
MALL, a remodel of the circa-'63 center. These doorways once entered
into a Murphy's Mart.
Photo from www.metrojax.com
One third of the original mall proper was demolished in late 2003.
The remainder was remodeled into a non-secular shopopolis,
which was dedicated in October 2007. Here we see the interior
mallway of KINGDOM PLAZA AT NORMANDY MALL.
Photo from www.metrojax.com
The refurbished Center Court and Fountain at KINGDOM PLAZA.
Photo from www.metrojax.com
A circa-'08 site plan of the two seperately owned and
operated shopping centers that now occupy NORMANDY
MALL. A Jacksonville-based religious congregation came
along in 2003 to resque the deserted mid-century shopping
center from demolition. The concept of a church-based
shopping mall has also been used in Cincinnati, where the
old SWIFTON CENTER was rehabilitated into JORDAN
CROSSING.
NORMANDY MALL
Normandy Boulevard and Garth Avenue
Jacksonville, Florida
The second shopping mall developed by the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation was sited on 21 acres, 5.5 miles west of downtown Jacksonville. Like its predecessor, GREAT LAKES MALL, NORMANDY MALL was a fully-enclosed, community-class complex.
The single level center, an addition to a 1-level (107,400 square foot) Montgomery Ward, came inline during 1963. In addition to Ward's, it included a 1-level (31,700 square foot), Henderson, North Carolina-based P.H. Rose variety store, Eckerd Drug, Orange Julius and Hallmark Cards. In all, there were sixty-two stores and services under one roof.
A 1-level (99,700 square foot) Woolco was added to the north side of the complex in 1970. In addition, an 83,000 square foot strip center, with a Pantry Pride supermarket, was built as a west parking area outparcel.
Commercial competitors included GATEWAY CENTER MALL (1966) and REGENCY SQUARE MALL (1967) [February 2008 archive], in Jacksonville, and ORANGE PARK MALL (1974), in Orange Park.
The Rose's variety store was the first NORMANDY MALL anchor to change nameplates. The space was expanded into a 35,500 square feet store when it reopened as a Murphy's Mart in the early 1970s.
Montgomery Ward morphed into a Jefferson Ward before closing in 1988. Woolco, shuttered along with the 1983 demise of the chain, became a Sam's Club.
By the early 1990s, NORMANDY had become a dead mall. The last stores closed in 1992, with the structure sitting vacant for several years.
In August 1996, Jacksonville-based Sleiman Enterprises acquired the vacant Montgomery Ward. Its space was renovated into a 63,400 square foot Winn-Dixie Marketplace, with a block of eight stores created in the remainder of the area. The new shopping center, known as NORMANDY MARKETPLACE, was dedicated September 4, 1997.
NORMANDY MALL languished until it was purchased by Jacksonville's Potter's House Christian Fellowship, in November 2003. The congregation invested ten million dollars into a renovation of the structure.
The eastern third was demolished, leaving 177,000 square feet standing. The old Murphy's Mart became an extended interior mall corridor and the Ward's / Winn Dixie connection was severed.
Interior space was refurbished with new marble tile and indirect lighting. The old Woolco / Sam's Club became a 4,000 seat sanctuary, children's church and offices. The exterior of the buildings were also given a major makeover.
Rechristened KINGDOM PLAZA AT NORMANDY MALL, the religious-themed shopping venue held its grand opening October 17, 2007. In addition to its Temple Builders Fitness Center, the complex features King Pins Bowling, Soul Food Bistro, Glorious Tees and Totes, and Rite 2 Life Nutrition. In all, there are twenty-five stores and services.
Sources:
www.kingdomplaza.com
www.metrojacksonville.com
First Coast News / Grayson Kamm
www.coj.net (Jax property info)
www.sleiman.com
Normandy Boulevard and Garth Avenue
Jacksonville, Florida
The second shopping mall developed by the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation was sited on 21 acres, 5.5 miles west of downtown Jacksonville. Like its predecessor, GREAT LAKES MALL, NORMANDY MALL was a fully-enclosed, community-class complex.
The single level center, an addition to a 1-level (107,400 square foot) Montgomery Ward, came inline during 1963. In addition to Ward's, it included a 1-level (31,700 square foot), Henderson, North Carolina-based P.H. Rose variety store, Eckerd Drug, Orange Julius and Hallmark Cards. In all, there were sixty-two stores and services under one roof.
A 1-level (99,700 square foot) Woolco was added to the north side of the complex in 1970. In addition, an 83,000 square foot strip center, with a Pantry Pride supermarket, was built as a west parking area outparcel.
Commercial competitors included GATEWAY CENTER MALL (1966) and REGENCY SQUARE MALL (1967) [February 2008 archive], in Jacksonville, and ORANGE PARK MALL (1974), in Orange Park.
The Rose's variety store was the first NORMANDY MALL anchor to change nameplates. The space was expanded into a 35,500 square feet store when it reopened as a Murphy's Mart in the early 1970s.
Montgomery Ward morphed into a Jefferson Ward before closing in 1988. Woolco, shuttered along with the 1983 demise of the chain, became a Sam's Club.
By the early 1990s, NORMANDY had become a dead mall. The last stores closed in 1992, with the structure sitting vacant for several years.
In August 1996, Jacksonville-based Sleiman Enterprises acquired the vacant Montgomery Ward. Its space was renovated into a 63,400 square foot Winn-Dixie Marketplace, with a block of eight stores created in the remainder of the area. The new shopping center, known as NORMANDY MARKETPLACE, was dedicated September 4, 1997.
NORMANDY MALL languished until it was purchased by Jacksonville's Potter's House Christian Fellowship, in November 2003. The congregation invested ten million dollars into a renovation of the structure.
The eastern third was demolished, leaving 177,000 square feet standing. The old Murphy's Mart became an extended interior mall corridor and the Ward's / Winn Dixie connection was severed.
Interior space was refurbished with new marble tile and indirect lighting. The old Woolco / Sam's Club became a 4,000 seat sanctuary, children's church and offices. The exterior of the buildings were also given a major makeover.
