Westheimer Road and South Post Oak Boulevard
Houston, Texas
Noteworthy as the nation's first major mixed-use retail-office-hotel development, Houston's GALLERIA was a modern day reinvention of Milan, Italy's GALLERIA VITTORIO EMANUELE II (1865-1877). The fully-enclosed Texan complex was developed on a 41-acre plot, located 5.3 miles southwest of center city Houston. The site was adjacent to a section of the West Loop-Interstate 610 Expressway, which had opened to traffic in June 1964.
Originally promoted as GALLERIA POST OAK, the mall was envisaged by Houston's Gerald D. Hines and designed by the St. Louis-based HOK (Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum) firm. The 30 million dollar project was announced in May 1967. Construction commenced in June of the same year.
The first operational store, a 2-level (224,000 square foot) Dallas-based Neiman-Marcus, opened for business on January 28, 1969. Next came the twenty-one floor Post Oak Tower, which was dedicated in January 1970. The adjoining shopping mall was officially dedicated on November 15, 1970. It enveloped approximately 600,000 leasable square feet and housed an initial sixty stores and services. There would eventually be 116.
The first operational store, a 2-level (224,000 square foot) Dallas-based Neiman-Marcus, opened for business on January 28, 1969. Next came the twenty-one floor Post Oak Tower, which was dedicated in January 1970. The adjoining shopping mall was officially dedicated on November 15, 1970. It enveloped approximately 600,000 leasable square feet and housed an initial sixty stores and services. There would eventually be 116.
There were three public floors in the complex; Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. The Ice Capades Chalet, an 84' by 100' skating rink, was located on Level 1. A multilevel parking garage was attached to the south end of the mall, with an underground deck attached to its north end.
Charter GALLERIA stores included Tiffany & Company, Florsheim Shoes, Tinder Box Tobacconist, W & J Sloane Home Furnishings, Mark Cross Luggage, Isabell Gerhart, J. Rich Sporting Goods, the Disc Record Shop and Sotheby's-Parke-Bernet Galleries. Among the center's seven restaurants were El Fenix, Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, the Pacesetter Steak House & Club and Coquetry Self-Service Buffet. The General Cinema Corporation Cinema I & II, on Level 1, showed first features on November 17, 1970.
Charter GALLERIA stores included Tiffany & Company, Florsheim Shoes, Tinder Box Tobacconist, W & J Sloane Home Furnishings, Mark Cross Luggage, Isabell Gerhart, J. Rich Sporting Goods, the Disc Record Shop and Sotheby's-Parke-Bernet Galleries. Among the center's seven restaurants were El Fenix, Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, the Pacesetter Steak House & Club and Coquetry Self-Service Buffet. The General Cinema Corporation Cinema I & II, on Level 1, showed first features on November 17, 1970.
Level 4, a private floor, contained The University Club, which opened on July 1, 1971. This fitness facility housed ten indoor tennis courts, two squash courts, two handball courts, a clubhouse and heated pool. A running track surrounded the mall's vaulted ceiling. The 400-room Houston Oaks Hotel was dedicated in September 1971.
THE GALLERIA had several malls in its vicinity. These included MEYERLAND PLAZA (1957) {3.3 miles south, in Houston}, SHARPSTOWN CENTER (1961) {3.7 miles southwest, in Houston}, MEMORIAL CITY MALL (1966) {5.3 miles northwest, in Houston} and NORTHWEST MALL (1968) {4 miles north, in Houston}. However, within a few years of its opening, THE GALLERIA was firmly established as the preeminent shopping mall in Houston. Other retail centers provided no competition.
Construction commenced on the first mall expansion in November 1972. A 2-level (135,000 square foot) Lord & Taylor was built over a 2-level parking garage. This store was dedicated on October 14, 1974. L & T would anchor a 449,700 square foot GALLERIA II addition. This segment was designed by HOK and Houston's S.I. Morris Associates and featured 3 levels of retail and office space and 2 levels of parking. A 6-floor office building, the Galleria Towers, was built on top of the expansion area.
GALLERIA II was officially dedicated on October 22, 1977. New stores included Ted Lapidus, Casual Corner, J. Harris, the 500-room Galleria Plaza Hotel, a second parking garage and the General Cinema Corporation Cinema III & IV. A 2-level (32,000 square foot) San Antonio-based Frost Brothers was dedicated in August 1978. Chicago's Marshall Field & Company opened a 2-level (185,000 square foot) store on November 9, 1979. This was the Chicago-based chain's first "Southland" location.
Ground was broken for a second mall expansion on June 3, 1985. GALLERIA III was designed by HOK and Houston's Richard Fitzgerald & Associates. It encompassed 2 retail levels, covered 328,000 leasable square feet, and included an underground parking garage. An official dedication was held on September 1, 1986. A 3-level (232,000 square foot) Macy's welcomed shoppers on September 24th. Inline stores opened as part of GALLERIA III included Alexia, Hats in the Belfry, Oxford Classics and Benetton.
Ground was broken for a second mall expansion on June 3, 1985. GALLERIA III was designed by HOK and Houston's Richard Fitzgerald & Associates. It encompassed 2 retail levels, covered 328,000 leasable square feet, and included an underground parking garage. An official dedication was held on September 1, 1986. A 3-level (232,000 square foot) Macy's welcomed shoppers on September 24th. Inline stores opened as part of GALLERIA III included Alexia, Hats in the Belfry, Oxford Classics and Benetton.
