Indianapolis Boulevard and East 165th Street
Hammond, Indiana
One of the first regional shopping centers in Chicago's Indiana suburbs was designed by Los Angeles' Victor Gruen Associates and Sidney C. Finck. The complex was built by Chicago's Herbert Heyman and Howard Landau.
Situated on 19.7 acres, WOODMAR CENTER was located 1 mile south of downtown Hammond. Ground was broken for the shopping hub on December 22, 1953. It would be anchored by a 2-level (65,000 square foot), Chicago-based Carson Pirie Scott. The store, which was the chain's second branch and the first Carson's in Indiana, was dedicated on November 1, 1954.
Eight inline stores held a collective grand opening on March 30, 1955. Among these were Andes Candies, Kinney Shoes, Chapman Launderers & Cleaners, a (22,000 square foot) J.J. Newberry 5 & 10 and (18,000 square foot) National Food Stores supermarket.
A second grand opening, held May 19, 1955, introduced nine stores. These included Benson-Rixon men's wear, Fabric Fair Draperies & Upholstery, Miles Paint & Wallpaper Company, Einhorn's Town & Country Sportswear and the Hoosier State Bank of Hammond. When fully-leased, the 3 million dollar WOODMAR CENTER encompassed 200,000 leasable square feet and housed twenty-six stores and services.
The center's first commercial competition came in the mid-1960s. DIXIE SQUARE MALL {9.6 miles northwest, in Harvey, Illinois} held its grand opening in August 1966. RIVER OAKS CENTER {3.6 miles west, in Calumet City, Illinois} was dedicated in the following October.
As a keeping up measure, WOODMAR CENTER had embarked on a 1.5 million dollar renovation in late 1965. The open-canopied storefronts had glass-enclosed walkways installed. Moreover, the Carson's store was expanded, to 111,000 square feet, with a connecting mall entrance and third level. It now featured a Beauty Salon and The Heather Room, an upscale restaurant. The temperature-controlled shopping center was re-dedicated on October 24, 1966.
A second mall renovation came about after J.J. Newberry was shuttered, on April 30, 1975. The vacant space was rebuilt into a twelve-store mini-mall, known as the Court of Lions. The "Old World" motif section featured stores such as Rockin' Horse Records, The Gift Box, Just Jeans and The Pastry Kitchen. It was officially dedicated on September 11, 1975.
The supermarket on the south end of WOODMAR CENTER had been rebranded as a Sterk's Super Foods in July 1974. This store went dark in early 1978. Its space was refashioned into a second mini-mall, dubbed The Court of the Turtles. This eight-store section was decorated in a modern motif. Its stores included So-Fro Fabrics, Foxmoor Casuals, Lewin's Dresses & Tresses and the Keepsake Diamond Center. A grand opening celebration commenced on August 10, 1978, with shopping complex now containing forty-eight stores.
An enlargement of WOODMAR had also been proposed. It was re-envisaged as a 3-anchor -750,000 square foot- shopping venue. This expansion was never built. A small-scale enlargement was constructed on the southeast corner of the mall in 1982, which added five inline stores.
This area, and the luncheonette-grill portion of Walgreen Drug, was reconfigured as Cafe' Woodmar. This 5-bay food court featured Schoop's Hamburgers, Pizza Pizazz, Zante's Delicatessen and Franks & Fries. It was completed in December 1986. WOODMAR MALL now encompassed 275,000 leasable square feet and contained fifty-two stores and services.
The location of the mall, in a largely industrial area, eventually contributed to its decline. Moreover, the closing of several steel plants in the vicinity took its toll on the local economy. A new Wal-Mart and supermarket, built on adjoining property west of WOODMAR, was the final nail in the coffin.
By the early 1990s, the shopping hub was virtually vacant. By the end of the decade, its owner was bankrupt. The center was acquired by a Denver-based insurance company, but remained in a downward spiral.
A group of California-based investors bought the past-its-prime property in February 2003, with a redevelopment announced in May. Unfortunately, the project never got off the ground. The twelve remaining tenants complained about the center's leaking roofs, overflowing sewers and pot-holed parking lot. Reputedly, mall management was only around when rents were due.
Northbrook, Illinois-based Praedium Development came on the scene in 2005, with a plan to demolish all of the shopping center, save for Carson's. The plan was to build a new 127,000 square foot strip center and 2-level (100,000 square foot) Carson's. The original Carson's was -then- to be razed. Demolition of the mall structure got underway in February 2006.
One of many snags were encountered in March 2006, when Saks Incorporated sold the Carson's chain to York, Pennsylvania-based The Bon Ton Stores. Eventually, the plan for an all-new Carson's was scrapped; the existing store would not be replaced. However, it would remain open during the mall's demolition.
