Stanton Christiana Road and Center Boulevard South
New Castle County, Delaware
The Blue Hen State's fourth shopping mall was built on a 97.4-acre site. This was situated 6 miles southwest of downtown Wilmington, in an unincorporated section of New Castle County known as Christiana. This community had been named after the nearby Christiana River, which had been named in honor of Christiana, who reigned -as the Queen of Sweden- between 1632 and 1654.
Formed out of four family farms, the mall site was adjacent to the Interstate 95-John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, which had opened to traffic in November 1963. CHRISTIANA MALL was developed by Richard I. Rubin & Company and New Castle Associates, of Philadelphia, and Albert Marta and Bankers Bond & Mortgage. The first operational store, a 2-level (214,000 square foot), Philadelphia-based Strawbridge & Clothier, was dedicated on September 14, 1978.
By this time, the full compliment of ninety-two stores and services was in operation, with the shopping hub encompassing approximately 824,000 leasable square feet. A list of charter CHRISTIANA MALL tenants would include McMahon Books, Wicks 'n Sticks, Size 5-7-9 Shops, Kay-Bee Toys, Foley Jewelers, Lane Bryant, Anderson-Little, Radio Shack and Casual Corner.
An official mall-wide grand opening was held on October 12, 1978, when seventy inline stores commenced operation. Newark-based Bamberger's opened their 2-level (217,000 square foot) store on August 30, 1979. The third anchor, a 2-level (150,700 square foot) J.C. Penney, made its debut on May 7, 1980.
By this time, the full compliment of ninety-two stores and services was in operation, with the shopping hub encompassing approximately 824,000 leasable square feet. A list of charter CHRISTIANA MALL tenants would include McMahon Books, Wicks 'n Sticks, Size 5-7-9 Shops, Kay-Bee Toys, Foley Jewelers, Lane Bryant, Anderson-Little, Radio Shack and Casual Corner.
CHRISTIANA MALL mall was also noteworthy for its 12-bay The Cupboard food court. Its vendors included The Famous Chocolate Chip Company, The Yogurt Shoppe, Orange Julius, Arby's, Hungry Herman and Big Top Deli.
The General Cinema Corporation Christiana Mall Cinema I-II-III showed its first features on October 26, 1979. A third auditorium had been completed but was not usable due to soundproofing issues with the adjacent Duke's Pub & Restaurant. The pub eventually closed, with its space being reconfigured as fourth and fifth cinematic auditoriums. The newly-expanded Christiana Mall Cinema (I-V) opened on October 21, 1982.
TRIANGLE MALL (1972) {2 miles southeast, in New Castle County} encompassed only 250,000 leasable square feet, so it was not large enough to provide any degree of competition for CHRISTIANA. The only regional-class competitor in the vicinity was CONCORD MALL (1969) {11.3 miles north, in New Castle County}.
In November 1988, an expansion of CHRISTIANA MALL was announced. Comprising 250,000 square feet and twenty-eight inline stores, the addition was built on the east side of the existing structure. It was anchored by a 2-level (181,000 square foot), Philadelphia-based John Wanamaker.
The vacant Wanamaker's-Lord & Taylor building was razed and replaced by a 1-level (145,000 square foot) Target, which held its grand opening on October 10, 2010. A 2-level (138,000 square foot) Nordstrom was added in place of the old Strawbridge's, along with a new section of inline stores. The new Nordstrom opened on April 8, 2011.
With these modifications, CHRISTIANA MALL encompassed 1,267,200 leasable square feet, with a retail roster of 160 stores and services. However, the renovation of the mall was not over...just yet. Nebraska-based Cabela's, an outdoor outfitter, opened a 1-level (110,000 square foot) store, in the northern periphery of CHRISTIANA MALL, on May 1, 2014. The Cinemark Christiana & XD 14-plex was built in the northeast parking area and showed its first features on November 20, 2014.
Brookfield Property Partners, based in Hamilton, Bermuda, acquired a share of General Growth Properties in 2016. In August 2018, Brookfield established 100 percent ownership of the corporation. Hence, CHRISTIANA MALL became part of the Brookfield retail center portfolio.
Sources:
The Morning News (Wilmington, Delaware)
The General Cinema Corporation Christiana Mall Cinema I-II-III showed its first features on October 26, 1979. A third auditorium had been completed but was not usable due to soundproofing issues with the adjacent Duke's Pub & Restaurant. The pub eventually closed, with its space being reconfigured as fourth and fifth cinematic auditoriums. The newly-expanded Christiana Mall Cinema (I-V) opened on October 21, 1982.
TRIANGLE MALL (1972) {2 miles southeast, in New Castle County} encompassed only 250,000 leasable square feet, so it was not large enough to provide any degree of competition for CHRISTIANA. The only regional-class competitor in the vicinity was CONCORD MALL (1969) {11.3 miles north, in New Castle County}.
In November 1988, an expansion of CHRISTIANA MALL was announced. Comprising 250,000 square feet and twenty-eight inline stores, the addition was built on the east side of the existing structure. It was anchored by a 2-level (181,000 square foot), Philadelphia-based John Wanamaker.
