Gulf To Bay Boulevard and US 19
Clearwater, Florida
One of the first major shopping malls on Florida's Pinellas Peninsula was built on a 72-acre plot, located 4.4 miles east of downtown Clearwater. The site had once contained the Seville Peacock Farm. More recently, a mobile home park had been located there.
Plans for CLEARWATER MALL were announced in May 1968. The complex would be developed by Clearwater's William W. Blackburn and Wallace G. Blackburn, with its design handled by local architect Frank Mudano. The mall was implemented in three phases, with work commencing on September 8, 1971.
A 1-level (75,000 square foot) convenience center, known as The Square, was built at the northwest corner of the site. Its first tenants opened for business August 18, 1972. These included a Pantry Pride supermarket, Fairco Drug, Firestone Car Care and the American Multi-Cinema Clearwater 4 Theatres.
Work got underway on Phase II (the mall proper) in mid-1972. Basically a single-level structure, there would be a small (incomplete) upper level at its center. The complex was built using a Spanish Colonial motif. A peacock graphic symbol was used throughout the mall's courts and concourses and on its exterior.
The first operational store, a 2-level (148,600 square foot), Mobile-based Gayfers, began business in April 1973. A 2-level (127,000 square foot), Charlotte-based J.B. Ivey held a preview opening August 3, 1973. The 2-level (126,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward held its grand opening on August 22, 1973.
The 750,000 square foot CLEARWATER MALL was officially dedicated on November 8, 1973. Inline stores included National Shirt Shops, Waldenbooks, Kinney Shoes, Zales Jewelers and a Polly Davis Cafeteria.
A glass-enclosed elevator was the focal point of the Ivey's store. There was also an 80' by 200' bird aviary in the Court of the Peacocks (in front of the Ivey's entrance) and a second glass-enclosed elevator. An Aquarium Court faced the Montgomery Ward mall entry, with Gayfers' entrance accessed via the Court of the Four Seasons.
Phase III of the mall, a single level Northeast Wing, opened to the public on September 19, 1975. This was anchored by a 2-level (160,000 square foot), Miami-based Burdines. With this addition, CLEARWATER MALL encompassed approximately 927,000 leasable square feet and contained 100 stores and services. By mid-1978, this number had increased to 120.
The incomplete upper level at the center of the center was filled with a "mall within a mall" area known as the International Bazaar. This was officially dedicated on October 13, 1977. Its ten tenants included the Crepe Escape restaurant, Adobe Hut, Deannie's of Sarasota, Asian Pavilion, Tropicurio, Oriental Gift Bazaar, Terry's T's (T-shirts), Stax of Wax Candles and the Come Fly A Kite Shop.
A major rival, COUNTRYSIDE MALL {4 miles north, in Pinellas County}, was completed in September 1975. This was followed by INTERNATIONAL PLAZA {9 miles east, in Tampa} in September 2001. Also is the vicinity were SUNSHINE MALL (1968-1998) {3.6 miles west, in Clearwater} and BAY AREA OUTLET MALL / CROSSROADS MALL (1984-2005) {2.8 miles south, in Largo}.
A 12 million dollar face lift began at CLEARWATER MALL in March 1989. New flooring, ceilings, storefronts and skylights were installed. A grand re-opening was held on November 16, 1989. Renovations continued into the following year. The Wave Court Cafes, a 10-bay culinary complex, was dedicated on August 29, 1990. Some of its vendors were Sbarro Italian Eatery, Chick-Fil-A, Manchu Wok, Sakkio Japan, Gloria Jean's Coffee Bean and Great Steak & Fry.
Work got underway on Phase II (the mall proper) in mid-1972. Basically a single-level structure, there would be a small (incomplete) upper level at its center. The complex was built using a Spanish Colonial motif. A peacock graphic symbol was used throughout the mall's courts and concourses and on its exterior.
The first operational store, a 2-level (148,600 square foot), Mobile-based Gayfers, began business in April 1973. A 2-level (127,000 square foot), Charlotte-based J.B. Ivey held a preview opening August 3, 1973. The 2-level (126,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward held its grand opening on August 22, 1973.
The 750,000 square foot CLEARWATER MALL was officially dedicated on November 8, 1973. Inline stores included National Shirt Shops, Waldenbooks, Kinney Shoes, Zales Jewelers and a Polly Davis Cafeteria.
A glass-enclosed elevator was the focal point of the Ivey's store. There was also an 80' by 200' bird aviary in the Court of the Peacocks (in front of the Ivey's entrance) and a second glass-enclosed elevator. An Aquarium Court faced the Montgomery Ward mall entry, with Gayfers' entrance accessed via the Court of the Four Seasons.
Phase III of the mall, a single level Northeast Wing, opened to the public on September 19, 1975. This was anchored by a 2-level (160,000 square foot), Miami-based Burdines. With this addition, CLEARWATER MALL encompassed approximately 927,000 leasable square feet and contained 100 stores and services. By mid-1978, this number had increased to 120.
