Southwest 88th Street and Southwest 72nd Avenue
Dade County, Florida
Metro-Dade's third mall-type shopping center was built on a 71-acre tract, located 10 miles southwest of Miami's Central Business District. The site was in an unincorporated section of Dade County known as Kendall and was adjacent to the new Palmetto Bypass Expressway, which had opened to traffic in June 1961.
DADELAND CENTER, officially dedicated on October 1, 1962, enveloped approximately 456,500 leasable square feet. The open-air complex was developed by Baltimore's Joseph Meyerhoff, under the auspices of Monumental Properties, and was designed by Herbert H. Johnson Associates Architects of Miami.
The initial phase of DADELAND CENTER, consisting of sixty-two stores and services, was anchored by a 2-level (141,000 square foot), Miami-based Burdine's ["bur-diynz"]. Charter stores included Baker's Shoes, Cinderella Shoes, Dadeland Laundry & Dry Cleaners, Hartley's apparel, Paris Hats and the Yum Yum Shop ice cream parlor. Junior anchors were Gray Drug, an S.S. Kresge 5 & 10 and Food Fair supermarket.
A second phase of construction added a 3-level (210,000 square foot), Miami-based Jordan Marsh Florida. This store opened on November 7, 1966. At this time, Burdine's was enlarged with a 1-level eastern addition, which included a rooftop parking deck. The store was re-dedicated on November 11, 1966.
In late 1969, construction commenced on another Burdine's expansion. This entailed construction of a 3-level northward addition and adjacent parking garage. A grand re-opening was held in September 1970. At the same time, a fully-enclosed East Mall was being added to the shopping complex. One of its tenants was The King of the Mall, a supersize Burger King. Its first Whopper was served in November 1970.
As the East Mall was being built, the existing mall structure -or West Mall- was enclosed and air-conditioned. The final facet of the renovation was the completion of a 2-level ((191,400 square foot) J.C. Penney. This store, which anchored the new East Mall, welcomed first shoppers on January 28, 1971. With these improvements, DADELAND MALL covered approximately 1.2 million leasable square feet and contained ninety-nine stores beneath its roof. Burdines would be enlarged again in 1973.
Major shopping venues in the DADELAND trade area included MIDWAY MALL (1970) {5.6 miles north, in Dade County}, WESTLAND MALL (1971) {12.4 miles north, in Hialeah}, CUTLER RIDGE REGIONAL CENTER (1960) {8.3 miles southwest, in Dade County} (which morphed into CUTLER RIDGE MALL in 1978) and THE FALLS (1979) {3.3 miles southwest, also in Dade County}.
Monumental Properties sold DADELAND MALL to the New York City-based Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States in 1979. In an attempt to make the mall more upscale, tenants such as Foremost Liquors, Dadeland Barber Shop and Robins' Uniform Shop were evicted. The Food Fair supermarket had been rebranded with a Pantry Pride nameplate in February 1976. The store was shuttered in late 1981. Its area was repurposed as the 15-bay Terrace Food Court, which opened in mid-1982.
Soon after, Burdines was enlarged with a 26,000 square foot addition; this completed in mid-1983. In October 1983, a 13 million dollar mall renovation got underway. This project added new flooring, skylights and parking spaces. Early '60s animal statuary, geometric slide sculptures and fountains were removed. As the renovation progressed, the mall became rapid transit-accessible. On May 20, 1984, revenue service was inaugurated on the Dadeland South to Overtown-Arena MetroRail route.
Monumental Properties sold DADELAND MALL to the New York City-based Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States in 1979. In an attempt to make the mall more upscale, tenants such as Foremost Liquors, Dadeland Barber Shop and Robins' Uniform Shop were evicted. The Food Fair supermarket had been rebranded with a Pantry Pride nameplate in February 1976. The store was shuttered in late 1981. Its area was repurposed as the 15-bay Terrace Food Court, which opened in mid-1982.
Soon after, Burdines was enlarged with a 26,000 square foot addition; this completed in mid-1983. In October 1983, a 13 million dollar mall renovation got underway. This project added new flooring, skylights and parking spaces. Early '60s animal statuary, geometric slide sculptures and fountains were removed. As the renovation progressed, the mall became rapid transit-accessible. On May 20, 1984, revenue service was inaugurated on the Dadeland South to Overtown-Arena MetroRail route.
