North College Avenue / US Business 71 and Joyce Boulevard
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Des Moines, Iowa's General Growth Development Corporation (the precursor of General Growth Properties) opened three regional shopping malls during 1972; THE CITADEL {in Colorado Springs, Colorado}, MARSHALLTOWN MALL {in Marshalltown, Iowa} and NORTHWEST ARKANSAS PLAZA.
The Arkansas property was designed by Derwood J. Quade, of Des Moines, and built on the eastern half of a 112-acre plot, located 4 miles north of downtown Fayetteville. Ground was broken for a 1-level (90,400 square foot) Sears in October 1970. This store was dedicated on August 18, 1971.
By this time, a fully-enclosed mall and 2-level (117,400 square foot) Dillard's were under construction. NORTHWEST ARKANSAS PLAZA was officially dedicated on March 2, 1972. The complex consisted of a single retail level, encompassed approximately 450,000 leasable square feet and housed over fifty stores and services.
The Dillard's anchoring the north end of the mall was one of the chain's early shopping mall-based stores. By late 1971, Dillard's was operating six stores in Texas, two in New Mexico and one in Missouri, Louisiana and Oklahoma. The chain also owned stores branded as Brown-Dunkin {Muskogee and Tulsa, Oklahoma}; Mayer & Schmidt {Tyler, Texas} and Pfiefer-Blass {Hot Springs, Jonesboro, Little Rock and Pine Bluff, Arkansas}.
With the 1972 dedication of the NORTHWEST ARKANSAS PLAZA store, Dillard's had twenty-two locations under its corporate umbrella. Bigger things were to come...
Original inline stores at NORTHWEST ARKANSAS PLAZA would include County Square Casuals, Regis Hairstylists, Trumbo men's wear, Mode O'Day Frock Shop, John's Jeans, Bowen's restaurant, Karmelkorn, First Federal Savings & Loan, Osco Drug, Perry's Jewelry, Gentry Shop and Gordon's Jewelers.
The facility also housed three junior anchors; a (23,500 square foot), Beaumont, Texas-based Boston Store, (47,000 square foot) F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10 and Malco Mall Cinema I & II Twin.
A mall expansion got underway in late 1977. A 1-level (95,600 square foot) J.C. Penney was added, as a part of an eighteen-store West Wing. This was dedicated on September 4, 1978. Tenants included Lerner Shops, Mall Keepsake Center Jewelers and Royal Optical. With the renovation, the complex, now known as NORTHWEST ARKANSAS MALL, spanned approximately 570,000 leasable square feet.
Maryland's Rouse Company acquired the shopping hub on August 1, 1980. A major renovation was announced in late 1986. Construction commenced in February 1987. A vacant Boston Store space was retenanted by Shreveport-based Beall-Ladymon. Woolworth was downsized and reconfigured in a "racetrack" layout, with new Foot Locker and Lane Bryant stores installed in former Woolworth space.
Lastly, a Food Court was created in the mall's Center Court. It featured Chick-Fil-A, Capwell's Barbeque, Kansas City Hamburgers and Tacos & Spuds. The renewed NORTHWEST ARKANSAS MALL was officially rededicated on November 5, 1987. Governor Bill Clinton (D) was present at the grand opening celebration.
In June 1989, the Rouse Company entered into a partnership with the New York City-based Teachers Insurance & Annuities Association. An entity known as Tri-State Joint Venture, Incorporated was created.
An ambitious expansion and remodeling was envisaged by Alamo Architects, of San Antonio. Work on the 50 million dollar project got underway in May 1995. Its first phase involved the construction of a 2-level (105,000 square foot) Dillard's Men's & Home Store, which was added to the east side of the mall. With its completion in August 1996, the original Dillard's became a Women's Store.
The expansion continued on the mall's west side, where the parking area was enlarged. A new 2-level (154,100 square foot) J.C. Penney was built, which held its grand opening on November 6, 1996. The circa-1978 Penney's was gutted, with 30,000 square feet on its north end demolished. Remaining space was fashioned into the 12-bay Picnic Food Court and ten inline stores.
A structure housing thirteen additional stores was built between the old and new Penney's. Tenants in the original mall relocated and expanded into adjoining areas. Moreover, the existing mall structure was given an indoor-outdoor face lift to match newly-constructed areas.
These modifications had been completed by August 1997. New retailers included Victoria's Secret, Eddie Bauer, The Disney Store, The Gap, Motherhood Maternity, Friedman's Jewelers and Overland Trading. Beall-Ladymon had been shuttered in January 1994, with its space sectioned into smaller inline stores.
The final stage of the metamorphosis of NORTHWEST ARKANSAS MALL involved the enlargement of Sears. The store, increased in size by 46,700 square feet, now encompassed 137,100 square feet. This project was completed in the spring of 1999. The mall now spanned approximately 830,000 leasable square feet and housed 105 stores and services.
Santa Monica, California's Macerich Company had purchased the shopping hub in December 1998. In December 2006, they sold it to Springdale, Arkansas-based Midwest Mall Properties. The three-mall deal included THE CITADEL (1972) {Colorado Springs} and CROSSROADS MALL (1974) {Oklahoma City}.
In October of the same year, NORTHWEST ARKANSAS MALL faced its first true rival, the new PINNACLE HILLS PROMENADE {11.8 miles northwest, in Rogers}. Up to this time, NORTHWEST ARKANSAS PLAZA / MALL had been the only major shopping center within a 60 mile radius.
Midwest Mall Properties could not have picked a worse time to overextend its finances with the purchase of three shopping malls. The Great Recession would be in full swing in less than a year, leaving the newly-formed company saddled with three upside down mall mortgages.
The CROSSROADS property fell to foreclosure in April 2009. After being sued by the loan lender, Midwest surrendered the remaining two malls to an agent of Citigroup, in November 2011. Eventually, an entity known as 4201 North Shiloh Drive Holdings assumed ownership. Birmingham's Bayer Properties was enlisted to handle its management and leasing.
In December 2015, a joint venture of the Namdar Realty Group, Mason Asset Management and CH Capital Group -all based in Great Neck, New York- acquired NORTHWEST ARKANSAS MALL. Sears shuttered their 47-year-old store in January 2018. The building was divided between several tenants, including the Flex Office Warehouse and J.B. Hunt Call Center.
Sources:
The Springdale News (Springdale, Arkansas)
Northwest Arkansas Times (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
General Growth Properties Annual Report 2003
http://www.therousecompany.com (Website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
www.northwestarkansasmall.com
http://uptownfayettevillear.com
www.bayerproperties.com
www.alamoarchitects.com
Washington County, Arkansas property tax assessor website
http://www.istockanalyst.com
www.arkansasbusiness.com
www.eyecorp.com
www.urbanretail.com
https://www.arkansasonline.com
