Florin Road and Franklin Boulevard
Sacramento County, California
The first mall-type shopping center in -or around- California's capital was developed by a joint venture of Sacramento's James J. Cordano Company and San Francisco's Blumenfeld Enterprises. The single level, open-air complex was designed by Los Angeles' Chaix & Johnson firm and W.B. David, of Sacramento.
SOUTHGATE CENTER was situated on 60 acres, located 6.4 miles southeast of the California State House. The mall was freeway-friendly from the start, as it was located just west of an intersection with the Golden State Highway / US 50 & 99. This roadway was redesignated as California Route 99 in July 1964.
SOUTHGATE stores were dedicated in five consecutive phases. Nine Unit 1 tenants opened on October 5, 1960. Those in Unit 2 held grand openings on October 27th. Unit 3 stores commenced operation on November 21st. Twenty-one stores and services were now in operation. Six more debuted, as part of Unit 4, on April 13, 1961.
The final stage of the original mall, Unit 5 was dedicated on October 5, 1961. SOUTHGATE CENTER now encompassed approximately 340,000 leasable square feet and contained thirty-eight stores and services. The primary anchor was a 1-level (60,000 square foot) Rhodes. It opened its doors, as part of the Unit 2 inauguration, on October 27, 1960.
Charter SOUTHGATE tenants included W.T. Grant, Roos-Atkins men's wear, Martin's Cake Box bakery, Eagleson's men's wear, Kay Jewelers, Fabric Center, Flagg Brothers Shoes, a (21,500 square foot) Lucky Stores supermarket, 1-level (40,000 square foot) J.C. Penney and 2-level (36,000 square foot) S.H. Kress 5 & 10.
It wasn't long before SOUTHGATE was expanded. A second level was added to Rhodes, enlarging its sales area to 130,000 square feet. The store was re-dedicated on August 5, 1963. A 23,000 square foot store block was also built east of Rhodes. Dubbed SOUTHGATE VILLAGE, it was completed in late 1967.
By this time, the James J. Cordano Company had sold its fifty-percent interest in SOUTHGATE CENTER and embarked on the development of a much larger, fully-enclosed shopping facility. FLORIN CENTER {.8 miles northeast, in Sacramento County} opened in February 1968. This too-close-for-comfort complex usurped SOUTHGATE CENTER.
Meanwhile, Rhodes Western, the Rhodes parent company, was acquired by Honolulu-based AMFAC in November 1969. The SOUTHGATE Rhodes was rebranded as Liberty House / Rhodes, and received a bona fide Liberty House nameplate on May 9, 1975.
By the early 1980s, SOUTHGATE CENTER was in a pronounced state of decline. The shopping center -and an adjacent property known as SOUTHGATE PLAZA- were sold to a joint venture headed by Sacramento's Marvin "Buzz" Oates in 1983. A 5 million dollar renovation was underway by early 1984.
Some structures were demolished. Those remaining were refurbished and 130,000 square feet of new retail space was added. A freestanding (100,000 square foot) Home Store was built in the mall's south parking area. It held its grand opening on May 25, 1985. The Liberty House building, vacant since June 1983, re-opened as the All American Sports Club. New inline stores included The $5 & $10 Store, Famous Footwear and Fashion Gal.
Basically, the mall was reconfigured as a strip-format, off-price outlet. The revitalized venue was dedicated in October 1986. It had taken on the name of an across-the-street shopping hub; SOUTHGATE PLAZA. In December, the complex was sold to a consortium of Los Angeles investors known as Southgate Florin Associates. By 1989, stores were vacating once again. The center limped into the 1990s.
A second -more comprehensive- demalling got underway in 1998. The two vacant store blocks in the rear of the complex were demolished, along with a portion of the northwest block. Construction commenced on a (65,000 square foot) Lucky / Sav-on supermarket and drug store. It opened, as an Albertsons, on November 9, 1999.
A second phase of renovation commenced in the spring of 2000. The old Rhodes / Liberty House was razed, along with half of the store block to the west. These were replaced by a 1-level (133,600 square foot) Wal-Mart, which debuted on October 24, 2001.
The center had changed hands three times between the early 1990s and early 2000s. Englewood, Colorado-based Hill Companies took possession in August 2007 but defaulted on their loan in August of 2010. The lender, Chicago-based Wrightwood Capital, took over. They enlisted Woodland Hills, California's Newmark Merrill to oversee a renovation and repositioning of the property.
Charter SOUTHGATE tenants included W.T. Grant, Roos-Atkins men's wear, Martin's Cake Box bakery, Eagleson's men's wear, Kay Jewelers, Fabric Center, Flagg Brothers Shoes, a (21,500 square foot) Lucky Stores supermarket, 1-level (40,000 square foot) J.C. Penney and 2-level (36,000 square foot) S.H. Kress 5 & 10.
It wasn't long before SOUTHGATE was expanded. A second level was added to Rhodes, enlarging its sales area to 130,000 square feet. The store was re-dedicated on August 5, 1963. A 23,000 square foot store block was also built east of Rhodes. Dubbed SOUTHGATE VILLAGE, it was completed in late 1967.
