Southwest Topeka Boulevard / US 75 and Southwest 37th Street
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka's first mall-type shopping complex was built on a land parcel located 3.1 miles south of the Kansas State House. The 36.4-acre site had been occupied by a 9-hole golf course, which was part of the White Lakes Country Club. Construction commenced on a 500,000 square foot, fully-enclosed shopping center in 1963.
WHITE LAKES CENTER was developed by Topeka's Keith L. Meyers, under the auspices of White Lakes Development, Incorporated. The 8 million dollar complex was officially dedicated on October 15, 1964. There were two anchor department stores. On the north was a 2-level (151,000 square foot) Sears, with an attached Auto Center. A 2-level (154,400 square foot) J.C. Penney included a freestanding Auto Center and was one of the first "New Generation" Penneys stores.
Charter WHITE LAKES tenants included Walgreen Drug, Falley's Market, Town & Country Cafeteria, Jenkins Music, Pizza Hut and an F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10. The National General Corporation Fox White Lakes Theatre was dedicated on June 14, 1967. This freestanding venue was located across the street from the mall's north parking area. Its auditorium was split into, with a twin cinema opening December 22, 1977. Two additional auditoria were added, with a 4-plex showing its first features August 18, 1984. The complex was shuttered March 16, 2004.
Meanwhile, WHITE LAKES CENTER had been acquired by Southern California's MaceRich Real Estate Company in September 1972. Primarily involved in developing smaller, community-type, strip centers, MaceRich had now advanced to regional shopping mall management.
Under their ownership, the complex -now officially promoted as WHITE LAKES MALL- prospered. Then, something newer, bigger and better came along. WEST RIDGE MALL {4.6 miles northwest, in Topeka} was completed in 1988. Upon its grand opening, it snatched the two anchor stores from WHITE LAKES.
Sears sat vacant until being leased to Kansas City, Missouri-based Sutherlands Lumber. This location opened in 1992 and closed in 2002. The mall had changed hands in 1993. Macerich sold the property to Lawrence, Kansas-based Main Street Investors, who sold it to Denver-based Triple Net Properties in March 2000.
Charter WHITE LAKES tenants included Walgreen Drug, Falley's Market, Town & Country Cafeteria, Jenkins Music, Pizza Hut and an F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10. The National General Corporation Fox White Lakes Theatre was dedicated on June 14, 1967. This freestanding venue was located across the street from the mall's north parking area. Its auditorium was split into, with a twin cinema opening December 22, 1977. Two additional auditoria were added, with a 4-plex showing its first features August 18, 1984. The complex was shuttered March 16, 2004.
Meanwhile, WHITE LAKES CENTER had been acquired by Southern California's MaceRich Real Estate Company in September 1972. Primarily involved in developing smaller, community-type, strip centers, MaceRich had now advanced to regional shopping mall management.
Under their ownership, the complex -now officially promoted as WHITE LAKES MALL- prospered. Then, something newer, bigger and better came along. WEST RIDGE MALL {4.6 miles northwest, in Topeka} was completed in 1988. Upon its grand opening, it snatched the two anchor stores from WHITE LAKES.
Sears sat vacant until being leased to Kansas City, Missouri-based Sutherlands Lumber. This location opened in 1992 and closed in 2002. The mall had changed hands in 1993. Macerich sold the property to Lawrence, Kansas-based Main Street Investors, who sold it to Denver-based Triple Net Properties in March 2000.
The complex was renamed again, taking on its original moniker, WHITE LAKES CENTER. The facility was now an office complex, with a smattering of retail stores and services. Tenants included Walgreen Drug (a circa-'64 store), Electronic Data Systems, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Kansas Children's Services League, the State of Kansas, a day care center, fitness center, beauty salon and several eateries. Mainline Printing leased the old Sears building in 2005.
By late 2007, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, the State of Kansas, Kansas Disability Determination Services and the State of Kansas Rehabilitation Service had moved out. The complex was sold to Topeka's Kent Lindermuth in September 2009. He proposed a redevelopment of the property, whose official name had been truncated to simply WHITE LAKES.
This project was to include demolition of the south shopping concourse. Exterior-entranced retail and office space would be situated along a new parking area at the center of the center. Unfortunately, these plans were abandoned when Mr. Lindemuth filed for bankruptcy, in November 2012.
The property was placed on the open market with an asking price of 3 million dollars. There were no takers. WHITE LAKES had deteriorated into a dilapidated and decaying structure, with just one tenant; Mainline Printing. The virtually vacant complex was set on fire by arsonists in December 2020, which caused over 100 thousand dollars worth of damage. The complex was demolished between March and October of 2022.
Sources:
The Gazette (Emporia, Kansas)
Topeka Capital-Journal / August 5, 2001 / "White Lakes Survives In Shopping Mall Afterlife" / Alicia Henrikson
Topeka Capital-Journal / February 22, 2003 / "White Lakes Mall Reinvents Itself" / Shayne Sawyer & Mike Shepherd
By late 2007, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, the State of Kansas, Kansas Disability Determination Services and the State of Kansas Rehabilitation Service had moved out. The complex was sold to Topeka's Kent Lindermuth in September 2009. He proposed a redevelopment of the property, whose official name had been truncated to simply WHITE LAKES.
This project was to include demolition of the south shopping concourse. Exterior-entranced retail and office space would be situated along a new parking area at the center of the center. Unfortunately, these plans were abandoned when Mr. Lindemuth filed for bankruptcy, in November 2012.
The property was placed on the open market with an asking price of 3 million dollars. There were no takers. WHITE LAKES had deteriorated into a dilapidated and decaying structure, with just one tenant; Mainline Printing. The virtually vacant complex was set on fire by arsonists in December 2020, which caused over 100 thousand dollars worth of damage. The complex was demolished between March and October of 2022.
Sources:
The Gazette (Emporia, Kansas)
Topeka Capital-Journal / August 5, 2001 / "White Lakes Survives In Shopping Mall Afterlife" / Alicia Henrikson
Topeka Capital-Journal / February 22, 2003 / "White Lakes Mall Reinvents Itself" / Shayne Sawyer & Mike Shepherd
Shawnee County, Kansas tax assessor website
https://www.cinematreasures.org
https://www.cinematreasures.org
https://www.wibw.com