The incomplete upper level at the center of the center was filled with a "mall within a mall" area known as the International Bazaar. This was officially dedicated on October 13, 1977. Its ten tenants included the Crepe Escape restaurant, Adobe Hut, Deannie's of Sarasota, Asian Pavilion, Tropicurio, Oriental Gift Bazaar, Terry's T's (T-shirts), Stax of Wax Candles and the Come Fly A Kite Shop.
A major rival, COUNTRYSIDE MALL {4 miles north, in Pinellas County}, was completed in September 1975. This was followed by INTERNATIONAL PLAZA {9 miles east, in Tampa} in September 2001. Also is the vicinity were SUNSHINE MALL (1968-1998) {3.6 miles west, in Clearwater} and BAY AREA OUTLET MALL / CROSSROADS MALL (1984-2005) {2.8 miles south, in Largo}.
A 12 million dollar face lift began at CLEARWATER MALL in March 1989. New flooring, ceilings, storefronts and skylights were installed. A grand re-opening was held on November 16, 1989. Renovations continued into the following year. The Wave Court Cafes, a 10-bay culinary complex, was dedicated on August 29, 1990. Some of its vendors were Sbarro Italian Eatery, Chick-Fil-A, Manchu Wok, Sakkio Japan, Gloria Jean's Coffee Bean and Great Steak & Fry.
A San Diego-based branch of Montreal's Trizec Corporation had acquired CLEARWATER MALL in 1976. They sold the complex to the Excel Realty Trust, another San Diego-based concern, in 1997. The first anchor change at the mall had transpired on June 4, 1990, when Dillard's rebranded the Ivey's location. Dillard's purchase of the Mercantile Stores conglomerate, in August 1998, added the Gayfers chain to Dillard's holdings.
Dillard's could have established a "double-header" at CLEARWATER MALL, with the Ivey's and Gayfers stores becoming individual Dillard's Men's and Women's units. Instead, the Arkansas-based chain decided to shutter the Ivey's / Dillard's. This took place on October 11, 1998. Gayfers then re-opened as a Dillard's Clearance Center, which was only in operation until January 1999.
Burdines pulled the plug on their CLEARWATER MALL store on January 25, 2001. The last of the shopping center's four anchors, Montgomery Ward, closed -along with the entire chain- in March 2001. This left the retail hub anchor-less and virtually abandoned. It closed for good on February 1, 2002.
Meanwhile, the company owning the mall had morphed into the New York City-based New Plan Excel Realty Trust. They formed a joint venture with the St. Petersburg-based Sembler Company and drew up a plan for redevelopment of the "irrelevant" mall. It was demolished between April 2002 and January 2003.
Not surprisingly, an open-air power center was built on the site. Encompassing 795,100 leasable square feet, the "value-oriented, big-box dominated" center was anchored by a 1-level (138,500 square foot) Costco, 1-level (140,000 square foot) Lowe's and 1-level (185,000 square foot) SuperTarget, with inline stores such as Borders Books, Ross Dress For Less and PetSmart.
Also known as CLEARWATER MALL, the complex was formally dedicated on November 6, 2003. The Australia-based Centro Property Group acquired the holdings of the New Plan Excel Realty Trust in May 2007. In June 2011, the United States holdings of Centro were sold to New York City's Blackstone Real Estate Partners. They formed a new retail management entity, known as the Brixmor Property Group, in September 2011.
Dillard's could have established a "double-header" at CLEARWATER MALL, with the Ivey's and Gayfers stores becoming individual Dillard's Men's and Women's units. Instead, the Arkansas-based chain decided to shutter the Ivey's / Dillard's. This took place on October 11, 1998. Gayfers then re-opened as a Dillard's Clearance Center, which was only in operation until January 1999.
Burdines pulled the plug on their CLEARWATER MALL store on January 25, 2001. The last of the shopping center's four anchors, Montgomery Ward, closed -along with the entire chain- in March 2001. This left the retail hub anchor-less and virtually abandoned. It closed for good on February 1, 2002.
Meanwhile, the company owning the mall had morphed into the New York City-based New Plan Excel Realty Trust. They formed a joint venture with the St. Petersburg-based Sembler Company and drew up a plan for redevelopment of the "irrelevant" mall. It was demolished between April 2002 and January 2003.
Not surprisingly, an open-air power center was built on the site. Encompassing 795,100 leasable square feet, the "value-oriented, big-box dominated" center was anchored by a 1-level (138,500 square foot) Costco, 1-level (140,000 square foot) Lowe's and 1-level (185,000 square foot) SuperTarget, with inline stores such as Borders Books, Ross Dress For Less and PetSmart.
Also known as CLEARWATER MALL, the complex was formally dedicated on November 6, 2003. The Australia-based Centro Property Group acquired the holdings of the New Plan Excel Realty Trust in May 2007. In June 2011, the United States holdings of Centro were sold to New York City's Blackstone Real Estate Partners. They formed a new retail management entity, known as the Brixmor Property Group, in September 2011.
Sources:
St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The Tampa Bay Times
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www.kearnydev.com
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