NE Antioch Road and NE Vivion Road / US 69
Kansas City, Missouri
Construction on Missouri's first mall-type shopping center commenced on June 28, 1954. The complex, being developed by Kansas City's Charles F. Curry Real Estate Company, was built on a 41.5-acre parcel, located 6 miles northeast of downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The site, in an area known as Kansas City, North, had been annexed into the City of Fountains in January 1950.
Open-air in format, ANTIOCH CENTER was designed by KC's Kivett & Myers firm. The first of four construction phases, the Antioch South section encompassed three store blocks and 246,000 leasable square feet. It was anchored by a 2-level (40,000 square foot) W.T. Grant variety store (the 600th in the chain).
Stores began opening in June 1956, with an official dedication being held on August 23rd. Among forty-one charter stores and services were Crown Drug, Harold's Barber Shop, Joe Falk Toys Hobbies & Sporting Goods, a (19,600 square foot) Thriftway supermarket, (21,800 square foot) Kroger supermarket and (17,000 square foot) T G & Y 5 & 10. The final Antioch South store space was leased in July 1957.
By 1958, ANTIOCH CENTER was being expanded. A 25,000 square foot section was built on the north side of the center, which housed a new Joe Falk Toys location and Antioch Electric Center home appliance store. By the spring of 1962, a second mall expansion was underway.
The Antioch North section, consisting of four store blocks, would be anchored by a 2-level (70,000 square foot) Macy's Kansas City. Stores in the newly-built area included President Shops men's wear, Casual Aire ladies' wear, Zale's Jewelers, a Forum Cafeteria and (16,000 square foot) Adler's junior department store.
Macy's Antioch opened its doors on March 1, 1963. Inline store dedications were being held as late as April 1964. With the Antioch North section now fully-leased, ANTIOCH CENTER encompassed approximately 481,600 leasable square feet and contained eighty-five stores and services.
The final expansion at ANTIOCH CENTER added a 1-level (101,000 square foot) Sears to the north end of the complex. The store, which had been built on top of a covered parking deck, made its debut on November 1, 1973. The shopping hub now housed around 700,000 leasable square feet and contained ninety-four stores and services.
Meanwhile. anchor store rebrandings got underway at ANTIOCH CENTER on March 3, 1986. The mall's Macy's Kansas City was rebannered by Dillard's. This store was shuttered on January 31, 1992. It was remodeled and re-opened, as a Burlington Coat Factory, on September 12, 1992.
Kansas City, Missouri
Construction on Missouri's first mall-type shopping center commenced on June 28, 1954. The complex, being developed by Kansas City's Charles F. Curry Real Estate Company, was built on a 41.5-acre parcel, located 6 miles northeast of downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The site, in an area known as Kansas City, North, had been annexed into the City of Fountains in January 1950.
Open-air in format, ANTIOCH CENTER was designed by KC's Kivett & Myers firm. The first of four construction phases, the Antioch South section encompassed three store blocks and 246,000 leasable square feet. It was anchored by a 2-level (40,000 square foot) W.T. Grant variety store (the 600th in the chain).
Stores began opening in June 1956, with an official dedication being held on August 23rd. Among forty-one charter stores and services were Crown Drug, Harold's Barber Shop, Joe Falk Toys Hobbies & Sporting Goods, a (19,600 square foot) Thriftway supermarket, (21,800 square foot) Kroger supermarket and (17,000 square foot) T G & Y 5 & 10. The final Antioch South store space was leased in July 1957.
By 1958, ANTIOCH CENTER was being expanded. A 25,000 square foot section was built on the north side of the center, which housed a new Joe Falk Toys location and Antioch Electric Center home appliance store. By the spring of 1962, a second mall expansion was underway.
The Antioch North section, consisting of four store blocks, would be anchored by a 2-level (70,000 square foot) Macy's Kansas City. Stores in the newly-built area included President Shops men's wear, Casual Aire ladies' wear, Zale's Jewelers, a Forum Cafeteria and (16,000 square foot) Adler's junior department store.
Macy's Antioch opened its doors on March 1, 1963. Inline store dedications were being held as late as April 1964. With the Antioch North section now fully-leased, ANTIOCH CENTER encompassed approximately 481,600 leasable square feet and contained eighty-five stores and services.
Commercial competition came quickly. BLUE RIDGE CENTER {11 miles southeast, in Kansas City and Independence, Missouri} opened in 1958. It was joined by METRO NORTH MALL {4.3 miles northwest, also in Kansas City, Missouri} in 1977. Finally, there was MISSION CENTER, a 1989 rebuild of a 1950s strip center {12.4 miles southwest, in Mission, Kansas}.
ANTIOCH CENTER was expanded father in the mid-1960s, with two large store blocks being built north of Macy's. One of these was leased as a 1-level (34,000 square foot) Duff & Repp home furnishings and 2-level (34,000 square foot) Kline's. These stores held grand openings in May 1966 and October 1967, respectively.
At the same time, a strip-type complex was being developed on a site northwest of the mall. The ANTIOCH CENTER ANNEX was anchored by the Commonwealth Theatres Antioch Theatre, which was officially dedicated on March 30, 1967. The strip complex was expanded in 1972, when a south building was constructed. Inline stores in the ANNEX included Radio Shack, Pizza Hut, Imperial Sales Company men's wear, Foam City, Antioch Music, Pier One Imports and Don Roper's Fine Arts Limited.
ANTIOCH CENTER was expanded father in the mid-1960s, with two large store blocks being built north of Macy's. One of these was leased as a 1-level (34,000 square foot) Duff & Repp home furnishings and 2-level (34,000 square foot) Kline's. These stores held grand openings in May 1966 and October 1967, respectively.
