In the spring of 1962, Rochester, New York dedicated MIDTOWN PLAZA, the first fully-realized "Gruenized" downtown. Several American cities followed with their own version of center city shopping mall; some open-air, others being fully-enclosed.
By the 1980s, the newness had worn off. The fact had to be faced; no redevelopment scenario, even though grandly-conceived and expensive, could reverse the exodus of retail trade from the blighted central city. Most downtown malls were eventually removed, with the pedestrian-only streets being re-opened to automobile traffic.
Gruen's idea of a suburban shopping mall as a European-style town center of culture and entertainment was also plausible for a while. The enclosed shopping mall of the 1960s was often promoted as a venue for concerts, pageants and other public events. However, mall management entities eventually came to the conclusion that hosting such large-scale events was a cost-prohibitive endeavor, involving various problems and liability issues. Such spectacles became less and less frequent.
ACRIMONIOUS ALIMONY
Alas, Victor's vision of the American retail center as a public gathering space was eventually undermined by the corporate directive for mere profit. He became disillusioned, retired from the Gruen Associates firm he had started, and returned to Vienna in 1967. In 1977, Gruen dismissed the shopping mall, which he had been instrumental in creating, by saying "I refuse to pay alimony to those bastard developments." Victor Gruen passed away on February 14, 1980.
GRUEN-DESIGNED MALLS 1954-1969:
1. NORTHLAND CENTER, Southfield, MI (March 1954-April 2015)
2. WOODMAR CENTER, Hammond, IN (May 1954-February 2006)
3. WAI'ALAE CENTER-KAHALA MALL, Honolulu, HI (November 1954)
4. VALLEY FAIR CENTER-VALLEY FAIR MALL-VALLEY FAIR-WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN VALLEY FAIR-WESTFIELD VALLEY FAIR, San Jose, CA (August 1956)
5. SOUTHDALE CENTER, Edina, MN (October 1956)
6. RIVERSIDE PLAZA, Riverside, CA (November 1956)
7. EASTLAND CENTER, Harper Woods, MI (August 1957-January 2022)
8. BAY FAIR CENTER-BAY FAIR MALL-BAY-FAIR CENTER, San Leandro, CA (August 1957)
9. SOUTH BAY CENTER-GALLERIA AT SOUTH BAY-SOUTH BAY GALLERIA, Redondo Beach, CA (August 1957) *
10. GLENDALE CENTER-GLENDALE MALL-GLENDALE TOWN CENTER, Marion County, IN (August 1958)
11. MARYVALE SHOPPING CITY-MARYVALE MALL, Phoenix, AZ (August 1959-February 1998)
12. KALAMAZOO MALL (open-air pedestrian concourse), Kalamazoo, MI (August 1959)
13. SOUTH SHORE PLAZA, Braintree, MA (February 1961)
14. WINROCK CENTER-WINROCK TOWN CENTER, Albuquerque , NM (March 1961)
15. CHERRY HILL CENTER-CHERRY HILL MALL, Camden County, NJ (October 1961)
16. BROOKDALE CENTER, Brooklyn Center, MN (March 1962-April 2010)
17. MIDTOWN PLAZA, Rochester, NY (April 1962-November 2009)
18. NORTHWAY MALL-SHOPPES AT NORTHWAY-THE BLOCK NORTHWAY, Allegheny County, PA (August 1962)
19. RANDHURST CENTER-RANDHURST MALL-RANDHURST VILLAGE, Mount Prospect, IL (August 1962)
20. SOUTH COUNTY CENTER-WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN SOUTH COUNTY-WESTFIELD SOUTH COUNTY-SOUTH COUNTY CENTER, St. Louis County, MO (October 1963)
21. TOPANGA PLAZA-WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN TOPANGA-WESTFIELD TOPANGA , Los Angeles, CA (February 1964)
22. FULTON MALL (open-air pedestrian concourse), Fresno, CA (September 1964-March 2016)
23. WESTLAND CENTER, Westland, MI (July 1965)
24. SOUTH HILLS VILLAGE, Bethel Park & Upper St. Clair, PA (July 1965) *
2. WOODMAR CENTER, Hammond, IN (May 1954-February 2006)
3. WAI'ALAE CENTER-KAHALA MALL, Honolulu, HI (November 1954)
4. VALLEY FAIR CENTER-VALLEY FAIR MALL-VALLEY FAIR-WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN VALLEY FAIR-WESTFIELD VALLEY FAIR, San Jose, CA (August 1956)
5. SOUTHDALE CENTER, Edina, MN (October 1956)
6. RIVERSIDE PLAZA, Riverside, CA (November 1956)
7. EASTLAND CENTER, Harper Woods, MI (August 1957-January 2022)
8. BAY FAIR CENTER-BAY FAIR MALL-BAY-FAIR CENTER, San Leandro, CA (August 1957)
9. SOUTH BAY CENTER-GALLERIA AT SOUTH BAY-SOUTH BAY GALLERIA, Redondo Beach, CA (August 1957) *
10. GLENDALE CENTER-GLENDALE MALL-GLENDALE TOWN CENTER, Marion County, IN (August 1958)
11. MARYVALE SHOPPING CITY-MARYVALE MALL, Phoenix, AZ (August 1959-February 1998)
12. KALAMAZOO MALL (open-air pedestrian concourse), Kalamazoo, MI (August 1959)
13. SOUTH SHORE PLAZA, Braintree, MA (February 1961)
14. WINROCK CENTER-WINROCK TOWN CENTER, Albuquerque , NM (March 1961)
15. CHERRY HILL CENTER-CHERRY HILL MALL, Camden County, NJ (October 1961)
16. BROOKDALE CENTER, Brooklyn Center, MN (March 1962-April 2010)
17. MIDTOWN PLAZA, Rochester, NY (April 1962-November 2009)
18. NORTHWAY MALL-SHOPPES AT NORTHWAY-THE BLOCK NORTHWAY, Allegheny County, PA (August 1962)
19. RANDHURST CENTER-RANDHURST MALL-RANDHURST VILLAGE, Mount Prospect, IL (August 1962)
20. SOUTH COUNTY CENTER-WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN SOUTH COUNTY-WESTFIELD SOUTH COUNTY-SOUTH COUNTY CENTER, St. Louis County, MO (October 1963)
21. TOPANGA PLAZA-WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN TOPANGA-WESTFIELD TOPANGA , Los Angeles, CA (February 1964)
22. FULTON MALL (open-air pedestrian concourse), Fresno, CA (September 1964-March 2016)
23. WESTLAND CENTER, Westland, MI (July 1965)
24. SOUTH HILLS VILLAGE, Bethel Park & Upper St. Clair, PA (July 1965) *
25. GREENGATE MALL, Westmoreland County, PA (August 1965-July 2001)
26. PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL-PLYMOUTH MEETING, Montgomery County, PA (February 1966)
26. PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL-PLYMOUTH MEETING, Montgomery County, PA (February 1966)
27. INLAND CENTER, San Bernardino, CA (October 1966)
28. MIDLAND MALL-RHODE ISLAND MALL-650 BALD HILL ROAD-MIDLAND COMMONS, Warwick, RI (August 1967)
29. FORT STREET MALL (open-air pedestrian concourse), Honolulu, HI (February 1969)
28. MIDLAND MALL-RHODE ISLAND MALL-650 BALD HILL ROAD-MIDLAND COMMONS, Warwick, RI (August 1967)
29. FORT STREET MALL (open-air pedestrian concourse), Honolulu, HI (February 1969)
30. K STREET MALL (open-air pedestrian concourse), Sacramento. CA (December 1969)
* Contributing Architect
