Paseo Padre Parkway and Mowry Avenue
Fremont, California
Originally a 95-square-mile planned city, Fremont, California came into being on January 23, 1956; incorporating the Centerville, Niles, Irvington, Warm Springs and Mission San Jose communities. The new municipality, which primarily consisted of several post-war-era housing developments, did not have a traditional downtown area.
A section, roughly at the center of the suburb, came to be known as its Central District. The primary feature here was FREMONT HUB, an open-air mall. It opened in October 1962, providing local shopping for the city's residents.
In July 1965, the Fremont Planning Commission granted an agricultural-to-commercial zoning change for a 33.4-acre site. This was located .5 mile northeast of FREMONT HUB and 28 miles southeast of San Francisco's Union Square. This action gave the green light for the construction of a 3-level (187,000 square foot), Oakland-based Capwell's. Work commenced on the 5 million dollar department store in early 1967. The structure was to anchor a single-level, open-air mall.
Originally known as FREMONT PLAZA CENTER, the shopping complex was designed by Welton Becket & Associates of Los Angeles, and developed by Fritz B. Burns & Associates, also of Los Angeles. The facility was to eventually consist of six store blocks and span approximately 332,700 leasable square feet.
Capwell's was officially dedicated on February 22, 1968. The adjacent shopping center, whose name had been changed to FREMONT FASHION CENTER, was still under construction. Although a Joseph Magnin specialty store was proposed, it was never built. A 2-level (20,000 square foot) Roos-Atkins was dedicated, with a champagne soiree, on October 21, 1968. This event was followed by the debut of a (26,700 square foot) Safeway supermarket, which opened its doors on November 13 of the same year.
By April 1969, the tenant list of FREMONT FASHION CENTER included Grodins, Gallenkamp Shoes, Kushin's Shoes, Davidson & Licht Jewelers, Country Casuals, Hallmark Cards, Fabric Lane, See's Candies, a Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio and Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour & Restaurant. The freestanding Transcontinental Theatres Showcase Cinemas I & II showed its first features on April 9, 1970.
FREMONT FASHION CENTER became one of the first suburban shopping malls in America to be accessible via a rail rapid transit system. The mall was adjacent to the Bay Area Rapid Transit's initial 28 mile, MacArthur-to-Fremont starter line. Revenue service was inaugurated on September 11, 1972.
Two major shopping venues were in the vicinity of FREMONT FASHION CENTER. In addition to the aforementioned FREMONT HUB, there was NEWPARK MALL {2 miles south, in Newark}, which held its grand opening in 1980.
In 1979, Capwell's had been co-branded with the San Francisco-based Emporium chain, with all stores known, henceforth, as Emporium-Capwell. The FREMONT FASHION CENTER location moved to NEWPARK MALL in February 1987, with the older store being demoted to a Clearance Center.
By the late 1980s, FREMONT FASHION CENTER had declined into a virtually
vacant property. Redevelopment scenarios were proposed. One advocated demolition of most of the mall, with high-density
"upper middle-class apartments" and upscale retail stores to be built as its replacement. Another plan proposed a new supermarket,
office tower and various upscale bistros and boutiques. Neither of these plans were adopted.
A third proposition, recommending a retail-oriented, middle-market type of overhaul, was approved. With a plan now in motion, the midsection of the shopping center was razed, new retail space built and existing structures refurbished.
A 377,600 square foot power center, known as FREMONT GATEWAY CENTER, debuted in 1993. Along with the Clearance Center store (going under the Emporium banner since 1990), the shopping facility was anchored by a 1-level (62,400 square foot) Raley's supermarket. The Silver Cinemas Super Saver Cinemas 7 opened for business in 1995.
By this time, the official name of the shopping complex had morphed into FREMONT GATEWAY PLAZA. The Emporium Clearance Center closed in January 1996. The building was purchased by the adjacent Washington Hospital, who renovated it into a medical office center.
A third proposition, recommending a retail-oriented, middle-market type of overhaul, was approved. With a plan now in motion, the midsection of the shopping center was razed, new retail space built and existing structures refurbished.
A 377,600 square foot power center, known as FREMONT GATEWAY CENTER, debuted in 1993. Along with the Clearance Center store (going under the Emporium banner since 1990), the shopping facility was anchored by a 1-level (62,400 square foot) Raley's supermarket. The Silver Cinemas Super Saver Cinemas 7 opened for business in 1995.
By this time, the official name of the shopping complex had morphed into FREMONT GATEWAY PLAZA. The Emporium Clearance Center closed in January 1996. The building was purchased by the adjacent Washington Hospital, who renovated it into a medical office center.
Around the year 2001, the in-mall multiplex was
shuttered. It re-opened, as the Naz 8 Cinemas, which was one of the nation's first "Bollywood" motion picture venues. The Naz 8 Cinemas was shuttered in 2010. The complex re-opened, as the BIG Cinemas 7. This operation closed in 2014. Following a 3 million dollar renovation, it reemerged, as the Cine Grand Fremont 7, on November 4, 2015.
In the 2020s, the power center, known as simply GATEWAY PLAZA, comprises 195,000 leasable square feet (minus the old Capwell's structure). It was acquired by Houston-based Weingarten Realty Investors in May 2001. In August 2021, Weingarten merged with Jericho, New York's Kimco Realty Corporation.
Sources:
In the 2020s, the power center, known as simply GATEWAY PLAZA, comprises 195,000 leasable square feet (minus the old Capwell's structure). It was acquired by Houston-based Weingarten Realty Investors in May 2001. In August 2021, Weingarten merged with Jericho, New York's Kimco Realty Corporation.
Sources:
The Oakland Tribune
The Fremont Argus (Fremont, California)
Information from Scott Parsons / "Big Mall Rat"
Alameda County, California tax assessor website
www.weingarten.com / Weingarten Realty Investors
www.cinematreasures.org
Information from Scott Parsons / "Big Mall Rat"
Alameda County, California tax assessor website
www.weingarten.com / Weingarten Realty Investors
www.cinematreasures.org
https://www.businesswire.com
"Fremont, California" article on Wikipedia
"Fremont, California" article on Wikipedia
