Chapel and Temple Streets
New Haven, Connecticut
One the nation's earliest inner city shopping malls was the brainchild of New Haven Mayor Richard C. Lee (in office between 1954 and 1969). The fully-enclosed complex was initially conceived in 1957. New York City's Lathrop Douglass was hired to design the facility, with New Haven's Roger L. Stevens serving as its initial developer. Stevens was replaced, midway through the project, by the Fusco-Armatrada Construction Company.
New Haven, Connecticut
One the nation's earliest inner city shopping malls was the brainchild of New Haven Mayor Richard C. Lee (in office between 1954 and 1969). The fully-enclosed complex was initially conceived in 1957. New York City's Lathrop Douglass was hired to design the facility, with New Haven's Roger L. Stevens serving as its initial developer. Stevens was replaced, midway through the project, by the Fusco-Armatrada Construction Company.
CHAPEL SQUARE would occupy 12 acres along three city blocks. The 2-level mall proper encompassed the northernmost of these blocks and housed 165,000 leasable square feet. It included an underground parking deck, the 19-story Sheraton Park Plaza Hotel and 14-story 900 Temple Street office tower.
To the south, on the middle block, was a 6-level (310,000 square foot) Macy's and a portion of the Temple Street Garage. The CHAPEL SQUARE Macy's was noteworthy as being the first urban store in the chain to be built outside the New York City metropolitan area. It had opened for business on September 24, 1964 and was linked to the adjacent mall via skywalk.
The third, southernmost, block of the CHAPEL SQUARE complex housed the southern portion of the Temple Street Garage, as well as a 5-level (266,000 square foot), New Haven-based Edward Malley Company. Malley's had held its dedication on October 25, 1962. It was the first structure built for the "Chapel Street Redevelopment" and was linked, via skywalk, to Macy's.
The luxury hotel and office building at CHAPEL SQUARE were officially dedicated on September 30, 1966 and October 12, 1966, respectively. The mall opened for business in March 1967. Charter inline stores included Parklane Hosiery, Sykes-Libby Jewelers, Petrie's ladies' wear, Arnold's Shoes, Orange Julius, Potpourri, Camera Craft, Scot Ties, Snyder's, Myers and Cutler's Records.
CHAPEL SQUARE had a modestly successful run into the late 1970s. A high profile murder, in the Temple Street Garage, in 1973, may now be seen as the beginning of its decline. Suburban malls, such as CONNECTICUT POST CENTER (1960) {6.9 miles southwest, in Milford} also contributed to the malaise of CHAPEL SQUARE, as did the shuttering of its Malley's anchor store, in February 1982.
A redevelopment of the redevelopment got underway following the leasing of the mall, by the Maryland-based James Rouse Company, in February 1983. Originally, a 2-block expansion of the structure, and a third anchor store, were proposed. However, this plan was scaled down to a 35 million dollar reconfiguration of existing space. The Picnic On the Green Food Court was installed in Second Level office space, overlooking the New Haven Green. The shopping concourse was also given a face lift.
CHAPEL SQUARE had a modestly successful run into the late 1970s. A high profile murder, in the Temple Street Garage, in 1973, may now be seen as the beginning of its decline. Suburban malls, such as CONNECTICUT POST CENTER (1960) {6.9 miles southwest, in Milford} also contributed to the malaise of CHAPEL SQUARE, as did the shuttering of its Malley's anchor store, in February 1982.
A redevelopment of the redevelopment got underway following the leasing of the mall, by the Maryland-based James Rouse Company, in February 1983. Originally, a 2-block expansion of the structure, and a third anchor store, were proposed. However, this plan was scaled down to a 35 million dollar reconfiguration of existing space. The Picnic On the Green Food Court was installed in Second Level office space, overlooking the New Haven Green. The shopping concourse was also given a face lift.