Rechristened KINGDOM PLAZA AT NORMANDY MALL, the religious-themed shopping venue held its grand opening October 17, 2007. In addition to its Temple Builders Fitness Center, the complex features King Pins Bowling, Soul Food Bistro, Glorious Tees and Totes, and Rite 2 Life Nutrition. In all, there are twenty-five stores and services.
Sources:
www.kingdomplaza.com
www.metrojacksonville.com
First Coast News / Grayson Kamm
www.coj.net (Jax property info)
www.sleiman.com
Photo from www.petrieross.com
Two views of the enclosed mallway at what was once known as GLEN
BURNIE MALL. The center was given a second major renovation in
the mid-'00s and renamed CENTRE AT GLEN BURNIE.
Photo from www.thecourtyard.com
Best Buy opened in November 1994. It occupied half of the old Topps
discount mart, which had been leased -in the mid-'70s- as a Baltimore-
based Epstein's and the Toys "R" Us seen here.
Photo from www.petrieross.com
Dick's built a new, 60,800 square foot store on land where the GLEN
BURNIE MALL G.C. Murphy once stood. The Pittsburgh-based sporting
goods retailer opened at the shopping center in 1995.
Photo from www.petrieross.com
That venerable Minneapolis-based discount chain took up shop at the
renovating CENTRE AT GLEN BURNIE in October 2004.
Photo from www.petrieross.com
Today's CENTRE AT GLEN BURNIE, a most successful
reconfiguration of a once-failing, mid-century shopping
center. During its 2003-2005 remodeling, the vacant
Montgomery Ward was demolished, along with the store
structure that had housed a Jeepers! Family Fun Center
(originally an A & P). These were replaced by a block of
new stores and 123,700 square foot Target.
GLEN BURNIE MALL
Governor Ritchie Highway and East Ordnance Road
Glen Burnie, Maryland
Mr. DeBartolo's third shopping mall project was constructed on a 41.7 acre plot, 7.2 miles south of center city Baltimore, in suburban Glen Burnie. The first tenants in GLEN BURNIE MALL opened for business in late 1963.
The thirty store, single level center was a fully-enclosed, community-sized complex. Its primary anchor, a 2-level (161,100 square foot) Montgomery Ward, occupied its southwest corner.
A G.C. Murphy 5 and 10 held its grand opening January 30, 1964. There were also an A and P supermarket, M and S Furniture, Hallmark Cards, Parklane Hosiery, Cushner's Men's Wear, Radio Shack, First Lady Beauty Salon, Lamp Post Restaurant and single-screen (interior mall-entranced) cinema.
The mall's second anchor, a 1-level (94,800 square foot), Topps Discount City (a division of New York City-based Interstate Stores) was completed in 1967.
This store was shuttered in the mid-1970s and divided into two smaller retail spaces. The first (on the west end) became a Toys "R" Us. The eastern half of the anchor box reopened as a Baltimore-based Epstein's...which eventually became an exterior-entranced Best Buy.
The earliest retail rivals of GLEN BURNIE MALL were located in Glen Burnie and also fronted on Governor Ritchie Highway. The first, HARUNDALE MALL [June 2009 archive], opened in 1958. The second, MARLEY STATION MALL, came along in 1988.
By the early 1990s, G.C. Murphy had closed. It was demolished and replaced by a 60,800 square foot Dick's Sporting Goods, built as part of a 1994-1995 mall renovation.
Montgomery Ward was shuttered in 2001, adding a large vacancy to the failing shopping center. The property was acquired by Annapolis-based Petrie Ross Ventures in August 2002. A large scale redevelopment was announced in mid-2003. Demolition commenced in August.
In the place of the former A and P was built a 1-level (123,650 square foot) Target; a part of the mall without a connection into the enclosed corridor. This store held its grand opening in October 2004.
Moreover, a block of thirteen stores replaced Ward's. The rest of the existing mall was given a complete makeover, with many stores being oriented toward the outside. The newly-renovated shopping center, now known as CENTRE AT GLEN BURNIE, was dedicated in the summer of 2005.
In 2008, the venue encompasses 428,367 leasable square feet, with forty-six retail spaces. Inline stores include Best Buy (opened during the 1995-1995 remodel), Lane Bryant, Finish Line, Famous Footwear and Bonefish Grill.
Sources:
www.petrieross.com
Anne Arundel County, Maryland tax assessor website
www.aacounty.org
Governor Ritchie Highway and East Ordnance Road
Glen Burnie, Maryland
Mr. DeBartolo's third shopping mall project was constructed on a 41.7 acre plot, 7.2 miles south of center city Baltimore, in suburban Glen Burnie. The first tenants in GLEN BURNIE MALL opened for business in late 1963.
The thirty store, single level center was a fully-enclosed, community-sized complex. Its primary anchor, a 2-level (161,100 square foot) Montgomery Ward, occupied its southwest corner.
A G.C. Murphy 5 and 10 held its grand opening January 30, 1964. There were also an A and P supermarket, M and S Furniture, Hallmark Cards, Parklane Hosiery, Cushner's Men's Wear, Radio Shack, First Lady Beauty Salon, Lamp Post Restaurant and single-screen (interior mall-entranced) cinema.
The mall's second anchor, a 1-level (94,800 square foot), Topps Discount City (a division of New York City-based Interstate Stores) was completed in 1967.
This store was shuttered in the mid-1970s and divided into two smaller retail spaces. The first (on the west end) became a Toys "R" Us. The eastern half of the anchor box reopened as a Baltimore-based Epstein's...which eventually became an exterior-entranced Best Buy.
The earliest retail rivals of GLEN BURNIE MALL were located in Glen Burnie and also fronted on Governor Ritchie Highway. The first, HARUNDALE MALL [June 2009 archive], opened in 1958. The second, MARLEY STATION MALL, came along in 1988.
By the early 1990s, G.C. Murphy had closed. It was demolished and replaced by a 60,800 square foot Dick's Sporting Goods, built as part of a 1994-1995 mall renovation.
Montgomery Ward was shuttered in 2001, adding a large vacancy to the failing shopping center. The property was acquired by Annapolis-based Petrie Ross Ventures in August 2002. A large scale redevelopment was announced in mid-2003. Demolition commenced in August.
In the place of the former A and P was built a 1-level (123,650 square foot) Target; a part of the mall without a connection into the enclosed corridor. This store held its grand opening in October 2004.
