James Rouse (1914-1996), a major mid-century mover and shaker, was instrumental in the creation of the American shopping mall...a concept that was copied around the world.
Photo from Maryland Historical Society Library
A newspaper ad from July 1939 entices Baltimoreans to consult the newly-formed Moss-Rouse Company for all of their financing needs.
James Rouse served in the Naval Air Force during World War II. After the conflict, he returned to Baltimore and the mortgage business and quickly expanded services from financing single-family dwellings to funding the construction of apartment complexes and strip shopping centers.
The first retail complex financed by Moss-Rouse was built in the northeastern environs of Baltimore City. The FREEDOM SHOPPING CENTER opened in March 1952, with tenants such as Martal's Department Store, Eddie's Supermarket, Jean's Modiste Dress Shop and a Ben Franklin 5 & 10.
A list of malls developed by James Rouse & company between the mid-1950s and late 1990s, with some being joint ventures. Those indicated in green have been inducted into the Mall Hall of Fame.
Photo from Maryland Historical Society Library
BANKING BUSINESS
James Wilson Rouse was born -in Easton, Maryland- on April 26, 1914. He attended classes at the Tome School, Port Deposit, Maryland, University of Hawaii at Manoa and University of Virginia at Charlottesville.
Rouse was employed by the Federal Housing Administration in 1935. In 1937, he received a law degree from the University of Maryland. In April 1939, Rouse joined with Hunter Moss and McKenny W. Egerton. They incorporated the Moss-Rouse Company, a mortgage banking concern.
James Wilson Rouse was born -in Easton, Maryland- on April 26, 1914. He attended classes at the Tome School, Port Deposit, Maryland, University of Hawaii at Manoa and University of Virginia at Charlottesville.
Rouse was employed by the Federal Housing Administration in 1935. In 1937, he received a law degree from the University of Maryland. In April 1939, Rouse joined with Hunter Moss and McKenny W. Egerton. They incorporated the Moss-Rouse Company, a mortgage banking concern.
A newspaper ad from July 1939 entices Baltimoreans to consult the newly-formed Moss-Rouse Company for all of their financing needs.
Advert from the Moss-Rouse Company
James Rouse served in the Naval Air Force during World War II. After the conflict, he returned to Baltimore and the mortgage business and quickly expanded services from financing single-family dwellings to funding the construction of apartment complexes and strip shopping centers.
The first retail complex financed by Moss-Rouse was built in the northeastern environs of Baltimore City. The FREEDOM SHOPPING CENTER opened in March 1952, with tenants such as Martal's Department Store, Eddie's Supermarket, Jean's Modiste Dress Shop and a Ben Franklin 5 & 10.
CORPORATE CREATION
James W. Rouse & Company was incorporated -from the previous Moss-Rouse Company- in 1954. The new endeavor was involved in mortgage banking and real estate research.
Graphic from James W. Rouse & Company, Incorporated
In March 1954, Rouse bought out his partners and reorganized the business under the heading James W. Rouse & Company, Incorporated. In December 1956, Rouse established a joint venture with Baltimore builders Jack Meyerhoff, Harry Bart and Albert Stark. A new company -Community Research & Development, Incorporated- would build, own and operate shopping centers.
MALL METAMORPHOSIS
Rouse's first mall-type retail hub was developed in the northwestern environs of Baltimore City. Rouse & Company considered building the 2-level MONDAWMIN CENTER as a fully-enclosed structure but, according to Rouse, "we lost our nerve." The open-air mall was officially dedicated on October 4, 1956.
HARUNDALE MALL, the first shopping complex built under the auspices of Community Research & Development, opened on October 1, 1958. This time around, a fully-enclosed complex was constructed.
In the mid-1960s, James W. Rouse & Company and Community Research & Development merged into a single corporate entity. A new concern, known as simply The Rouse Company, emerged in June 1966. This agency developed shopping malls in the Eastern United States and Texas during the 1960s, '70s and '80s.
