MIDDLETOWN MALL
Central Avenue and Broad StreetMiddletown (Butler County), Ohio
Middletown, Ohio was settled in 1791. Many locals believe that it was so named because it is, more or less, midway between Cincinnati (to the south) and Dayton (to the north). In fact, it was named "Middletown" due to its location at the middle of the farthest navigable point on the Miami River, traveling north from where it enters the Ohio River.
The downtown business district of this city of 52,000 was, for years, the primary shopping destination for the entire region. It has been said that one could find most anything they could ever want to buy within the four blocks of stores where Central Avenue and Broad Streets intersected.
This started to change in October 1958, when the MIDDLETOWN SHOPPING CENTER opened, in the city's eastern environs. In an attempt to curb a retail store exodus from downtown, the city government formulated a plan to close-off the Central Business District along Central and Broad and build an enclosed, climate-controlled shopping mall. Plans were approved by city commissioners in December 1968.
Ground was broken for MIDDLETOWN MALL in April 1972. Federal Revenue Sharing Grants provided 75 percent of the funding for the 28 million dollar project. The enclosed mall, and its associated structures, were designed by Daniel T. Meehan & Associates of Cincinnati. The mall was to include two multilevel parking garages, two office towers and two newly-built anchor department stores.
The second garage, to be constructed at the south end of the Broad Street concourse, was proposed but never completed. Neither were the office towers. Moreover, only one new anchor store would ever see fruition. A Dayton-based Elder-Beerman, would have occupied the southeast corner of the 4-block site. After years of negotiations, Elder-Beerman cancelled plans for a MIDDLETOWN MALL store in August 1974. They opted to build at a new mall being developed in the southeastern environs of the city.
Meanwhile, by the summer of 1973, the downtown area of Middletown was akin to a battle zone. The two central streets were excavated; pedestrian access to existing stores was made nearly impossible and more than a bit dangerous. Several local businesses along the future mall concourses were soon out of business.
To add insult to injury, three other MIDDLETOWN MALL anchor stores would go dark. The 3-level (93,700 square foot) Middletown-based Central Store was shuttered soon after the complex was dedicated. A 3-level (42,700 square foot), Cincinnati-based Mabley & Carew closed in 1978. G.C. Murphy moved out in 1980, with a 5-level (33,300 square foot) J.C. Penney being shuttered in 1981.
Most commerce in Middletown had -or was- moving to the southeastern environs of the city. Nothing could stop this trend. The first defection from downtown had been done by McAlpin's, in 1959. Montgomery Ward followed suit in 1964. By this time, new discount stores were also being built. These included Fashion Fair (1963), Rink's Bargain City (1966), Hills (1972), Ayr-Way (1973) and Kmart (1978).
Meanwhile, by the summer of 1973, the downtown area of Middletown was akin to a battle zone. The two central streets were excavated; pedestrian access to existing stores was made nearly impossible and more than a bit dangerous. Several local businesses along the future mall concourses were soon out of business.
After nearly 2 years of heavy construction, and with many of its prospective tenants now shuttered, MIDDLETOWN MALL was officially dedicated on November 24, 1973. Charter stores and services included Worthmore Men's, Dohn's Hardware, Troup Furniture, Miller's Jewelers, Rogers Jewelers, Weber's Century Tavern and a G.C. Murphy 5 & 10.
A death knell rang for MIDDLETOWN MALL in February 1977. The shiny new TOWNE MALL {3.9 miles southeast, in Warren County} opened its doors. The complex had over 3,000 free parking spaces and was conveniently located adjacent to Interstate 75. TOWNE MALL snatched the downtown Sears, which was not physically connected into MIDDLETOWN MALL, but was a few doors south of its Main Street entrance.
To add insult to injury, three other MIDDLETOWN MALL anchor stores would go dark. The 3-level (93,700 square foot) Middletown-based Central Store was shuttered soon after the complex was dedicated. A 3-level (42,700 square foot), Cincinnati-based Mabley & Carew closed in 1978. G.C. Murphy moved out in 1980, with a 5-level (33,300 square foot) J.C. Penney being shuttered in 1981.
Most commerce in Middletown had -or was- moving to the southeastern environs of the city. Nothing could stop this trend. The first defection from downtown had been done by McAlpin's, in 1959. Montgomery Ward followed suit in 1964. By this time, new discount stores were also being built. These included Fashion Fair (1963), Rink's Bargain City (1966), Hills (1972), Ayr-Way (1973) and Kmart (1978).
Alas, MIDDLETOWN MALL never lived up to the grandiose plan envisioned in 1968. As a remarketing effort, the name of the struggling facility was changed to CITY CENTRE MART on April 1, 1977. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were invested in hiring a series of consultants and development firms. Apparently, the only thing they accomplished was cashing pay checks.
New tenants were secured for a few of the empty spaces and a 3-level (196,000 square foot), Cincinnati-based Swallen's opened in December 1979. Still, the complex was in a pronounced state of decline by the 1980s. Another name change, to CITY CENTRE MALL, was instituted on May 1, 1987.
Soon, the City Of Middletown was faced with the problem of maintaining a nearly-deserted inner-city mall. Annual upkeep on the aging structure was hitting the 500 thousand dollar mark by the late 1990s and the mall was badly in need of repairs. Something had to be done. A new Downtown Redevelopment Plan, proposing the removal of the enclosed mall and some adjacent structures, gained momentum. The wrecking ball was brought in in July 2001. In December 2002 , a new (MALL-less) downtown Middletown was dedicated.
The MALL-MART had been demolished, with only its parking garage left standing (this would eventually be razed, as well). One could, once again, drive down Central Avenue from Verity Parkway to Main Street.
The demolition of the mall and replacement of store fronts and streets required some 13 million dollars in city, county and state funds. The Feds, who had contributed over 20 million dollars to build the structure, were not helping to get rid of it.
Sources:
Soon, the City Of Middletown was faced with the problem of maintaining a nearly-deserted inner-city mall. Annual upkeep on the aging structure was hitting the 500 thousand dollar mark by the late 1990s and the mall was badly in need of repairs. Something had to be done. A new Downtown Redevelopment Plan, proposing the removal of the enclosed mall and some adjacent structures, gained momentum. The wrecking ball was brought in in July 2001. In December 2002 , a new (MALL-less) downtown Middletown was dedicated.
The MALL-MART had been demolished, with only its parking garage left standing (this would eventually be razed, as well). One could, once again, drive down Central Avenue from Verity Parkway to Main Street.
The demolition of the mall and replacement of store fronts and streets required some 13 million dollars in city, county and state funds. The Feds, who had contributed over 20 million dollars to build the structure, were not helping to get rid of it.
Sources:
The Dayton Daily News
The Middletown Journal
Personal recollections of the author
w.w.w. lanepl.org
http://www.midpointedigitalarchives.org / MidPoint Digital Archives
http://propertysearch.butlercountyohio.org
The Cincinnati Enquirer / "City Centre Prospects Debated" article / Janet C. Wetzel / Thursday, March 4, 1999
The Cincinnati Enquirer / "City Centre Estimate: 10.3 M" article / Janet C. Wetzel / Saturday, September 11, 1999
The Cincinnati Enquirer / "Leaders Hope Mall Has Life" article / Michael D. Clark / Wednesday, April 11. 2001