Moreover, a block of thirteen stores replaced Ward's. The rest of the existing mall was given a complete makeover, with many stores being oriented toward the outside. The newly-renovated shopping center, now known as CENTRE AT GLEN BURNIE, was dedicated in the summer of 2005.
In 2008, the venue encompasses 428,367 leasable square feet, with forty-six retail spaces. Inline stores include Best Buy (opened during the 1995-1995 remodel), Lane Bryant, Finish Line, Famous Footwear and Bonefish Grill.
Sources:
www.petrieross.com
Anne Arundel County, Maryland tax assessor website
www.aacounty.org
The original, DeBartolo-developed retail center, circa-1965. For some
inexplicable reason, it -and its retail rival, AMERICAN MALL- were
built nowhere near the pre-existing Interstate 75. The roadway, which
became part of the Interstate Highway system in 1956. had been
completed through "Limaland" in 1955.
The LIMA MALL Lazarus opened in late 1971, as a part of an expansion
of the shopping center. This photo depicts the original store, before it
was enlarged with an addition to the southwest-facing front.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Dirty Harry"
LIMA MALL, circa-'75. The Leader was now a Dayton-based Elder-
Beerman. The West Wing addition, dedicated in February 1972, is shown
in gray. With this expansion, J.C. Penney became a walk-thru anchor,
similar to stores in malls such as Chicago's GOLF MILL, Los Angeles'
DEL AMO FASHION CENTER and Jacksonville's REGENCY SQUARE.
LIMA MALL TENANTS 1972:
Abraham's / Brooks Fashions / Butler Shoes / Camelot Music / Can-Do Shop / Carousel Snack Bar / Central Savings and Loan Association / Chess King / Claire's Boutique / Corwin's Pastries / F.W. WOOLWORTH / Foxmoor Casuals / Hickory Farms of Ohio / Hobby Center / Hot Sam Pretzels / Howard's Camera and Gifts / Jo Ann Fabrics / Kinney Shoes / LAZARUS / THE LEADER / Madison's / Mary Jane Shoes / MCL Cafeteria / Merle Norman Cosmetics / Metropolitan Bank / Modern Finance Company / Moore's Auto Supply / Morgan's Fashions and Uniforms / Motherhood Maternity / National Shirt Shop / Neumode Hosiery / Olan Mills Studio / Optical Fashions Center / Orleans Leather Shop / PANGLE'S MASTER MARKET / Parklane Hosiery / Paul Morris Sportswear / J.C. PENNEY / Petrie's / Plum Tree / Radio Shack / Regal Shoes / Regis Beauty Salon / Richman Brothers / Robert Hall Clothes / Rogers Jewelers / SEARS / Sill's Shoes / Singer Sewing Center / Spencer Gifts / Suburban Barbers / Thom McAn Shoes / Thrift Drug / Waldenbooks / Zale's Jewelers
Abraham's / Brooks Fashions / Butler Shoes / Camelot Music / Can-Do Shop / Carousel Snack Bar / Central Savings and Loan Association / Chess King / Claire's Boutique / Corwin's Pastries / F.W. WOOLWORTH / Foxmoor Casuals / Hickory Farms of Ohio / Hobby Center / Hot Sam Pretzels / Howard's Camera and Gifts / Jo Ann Fabrics / Kinney Shoes / LAZARUS / THE LEADER / Madison's / Mary Jane Shoes / MCL Cafeteria / Merle Norman Cosmetics / Metropolitan Bank / Modern Finance Company / Moore's Auto Supply / Morgan's Fashions and Uniforms / Motherhood Maternity / National Shirt Shop / Neumode Hosiery / Olan Mills Studio / Optical Fashions Center / Orleans Leather Shop / PANGLE'S MASTER MARKET / Parklane Hosiery / Paul Morris Sportswear / J.C. PENNEY / Petrie's / Plum Tree / Radio Shack / Regal Shoes / Regis Beauty Salon / Richman Brothers / Robert Hall Clothes / Rogers Jewelers / SEARS / Sill's Shoes / Singer Sewing Center / Spencer Gifts / Suburban Barbers / Thom McAn Shoes / Thrift Drug / Waldenbooks / Zale's Jewelers
A pre-2005 view of the west end of LIMA MALL. The post-1972 J.C.
Penney nameplate replaced the circa-1963 "New Look" logo seen
above.
Photo from www.eyecorp.com
Knoxville-based Ruby Tuesday opened a new outparcel bistro at the
mall in 2000.
Photo from Allen County, Ohio tax assessor website
A 2008 physical layout. The west anchor, originally a Columbus-based
Lazarus, was expanded and eventually given the nameplate of the well-
known Manhattan-based mercantile.
LIMA MALL
Elida and North Cable Roads
American Township (Allen County), Ohio
By the mid-1960s, the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation had progressed to the development of larger, regional-class shopping malls. The first two, SUMMIT MALL [September 2008 archive] and LIMA MALL opened in October 1965.
LIMA MALL occupied a 69 acre parcel, located 3 miles northwest of downtown Lima. The site fell within unincorporated American Township. A single level, fully-enclosed complex, LIMA MALL was anchored by a 2-level J.C. Penney, 2-level (103,300 square foot), Lima-based The Leader and 1-level Sears.
Charter tenants included Carousel Snack Bar, Foxmoor Casuals, Jo Ann Fabrics, MCL Cafeteria, Thrift Drug, Pangle's Master Market and an F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10.
The only retail rival in the region, AMERICAN MALL, was located 1.5 miles south and also opened in 1965.
LIMA MALL was expanded with a twenty store West Wing and 2-level, Columbus-based Lazarus. The new anchor store was completed in late 1971, with the dedication of new inline stores occurring in February 1972. Lazarus was eventually enlarged into a 95,000 square foot location. The mall now encompassed 746,000 leasable square feet.
The Leader was the first anchor to sport a new nameplate. The store became known as "EB The Leader" in early 1975 with the full conversion into a Dayton-based Elder-Beerman in place by September 1975.
Lazarus became the second LIMA MALL department store to be rebranded. It became Lazarus-Macy's in 2003, with full "Macy-ation" being instituted on February 1, 2005.
