Washington, DC's very first shopping mall was a split-level venue comprised of two 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 in mid-1971. The roofing reno was completed in 1972.

Drawing from the Westminster Investing Corporation