Frost Brothers was shuttered in 1988, with the store being sectioned into smaller retail spaces. On December 30, 1996, Marshall Field's closed their GALLERIA store. It re-opened, as a Saks Fifth Avenue, on September 11, 1997. Cinema I & II had closed for good on October 16, 1994, with Cinema III & IV coming to its end on January 15, 1995.
In 1999, Gerald D. Hines sold the retail section of THE GALLERIA to a joint venture of Chicago-based Urban Shopping Centers, Incorporated and the Walton Street Capital, Limited Liability Company. The assets of Urban Shopping Centers were acquired by Rodamco North America, NV, of Rotterdam, Netherlands, in October 2000.
In 1999, Gerald D. Hines sold the retail section of THE GALLERIA to a joint venture of Chicago-based Urban Shopping Centers, Incorporated and the Walton Street Capital, Limited Liability Company. The assets of Urban Shopping Centers were acquired by Rodamco North America, NV, of Rotterdam, Netherlands, in October 2000.
Rodamco sold a portion of their interest to CalPERS (the California Public Employees Retirement System) in 2001. Rodamco's remaining stake in THE GALLERIA was acquired by the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group in January 2002, with Simon establishing majority interest. They became managing agent of the property.
A fourth construction phase, known as GALLERIA IV, had been announced in May of the year 2000. Designed by Atlanta's Cooper Carry firm, it was built on an adjacent 14-acre parcel and featured 2 retail levels, an underground parking garage and above-grade parking garage. The addition encompassed 800,000 leasable square feet.
Connected via skybridge to the existing GALLERIA, the expansion was anchored by a 2-level (250,000 square foot), Houston-based Foley's and 2-level (226,000 square foot), Seattle-based Nordstrom. The GALLERIA IV addition opened for business on March 28, 2003. The shopping hub now encompassed a whopping 2,399,000 leasable square feet, with over 375 stores and services.
Lord & Taylor was shuttered in January 2005. The building was gutted and reconfigured as 2 levels of inline stores. Often referred to as GALLERIA V, it housed fifteen tenants. J. Crew opened its doors on August 1, 2006, followed by Kona Grill, on August 9th. A 2-level (27,000 square foot) Borders Books & Music debuted in December. Other tenants included Del Frisco Steak House, Oceanaire Seafood Room, Papyrus stationery and Chico's.
Connected via skybridge to the existing GALLERIA, the expansion was anchored by a 2-level (250,000 square foot), Houston-based Foley's and 2-level (226,000 square foot), Seattle-based Nordstrom. The GALLERIA IV addition opened for business on March 28, 2003. The shopping hub now encompassed a whopping 2,399,000 leasable square feet, with over 375 stores and services.
Lord & Taylor was shuttered in January 2005. The building was gutted and reconfigured as 2 levels of inline stores. Often referred to as GALLERIA V, it housed fifteen tenants. J. Crew opened its doors on August 1, 2006, followed by Kona Grill, on August 9th. A 2-level (27,000 square foot) Borders Books & Music debuted in December. Other tenants included Del Frisco Steak House, Oceanaire Seafood Room, Papyrus stationery and Chico's.
On September 9, 2006, Foley's was "Macy-ated." The mall's original Macy's became "Macy's at Sage" (referred to as "Macy's Houston Galleria" in the Federated Stores Annual Report). In September 2013, details about a major reconfiguration of THE GALLERIA were announced. Macy's At Sage closed on May 4, 2014. The GALLERIA III section, and Macy's At Sage, were demolished.
Saks relocated into a new, 2-level (198,000 square foot) building. The original Saks was gutted and sectioned into twenty-six inline store spaces and four casual dining restaurants. The new Saks welcomed first shoppers on April 28, 2016. Fig & Olive (Mediterranean cuisine) debuted on March 9, 2018. Bianco Taco's & Tequila opened late in the same year.
Meanwhile, Borders Books' GALLERIA store went dark in July 2011. It was replaced by Forever 21 in late 2012. Swedish high-fashion retailer H & M established a 2-level (23,000 square foot) location on November 6, 2014.
With the completion of all modifications, the physical size of THE GALLERIA had been slightly reduced. The complex now encompassed approximately 2,400,800 leasable square feet and contained over 400 stores and services.
With the completion of all modifications, the physical size of THE GALLERIA had been slightly reduced. The complex now encompassed approximately 2,400,800 leasable square feet and contained over 400 stores and services.
Sources:
The Houston Chronicle
The Bellaire Texan (Bellaire, Texas)
The Boca Raton News (Boca Raton, Florida)
The Victoria Advocate (Victoria, Texas)
The Bellaire Texan (Bellaire, Texas)
The Boca Raton News (Boca Raton, Florida)
The Victoria Advocate (Victoria, Texas)
http://www.carbon-izer.com / "The Galleria, 5085 Westheimer Road"
Texas Monthly magazine
Texas Monthly magazine
https://sah-archipedia.org / SAH Archipedia
Harris County, Texas tax assessor website
https://www.cinematreasures.org
Harris County, Texas tax assessor website
https://www.cinematreasures.org
https://www.bluepageswiki.org
https://www.simon.com / Simon Property Group
http://www.simon.com/mall/directory (Website on Internet Archive Wayback machine)
https://www.simon.com / Simon Property Group
http://www.simon.com/mall/directory (Website on Internet Archive Wayback machine)
https://business.simon.com/leasing/the-galleria (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
https://www.click2houston.com
https://www.click2houston.com
https://www.upi.com
"Houston Galleria" and "Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II" articles on Wikipedia