The mall became a Simon DeBartolo property during the August 1996 merger of the two companies. In 1998, ownership came under the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group (who had dropped the DeBartolo co-heading).
Today, LIMA MALL houses seventy-one stores, including Christopher and Banks, Lane Bryant, Aeropostale, Wet Seal, Pacsun, Finish Line and Journey's Shoes.
Sources:
Malls of America Blogspot / Keith Milford webmaster
www.simon.com
Allen County, Ohio tax assessor website
Elida and North Cable Roads
American Township (Allen County), Ohio
By the mid-1960s, the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation had progressed to the development of larger, regional-class shopping malls. The first two, SUMMIT MALL [September 2008 archive] and LIMA MALL opened in October 1965.
LIMA MALL occupied a 69 acre parcel, located 3 miles northwest of downtown Lima. The site fell within unincorporated American Township. A single level, fully-enclosed complex, LIMA MALL was anchored by a 2-level J.C. Penney, 2-level (103,300 square foot), Lima-based The Leader and 1-level Sears.
Charter tenants included Carousel Snack Bar, Foxmoor Casuals, Jo Ann Fabrics, MCL Cafeteria, Thrift Drug, Pangle's Master Market and an F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10.
The only retail rival in the region, AMERICAN MALL, was located 1.5 miles south and also opened in 1965.
LIMA MALL was expanded with a twenty store West Wing and 2-level, Columbus-based Lazarus. The new anchor store was completed in late 1971, with the dedication of new inline stores occurring in February 1972. Lazarus was eventually enlarged into a 95,000 square foot location. The mall now encompassed 746,000 leasable square feet.
The Leader was the first anchor to sport a new nameplate. The store became known as "EB The Leader" in early 1975 with the full conversion into a Dayton-based Elder-Beerman in place by September 1975.
Lazarus became the second LIMA MALL department store to be rebranded. It became Lazarus-Macy's in 2003, with full "Macy-ation" being instituted on February 1, 2005.
The mall became a Simon DeBartolo property during the August 1996 merger of the two companies. In 1998, ownership came under the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group (who had dropped the DeBartolo co-heading).
Today, LIMA MALL houses seventy-one stores, including Christopher and Banks, Lane Bryant, Aeropostale, Wet Seal, Pacsun, Finish Line and Journey's Shoes.
Sources:
Malls of America Blogspot / Keith Milford webmaster
www.simon.com
Allen County, Ohio tax assessor website
A 1967 aerial view of the newly-completed retail hub. The future route
of Interstate 95 (under construction at the time) skirts along the western
boundary of the parking lot. It would be ten years before this stretch of
freeway was completely open to traffic.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
PALM BEACH MALL TENANTS 1967 (PARTIAL LIST):
J.C. PENNEY (with outparcel Auto Center) / RICHARD'S (with outparcel Auto Center) / JORDAN MARSH (with cafe) / F.W. WOOLWORTH (with lunch counter and Harvest House Cafeteria) / FOOD FAIR supermarket / Barefoot Mailman / Chess King / Contempo Casuals / Cricket Shop / Lerner Shops / Doktor's Pets / Jacobs Jewelers / Webster's Sporting Goods / Fannie May Candies / Kinney Shoes / Barron's For Men / Lani Kai Fashions / Thom McAn Shoes / SmokeShop / Surrey's Limited for Men / Florsheim Shoes / Bakers Shoes / Lillie Rubin / Hallmark Card Shop / Walgreen Drug / Waldenbooks / Anthony's Fashions / Goodyear Tire, Auto and Appliance / Wicks 'N Sticks / Junior's Deli / Le Petit Cafe/ Orange Bowl Hot Dogs and Pizza / Harvest House / Barracini's Ice Cream / Hickory Farms of Ohio / Hot Sam Pretzels / Palm Beach Mall I and II Cinema
J.C. PENNEY (with outparcel Auto Center) / RICHARD'S (with outparcel Auto Center) / JORDAN MARSH (with cafe) / F.W. WOOLWORTH (with lunch counter and Harvest House Cafeteria) / FOOD FAIR supermarket / Barefoot Mailman / Chess King / Contempo Casuals / Cricket Shop / Lerner Shops / Doktor's Pets / Jacobs Jewelers / Webster's Sporting Goods / Fannie May Candies / Kinney Shoes / Barron's For Men / Lani Kai Fashions / Thom McAn Shoes / SmokeShop / Surrey's Limited for Men / Florsheim Shoes / Bakers Shoes / Lillie Rubin / Hallmark Card Shop / Walgreen Drug / Waldenbooks / Anthony's Fashions / Goodyear Tire, Auto and Appliance / Wicks 'N Sticks / Junior's Deli / Le Petit Cafe/ Orange Bowl Hot Dogs and Pizza / Harvest House / Barracini's Ice Cream / Hickory Farms of Ohio / Hot Sam Pretzels / Palm Beach Mall I and II Cinema
The original layout of DeBartolo's PALM BEACH MALL. The 860,000
square foot shopping venue housed eighty-seven stores and services.
After two renovations, this total was increased to one hundred and
twenty five.
Center Court, circa-1967. The area featured a tropical garden with
reflecting pool. Two bridges connected the east and west promenades.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
The Center Court's "Wonderfall" feature. These
simulated fountains were the focal point of many
a mid-century mall.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
A post-1980 renovation site plan. During this remodeling, two new
anchors were added, along with a parking garage. Seven years
later, the recently-shuttered Pantry Pride was rebuilt into a Food
Court.
An I-95 view of Jordan Marsh and Lord and Taylor. The former was
torn down in February 1998 and replaced with a new Dillard's. Lord
and Taylor had a destiny date with the wrecking ball in the early '00s.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
Miami-based Burdines opened a location at PALM BEACH MALL
during the 1979-1980 renovation. The store was "Macy-ated" in
2005.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / Michael Lisicky
Sears assumed the old Richard's spot during the '79-'80 redo. The
structure was eventually expanded into the 163,400 square foot
store seen here.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
The So-Flo shopopolis was given a second major renovation between
the years 1998 and 2000. Here we see a contemporary site plan. A
newly-built anchor store now stood at the center of the center and
Sears had been enlarged. The Lord and Taylor location, vacated in
September 2001, was eventually demolished.
