West 2nd and E Streets
San Bernardino, California
In the early 1960s, San Bernardino's central city was in decline. This downtown downturn was a result of several new shopping centers having been built on the city's outskirts. Plans were put in motion to redevelop the urban core using Rochester, New York's MIDTOWN PLAZA as an inspiration. In essence, the idea was to bring the suburban shopping experience to the center city.
Los Angeles' Victor Gruen Associates were hired to conceptualize an urban renewal shopping mall. The basic complex was designed by the Gruen firm, with anchor stores layed out by Burke, Kober, Nicolais & Archuleta, Maxwell Starkman & Associates and Ainsworth & McClellan.
The project was developed by a joint venture of the San Bernardino Redevelopment Authority, John S. Griffith Company, Harris Brothers, Montgomery Ward and J.C. Penney. Ground was broken in July 1969. A six-block area bounded by North E Street, West 4th Street, North G Street and West 2nd Street was leveled, leaving three structures standing.
The 2-level, fully-enclosed CENTRAL CITY MALL was built on the 43-acre site. The basic shell had been completed by December 1970. The structure incorporated the circa-1927 flagship of the San Bernardino-based Harris Brothers chain, who were to anchor the facility with a 4- level (188,900 square foot) store.
The first newly-built store to open was a 2-level (139,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward, which welcomed its first shoppers on July 26, 1972. Fifty-one stores were dedicated, along with the mall, on October 11, 1972. A 3-level (207,800 square foot) J.C. Penney commenced operation on March 28, 1973.
When fully-leased in January 1978, CENTRAL CITY MALL spanned approximately 1 million leasable square feet and housed 100 stores and services. Charter tenants included Foxmoor Casuals, Nobby Shops, Hickory Farms of Ohio, Orange Julius and a 2-level (60,000 square foot) F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10 (with Harvest House Cafeteria). The American Multi-Cinema Central City 4 was installed in Lower Level mall space, adjacent to Montgomery Ward. This venue showed its first features on April 15, 1973.
CENTRAL CITY MALL was initially a successful venture. However, gangland violence at the shopping center had started a downward spiral by the early 1980s. Potential customers stayed away and shopped, instead, at INLAND CENTER MALL (1966) {1.1 mile south, in San Bernardino}.
By the early 1990s, the struggling CENTRAL CITY MALL was in dire need of reinvention. A 2 million dollar face lift was performed, with a $300,000 merry-go-round installed in East Court. New stores were brought in, such as Lerner New York, M & R Clothiers, Champs Sports and Lady Footlocker. Moreover, the shopping facility was renamed. It would be known, from this time onward, as CAROUSEL MALL. An official re-dedication was held November 5, 1991.
Unfortunately, the revitalization attempt fell short. The situation worsened with the completion of another commercial competitor. ONTARIO MILLS {14.5 miles southwest, in Ontario}, which opened for business in 1996.
By the turn of the 20th century, anchor stores at CAROUSEL MALL were pulling up stakes. Harris' went dark soon after the chain merged with Fresno-based Gottschalks, in 1998. Montgomery Ward was the next to close its doors, in March 2001. J.C. Penney shut down in 2003.
Vacant area in the mall was leased as offices for San Bernardino County, the San Bernardino Unified School District and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Soon after, a third retail competitor came on the scene. VICTORIA GARDENS {13.1 miles west, in Rancho Cucamonga} debuted in 2004.
CAROUSEL MALL was acquired by Miami Beach-based LNR Properties in February 2006. They proposed to redevelop the past-its-prime property as a residential mixed-use project. The existing mall would be demolished.
A severe housing slump caused LNR Properties to rethink -and scale down- their original proposal for a COURT STREET WEST redevelopment. This amended plan was rejected by the city government. Disenchanted, LNR sold their interest in the mall to Lynwood, California-based M & D Properties in January 2008.
M & D announced a 100 million dollar redevelopment scenario 3 months later. The existing mall would not be demolished, but renovated as a retail center. This was to be augmented by new housing units and a hotel. However, The Great Recession slammed the brakes on this plan.
CAROUSEL MALL continued to languish. The San Bernardino Economic Development Authority acquired the central section of the mall in an auction held in February 2011. However, any redevelopment of the property was stymied by the fact that the structure was now owned by three different entities.
A new initiative had surfaced by 2015. The City of San Bernardino entered into a joint venture with Los Angeles-based AECOM and the Newport Beach-based Fransen Company. CAROUSEL MALL would be redeveloped as part of the Theater Square Plan; which was a revitalization of an adjacent Regal megaplex.
Under said plan, CAROUSEL MALL would have been demolished. The Harris' and Andreson Buildings would be left standing and would have been worked into an open-air shopping, entertainment and residential facility that was to include large stretches of urban green space.
Fourteen tenants still in operation at CAROUSEL MALL were evicted in July 2017, with the shopping center officially closing on August 18 of the same year. Its iconic carousel was auctioned off in May 2018 in anticipation of the long-delayed mall redevelopment. This project finally got underway on April 24, 2023, when an 8 million dollar demolition commenced. If all goes as planned, the abandoned mall will be replaced by a mixed-use town center. This would include residential, retail and office components.
Sources:
The San Bernardino Sun
The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, California)
http://www.alexanderbuilding.com
www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"
www.raincrosssquare.com / "Gedward"
City of San Bernardino Request for Council Action Staff Report / February 6, 2017
https://abc7.com
"Carousel Mall" article on Wikipedia
