LAFAYETTE SQUARE
Lafayette Road and West 38th Street
Marion County (Indianapolis), Indiana
Youngstown, Ohio's Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation developed the first fully-enclosed mall in Indianapolis. The single-level complex was centered on a 113-acre site, located 4.8 miles northwest of the center city. At the time of its construction and dedication, the mall was in an unincorporated section of Marion County known as Pike Township.
Plans for development of the site date back to the spring of 1958. Frederick B. Cline, an Indy-based realtor, and Doctor G.H.A. Clowes bought the 205-acre parcel. They planned to build an industrial park and had utilities extended to the property. Dr. Clowes passed away, with two family members inheriting his half-share. By this time, development had been entrusted to the Klein & Kuhn property management agency.
It was revealed that the future route of the Interstate 65 expressway was going to divide the 205-acre site. Klein & Kuhn decided to develop the southern 93-acre section as a shopping center. The Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation acquired the site. Grading work commenced in September 1966, with construction getting underway in March 1967.
The first operational LAFAYETTE SQUARE store, a 2-level (200,000 square foot) J.C. Penney, welcomed first shoppers on March 14, 1968. A 2-level (150,000 square foot), Indianapolis-based William H. Block was dedicated, along with the seventy-eight stores, on August 1st. A 2-level (230,000 square feet) Sears commenced operation on February 26, 1969.
With these improvements, LAFAYETTE SQUARE housed approximately 1,214,300 leasable square feet and contained 104 stores and services under its roof. A second cinematic venue, the General Cinema Corporation Lafayette Square II-III-IV, was constructed at the southeast corner of the mall site. This freestanding movie house debuted on November 5, 1976. The original in-mall cinema was twinned in 1977.
Retail rivals were aplenty in -and around- Indianapolis. Originally, there were GLENDALE CENTER (1958) {6.5 miles northeast, in Marion County} and GREENWOOD CENTER (1966) {4.4 miles southeast, in Greenwood}. The 1970s brought CASTLETON SQUARE (1972) {10.2 miles northeast, in Indianapolis}, FASHION MALL AT KEYSTONE (1973) {8.8 miles northeast, in Indianapolis} and WASHINGTON SQUARE (1974) {13.4 miles southeast, also in Indianapolis}.
Nameplate changes began at LAFAYETTE SQUARE after its Block's store was shuttered in November 1987. Lazarus closed their store January 17, 1988 and re-opened, in the vacant Block's, on January 20th. Montgomery Ward, assuming the original Lazarus store, began business in April 1988. This store lasted until early 1999. Burlington Coat Factory moved into first floor space in May.
By this time, LAFAYETTE SQUARE was in decline. Its upper-tier tenants had been gradually replaced by local, mom & pop-type stores and discount outlets. Moreover, additional commercial competition came from new shopping complexes in the trade area.
CIRCLE CENTER, a downtown redevelopment mall, was dedicated in September 1995. In the following decade, Indy's first lifestyle centers were completed. CLAY TERRACE {12.7 miles northeast, in Carmel} was dedicated in October 2004. METROPOLIS {10.3 miles southwest, in Plainfield} was completed in October 2005 (the name of this complex was changed to THE SHOPS AT PERRY CROSSING in November 2015).
Meanwhile, G.C. Murphy at LAFAYETTE SQUARE closed in 1993. The store space was leased as a Myrtle Beach-based Waccamaw's HomePlace until that store closed in June of 2001. Steve & Barry's University Sportswear operated in the building between 2006 and 2008.
Lazarus went dark in April 2003. Its first level was utilized as the New Life Worship Center, a 2,500-seat sanctuary. The church eventually relocated. Its space was retenanted by Xscape, an indoor amusement park with tiny tot rides, a go kart track, mini-bowling alley and 4-D motion-ride experience.
Xscape opened in December 2008. A lawsuit filed by the parents of an injured child caused the closing of the facility, in April 2010. America's Incredible Pizza Company assumed the space in July 2010, but closed in March 2012.
J.C. Penney pulled up stakes in December 2003. The building sat vacant until a New York City-based Shoppers World discount outlet opened, on the first level, in November 2008. L.S. Ayres, "Macy-ated" in September 2006, was shuttered in January 2009. Sears closed their LAFAYETTE SQUARE store in the same month.
Indianapolis' Simon Property Group had acquired LAFAYETTE SQUARE as part of their 1996 merger with the DeBartolo Realty Corporation. In December 2007, Simon sold the struggling mall to the New York City-based Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation. A small refurbishment was done at this time, which included a newly-built Main Entrance.
The Indianapolis Star
The Indianapolis News
www.cinematreasures.org
http://www.movietheatre.org
www.specialtyretail.com
www.acrealty.com
www.shoplafayettemall.com
"Lafayette Square" article on Wikipedia
