South Colorado Boulevard and East Yale Avenue, Denver, Colorado
The second mall-type shopping complex in Greater Denver was built to serve as a de facto downtown for the 2,200-unit University Hills housing development. UNIVERSITY HILLS CENTER was developed on a 25-acre parcel, once part of Diamond Joe's Ranch. The site was located 9 miles southeast of the Colorado Capitol, in the southern environs of Denver City-County.
Open-air in format, UNIVERSITY HILLS CENTER was originally a linear, strip-type complex. It was designed by Denver's Jared Barnett Morse and developed by a joint venture of the May Department Stores Company and Ambrose, Williams & Company. The shopping hub consisted of a single level of retail and eventually encompassed thirty-nine stores and services.
The first operational store, a (12,200 square foot) Busley's supermarket, opened its doors on August 22, 1951. Yarbro Drug welcomed first customers on November 1, 1951, with a (6,900 square foot) Hested's 5 & 10 being dedicated on February 14, 1952. Other charter UNIVERSITY HILLS stores included Leenert's Hardware, Lou's Music Box, and the Beauty Spot Beauty Shop.
May Company Colorado dedicated a 3-level (110,000 square foot) department store on September 27, 1955. The store exterior featured rose-tan brick, polished travertine limestone, stainless steel and expanses of glass. The interior was done in "pastel color tones."
At the same time, an open-air mall was added to the existing strip center. New "On
the Mall" stores included Maternity Modes, Gibson Fabric Center, Phelps
Shoe Repair and the Colonial Dairy ice cream shop. These were in business by September 1955. A (16,000 square foot) King Soopers supermarket was dedicated in November 1955.
In 1957, May Company Colorado merged with the Denver-based Daniels & Fisher Company. Stores, including the UNIVERSITY HILLS operation, came under a newly-created May-D & F brand. On July 26, 1959, a new fourth level opened at the UNIVERSITY HILLS store. It now encompassed 190,000 square feet.
Retail hubs in the vicinity of UNIVERSITY HILLS CENTER included UNIVERSITY HILLS PLAZA (1954) {.1 mile north, in Denver}, CHERRY CREEK CENTER (1955) {3.5 miles northwest, in Denver}, UNIVERSITY HILLS SOUTH (1967) {.1 mile south, in Denver}, CINDERELLA CITY (1968) {3 miles southwest, in Englewood}, BUCKINGHAM SQUARE (1971) {4.3 miles northeast, in Aurora} and SOUTHGLENN MALL (1974) {5.1 miles southwest, in Arapahoe County}.
A freestanding movie theater was built across the street from UNIVERSITY HILLS CENTER, as part of the UNIVERSITY HILLS SOUTH mini-mall. The Tom Goldfarb-Marvin Davis University Hills 2 premiered on November 3, 1972. It was expanded into the University Hills 3 in the 1980s. Over the ensuing years, the venue was owned and operated by Highland Theatres, Commonwealth Theatres and United Artists. It was re-named, as the Landmark Theatres' Chez Artiste, in 1992.
Meanwhile, a major renovation of UNIVERSITY HILLS CENTER had been announced in July 1975. The firm of Seracuse-Lawlor & Partners designed a mall enclosure. Now officially promoted as UNIVERSITY HILLS MALL, the climate-controlled complex was dedicated on November 28, 1975. As part of the grand re-opening festivities, mall officials arrived in a 1922 Rolls Royce. With this renovation, "U-Hills" housed over 40 stores and services. A 5-alarm fire raged through the mall on November 28, 1983, with nearly 50 percent of the facility being damaged. It was rebuilt, and re-opened in August 1984.
The first blow to the longevity of U-HILLS MALL came in August 1990, when May D & F moved into a newly-built, flagship store at the enclosed mall at CHERRY CREEK CENTER. A petition drive was held to try and convince Denver-based Joslins to take over the empty anchor spot at U-HILLS; all to no avail.
The mall continued to founder. In February 1995, an entity known as U-Hills, Incorporated acquired the land the shopping center was built on from St. Louis-based May Centers. Ownership of the mall structure was secured in July 1996. A redevelopment scenario was put in motion by a joint venture of Denver-based Goldberg Property Associates and the Greystone Realty Group.
The shopping center was demolished, leaving only two small outparcels standing. A 229,400 square foot power center was erected. Known as simply UNIVERSITY HILLS, its first phase of stores opened for business on October 1, 1997.
Anchoring the complex was a 1-level (66,000 square foot) King Soopers grocery. Other tenants included a (32,400 square foot) Linens 'n Things, (15,200 square foot) PetSmart and (30,000 square foot) Office Max. A second phase, which included a (9,700 square foot) Ulta Beauty, was dedicated in October 2001. UNIVERSITY HILLS was sold to Beachwood, Ohio-based Developers Diversified Realty in 2003.
Sources:
The Denver Business Journal
The first blow to the longevity of U-HILLS MALL came in August 1990, when May D & F moved into a newly-built, flagship store at the enclosed mall at CHERRY CREEK CENTER. A petition drive was held to try and convince Denver-based Joslins to take over the empty anchor spot at U-HILLS; all to no avail.
The mall continued to founder. In February 1995, an entity known as U-Hills, Incorporated acquired the land the shopping center was built on from St. Louis-based May Centers. Ownership of the mall structure was secured in July 1996. A redevelopment scenario was put in motion by a joint venture of Denver-based Goldberg Property Associates and the Greystone Realty Group.
The shopping center was demolished, leaving only two small outparcels standing. A 229,400 square foot power center was erected. Known as simply UNIVERSITY HILLS, its first phase of stores opened for business on October 1, 1997.
Anchoring the complex was a 1-level (66,000 square foot) King Soopers grocery. Other tenants included a (32,400 square foot) Linens 'n Things, (15,200 square foot) PetSmart and (30,000 square foot) Office Max. A second phase, which included a (9,700 square foot) Ulta Beauty, was dedicated in October 2001. UNIVERSITY HILLS was sold to Beachwood, Ohio-based Developers Diversified Realty in 2003.
Sources:
The Denver Business Journal
The Rocky Mountain News (Denver, Colorado)
Intermountain Jewish News (Denver, 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
https://www.cinematreasures.com
http://www.uhna.com / University Hills Neighborhood Association
http://www.ddr.com / Developers Diversified Realty
http://www.renewdenver.org / Denver Urban Renewal Authority
http://www.uhna.com / University Hills Neighborhood Association
http://www.ddr.com / Developers Diversified Realty
http://www.renewdenver.org / Denver Urban Renewal Authority
