Washington, DC's very first shopping mall was a split-level venue comprised of 2 retail levels. Its Lower Promenade was accessed from a lower parking level, with the Upper Promenade entered from an upper level lot. There were originally forty stores and free parking for 2,500 autos.

SEVEN CORNERS CENTER TENANTS 1957:

WOODWARD & LOTHROP (with the Fort Buffalo Room restaurant) / JULIUS GARFINCKEL & COMPANY (with Tea Room and Beauty Salon) / FOOD LANE supermarket (outparcel) / F. W. WOOLWORTH 5 & 10 (with Woolworth Restaurant) / Alexander's, Incorporated Gift Shop / Arcade Sunshine Valet Shop / Barber & Ross Hardware / Bond Clothes / Brentano's Books / Camiler & Buckley / Chandler's Shoes / Charles of the Ritz / Edmonds Opticians / Edwards Shoes / Fairfax County National Bank (outparcel) / Fannie May Candies / Farnsworth-Reed, Limited / Franklin Simon / Hahn Shoes / Holiday-Flagg  Shoes / Joseph R. Harris ladies' wear / L. Frank Company ladies' wear / Karin's Florist / Knitting Corner / Lerner Shops ladies' wear / Russell Stover Candies / Martini's Barber Shop / Mayer & Company Furniture / Mill End Shop / Music Time / Palace Laundry / Peck & Peck ladies' wear / Peoples Drug (with streamlined soda fountain) S & W Cafeteria / Singer Sewing Center / Thom McAn Shoes / Toy Fair / Van Durand Studio / Western Auto (outparcel) / Wilson's Men's Store / Winthrop, Incorporated Jewelers

In a cut-away view of the 25 million dollar facility, we see how its two open-air concourses were configured. The "Upper Promenade" ran parallel to Leesburg Pike, with the "Lower Promenade" facing Arlington Boulevard. The mall included a small lower level, which housed basements for some Lower Promenade stores and a service truck tunnel. 

By the early 1970s, the open-air SEVEN CORNERS CENTER was being outpositioned by more trendy retail venues in its trade area. Its British owner started an enclosing renovation, that was underway by July 1971. The roofing reno was completed in 1972.

Drawing from the Westminster Investing Corporation