LAFAYETTE SQUARE
Lafayette Road and West 38th Street
Indianapolis, Indiana

The first interior mall in Indianapolis was developed by the Youngstown, Ohio-based Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation. The single-level complex was centered on a 113 acre site, situated 4.8 miles northwest of downtown "Indy". The mall proper opened for business in August 1968, with some anchors and stores coming inline in 1969.

Originally encompassing 934,300 leasable square feet and approximately eighty-four stores and services, LAFAYETTE SQUARE was anchored by a 2-level (150,000 square foot), Indianapolis-based William H. Block, 2-level (230,000 square feet) Sears and 2-level (100,000 square foot) J.C. Penney.

Its junior anchors were a Kroger supermarket, G.C. Murphy 5 and 10 and single-screen, mallway-accessed cinema (eventually twinned). Charter tenants included Camelot Music, Spencer Gifts, Claire's Boutique, Goodyear Tire and Auto and Super X Drug.

The mall was expanded during 1974 and '75. A 2-level (134,000 square foot), Columbus-based Lazarus was built on the northeast corner. This addition featured a court area with eight inline stores, including J. Riggings, Osterman Jewelers, Charlie's Restaurant and Radio Shack.

Kroger, on the mall's southeast corner, was razed and replaced by a 2-level (160,000 square foot), Indianapolis-based L.S. Ayres. Moreover, a tri-screen, outparcel cinema was constructed at the southeast corner of the mall site. This was accessed by a bridge spanning a creek and connecting with the cinema and its parking area.

LAFAYETTE SQUARE now housed 1,214,300 leasable square feet and one hundred and four stores and services.

Retail rivals were aplenty in Indianapolis. GLENDALE CENTER, 6.5 miles northeast, opened in 1958. GREENWOOD CENTER, 4.4 miles southeast, was completed in 1966. CASTLETON SQUARE, 10.2 miles northeast, began business in 1972. WASHINGTON SQUARE, 13.4 miles southeast, came along in 1974 and FASHION MALL AT KEYSTONE, 8.8 miles northeast, in 1978.

Anchor store alterations commenced in 1987, with the conversion of Block's to a new Lazarus location. The first (opened in 1974) was shuttered and retenanted by Montgomery Ward. This store lasted until 1998. Burlington Coat Factory moved in in May 1999.

By this time, LAFAYETTE SQUARE had started to decline. Its first tier tenants were gradually replaced by more and more local, mom and pop-type stores and discount outlets. The shopping venue, rather infamous for car jackings, shootings and muggings, became known as "Lafayette Scare" for a time.

Moreover, commercial competition was provided by new shopping complexes in the metropolis. These included CIRCLE CENTER, one of the few successful center city redevelopment malls in America(dedicated in 1995); PLAINFIELD COMMONS SQUARE, a lifestyle venue 10 miles southwest, in Plainfield, Indiana (completed in 1995) and CLAY TERRACE SQUARE, a power center 13.2 miles northeast, in Carmel, Indiana (opened in 2004).

The G.C. Murphy space, vacated in 1993, operated as a Myrtle Beach-based Waccamaw Pottery until shutting down in June 2001. Port Washington, New York-based Steve and Barry's University Sportswear leased the building between 2006 and 2008.

Lazarus locked its doors for good in April 2003. Its first level was utilized as the New Life Worship Center, a 2,500 seat sanctuary. The church eventually relocated. Its spot was retenanted by the first prototype Xscape location, in December 2008. As a matter of note, Xscape is an indoor amusement park, which includes tiny tot rides, a go kart track, mini bowling and a 4-D motion-ride experience.

J.C. Penney pulled out of the mall in December 2003. The building sat vacant until a New York City-based Shoppers World discount outlet opened, in November 2008.

The good news of two new anchor space leasings was dimmed by announcements of two that would soon be shuttered. L.S. Ayres, "Macy-ated" in September 2006, closed in January 2009. Sears, a 1969 charter tenant, moved out in the same month. These stores remain vacant to this day.

Indianapolis' Simon Property Group acquired LAFAYETTE SQUARE with their 1996 buyout of DeBartolo. In December 2007, they sold the mall to the New York City-based Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation.

Sources:

"Lafayette Square" article on Wikipedia
www.deadmalls.com / Comment post by "Cory"
www.specialtyretail.com
www.acrealty.com