By this time, the James J. Cordano Company had sold its fifty-percent interest in SOUTHGATE CENTER and embarked on the development of a much larger, fully-enclosed shopping facility. FLORIN CENTER {.8 miles northeast, in Sacramento County} opened in February 1968. This too-close-for-comfort complex usurped SOUTHGATE CENTER.
Meanwhile, Rhodes Western, the Rhodes parent company, was acquired by Honolulu-based AMFAC in November 1969. The SOUTHGATE Rhodes was rebranded as Liberty House / Rhodes, and received a bona fide Liberty House nameplate on May 9, 1975.
By the early 1980s, SOUTHGATE CENTER was in a pronounced state of decline. The shopping center -and an adjacent property known as SOUTHGATE PLAZA- were sold to a joint venture headed by Sacramento's Marvin "Buzz" Oates in 1983. A 5 million dollar renovation was underway by early 1984.
Some structures were demolished. Those remaining were refurbished and 130,000 square feet of new retail space was added. A freestanding (100,000 square foot) Home Store was built in the mall's south parking area. It held its grand opening on May 25, 1985. The Liberty House building, vacant since June 1983, re-opened as the All American Sports Club. New inline stores included The $5 & $10 Store, Famous Footwear and Fashion Gal.
Basically, the mall was reconfigured as a strip-format, off-price outlet. The revitalized venue was dedicated in October 1986. It had taken on the name of an across-the-street shopping hub; SOUTHGATE PLAZA. In December, the complex was sold to a consortium of Los Angeles investors known as Southgate Florin Associates. By 1989, stores were vacating once again. The center limped into the 1990s.
A second -more comprehensive- demalling got underway in 1998. The two vacant store blocks in the rear of the complex were demolished, along with a portion of the northwest block. Construction commenced on a (65,000 square foot) Lucky / Sav-on supermarket and drug store. It opened, as an Albertsons, on November 9, 1999.
A second phase of renovation commenced in the spring of 2000. The old Rhodes / Liberty House was razed, along with half of the store block to the west. These were replaced by a 1-level (133,600 square foot) Wal-Mart, which debuted on October 24, 2001.
The center had changed hands three times between the early 1990s and early 2000s. Englewood, Colorado-based Hill Companies took possession in August 2007 but defaulted on their loan in August of 2010. The lender, Chicago-based Wrightwood Capital, took over. They enlisted Woodland Hills, California's Newmark Merrill to oversee a renovation and repositioning of the property.
New facades were installed. A name change was also considered but not implemented. Wrightwood Capital's holdings were acquired by New York City-based Ares Management in August 2011. Meanwhile, Albertsons had pulled out of the shopping center in 2008. Buena Park, California-based 99 Ranch Market opened in the vacant space on November 12, 2010.
Wal-Mart had shuttered their SOUTHGATE store in June 2009 and relocated into a new SuperCenter at FLORIN TOWNE CENTRE (a redevelopment of FLORIN CENTER). The former SOUTHGATE Wal-Mart would sit empty for 6 years. The retailer decided to continue leasing the vacant building instead of allowing it to be leased to a possible competitor. This stalemate was finally resolved in mid-2014.
At this time, it was announced that WalMart would open a (52,200 square foot) Neighborhood Market in the space. This store began business on July 8, 2015. In November 2016, Newmark Merrill, who had been managing SOUTHGATE PLAZA since September 2010, bought the property outright.
Walmart bolted from SOUTHGATE PLAZA for a second time. The Neighborhood Market store closed on November 1, 2019. The remaining section of the circa-2001 WalMart had been divided four ways. A 38,000 square foot unit housed a campus for UEI College, whose grand opening was held on May 10, 2019. dd's Discounts also set up shop in 2019.
Sources:
The Sacramento Bee
At this time, it was announced that WalMart would open a (52,200 square foot) Neighborhood Market in the space. This store began business on July 8, 2015. In November 2016, Newmark Merrill, who had been managing SOUTHGATE PLAZA since September 2010, bought the property outright.
Walmart bolted from SOUTHGATE PLAZA for a second time. The Neighborhood Market store closed on November 1, 2019. The remaining section of the circa-2001 WalMart had been divided four ways. A 38,000 square foot unit housed a campus for UEI College, whose grand opening was held on May 10, 2019. dd's Discounts also set up shop in 2019.
Sources:
The Sacramento Bee
Sacramento Business Journal
Rhodes Western Annual Report 1963
www.sacramentopastperfect-online.com
www.cahighways.com
"BigMallRat" / Scott P.
Malls of America Blogspot / Keith Milford webmaster / Comment post by "Hushpuppy"
Comment posts by Randy
www.sacramentopastperfect-online.com
www.cahighways.com
"BigMallRat" / Scott P.
Malls of America Blogspot / Keith Milford webmaster / Comment post by "Hushpuppy"
Comment posts by Randy