PBM's Dillard's was built in place of a demolished Jordan Marsh /
Mervyn's. The new store opened in February 2000. It closed for
good in October 2008.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
The Center Court Fountain, which replaced the circa-'67 version
seen above during the mall's 1998-2000 redo.
Photo from www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
The shopping center's Border's location opened in the spring of 2000 and
was shuttered in early 2008.
Photo from www.greatsouthern-gc.com
PALM BEACH MALL
North Congress Avenue and Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard
West Palm Beach, Florida
South Florida's PALM BEACH MALL was DeBartolo's first regional-class shopping center in the Sunshine State and the eighth mall developed by the corporation. The single level complex was constructed on a 76.5 acre plot, 2.6 miles northwest of downtown West Palm Beach. The site was adjacent to the future route of the Interstate 95 expressway.
At its formal dedication on October 26, 1967, the 860,000 square foot shopping venue was the largest interior mall in the Southeast. It was anchored by a 2-level (212,800 square foot) J.C. Penney, 3-level (101,000 square foot), Miami-based Jordan Marsh of Florida and 2-level (88,000 square foot), Miami-based Richard's.
The mall featured eighty-seven inline stores, including Walgreen Drug, Lerner Shops, a Food Fair supermarket and 63,000 square foot F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10. In addition, there was a twin-screen cinema on the south mall concourse.
A major expansion and renovation was completed in 1980. Two new anchors were added; a 2-level Lord and Taylor and 2-level (188,600 square foot), Miami-based Burdines (pronounced "bur-dinz"). A parking garage was also constructed on the northwest corner of the mall.
Anchor store conversions commenced with the 1980 remodeling. Richard's was shuttered and reopened as a Sears. Eventually, the outparcel Auto Center was demolished, making way for an expansion of the store into a 163,400 square foot structure.
Retail rival malls soon appeared. The first, THE GARDENS, in Palm Beach Gardens, was dedicated in 1988. West Palm's CITY PLACE, a center city shopopolis, was completed in 2000. MALL AT WELLINGTON GREEN, in Wellington, came inline in 2001.
The second anchor rebranding at PALM BEACH MALL involved the conversion of the Jordan Marsh (vacated in September 1991) into a Hayward, California-based Mervyn's, which debuted in early 1992.
With the Simon / DeBartolo merger of August 1996, the mall became a Simon DeBartolo holding. It reverted to Simon Property Group ownership when the company dropped the DeBartolo subheading in 1998 and purchased New York City-based Corporate Property Investors (co-owners of the mall with DeBartolo) in September 1998.
PALM BEACH MALL emerged from a forty million dollar renovation on April 6, 2000, taking on the look of an 1880s Henry Morrison Flagler-type, grand Florida hotel . This motif was also the basis of the 2002 renovation of GALLERIA FORT LAUDERDALE [March 2008 archive].
The PALM BEACH MALL Mervyn's, shuttered during the chain's retail retreat of 1997, had been razed in February 1998. A new 2-level (203,000 square foot) Dillard's, built in place of the old Jordan Marsh / Mervyn's, had been dedicated February 23, 2000.
Woolworth, shuttered in July 1997, was sectioned into three store spaces in the year 2000; Fort Lauderdale-based Mars Music, Columbus, Ohio-based DSW Shoe Warehouse and Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Borders. Lastly, the 25,800 square foot twin cinema space was refitted as an Old Navy.
Unfortunately, the remodeled mall fell on hard times. A high-profile murder of the eighteen-year-old manager of the center's Chick-Fil-A, in May 1999, had lasting repurcussions. The closing of Lord and Taylor, on September 10, 2001 only exacerbated the decline of the retail hub. L and T's store structure was demolished in anticipation of a new anchor store that never materialized.
By 2002, an inline store exodus was underway. Walgreen Drug, a charter tenant, moved out in May. This was followed by Mars Music, KB Toys, Old Navy and Borders. Eventually, what stores remained in the largely vacant mall were local mom and pop operations.
Naturally, plans for an open-air, power center reconfiguration emerged. A plan put forth by Simon in 2005 advocated demolishing the mall structure, leaving Sears, Dillard's, J.C. Penney and Burdines (by then a Macy's).
Construction of a 290,000 square foot Ikea was to be included in these plans, along with 700,000 square feet of retail, 300,000 square feet of office space and five hundred residential units.
Implementation of this demalling was shelved due to the economic crash of the late '00s and the shuttering of Dillard's (in October 2008) and Macy's (in early 2009).
Additionally, Sears is pulling the plug on their store in January of 2010. This leaves the gargantuan retail complex with one anchor, J.C. Penney, and nineteen inline stores in business.
Sources:
www.africa-usa.com
Malls of America Blogspot / Keith Milford webmaster
www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
"Palm Beach Mall" article on Wikipedia
www.simon.com
Comment post by "Anonymous"
Palm Beach County tax assessor website
North Congress Avenue and Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard
West Palm Beach, Florida
South Florida's PALM BEACH MALL was DeBartolo's first regional-class shopping center in the Sunshine State and the eighth mall developed by the corporation. The single level complex was constructed on a 76.5 acre plot, 2.6 miles northwest of downtown West Palm Beach. The site was adjacent to the future route of the Interstate 95 expressway.
At its formal dedication on October 26, 1967, the 860,000 square foot shopping venue was the largest interior mall in the Southeast. It was anchored by a 2-level (212,800 square foot) J.C. Penney, 3-level (101,000 square foot), Miami-based Jordan Marsh of Florida and 2-level (88,000 square foot), Miami-based Richard's.
The mall featured eighty-seven inline stores, including Walgreen Drug, Lerner Shops, a Food Fair supermarket and 63,000 square foot F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10. In addition, there was a twin-screen cinema on the south mall concourse.
A major expansion and renovation was completed in 1980. Two new anchors were added; a 2-level Lord and Taylor and 2-level (188,600 square foot), Miami-based Burdines (pronounced "bur-dinz"). A parking garage was also constructed on the northwest corner of the mall.
