Tom Osbourne Expressway / US 281 and West 13th Street
Grand Island, Nebraska
The city of Grand Island lies 126 miles southwest of Omaha and 83 miles northwest of Lincoln, on the plains of Central Nebraska. On February 15, 1973, construction commenced at a 52.8-acre site, located 1.2 miles northwest of the Grand Island Central Business District.
CONESTOGA MALL was designed by Edward M. Cohon & Associates, Limited, of Chicago. The fully-enclosed complex was built by the Ericson Development Company, of Edina, Minnesota. The first operational store was a 2-level (121,200 square foot), Lincoln-based Miller & Paine. Its grand opening was held on March 6, 1974. Although the Miller & Paine store had 2 levels, only the (84,000 square foot) first level was used.
The official dedication of the mall occurred on March 20. A ceremonial ribbon was cut by Governor John James Exon (D). Eight stores opened in unison; Claire's Boutique, Hovland-Swanson, Karmelkorn, Schweser's, Barberio's Cheese House, Pearle Vision Center and 1-level (60,000 square foot), Omaha-based J.L. Brandeis & Sons.
On April 16, 1974, a 1-level (45,000 square foot), Hastings-based J.M. McDonald commenced operation. CONESTOGA MALL now encompassed approximately 566,000 leasable square feet and featured thirty-three stores and services.
The interior was decorated in a Western motif, with a 12-foot-high sculptured metal fountain, 300-year-old aloe tree, cacti from Mexico and South America, cattle skulls and antique saddles. There were recessed seating areas in South Court and along the shopping concourse.
The interior was decorated in a Western motif, with a 12-foot-high sculptured metal fountain, 300-year-old aloe tree, cacti from Mexico and South America, cattle skulls and antique saddles. There were recessed seating areas in South Court and along the shopping concourse.
Charter tenants included Sarto Hamann Jewelers, Hastings Shop, Crabtree's Magnavox, World of Toys & Hobbies, Record Town and the freestanding First National Bank of Grand Island. The American Multi-Cinema Conestoga 4 Theatre -an in-mall venue- showed its first features on May 16, 1975.
A major expansion was underway by late 1978. A 1-level (72,000 square foot) Sears, anchoring an extended North Wing, opened its doors on July 14, 1979. The renovation added seven inline store spaces. Tenants included Chess King men's wear, Orange Julius and the Crock Pot restaurant.
A major expansion was underway by late 1978. A 1-level (72,000 square foot) Sears, anchoring an extended North Wing, opened its doors on July 14, 1979. The renovation added seven inline store spaces. Tenants included Chess King men's wear, Orange Julius and the Crock Pot restaurant.
Plans for a 1.5 million dollar J.C Penney were announced in August 1979. This 1-level (56,800 square foot) store, constructed on the east side of the mall, was dedicated on August 6, 1980. With these improvements, CONESTOGA MALL spanned approximately 670,000 leasable square feet and housed sixty-two stores and services.
The other major shopping hub in -or around- Grand Island took over 8 years to go from ground breaking to grand opening. Construction on GRAND ISLAND MALL {.3 of a mile north of CONESTOGA} commenced around the same time as work got underway at the CONESTOGA site. However, financial problems, high interest rates and a stagnant national economy delayed the completion of GRAND ISLAND MALL to August 1981.
J.M. McDonald, at CONESTOGA MALL, was shuttered in 1982, with its area being divided into inline store spaces. In January 1985, Cleveland, Ohio's Jacobs,Visconsi & Jacobs Group acquired the shopping complex. Anchor rebrandings commenced on August 5, 1987, when all Brandeis locations were rebranded by Iowa's Younkers ["yonk-erz"] chain. The three Miller & Paine stores were acquired by Dillard's, who rebranded stores on August 2, 1988.
There would not be any major changes to the mall for 10 years. Then, a (24,900 square foot) section of the old McDonald's space was reconfigured as a Staples Office Superstore. Equipped with only an exterior entry, it welcomed first shoppers on August 8, 1998.
The Jacobs Group put the facility up for sale in August 1999. Denver's J. Herzog & Sons purchased it in December 2002. Herzog performed an interior face lift between 2005 and 2006, when the 1970s-vintage sunken seating areas were filled in.
