North Federal Highway / US 1 and Oakland Park Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
In October 1962, two Sunshine State shopping centers were vying for the distinction of first enclosed mall in Florida. Fort Lauderdale's CORAL RIDGE SHOPPING PLAZA was inaugurated on October 15, 1962. An enclosed wing at COLONIAL PLAZA, in Orlando, was officially dedicated on October 22nd.
Situated on a 31-acre site, located 3.8 miles northeast of the city center, the 8 million dollar CORAL RIDGE SHOPPING PLAZA was developed by James S. Hunt and Steve Calder (under the auspices of Coral Ridge Properties) and Miami's Jack A. Cantor. The shopping hub was designed by Frank A. Mudano, of Clearwater. In its original state, it encompassed approximately 437,000 leasable square feet and housed thirty-two stores and services.
Two department stores stood at either end of the dumbell plan complex. A 2-level (100,000 square foot) J.C. Penney stood on the northwest, with a 2-level (171,000 square foot) Britts anchoring the southeast. J.C. Penney opened -along with eleven inline stores- on October 15, 1962. Britts was dedicated on November 8th. The unit was one of the first in a new line of upscale department stores opened by the J.J. Newberry 5 & 10 chain.
The CORAL RIDGE Britts was joined by other Sunshine State stores at WINTER HAVEN MALL (1972), LAKES MALL (1973) {in Lauderdale Lakes}, CROSS COUNTY PLAZA (1973) {in Palm Beach County}, BOCA RATON MALL (1974) and NAPLES CENTER (1976).
Charter stores in the original CORAL RIDGE SHOPPING PLAZA included Walgreen Drug, Gordon's Jewelers, Thom McAn Shoes, Baker's Shoes, Gaul's Book Store, an S. & H. Green Stamps Redemption Center and J.G. McCrory 5 & 10. A freestanding (36,300 square foot) Publix supermarket was situated on the north end of the site. Predating the adjacent mall, it had opened for business on August 29, 1961.
At the time of its grand opening, CORAL RIDGE SHOPPING PLAZA had just one retail rival; SUNRISE CENTER (1954) {2.1 miles southeast, in Fort Lauderdale}. Over the years, new shopping hubs were built. These included LAUDERHILL MALL (1966) {5.6 miles southwest, in Lauderhill} and the aforementioned LAKES MALL (1973) {5.4 miles west, in Lauderdale Lakes}.
A single-screen motion picture venue was built across Federal Highway from CORAL RIDGE SHOPPING PLAZA. The ABC Florida State Theatres Coral Ridge Theatre opened on June 13, 1963. It was twinned in late 1976 and renamed the Coral Ridge Twin.
By this time, the official name of the shopping hub had morphed into CORAL RIDGE MALL. Palm Beach-based Gumberg Asset Management acquired the property in December 1984. The mall's first anchor store change had been set in motion in January 1982. Britts closed for good and was divided three ways. The store space was reconfigured with a Miami-based J. Byron, Massachusetts-based T.J. Maxx and an upper level nightclub. This cocktail lounge would be known by several different names before re-opening, as the Baja Beach Club, on May 1, 1992.
The Coral Ridge Twin had been replaced by another freestanding movie venue in the late 1980s. The American Multi-Cinema Coral Ridge 10 was built in the mall's rear parking area. It showed first features on March 25, 1988.
The next major change at CORAL RIDGE MALL involved J.C. Penney, which had been slated to close in October 1992. This shuttering was temporarily canceled, but the store did finally close on January 28, 1995. In August 1992, Marshalls set up shop in the old (27,000 square foot) McCrory's space. Old Navy, assuming the (18,000 square foot) Walgreen Drug spot, opened in late 1994. J. Byron (a.k.a. "Byron's") went dark in May 1996.
T.J. Maxx remained in business at its south mall location until relocating into a (35,400 square foot) portion of the old Penney's, in September 1998. The Baja Beach Club moved across the highway, into the old Coral Ridge Twin building, in October.
The mall's south anchor building was now vacant. It was razed in December 1998 and replaced by a 1-level (123,000 square foot) Target, which was dedicated on October 10, 1999. While Target was being built, CORAL RIDGE MALL was given a 15 million dollar makeover. In the year 2000, T.J. Maxx was joined by an adjacent (22,600 square foot), Framingham, Massachusetts-based HomeGoods.
A Food Court and nine inline stores, in the south end of the mall, were gutted and replaced by a (26,700 square foot) Ross Dress For Less. This store began business on March 8, 2014. As this transpired, the Coral Ridge 10 multiplex was renovated, It re-opened, as the AMC Dine-in Theatres Coral Ridge 10, on June 27, 2014.
Sources:
The New York Times
The Fort Lauderdale News
The Miami News
http://ftlauderdalemedia.com / Coral Ridge Country Club Estates: Our City / Our Vision 2035
http://nreionline.com
www.cinematreasures.org
www.amctheatres.com
The Miami News
http://ftlauderdalemedia.com / Coral Ridge Country Club Estates: Our City / Our Vision 2035
http://nreionline.com
www.cinematreasures.org
www.amctheatres.com
http://www.mycoralridgemall.com