The project included a face lift of the existing shopping center. The addition was dedicated, along with the new Wanamaker's, on August 14, 1991. The gross leasable area of CHRISTIANA MALL had been expanded to around 1,074,000 square feet, with the retail roster now listing 130 stores and services.
This expansion heralded a truce, of sorts, between Strawbridge & Clothier and Wanamaker's; two Philly-based retail adversaries. CHRISTIANA MALL was the first instance where the two stores operated in the same shopping complex. The Maryland-based Rouse Company bought into CHRISTIANA MALL in April 2003. With the acquisition of the Rouse Company, by Chicago-based General Growth Properties, in 2004, CHRISTIANA MALL was added to the GGP portfolio.
Bamberger's was rebranded by Macy's on October 5, 1986. Wanamaker's was converted into an Arlington, Virginia-based Hecht's on September 3, 1995. This nameplate was short-lived. It was replaced by a Lord & Taylor trademark on March 5, 1997. This lasted until June 26, 2006, when the store was permanently shuttered.
A proposal to re-open the vacant Lord & Taylor as "Epicenter Collection" came to light in mid-2008. Promoted as a new-style showcase of over sixty internet-based, catalog retailers, it was to operate in a "real time", traditional store format. The proposal was eventually abandoned and the store structure sold to the Target Corporation in December 2008.
Meanwhile, the Strawbridge's store, on the north end of the mall, had been vacated on March 23, 2006. GGP announced a 125 million dollar renovation of their CHRISTIANA property in October 2007. Demolition and construction work got underway in January 2009, with the existing mall given new floors, lighting and soft seating areas.
The original Food Court and cinema were demolished and replaced with a 14-bay Food Court and open-air East Lifestyle Plaza. Barnes & Noble opened there on November 18, 2009, with XXI Forever joining the tenant list on December 26th. The Cheesecake Factory opened on March 18, 2010. A West Lifestyle Plaza was added to the opposite side of the mall. California Pizza Kitchen debuted on July 27, 2010, followed by Brio Tuscan Grill, which welcomed its first diners on November 18, 2010.
This expansion heralded a truce, of sorts, between Strawbridge & Clothier and Wanamaker's; two Philly-based retail adversaries. CHRISTIANA MALL was the first instance where the two stores operated in the same shopping complex. The Maryland-based Rouse Company bought into CHRISTIANA MALL in April 2003. With the acquisition of the Rouse Company, by Chicago-based General Growth Properties, in 2004, CHRISTIANA MALL was added to the GGP portfolio.
Bamberger's was rebranded by Macy's on October 5, 1986. Wanamaker's was converted into an Arlington, Virginia-based Hecht's on September 3, 1995. This nameplate was short-lived. It was replaced by a Lord & Taylor trademark on March 5, 1997. This lasted until June 26, 2006, when the store was permanently shuttered.
A proposal to re-open the vacant Lord & Taylor as "Epicenter Collection" came to light in mid-2008. Promoted as a new-style showcase of over sixty internet-based, catalog retailers, it was to operate in a "real time", traditional store format. The proposal was eventually abandoned and the store structure sold to the Target Corporation in December 2008.
Meanwhile, the Strawbridge's store, on the north end of the mall, had been vacated on March 23, 2006. GGP announced a 125 million dollar renovation of their CHRISTIANA property in October 2007. Demolition and construction work got underway in January 2009, with the existing mall given new floors, lighting and soft seating areas.
The original Food Court and cinema were demolished and replaced with a 14-bay Food Court and open-air East Lifestyle Plaza. Barnes & Noble opened there on November 18, 2009, with XXI Forever joining the tenant list on December 26th. The Cheesecake Factory opened on March 18, 2010. A West Lifestyle Plaza was added to the opposite side of the mall. California Pizza Kitchen debuted on July 27, 2010, followed by Brio Tuscan Grill, which welcomed its first diners on November 18, 2010.
The vacant Wanamaker's-Lord & Taylor building was razed and replaced by a 1-level (145,000 square foot) Target, which held its grand opening on October 10, 2010. A 2-level (138,000 square foot) Nordstrom was added in place of the old Strawbridge's, along with a new section of inline stores. The new Nordstrom opened on April 8, 2011.
With these modifications, CHRISTIANA MALL encompassed 1,267,200 leasable square feet, with a retail roster of 160 stores and services. However, the renovation of the mall was not over...just yet. Nebraska-based Cabela's, an outdoor outfitter, opened a 1-level (110,000 square foot) store, in the northern periphery of CHRISTIANA MALL, on May 1, 2014. The Cinemark Christiana & XD 14-plex was built in the northeast parking area and showed its first features on November 20, 2014.
Brookfield Property Partners, based in Hamilton, Bermuda, acquired a share of General Growth Properties in 2016. In August 2018, Brookfield established 100 percent ownership of the corporation. Hence, CHRISTIANA MALL became part of the Brookfield retail center portfolio.
Sources:
The Morning News (Wilmington, Delaware)
The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware)
www.ggp.com / General Growth Properties
www.ggp.com / General Growth Properties
http://www.therousecompany.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
www.cinemateasures.org
www.interstateguide.com
www.udreview.com
http://www.constructionjournal.com
www.interstateguide.com
www.udreview.com
http://www.constructionjournal.com
https://www.mallscenters.com
"Christiana Mall" article on Wikipedia