Anchor store conversions commenced with the 1980 remodeling. Richard's was shuttered and reopened as a Sears. Eventually, the outparcel Auto Center was demolished, making way for an expansion of the store into a 163,400 square foot structure.
Retail rival malls soon appeared. The first, THE GARDENS, in Palm Beach Gardens, was dedicated in 1988. West Palm's CITY PLACE, a center city shopopolis, was completed in 2000. MALL AT WELLINGTON GREEN, in Wellington, came inline in 2001.
The second anchor rebranding at PALM BEACH MALL involved the conversion of the Jordan Marsh (vacated in September 1991) into a Hayward, California-based Mervyn's, which debuted in early 1992.
With the Simon / DeBartolo merger of August 1996, the mall became a Simon DeBartolo holding. It reverted to Simon Property Group ownership when the company dropped the DeBartolo subheading in 1998 and purchased New York City-based Corporate Property Investors (co-owners of the mall with DeBartolo) in September 1998.
PALM BEACH MALL emerged from a forty million dollar renovation on April 6, 2000, taking on the look of an 1880s Henry Morrison Flagler-type, grand Florida hotel . This motif was also the basis of the 2002 renovation of GALLERIA FORT LAUDERDALE [March 2008 archive].
The PALM BEACH MALL Mervyn's, shuttered during the chain's retail retreat of 1997, had been razed in February 1998. A new 2-level (203,000 square foot) Dillard's, built in place of the old Jordan Marsh / Mervyn's, had been dedicated February 23, 2000.
Woolworth, shuttered in July 1997, was sectioned into three store spaces in the year 2000; Fort Lauderdale-based Mars Music, Columbus, Ohio-based DSW Shoe Warehouse and Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Borders. Lastly, the 25,800 square foot twin cinema space was refitted as an Old Navy.
Unfortunately, the remodeled mall fell on hard times. A high-profile murder of the eighteen-year-old manager of the center's Chick-Fil-A, in May 1999, had lasting repurcussions. The closing of Lord and Taylor, on September 10, 2001 only exacerbated the decline of the retail hub. L and T's store structure was demolished in anticipation of a new anchor store that never materialized.
By 2002, an inline store exodus was underway. Walgreen Drug, a charter tenant, moved out in May. This was followed by Mars Music, KB Toys, Old Navy and Borders. Eventually, what stores remained in the largely vacant mall were local mom and pop operations.
Naturally, plans for an open-air, power center reconfiguration emerged. A plan put forth by Simon in 2005 advocated demolishing the mall structure, leaving Sears, Dillard's, J.C. Penney and Burdines (by then a Macy's).
Construction of a 290,000 square foot Ikea was to be included in these plans, along with 700,000 square feet of retail, 300,000 square feet of office space and five hundred residential units.
Implementation of this demalling was shelved due to the economic crash of the late '00s and the shuttering of Dillard's (in October 2008) and Macy's (in early 2009).
Additionally, Sears is pulling the plug on their store in January of 2010. This leaves the gargantuan retail complex with one anchor, J.C. Penney, and nineteen inline stores in business.
Sources:
www.africa-usa.com
Malls of America Blogspot / Keith Milford webmaster
www.labelscar.com / "Caldor"
"Palm Beach Mall" article on Wikipedia
www.simon.com
Comment post by "Anonymous"
Palm Beach County tax assessor website
Toledo's Woodville Mall
The first shopping mall in Metropolitan Toledo was Edward J. De-
Bartolo's tenth shopping mall. Dedicated on April 16, 1969, the
center spanned 870,000 leasable square feet and was anchored
by Toledo-based LaSalle's, J.C. Penney and Sears.
Photo from www.loopnet.com
See the September 2008 archive for the complete article
The first shopping mall in Metropolitan Toledo was Edward J. De-
Bartolo's tenth shopping mall. Dedicated on April 16, 1969, the
center spanned 870,000 leasable square feet and was anchored
by Toledo-based LaSalle's, J.C. Penney and Sears.
Photo from www.loopnet.com
See the September 2008 archive for the complete article
Southwestern Ohio's Dayton Mall
DeBartolo and corporation's sixth Buckeye State mall held a soft opening
in 1969. Its primary anchor, Dayton-based Rike's, came inline along with
Hickory Farms of Ohio. The complete retail roster of one hundred and
twenty inline stores was in place by 1970.
See the June 2008 archive for the complete article
DeBartolo and corporation's sixth Buckeye State mall held a soft opening
in 1969. Its primary anchor, Dayton-based Rike's, came inline along with
Hickory Farms of Ohio. The complete retail roster of one hundred and
twenty inline stores was in place by 1970.
See the June 2008 archive for the complete article
A circa-'72 newspaper ad announcing the "Preview
Opening"of Tampa-St. Pete's newest shopping mall.
Advertisement from the Evening Independent
A physical layout of DeBartolo's one hundred and nine store mega-mall,
as it was situated at its completion in early 1973. It was the second inter-
ior mall in St. Pete proper and the sixth in the Bay Area.
