Route 94 and College Avenue
San Diego, California
SOUTH BAY PLAZA, in National City, introduced the shopping mall concept to San Diego in the mid-1950s. Plans for -what became- the region's second retail mall were envisaged in 1950 by George A. Scott, a business partner in Southern California's Walker's department store chain.
In 1952, a 70-acre site, located 5.7 miles northeast of Centre City San Diego, was acquired. The parcel, within San Diego proper, was adjacent to the Lemon Grove city limits. Ground was broken in April 1958. COLLEGE GROVE CENTER was developed by Los Angeles' Michael Birkant and Phillip Lyons and George A. Scott (by then president of a San Diego-based Walker Scott enterprise). Renowned Seattle architect John Graham, Junior designed the open-air mall.
Encompassing approximately 650,000 leasable square feet and sixty stores and services, COLLEGE GROVE CENTER consisted of an upper retail level and basement. This lower level featured an outward-facing group of stores that were accessed from the southeast parking lot. The complex was anchored by a 3-level (160,000 square foot) Walker Scott, which opened for business July 28, 1960. A Safeway supermarket was also dedicated at this time.
A mall-wide grand opening was held on August 25, 1960. When fully-realized, COLLEGE GROVE CENTER featured stores such as Leed's Qualicraft Shoes, Bond Clothes, Lawton-Schillar Jewelers, the Copper Penney Restaurant and Longs Drugs. Junior anchors of the complex were a 2-level (36,900 square foot) J.C. Penney and J.J. Newberry and F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10s.
The original mall included the "Helistop" rooftop heliport and "Park-A-Tot" child care center. Park-A-Tot provided on-site babysitting services for shoppers. Children between the ages of 2 and 10 years would be supervised by a staff of three. This service was provided for 35 cents per hour for a maximum of 2 and a half hours. The COLLEGE GROVE Park-A-Tot was the first such facility. Subsequent operations were established at GROSSMONT CENTER {in La Mesa, California} and NORTHGATE CENTER {in Seattle}.
Commercial competition came along quickly. MISSION VALLEY CENTER {5.5 miles northwest in San Diego} was dedicated in 1961. GROSSMONT CENTER {3.3 miles northeast in La Mesa} also held its grand opening in 1961. PLAZA BONITA {5.6 miles south in National City} was completed in 1981.
The first expansion of COLLEGE GROVE CENTER added a 1-level (73,800 square foot) Mervyn's. The store, built onto the northeast corner of the mall, welcomed its first shoppers on August 21, 1978. The existing Longs Drugs was also doubled in size.
Competition from other area malls was soon putting the hurt on COLLEGE GROVE. By the early 1980s, the center had deteriorated into a rundown, past-its-prime property. Its electrical wiring was inadequate, air conditioning broken down and the roof was leaking. Its owner proposed a face lift renovation for the structure. The City of San Diego had other ideas.
A more comprehensive remodeling was proposed, under the auspices of the San Diego Redevelopment Agency and San Diego-based William Stone & Associates. In a 1986 plan, they envisaged the existing center being renovated into a 4-anchor, fully-enclosed mall.
Problems arose with trying to lure anchor department stores into the project. By March 1987, the original 59 million dollar renovation had been scaled back to one costing approximately 35 million. The mall would not be enclosed and the emphasis would be shifted from new department stores to entertainment facilities.
Walker-Scott had been shuttered in late 1986, with the store structure being demolished. Reconstruction of the remaining mall got underway in June 1987. Mervyn's, J.C. Penney and Pick 'n Save would remain in their respective spots. 200,000 square feet of existing space was refurbished, with an additional 50,000 square feet added.
The revamped retail center, known as MARKETPLACE AT THE GROVE, was officially dedicated in November 1988. New stores and services included Charlotte Russe For Less, a (50,000 square foot) Sears Outlet, 60-lane Leisure Time Sports Bowling Center and Marketplace Cafe Food Court. The Mann 9 Theatres At The Grove, at the time the largest multiplex in San Diego County, showed its first features on December 14, 1988.
The 31 million dollar mall reinvention was initially a success, but a lack of new anchor stores contributed to its eventual decline. By 1997, the center was fifty-percent vacant. It became known, in So-Cal retail circles, as "Marketplace At The Grave". Enter the Phoenix-based Vestar Development Company. In October 1998, they closed on the purchase of the struggling shopping center. The second major reconfiguration of the structure got underway in January 1999.
This time around, what remained of the circa-1960 mall was demolished, leaving only Mervyn's, Longs Drugs and the outparcel Bowling Center standing. In essence, the orientation of the shopping complex was turned inside-out.
A split-level power center of 630,000 leasable square feet was built. Along with the existing Mervyn's, its anchors were a 1-level (130,000 square foot), Irvine ["ir-viyn"], California-based HomeBase (a home improvement store), 1-level (130,000 square foot) Sam's Club and 1-level (127,200 square foot) Wal-Mart. HomeBase opened for business in December 1999, followed by Sam's Club, which made its debut in February 2000. Wal-Mart welcomed its first shoppers on March 15 of the same year. The retail mix included twenty-three inline stores.
This repositioning culminated in the shopping center reclaiming its original name, COLLEGE GROVE CENTER. It was officially re-dedicated in March of the year 2000. HomeBase was converted to House2Home, an interior decor superstore, in early 2001. This closed in early 2002, with its space re-opening as a Target on October 12, 2003.