The mall refurbishment brought two new anchor stores. The first, a 2-level (78,600 square foot) Saks Fifth Avenue, opened on November 3, 1984. A 2-level (80,000 square foot) Lord & Taylor debuted on February 3, 1986. An additional parking structure was also built in the rear parking area. When construction dust settled, DADELAND MALL covered approximately 1,350,000 leasable square feet. Its tenant roster listed 160 stores and services.
A 10 million dollar remodeling got underway in 1990. It included interior face lifts, a new Main Entrance, and construction of a sixth anchor; a 2-level (80,000 square foot) Limited-Express Superplex. This facility, which housed six inline stores, was dedicated on November 1, 1991. DADELAND MALL now encompassed around 1,430,000 leasable square feet and contained 175 stores and services.
Jordan Marsh at DADELAND was shuttered on September 30, 1991. A Burdines Home Store opened, in the vacant building, on November 11, 1993. In August 1997, the Indianapolis-based Simon Debartolo Group (today's Simon Property Group) acquired a controlling interest in the mall.
Burdines expanded their DADELAND store for a fifth time. It now encompassed 421,000 square feet and was the chain's flagship. The store was rebranded as a Burdines-Macy's on January 30, 2004 and was fully "Macy-ated" on March 6, 2005. With this rebranding, the Burdines Home Store became a Macy's Children's-Home-Furniture operation. Lord & Taylor was shuttered in 2003. The building was razed. A 2-level (150,000 square foot) Nordstrom was built, which opened on November 13, 2004.
Jordan Marsh at DADELAND was shuttered on September 30, 1991. A Burdines Home Store opened, in the vacant building, on November 11, 1993. In August 1997, the Indianapolis-based Simon Debartolo Group (today's Simon Property Group) acquired a controlling interest in the mall.
Always staying ahead of the game, the Simon Property Group announced another DADELAND renovation in March 2012. The project commenced with the demolition of a vacant Limited-Express Superplex, in February 2012. A new Kendall Wing was built, which encompassed 2 levels and 102,000 leasable square feet. Its Fashion Runway housed Hugo Boss, Tommy Bahama and Stewart Weltzman. An adjacent parking deck was also expanded from 3 levels to 5. New stores were officially dedicated in March 2013.
The second stage of the project consisted of the installation of five casual dining restaurants. Earl's Kitchen + Bar, Texas de Brazil and Bobby's Burger Palace were open for business by March 2014. Aoki Teppanyaki and Balans followed, in May 2014. DADELAND MALL now spanned approximately 1,510,000 leasable square feet and contained 210 stores and services.
The second stage of the project consisted of the installation of five casual dining restaurants. Earl's Kitchen + Bar, Texas de Brazil and Bobby's Burger Palace were open for business by March 2014. Aoki Teppanyaki and Balans followed, in May 2014. DADELAND MALL now spanned approximately 1,510,000 leasable square feet and contained 210 stores and services.
DADELAND MALL closed, as a Covid-19 precautionary measure, on March 18, 2020. Stores re-opened on May 18 of the same year. Nordstrom, Incorporated decided to permanently shutter their underperforming store, which went dark in July 2020. The building was retenanted by Dick's House of Sport, which opened its doors in November 2024.
Sources:
The Miami News
The Miami News
The Miami Herald
"Dual Anchor Shopping Centers 1952-1965" / Richard Longstreth
http://www.pbase.com / "Memories of Old Miami and Dade County"
http://www.simon.com
http://www.bizjournals.com
"Dual Anchor Shopping Centers 1952-1965" / Richard Longstreth
http://www.pbase.com / "Memories of Old Miami and Dade County"
http://www.simon.com
http://www.bizjournals.com
Impressions of Ed Morgan / Metro-Dade resident 1957-2006
https://www.miamidadepa.gov / Dade County, Florida
http://www.miaminewtimes.com
http://www.miami.com
https://www.miamidadepa.gov / Dade County, Florida
http://www.miaminewtimes.com
http://www.miami.com