Rouse's first mall-type retail hub was developed in the northwestern environs of Baltimore City. Rouse & Company considered building the 2-level MONDAWMIN CENTER as a fully-enclosed structure but, according to Rouse, "we lost our nerve." The open-air mall was officially dedicated on October 4, 1956.
HARUNDALE MALL, the first shopping complex built under the auspices of Community Research & Development, opened on October 1, 1958. This time around, a fully-enclosed complex was constructed.
In the mid-1960s, James W. Rouse & Company and Community Research & Development merged into a single corporate entity. A new concern, known as simply The Rouse Company, emerged in June 1966. This agency developed shopping malls in the Eastern United States and Texas during the 1960s, '70s and '80s.
ROUSE-DEVELOPED MALLS 1956-1998:
1. MONDAWMIN CENTER, Baltimore City, MD (October 1956)
2. HARUNDALE MALL, Anne Arundel County, MD (October 1958-May 1999)
3. CHARLOTTETOWN MALL-OUTLET SQUARE-MIDTOWN SQUARE, Charlotte, NC (August 1959-September 2005)
4. NORTH STAR MALL, San Antonio, TX (September 1960)
5. CHERRY HILL CENTER-CHERRY HILL MALL, Camden County, NJ (October 1961)
6. THE MALL-MALL ST. MATTHEWS, Saint Matthews, KY (March 1962)
7. NORTHWAY MALL-SHOPPES AT NORTHWAY-THE BLOCK NORTHWAY, Allegheny County, PA (August 1962)
8. GREENGATE MALL, Westmoreland County, PA (August 1965-July 2001)
9. PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL-PLYMOUTH MEETING, Montgomery County, PA (February 1966)
10. SALEM MALL, Montgomery County, OH (October 1966-November 2004)
11. EASTFIELD MALL, Springfield MA (April 1968-June 2023)
12. ALMEDA MALL, Houston, TX (October 1968)
13. NORTHWEST MALL, Houston, TX (October 1968-December 2021)
14. WILLOWBROOK MALL-WILLOWBROOK, Wayne, NJ (September 1969)
15. ECHELON MALL-VORHEES TOWN CENTER, Camden County, NJ (September 1970)
16. WOODBRIDGE CENTER, Middlesex County, NJ (March 1971)
17. FRANKLIN PARK MALL-WESTFIELD SHOPPINGTOWN FRANKLIN PARK-WESTFIELD FRANKLIN PARK-FRANKLIN PARK MALL, Toledo, OH (July 1971)
18. HIGHLAND MALL, Austin, TX (August 1971-April 2015)
19. MALL IN COLUMBIA, Howard County, MD (August 1971)
20. PERIMETER MALL, DeKalb County, GA (August 1971)
21. EXTON SQUARE MALL, Chester County, PA (March 1973)
22. PARAMUS PARK, Paramus, NJ (March 1974)
23. TAMPA BAY CENTER, Tampa, FL (August 1976-October 2002)
24. GALLERY AT MARKET EAST-FASHION DISTRICT PHILADELPHIA, Philadelphia, PA (August 1977)
25. HULEN MALL, Fort Worth, TX (August 1977)
26. AUGUSTA MALL, Augusta, GA (August 1978)
27. BEACHWOOD PLACE, Beachwood, OH (August 1978)
28. GOVERNOR'S SQUARE MALL-GOVERNOR'S SQUARE, Tallahassee, FL (August 1979)
29. SANTA MONICA PLACE, Santa Monica, CA (October 1980)
30. WHITE MARSH MALL-WHITE MARSH, Baltimore County, MD (August 1981)
31. BURLINGTON CENTER MALL-BURLINGTON CENTER, Burlington County, NJ (August 1982-January 2018)
32. THE GRAND AVENUE-SHOPS OF GRAND AVENUE-THE AVENUE, Milwaukee, WI (August 1982)
33. OWINGS MILLS MALL-OWINGS MILLS, Baltimore County, MD (July 1986-September 2015)
34. OVIEDO MARKETPLACE-OVIEDO MALL, Oviedo, FL (March 1998)
NOTE: Festival Marketplaces and other mixed-use-type projects are not included on this list.