TYRONE SQUARE MALL TENANTS 1973:
Bakers Shoes / Barefoot Mailman / Byron's / Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors / Bernard Wigs / Bilgore Gifts / Bresler's Ice Cream / Buster Brown Shoes / Cannon Music / Carnaby Shops / Card Cage / Carousel Snack Bar / Casual Corner / Cheese Villa / Chess King / Cissie's / Colony Shop / B. Dalton Bookseller / Disc Records / Dorberry Shop / Doret Shop / Egerton and Moore / Empire Stores / Fair Winds Travel / Farrell's Restaurant / Figure Fair / Flagg Brothers Shoes / Florsheim Shoes / Florida Shoe Service / Florida Multi-Cinema (6 screens) / Foxmoor Casuals / Franklin Optical / Fremac's / General Nutition Center / Gordon's Jewelers / Haber's Department Store / Hallmark Cards / Hanover Shoes / Haus Stride / Hickory Farms of Ohio / Highlander Cafeteria / Hot Sam's Pretzels / Infinity Sportswear / J.C. PENNEY (with outparcel Auto Center) / Jeans West / Jo Ann Fabrics / Just Pants / Kinney Shoes / Lawton Jewelers / Lerner Shops / Lillie Rubin / Lory's Fashions / MAAS BROTHERS / Mary Jane Shoes / Mary Jane Sportswear / Merle Norman Cosmetics / Modern Woman / Motherhood Maternity / National Men's Shop / Naturalizer Shoes / Olan Mills Studio / Orange Julius / Parklane Hosiery / Pandela's / Professional Uniform / Purclad Ties / Regal Shoes / Richman Brothers / ROBINSON'S OF FLORIDA / Russell Stover Candies / Sacine and Sons / St. Pete Federal Savings and Loan / SEARS (with outparcel Auto Center) / Shane's Steak House / Shoe Villa / Singer Sewing Center / Size 5-7-9 Shops / Slimer's Resort Wear / Snak Shack / Spencer Gifts / Stuarts / Stuf To Wear / Super X Drug / Surrey's Mens Wear / Thayer-McNeal / Thom McAn Shoes / Tiffany Bakery / U.S. Shoes / Vallery Casuals / Waldenbooks / Wolf Brothers / Wicks 'N Sticks / World Imports / Young Sophistocates / Zale's Jewelers
Bakers Shoes / Barefoot Mailman / Byron's / Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors / Bernard Wigs / Bilgore Gifts / Bresler's Ice Cream / Buster Brown Shoes / Cannon Music / Carnaby Shops / Card Cage / Carousel Snack Bar / Casual Corner / Cheese Villa / Chess King / Cissie's / Colony Shop / B. Dalton Bookseller / Disc Records / Dorberry Shop / Doret Shop / Egerton and Moore / Empire Stores / Fair Winds Travel / Farrell's Restaurant / Figure Fair / Flagg Brothers Shoes / Florsheim Shoes / Florida Shoe Service / Florida Multi-Cinema (6 screens) / Foxmoor Casuals / Franklin Optical / Fremac's / General Nutition Center / Gordon's Jewelers / Haber's Department Store / Hallmark Cards / Hanover Shoes / Haus Stride / Hickory Farms of Ohio / Highlander Cafeteria / Hot Sam's Pretzels / Infinity Sportswear / J.C. PENNEY (with outparcel Auto Center) / Jeans West / Jo Ann Fabrics / Just Pants / Kinney Shoes / Lawton Jewelers / Lerner Shops / Lillie Rubin / Lory's Fashions / MAAS BROTHERS / Mary Jane Shoes / Mary Jane Sportswear / Merle Norman Cosmetics / Modern Woman / Motherhood Maternity / National Men's Shop / Naturalizer Shoes / Olan Mills Studio / Orange Julius / Parklane Hosiery / Pandela's / Professional Uniform / Purclad Ties / Regal Shoes / Richman Brothers / ROBINSON'S OF FLORIDA / Russell Stover Candies / Sacine and Sons / St. Pete Federal Savings and Loan / SEARS (with outparcel Auto Center) / Shane's Steak House / Shoe Villa / Singer Sewing Center / Size 5-7-9 Shops / Slimer's Resort Wear / Snak Shack / Spencer Gifts / Stuarts / Stuf To Wear / Super X Drug / Surrey's Mens Wear / Thayer-McNeal / Thom McAn Shoes / Tiffany Bakery / U.S. Shoes / Vallery Casuals / Waldenbooks / Wolf Brothers / Wicks 'N Sticks / World Imports / Young Sophistocates / Zale's Jewelers
The mall's Main Entrance was extended southward during the
renovation of 1998-1999. A 9-bay Food Court was built, along
with a new Tex-Mex restaurant.
Photo from www.simon.com
Today's Central Court and fountain.
Photo from www.simon.com
A new mall entrance created as part of the 2005 lifestyle remodel-
ing. 40,000 square feet of the existing mall was gutted, with eight
store spaces made into fourteen.
Photo from www.simon.com
TYRONE SQUARE, following its 2005 renovation. The new lifestyle
format section is indicated in light gray. The remodeling of 1998-1999
is shown in dark gray.
TYRONE SQUARE MALL
Tyrone Boulevard North / US 19 and 66th Street North
Saint Petersburg, Florida
One of the crowning acheivements of the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation was the development of St. Pete's TYRONE SQUARE MALL. The single-level, 1,176,900 square foot complex was one of four regional DeBartolo malls that opened across the eastern United States in 1972 and was the corporation's third foray into Florida.
TYRONE SQUARE presided over a 71 acre site, 6.2 miles northwest of center city Saint Petersburg. Its twenty-store "Preview Opening", on October 5, 1972, was attended by Lieutenant Governor Tom Adams, Suzanne Charles , "Miss Florida 1972", and Edward J. DeBartolo, Junior.
The Moorish-Modern-influenced structure was anchored by a 2-level (162,000 square foot), Tampa-based Maas Brothers, 2-level (183,900 square foot) J.C. Penney, 2-level (170,700 square foot) Sears and 2-level (183,600 square foot), Saint Petersburg-based Robinson's of Florida.
Inline stores included Egerton Moore Men's, Fremacs Men's, Foxmoor Casuals, Figure Fair, Colony Shop, Bakers Shoes, Disc Records, Super X Drug and Hickory Farms of Ohio. The interior mall-accessed Tyrone Square I-VI multiplex cinema opened, along with the bulk of the shopping center, in early 1973. It remained in business until January 2007.
An account of the original mall opening in 1972 describes its interior as featuring "bold, Picasso-like colors, mirrored lights and shining, terrazzo and marble floors" with "accents of chrome, glass and satin silver".
It goes on to say that "two large fountains decorated in charteuse and purple geometric designs" graced its spacious court areas. As one might expect, these high-end, '70s Mid-Mod accoutrements were removed during subsequent facelift renovations.
Shopping mall contemporaries on the Pinellas Peninsula included SUNSHINE MALL (1968-1998), in Clearwater, GATEWAY MALL (1968-1998), in Saint Petersburg, SEMINOLE MALL (1970), in Seminole, CLEARWATER MALL (1973-2002), in Clearwater, COUNTRYSIDE MALL (1975), in Clearwater and PINELLAS SQUARE MALL (1977-2004) [another DeBartolo development], in Pinellas Park.