As a keeping up measure, WOODMAR CENTER had embarked on a 1.5 million dollar renovation in late 1965. The open-canopied storefronts had glass-enclosed walkways installed. Moreover, the Carson's store was expanded, to 111,000 square feet, with a connecting mall entrance and third level. It now featured a Beauty Salon and The Heather Room, an upscale restaurant. The temperature-controlled shopping center was re-dedicated on October 24, 1966.
A second mall renovation came about after J.J. Newberry was shuttered, on April 30, 1975. The vacant space was rebuilt into a twelve-store mini-mall, known as the Court of Lions. The "Old World" motif section featured stores such as Rockin' Horse Records, The Gift Box, Just Jeans and The Pastry Kitchen. It was officially dedicated on September 11, 1975.
The supermarket on the south end of WOODMAR CENTER had been rebranded as a Sterk's Super Foods in July 1974. This store went dark in early 1978. Its space was refashioned into a second mini-mall, dubbed The Court of the Turtles. This eight-store section was decorated in a modern motif. Its stores included So-Fro Fabrics, Foxmoor Casuals, Lewin's Dresses & Tresses and the Keepsake Diamond Center. A grand opening celebration commenced on August 10, 1978, with shopping complex now containing forty-eight stores.
An enlargement of WOODMAR had also been proposed. It was re-envisaged as a 3-anchor -750,000 square foot- shopping venue. This expansion was never built. A small-scale enlargement was constructed on the southeast corner of the mall in 1982, which added five inline stores.
This area, and the luncheonette-grill portion of Walgreen Drug, was reconfigured as Cafe' Woodmar. This 5-bay food court featured Schoop's Hamburgers, Pizza Pizazz, Zante's Delicatessen and Franks & Fries. It was completed in December 1986. WOODMAR MALL now encompassed 275,000 leasable square feet and contained fifty-two stores and services.
The location of the mall, in a largely industrial area, eventually contributed to its decline. Moreover, the closing of several steel plants in the vicinity took its toll on the local economy. A new Wal-Mart and supermarket, built on adjoining property west of WOODMAR, was the final nail in the coffin.
By the early 1990s, the shopping hub was virtually vacant. By the end of the decade, its owner was bankrupt. The center was acquired by a Denver-based insurance company, but remained in a downward spiral.
A group of California-based investors bought the past-its-prime property in February 2003, with a redevelopment announced in May. Unfortunately, the project never got off the ground. The twelve remaining tenants complained about the center's leaking roofs, overflowing sewers and pot-holed parking lot. Reputedly, mall management was only around when rents were due.
Northbrook, Illinois-based Praedium Development came on the scene in 2005, with a plan to demolish all of the shopping center, save for Carson's. The plan was to build a new 127,000 square foot strip center and 2-level (100,000 square foot) Carson's. The original Carson's was -then- to be razed. Demolition of the mall structure got underway in February 2006.
One of many snags were encountered in March 2006, when Saks Incorporated sold the Carson's chain to York, Pennsylvania-based The Bon Ton Stores. Eventually, the plan for an all-new Carson's was scrapped; the existing store would not be replaced. However, it would remain open during the mall's demolition.
After several starts and stops, ground was broken for a new WOODMAR CENTER in February 2011. Work ground to a halt a few months later but resumed in October. Two strip-type retail buildings were erected on the north end of the site, with one encompassing 12,000 leasable square feet. The parking lot was also repaved. The first tenant in the new complex, a Subway sandwich shop, opened for business in February 2012.
In June 2016, the City of Hammond announced plans to purchase the mall site and build a 17 million dollar sports complex. This 135,000 square foot facility would house indoor soccer fields, baseball diamonds, volleyball courts, batting cages and a running track.
Ground was broken for the project in August 2017, with its official dedication being held in September 2018. In the previous month, the 63-year-old Carson's store had been shuttered as part of the Bon Ton Stores bankruptcy. The 54-year-old building was knocked down in August 2019.
Sources:
The Times (Munster, Indiana)
preservenet.cornell.edu/publications/Longstreth Branch Store.doc
www.labelscar.com
www.praediumdevelopment.com
In June 2016, the City of Hammond announced plans to purchase the mall site and build a 17 million dollar sports complex. This 135,000 square foot facility would house indoor soccer fields, baseball diamonds, volleyball courts, batting cages and a running track.
Ground was broken for the project in August 2017, with its official dedication being held in September 2018. In the previous month, the 63-year-old Carson's store had been shuttered as part of the Bon Ton Stores bankruptcy. The 54-year-old building was knocked down in August 2019.
Sources:
The Times (Munster, Indiana)
preservenet.cornell.edu/publications/Longstreth Branch Store.doc
http://www.geocities.com/Jaloweplays/woodmar.html / John Arthur Lowe
www.hammonindiana.comwww.labelscar.com
www.praediumdevelopment.com
www.nwtimes.com