The revitalized complex was officially unveiled in November 1983. New tenants had been signed, such as Conran's Furniture, Dress Barn, Zab's Backyard Hots, Harstan's Jewelers, The Athlete's Foot, Bonsai Gardens, Munson's Candy and Record World.
Things went relatively well until a recession hit in the early '90s. A downturn at CHAPEL SQUARE was exacerbated by the closing of Macy's, in June 1993. Conran's Furniture pulled out in March 1994, leaving the mall in dire straits. The Rouse Company relinquished control of the property in May 1995. Soon after, Baltimore's David Cordish acquired the Sheraton Park Plaza Hotel and began renovating the building.
Things went relatively well until a recession hit in the early '90s. A downturn at CHAPEL SQUARE was exacerbated by the closing of Macy's, in June 1993. Conran's Furniture pulled out in March 1994, leaving the mall in dire straits. The Rouse Company relinquished control of the property in May 1995. Soon after, Baltimore's David Cordish acquired the Sheraton Park Plaza Hotel and began renovating the building.
The City of New Haven, who owned the adjacent CHAPEL SQUARE, signed an agreement with Mr. Cordish. He would also buy and redevelop the struggling shopping center. New Haven eventually reneged on the deal, and the mall redevelopment project fell through. However, the hotel renovation was successfully completed. It re-opened, as the Omni New Haven, in the fall of 1997. Meanwhile, the Malley's structure, derelict and decaying after sitting vacant for several years, was demolished. Macy's, and its adjoining mall, continued to decline (this store would be razed in 2006).
In the early 2000s, Baltimore-based Jackson Ewing spearheaded yet another potential renovation of CHAPEL SQUARE. This was thwarted when Jackson Ewing failed to acquire the vacant Macy's building. They pulled out of the project and were replaced by the New Haven-based Nyberg Group.
It was decided to renovate the mall property into a 4-level apartment complex, with a smattering of outward-facing retail. The roof of the mallway was ripped-off and the office tower refurbished. The 75-unit RESIDENCE COURT (CHAPEL SQUARE MALL) began leasing apartments in the summer of 2004. New retail stores, including Ann Taylor Loft, Cold Stone Creamery, Quizno's Subs, Cafe Bottega and Rite Aid Drug, were open for business by the fall of 2005.
The final phase of the CHAPEL SQUARE renovation was the completion of the 360,000 square foot Gateway Community College campus. The 140 million dollar, street-straddling structure consolidated two separate educational facilities. It was constructed on the sites of the old Macy's and Malley's stores and opened in the fall of 2012.
Sources:
The New York Times
The Yale Daily News (New Haven, Connecticut)
www.labelscar.com
In the early 2000s, Baltimore-based Jackson Ewing spearheaded yet another potential renovation of CHAPEL SQUARE. This was thwarted when Jackson Ewing failed to acquire the vacant Macy's building. They pulled out of the project and were replaced by the New Haven-based Nyberg Group.
It was decided to renovate the mall property into a 4-level apartment complex, with a smattering of outward-facing retail. The roof of the mallway was ripped-off and the office tower refurbished. The 75-unit RESIDENCE COURT (CHAPEL SQUARE MALL) began leasing apartments in the summer of 2004. New retail stores, including Ann Taylor Loft, Cold Stone Creamery, Quizno's Subs, Cafe Bottega and Rite Aid Drug, were open for business by the fall of 2005.
The final phase of the CHAPEL SQUARE renovation was the completion of the 360,000 square foot Gateway Community College campus. The 140 million dollar, street-straddling structure consolidated two separate educational facilities. It was constructed on the sites of the old Macy's and Malley's stores and opened in the fall of 2012.
Sources:
The New York Times
The Yale Daily News (New Haven, Connecticut)
www.labelscar.com
www.data.visionappraisal.com
www.newhavenreview.com
www.conntact.com
www.newhavenreview.com
www.conntact.com
digitalcommons.law.yale.ed
"Chapel Square Mall" article on Wikipedia