Anchor store rebrandings began in 1987, when all Robinson's of Florida locations were rebranded as New Orleans-based Goudchaux / Maison Blanche (the name being shortened to simply Maison Blanche in 1988). These stores were acquired by Little Rock-based Dillard's in 1991.
This was the same year in which Maas Brothers department stores in the Tampa Bay area were rebranded as Miami-based Burdines. They became Burdines / Macy's in 2003 and full-fledged Macy's in 2005.
The first major remodeling -and only physical expansion of retail space at TYRONE SQUARE- got underway in June 1998 and added a 24,300 square foot Borders to the northwest side of the complex. A 9-bay Food Court and Tia's Tex Mex Restaurant were also built at the Main Entrance. This ten million dollar improvement project was completed in the spring of 1999.
A more recent redo, beginning in February 2005 and coming inline in November of the same year, rebuilt 40,000 square feet on the mall's northeast corner into an open-air lifestyle format. A new mall entrance was created, with new stores opened, such as J. Jill, Jos. A. Bank and C.J. Banks.
In the present day, TYRONE SQUARE MALL, owned by the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, encompasses 1,250,000 leasable square feet and over one hundred and seventy stores and services.
Sources:
www.simon.com
Saint Petersburg Evening Independent
Pinellas County, Florida tax assessor website
www.cinematreasures.com
Tyrone Boulevard North / US 19 and 66th Street North
Saint Petersburg, Florida
One of the crowning acheivements of the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation was the development of St. Pete's TYRONE SQUARE MALL. The single-level, 1,176,900 square foot complex was one of four regional DeBartolo malls that opened across the eastern United States in 1972 and was the corporation's third foray into Florida.
TYRONE SQUARE presided over a 71 acre site, 6.2 miles northwest of center city Saint Petersburg. Its twenty-store "Preview Opening", on October 5, 1972, was attended by Lieutenant Governor Tom Adams, Suzanne Charles , "Miss Florida 1972", and Edward J. DeBartolo, Junior.
The Moorish-Modern-influenced structure was anchored by a 2-level (162,000 square foot), Tampa-based Maas Brothers, 2-level (183,900 square foot) J.C. Penney, 2-level (170,700 square foot) Sears and 2-level (183,600 square foot), Saint Petersburg-based Robinson's of Florida.
Inline stores included Egerton Moore Men's, Fremacs Men's, Foxmoor Casuals, Figure Fair, Colony Shop, Bakers Shoes, Disc Records, Super X Drug and Hickory Farms of Ohio. The interior mall-accessed Tyrone Square I-VI multiplex cinema opened, along with the bulk of the shopping center, in early 1973. It remained in business until January 2007.
An account of the original mall opening in 1972 describes its interior as featuring "bold, Picasso-like colors, mirrored lights and shining, terrazzo and marble floors" with "accents of chrome, glass and satin silver".
It goes on to say that "two large fountains decorated in charteuse and purple geometric designs" graced its spacious court areas. As one might expect, these high-end, '70s Mid-Mod accoutrements were removed during subsequent facelift renovations.
Shopping mall contemporaries on the Pinellas Peninsula included SUNSHINE MALL (1968-1998), in Clearwater, GATEWAY MALL (1968-1998), in Saint Petersburg, SEMINOLE MALL (1970), in Seminole, CLEARWATER MALL (1973-2002), in Clearwater, COUNTRYSIDE MALL (1975), in Clearwater and PINELLAS SQUARE MALL (1977-2004) [another DeBartolo development], in Pinellas Park.
Anchor store rebrandings began in 1987, when all Robinson's of Florida locations were rebranded as New Orleans-based Goudchaux / Maison Blanche (the name being shortened to simply Maison Blanche in 1988). These stores were acquired by Little Rock-based Dillard's in 1991.
This was the same year in which Maas Brothers department stores in the Tampa Bay area were rebranded as Miami-based Burdines. They became Burdines / Macy's in 2003 and full-fledged Macy's in 2005.
The first major remodeling -and only physical expansion of retail space at TYRONE SQUARE- got underway in June 1998 and added a 24,300 square foot Borders to the northwest side of the complex. A 9-bay Food Court and Tia's Tex Mex Restaurant were also built at the Main Entrance. This ten million dollar improvement project was completed in the spring of 1999.
A more recent redo, beginning in February 2005 and coming inline in November of the same year, rebuilt 40,000 square feet on the mall's northeast corner into an open-air lifestyle format. A new mall entrance was created, with new stores opened, such as J. Jill, Jos. A. Bank and C.J. Banks.
In the present day, TYRONE SQUARE MALL, owned by the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, encompasses 1,250,000 leasable square feet and over one hundred and seventy stores and services.
Sources:
www.simon.com
Saint Petersburg Evening Independent
Pinellas County, Florida tax assessor website
www.cinematreasures.com
Cleveland's Randall Park Mall
DeBartolo's "showplace". Encompassing an astounding 1.4 million
square feet, RANDALL PARK was the largest mall built by DeBartolo.
The 175 million dollar project was dedicated, with much hooplah, on
August 11, 1976. At the time, it was one of -if not the- largest interior
malls in the cosmos.
See the July 2008 archive for the complete article
DeBartolo's "showplace". Encompassing an astounding 1.4 million
square feet, RANDALL PARK was the largest mall built by DeBartolo.
The 175 million dollar project was dedicated, with much hooplah, on
August 11, 1976. At the time, it was one of -if not the- largest interior
malls in the cosmos.
See the July 2008 archive for the complete article
Pittsburgh's Century III Mall
DeBartolo and Group closed the mid-century phase of their shopping
center development with a second 1 million-plus square foot supermall...
second in size only to the RANDALL PARK property. The grand opening
phases of Greater Pittsburgh's CENTURY III MALL straddled the decade
change from the 1970s to the '80s. The complex encompassed three
levels, five anchors and one hundred and seventy inline stores.
See the August 2009 archive for the complete article
DeBartolo and Group closed the mid-century phase of their shopping
center development with a second 1 million-plus square foot supermall...
second in size only to the RANDALL PARK property. The grand opening
phases of Greater Pittsburgh's CENTURY III MALL straddled the decade
change from the 1970s to the '80s. The complex encompassed three
levels, five anchors and one hundred and seventy inline stores.
See the August 2009 archive for the complete article
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