Encompassing approximately 650,000 leasable square feet and sixty stores and services, COLLEGE GROVE CENTER consisted of an upper retail level and basement. This lower level featured an outward-facing group of stores that were accessed from the southeast parking lot. The complex was anchored by a 3-level (160,000 square foot) Walker Scott, which opened for business July 28, 1960. A Safeway supermarket was also dedicated at this time.
A mall-wide grand opening was held on August 25, 1960. When fully-realized, COLLEGE GROVE CENTER featured stores such as Leed's Qualicraft Shoes, Bond Clothes, Lawton-Schillar Jewelers, the Copper Penney Restaurant and Longs Drugs. Junior anchors of the complex were a 2-level (36,900 square foot) J.C. Penney and J.J. Newberry and F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10s.
The original mall included the "Helistop" rooftop heliport and "Park-A-Tot" child care center. Park-A-Tot provided on-site babysitting services for shoppers. Children between the ages of 2 and 10 years would be supervised by a staff of three. This service was provided for 35 cents per hour for a maximum of 2 and a half hours. The COLLEGE GROVE Park-A-Tot was the first such facility. Subsequent operations were established at GROSSMONT CENTER {in La Mesa, California} and NORTHGATE CENTER {in Seattle}.
Commercial competition came along quickly. MISSION VALLEY CENTER {5.5 miles northwest in San Diego} was dedicated in 1961. GROSSMONT CENTER {3.3 miles northeast in La Mesa} also held its grand opening in 1961. PLAZA BONITA {5.6 miles south in National City} was completed in 1981.
The first expansion of COLLEGE GROVE CENTER added a 1-level (73,800 square foot) Mervyn's. The store, built onto the northeast corner of the mall, welcomed its first shoppers on August 21, 1978. The existing Longs Drugs was also doubled in size.
Competition from other area malls was soon putting the hurt on COLLEGE GROVE. By the early 1980s, the center had deteriorated into a rundown, past-its-prime property. Its electrical wiring was inadequate, air conditioning broken down and the roof was leaking. Its owner proposed a face lift renovation for the structure. The City of San Diego had other ideas.
A more comprehensive remodeling was proposed, under the auspices of the San Diego Redevelopment Agency and San Diego-based William Stone & Associates. In a 1986 plan, they envisaged the existing center being renovated into a 4-anchor, fully-enclosed mall.
Problems arose with trying to lure anchor department stores into the project. By March 1987, the original 59 million dollar renovation had been scaled back to one costing approximately 35 million. The mall would not be enclosed and the emphasis would be shifted from new department stores to entertainment facilities.
Walker-Scott had been shuttered in late 1986, with the store structure being demolished. Reconstruction of the remaining mall got underway in June 1987. Mervyn's, J.C. Penney and Pick 'n Save would remain in their respective spots. 200,000 square feet of existing space was refurbished, with an additional 50,000 square feet added.
The revamped retail center, known as MARKETPLACE AT THE GROVE, was officially dedicated in November 1988. New stores and services included Charlotte Russe For Less, a (50,000 square foot) Sears Outlet, 60-lane Leisure Time Sports Bowling Center and Marketplace Cafe Food Court. The Mann 9 Theatres At The Grove, at the time the largest multiplex in San Diego County, showed its first features on December 14, 1988.
The 31 million dollar mall reinvention was initially a success, but a lack of new anchor stores contributed to its eventual decline. By 1997, the center was fifty-percent vacant. It became known, in So-Cal retail circles, as "Marketplace At The Grave". Enter the Phoenix-based Vestar Development Company. In October 1998, they closed on the purchase of the struggling shopping center. The second major reconfiguration of the structure got underway in January 1999.
This time around, what remained of the circa-1960 mall was demolished, leaving only Mervyn's, Longs Drugs and the outparcel Bowling Center standing. In essence, the orientation of the shopping complex was turned inside-out.
A split-level power center of 630,000 leasable square feet was built. Along with the existing Mervyn's, its anchors were a 1-level (130,000 square foot), Irvine ["ir-viyn"], California-based HomeBase (a home improvement store), 1-level (130,000 square foot) Sam's Club and 1-level (127,200 square foot) Wal-Mart. HomeBase opened for business in December 1999, followed by Sam's Club, which made its debut in February 2000. Wal-Mart welcomed its first shoppers on March 15 of the same year. The retail mix included twenty-three inline stores.
This repositioning culminated in the shopping center reclaiming its original name, COLLEGE GROVE CENTER. It was officially re-dedicated in March of the year 2000. HomeBase was converted to House2Home, an interior decor superstore, in early 2001. This closed in early 2002, with its space re-opening as a Target on October 12, 2003.
In February 2009, Wisconsin-based Kohl's purchased the lease of Mervyn's (which had been shuttered in December 2008). The new Kohl's welcomed its first shoppers on September 29, 2009. In October 2010, the COLLEGE GROVE Longs Drugs morphed into a Ross Dress For Less.
Sources:
The San Diego Union Tribune
The Coronado Eagle (Coronado, California)
preservenet.cornell.edu/publications/Longstreth Branch Store.doc
www.sandiego.gov
https://patch.com/california/lemongrove
www.silverscreens.com
www.ddr.com / Developers Diversified Realty
www.collegeneighborhoods.com
Sources:
The San Diego Union Tribune
The Coronado Eagle (Coronado, California)
preservenet.cornell.edu/publications/Longstreth Branch Store.doc
www.sandiego.gov
https://patch.com/california/lemongrove
www.silverscreens.com
www.ddr.com / Developers Diversified Realty
www.collegeneighborhoods.com