At the same time, a strip-type complex was being developed on a site northwest of the mall. The ANTIOCH CENTER ANNEX was anchored by the Commonwealth Theatres Antioch Theatre, which was officially dedicated on March 30, 1967. The strip complex was expanded in 1972, when a south building was constructed. Inline stores in the ANNEX included Radio Shack, Pizza Hut, Imperial Sales Company men's wear, Foam City, Antioch Music, Pier One Imports and Don Roper's Fine Arts Limited.
The final expansion at ANTIOCH CENTER added a 1-level (101,000 square foot) Sears to the north end of the complex. The store, which had been built on top of a covered parking deck, made its debut on November 1, 1973. The shopping hub now housed around 700,000 leasable square feet and contained ninety-four stores and services.
As a competitive measure against the newly-completed METRO NORTH MALL, ANTIOCH CENTER was fully enclosed. The project was announced in May 1978, with construction commencing in September. The renovation, designed by Ramos Group Architects, was carried out in two phases. During the first, courts and concourse were roofed in with new ceilings and skylights. Carpeting, ceramic tile flooring and seating areas were also installed. Phase Two added interior landscaping and a North Mall geyser fountain, which doubled as a stage.
A grand opening for Phase One was held on November 24, 1978. Phase Two was officially dedicated during a celebration that commenced on October 11, 1979. The ANTIOCH CENTER store count had increased from 114 to 123. New tenants included J. Riggings, Casual Corner, So-Fro Fabrics, Musicland and Jean Nicole.
The Antioch Eatery food court was built in existing South Mall space. The 8-bay facility featured vendors such as Topsy's Sidewalk Cafe, V's Pasta and Dixon's Chili Parlor. Show Biz Pizza Place opened their very first store, adjacent to the Antioch Eatery, on March 3, 1980. The chain merged with rival company Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre in 1984. All restaurants were put under the Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza banner in 1992.
Meanwhile. anchor store rebrandings got underway at ANTIOCH CENTER on March 3, 1986. The mall's Macy's Kansas City was rebannered by Dillard's. This store was shuttered on January 31, 1992. It was remodeled and re-opened, as a Burlington Coat Factory, on September 12, 1992.
The exterior of the mall was renovated in 1993. Mid-Century Modern-style arches were removed. Surfaces were covered in a "stucco-like" material, with new awnings and signage installed. A marketing shift to a "value-oriented shopping center" was also instituted. This plan worked for a time. However, before long, vacancies were piling up. ANTIOCH CENTER entered a downward spiral that it would never escape from.
Toronto-based Eastbourne Investments acquired the struggling center in November 2002. A 72 million dollar redevelopment was announced in October 2004. This was to convert the moribund mall into a 470,000 square foot, office-retail-entertainment facility and be funded, in part, by millions of dollars in tax abatements.
The project faced delay after delay. An original demolition date of March 2009 came and went. The structure continued to deteriorate, with The Great Recession blamed for the lack of progress toward its renewal. By mid-2010, there were three stores in operation out of a total of ninety-four spaces.
Eastbourne Investments turned the property over to M & I Bank and walked away from the project in July 2010. In September, KC-based MBS Management came on board. They would oversee redevelopment of the retail hub.
Toronto-based Eastbourne Investments acquired the struggling center in November 2002. A 72 million dollar redevelopment was announced in October 2004. This was to convert the moribund mall into a 470,000 square foot, office-retail-entertainment facility and be funded, in part, by millions of dollars in tax abatements.
The project faced delay after delay. An original demolition date of March 2009 came and went. The structure continued to deteriorate, with The Great Recession blamed for the lack of progress toward its renewal. By mid-2010, there were three stores in operation out of a total of ninety-four spaces.
Eastbourne Investments turned the property over to M & I Bank and walked away from the project in July 2010. In September, KC-based MBS Management came on board. They would oversee redevelopment of the retail hub.
A final redevelopment and Tax Increment Financing plan was approved in November 2011. By December, preliminary demolition was underway. Full-scale work commenced in January. Sears, Burlington Coat Factory and a block of stores in between were left standing. 200,000 square feet of mall space was knocked down.
On the periphery of the former shopping complex, Sears Auto Center, Bank of America, Walgreen Drug and the Goodyear Service Center had also been left standing. These were worked into an open-air strip complex known as ANTIOCH CROSSING. Ground was broken in the summer of 2013, with the first new tenant, a (41,100 square foot) WalMart Neighborhood Market, holding its grand opening on November 5, 2014. ANTIOCH CROSSING faced its first hurdle on July 30, 2017, when Sears shuttered their 43-year-old store.
On the periphery of the former shopping complex, Sears Auto Center, Bank of America, Walgreen Drug and the Goodyear Service Center had also been left standing. These were worked into an open-air strip complex known as ANTIOCH CROSSING. Ground was broken in the summer of 2013, with the first new tenant, a (41,100 square foot) WalMart Neighborhood Market, holding its grand opening on November 5, 2014. ANTIOCH CROSSING faced its first hurdle on July 30, 2017, when Sears shuttered their 43-year-old store.
Sources:
The Kansas City Star
http://www.antiochcentermall.com (defunct)
"Chuck E. Cheese's" article on Wikipedia
The Kansas City Star
http://www.antiochcentermall.com (defunct)
"Chuck E. Cheese's" article on Wikipedia
http://sungazette.com
http://www.kansascity.bizjournals.com
http://www.kansascity.bizjournals.com
http://antiochcrossing.com
"Antioch Center" article on Wikipedia
"Antioch Center" article on Wikipedia
