West Hampden Avenue / US 285 and South Sheridan Boulevard
Denver, Colorado
Greater Denver's eighth mall-type shopping hub originated with BEAR VALLEY CENTER, a 91,000 square foot strip complex dedicated in mid-1959. The retail venue was built on a 32.5-acre site. This was located 11.2 miles southwest of the Colorado Capitol, in a section of Denver City-County known as Bear Valley.
Plans for the strip center had been announced in March 1958. Developed by the Mortgage Investments Company of Denver, the retail facility was designed by Jared B. Morse, of Denver. Charter tenants included Hodel's Drug, Hube's Barber Shop, the Bear Valley
Inn, Dolly Madison Ice Cream Shoppe and a Duckwall's 5 & 10.
By June 1965, a fully-enclosed mall was being added. Also built by the Mortgage Investments Company, it was to encompass 382,000 leasable square feet and house eighteen stores and services. Denver's Piel, Slater, Small & Spenst firm designed the structure.
The new mall at BEAR VALLEY CENTER was anchored by a 2-level (139,000 square foot) May-D & F, which opened on August 1, 1966. This store was designed by Leo VanderMiller, of Denver. Its exterior was of Pennsylvania white split brick and pre-cast concrete, complimented by ground-to-rooftop panels of mountain moss stone.
The mall was officially dedicated between October 17th and 20th, 1966. First day festivities were hosted by William H. Nichols (Denver manager of public works) and John McCready (president of the Bear Valley Corporation). They cut a ceremonial ribbon. In attendance was C.A. ("Bus") Bacon (president of the Mortgage Investments Company).
Charter mall stores included Hickory Farms of Ohio, Kinney Shoes, Fashion Bar, McMurtry Decorating Center, Dave Cook Sporting Goods and a Duckwall's 5 & 10 (which relocated from the adjacent strip center). The mall at BEAR VALLEY CENTER consisted of a single level of retail.
Instead, the Burlington store closed for good. A 1-level (75,000 square foot) King Soopers SuperStore replaced the razed section of the mall in 1994. New stores in the strip center included Fashion Bug, Paper Warehouse and Mountain Mike's Pizza. Westwood College of Technology established a campus in the freestanding building which had housed the First National Bank of Bear Valley.
By 1999, nearly all that remained of the circa-1966 mall had been knocked down. A small 7,400 square foot section was salvaged. This became sandwiched between King Soopers and a 1-level (118,700 square foot) Home Depot. This store was dedicated in June 2002.
BEAR VALLEY CENTER, which now enveloped 342,700 leasable square feet and fifty-three retail spaces, was acquired by Dallas-based P.O'B. Montgomery & Company in June 2003. In 2011, the remaining 7,400 square foot section of the mall was razed. The existing King Soopers was expanded into its area, with the newly-renovated (100,000 square foot) store holding its grand opening in May 2012.
Sources:
The Denver Post
Charter mall stores included Hickory Farms of Ohio, Kinney Shoes, Fashion Bar, McMurtry Decorating Center, Dave Cook Sporting Goods and a Duckwall's 5 & 10 (which relocated from the adjacent strip center). The mall at BEAR VALLEY CENTER consisted of a single level of retail.
The enclosed shopping concourse was decorated by John T. Ratekin, renowned Los Angeles landscape architect. The mallway was done in a turn of the 20th Century motif, with several Victorian-era street lamps. There were also four miniature mountains; one in a children's play area, another in a Central Court "Rock Grotto." This area was highlighted by three waterless -30-foot-high- "WonderFall" fountains.
The strip plaza and mall of BEAR VALLEY CENTER were surrounded by much larger retail hubs. These included VILLA ITALIA (1966) {3.7 miles northwest, in Jefferson County-Lakewood}, CINDERELLA CITY (1968) {2.5 miles east, in Englewood} and -eventually- SOUTHWEST PLAZA (1982) {3.6 miles southwest, in Jefferson County}.
May D & F at BEAR VALLEY CENTER closed for good in 1985, with its space being taken by Burlington Coat Factory in October. A motion picture venue, the Super Saver Bear Valley 8, opened for business on May 4, 1988 and closed for good on January 17, 1999. The shopping concourse had been given a face lift in 1989. This renovation proved unsuccessful and the complex was in a downward spiral by the early 1990s.
The strip plaza and mall of BEAR VALLEY CENTER were surrounded by much larger retail hubs. These included VILLA ITALIA (1966) {3.7 miles northwest, in Jefferson County-Lakewood}, CINDERELLA CITY (1968) {2.5 miles east, in Englewood} and -eventually- SOUTHWEST PLAZA (1982) {3.6 miles southwest, in Jefferson County}.
May D & F at BEAR VALLEY CENTER closed for good in 1985, with its space being taken by Burlington Coat Factory in October. A motion picture venue, the Super Saver Bear Valley 8, opened for business on May 4, 1988 and closed for good on January 17, 1999. The shopping concourse had been given a face lift in 1989. This renovation proved unsuccessful and the complex was in a downward spiral by the early 1990s.
In June 1993, a joint venture of Denver-based Chandelle Development and the Cook Family acquired the struggling shopping center. Two thirds of the mall structure was torn down, leaving the eastern section standing. Originally, Burlington Coat Factory, in the demolished section, was going to relocate into a newly-built store. This never happened.
Instead, the Burlington store closed for good. A 1-level (75,000 square foot) King Soopers SuperStore replaced the razed section of the mall in 1994. New stores in the strip center included Fashion Bug, Paper Warehouse and Mountain Mike's Pizza. Westwood College of Technology established a campus in the freestanding building which had housed the First National Bank of Bear Valley.
By 1999, nearly all that remained of the circa-1966 mall had been knocked down. A small 7,400 square foot section was salvaged. This became sandwiched between King Soopers and a 1-level (118,700 square foot) Home Depot. This store was dedicated in June 2002.
BEAR VALLEY CENTER, which now enveloped 342,700 leasable square feet and fifty-three retail spaces, was acquired by Dallas-based P.O'B. Montgomery & Company in June 2003. In 2011, the remaining 7,400 square foot section of the mall was razed. The existing King Soopers was expanded into its area, with the newly-renovated (100,000 square foot) store holding its grand opening in May 2012.
Sources:
The Denver Post
The Aurora Advocate (Aurora, Colorado)
Cervi's Rocky Mountain Journal (Denver, Colorado)
The Colorado Transcript (Golden, Colorado)
The Broomfield Star-Builder (Broomfield, Colorado)
https://www.denvergov.org / Denver County, Colorado
National Registry of Historic Places / Multiple Property Documentation Forum / United States Department of the Interior / National Park Service / "Historic Residential Subdivisions of Denver, 1940-1965" / Revised March 1992 and October 2010
Retro Denver / Pam Arceo
P'OB Montgomery & Company
CB Richard Ellis
National Registry of Historic Places / Multiple Property Documentation Forum / United States Department of the Interior / National Park Service / "Historic Residential Subdivisions of Denver, 1940-1965" / Revised March 1992 and October 2010
Retro Denver / Pam Arceo
P'OB Montgomery & Company
CB Richard Ellis
http://www.benchmarkop.com
https://www.cinematreasures.org