Georgia-based Carmike Cinemas, now the operators of the Conestoga 4 Theatre, were asked to perform a renovation and expansion on their motion picture venue. They balked at the proposal. Herzog then approached Kansas-based Dickinson Theatres, with a proposal for a new state-of-the-art theatrical venue for the mall. The offer was accepted and work got underway in August 2003. The first features at the Dickinson Mall Stadium 7 were shown on April 2, 2004. The existing Carmike Conestoga 4 would continue operating until January 12, 2006.
There would not be any major changes to the mall for 10 years. Then, a (24,900 square foot) section of the old McDonald's space was reconfigured as a Staples Office Superstore. Equipped with only an exterior entry, it welcomed first shoppers on August 8, 1998.
The Jacobs Group put the facility up for sale in August 1999. Denver's J. Herzog & Sons purchased it in December 2002. Herzog performed an interior face lift between 2005 and 2006, when the 1970s-vintage sunken seating areas were filled in.
Georgia-based Carmike Cinemas, now the operators of the Conestoga 4 Theatre, were asked to perform a renovation and expansion on their motion picture venue. They balked at the proposal. Herzog then approached Kansas-based Dickinson Theatres, with a proposal for a new state-of-the-art theatrical venue for the mall. The offer was accepted and work got underway in August 2003. The first features at the Dickinson Mall Stadium 7 were shown on April 2, 2004. The existing Carmike Conestoga 4 would continue operating until January 12, 2006.
Meanwhile, the Staples Superstore had shut down May 6, 2005. Minnesota's Best Buy leased the space. They renovated it with a new mallway entrance and opened in the fall of 2005. Kansas-based Showplex Cinemas assumed operation of the Mall Stadium 7 on May 28, 2010.
In June 2017, Herzog & Sons sold CONESTOGA MALL to a joint venture of Great Neck, New York's Namdar Realty Group and Mason Asset Management. Within a short time, an anchor exodus was underway. Younkers went dark in August 2018, followed by Sears, in March 2019. J.C. Penney pulled their proverbial plug in October 2020, leaving only Dillard's and Best buy as operational anchor stores.
As one might expect, the decline of the mall precipitated a redevelopment plan. A prospectus for a revitalization, as the CONESTOGA MARKETPLACE mixed-use facility, was presented in November 2022. Under this plan, the four CONESTOGA MALL anchor stores would be demolished, leaving the Best Buy store, and central mall section, standing.
A new (147,800 square foot) department store would be built south of the existing mall section. Those components not being demolished would be thoroughly refurbished inside and out and be reoriented with exterior entrances. Several current mall tenants would either remain in place or be relocated within the remodeled structure. These would include the multiplex cinema, Jo-Ann Fabrics, Maurices, American Eagle Outfitters and Pro Image.
The Red Lobster and Wells Fargo Bank outparcels would also be retained, with several small, freestanding retail structures built. A 150-room hotel and 304-unit apartment complex would occupy the north end of the mall site. Fully-realized, CONESTOGA MARKETPLACE would encompass approximately 366,900 leasable square feet. Its cost has been estimated at 221 million dollars.
Sources:
The Omaha World Herald
The Omaha World Herald
The Grand Island Independent
The Lincoln Journal Star (Lincoln, Nebraska)
The Lincoln Journal Star (Lincoln, Nebraska)
The Doniphan Herald (Doniphan, Nebraska)
The Cairo Record (Cairo, Nebraska)
Alliance Times-Herald (Alliance, Nebraska)
http://city2.grand-island.com
www.jherzog.com / J. Herzog & Sons, Incorporated
www.cinematreasures.org
www.nbcneb.com
Hall County, Nebraska property tax assessor website
http://www.shopconestogamall.com
http://city2.grand-island.com
www.jherzog.com / J. Herzog & Sons, Incorporated
www.cinematreasures.org
www.nbcneb.com
Hall County, Nebraska property tax assessor website
http://www.shopconestogamall.com
https://namdarrealtygroup.com / Namdar Realty Group
https://www.knopnews2.com
"Presentation Regarding Conestoga Marketplace Redevelopment" / City of Grand Island and Woodsonia Real Estate / Tuesday November 15, 2022
