YORKTOWN CENTER
East Butterfield Road and South Highland Avenue
Village of Lombard, Illinois
By the late 1960s, the mega-sized enclosed shopping mall was coming into its own in the United States. The Bay Area's SUNVALLEY CENTER, encompassing an astounding (for the time) 1,255,000 leasable square feet, was dedicated in August 1967. In March 1968, Denver's CINDERELLA CITY opened for business with 1,350,000 square feet. An enclosing renovation of ROOSEVELT FIELD CENTER, outside of New York City, concluded in June 1968. Now officially a MALL, this complex housed 1,485,000 square feet.
Over in Chicagoland, planning began for a YORKTOWN CENTER mall in 1965. A gargantuan shopping complex was being developed by a joint venture of Carson Pirie Scott, Montgomery Ward, J.C. Penney, Wieboltds, Lombard-based Long-Pehrson Associates and Boston-based Theodore W. Berenson & Associates.
The mall site was comprised of 190 acres, located 22 miles west of "The Loop." Previously in an unincorporated section of Dupage County, it was annexed into the Village of Lombard in March 1966. Ground was broken in March 1967. YORKTOWN CENTER was designed by Los Angeles-based Victor Gruen Associates and Sidney H. Morris & Associates, of New York City.
When completed, the fully-enclosed complex spanned approximately 1,350,000 leasable square feet. There were eventually ninety-five stores and services. A 3-level (203,100 square foot), Chicago-based Wieboldt's became the first operational store on August 15, 1968. A 2-level (240,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward welcomed first shoppers on September 26th. Carson Pirie Scott's 3-level (219,000 square foot) store, and a 2-level (230,800 square foot) J.C. Penney, opened as part of a mall-wide dedication. This was held on October 10, 1968.
Attending the dedication ceremony were Samuel H. Shapiro (D) (Governor of Illinois), Lester Bergmann (Mayor of Lombard), and developers E.D. Pehrson and T.D. Berenson. The festivities centered around the unveiling of a 25-foot-high thermometer in the mall's Grand Court.
Charter inline stores included Jarman Shoes, Florsheim Shoes, Chandler's Shoes, Madigan's apparel, Karoll's apparel, Gangi men's wear, Bond Clothes, Walgreen Drug, Hickory Farms of Ohio, Armand's restaurant, Gilmore's ladies' wear and a 2-level F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10. Outparcel structures included J.C. Penney and Ward's Auto Centers and two fast food restaurants.
The General Cinema Corporation Yorktown Cinema I & II opened on July 3, 1970. This freestanding venue was expanded into the Yorktown Cinema I-II-II-IV in August 1976 and into a 6-plex in the late 1980s. It was demolished in 1997 and replaced with the General Cinema Corporation Yorktown Cinema 18 megaplex, which showed its first features on April 3, 1998.
The General Cinema Corporation Yorktown Cinema I & II opened on July 3, 1970. This freestanding venue was expanded into the Yorktown Cinema I-II-II-IV in August 1976 and into a 6-plex in the late 1980s. It was demolished in 1997 and replaced with the General Cinema Corporation Yorktown Cinema 18 megaplex, which showed its first features on April 3, 1998.
Meanwhile, a twenty-seven store convenience center had been built adjacent to the mall's north parking area. Its original tenants included Allied Radio Shack, Puppy Palace, Stevenson's Bath & Boutique Center, Goodman Yarns, Barrett Magnavox Home Entertainment Center, Boushelle For Carpeting, Klein's Sporting Goods, Ace Hardware and a National Foods supermarket.
Major shopping hubs in the YORKTOWN trade area included OAKBROOK CENTER (1962) {2.8 miles east, in Oak Brook} and WOODFIELD MALL (1971) {14 miles north, in Schaumburg}. This complex completed an expansion in 1973, which demoted YORKTOWN to the position of second-largest mall in Chicagoland.
Anchor store rebrandings at YORKTOWN were set in motion on March 20, 1987, when the Wieboldt's store went dark. It would sit vacant for 7 years. Davenport, Iowa-based Von Maur renovated the building into a flagship location, which was dedicated on July 18, 1994. Montgomery Ward closed in March 2001, with its vacant building being demolished in late 2004.
The first renovation of YORKTOWN CENTER had been done in the mid-1980s. This project added new flooring, neon lighting and skylights, with shopping concourse stairways being replaced with elevators. A second remodeling commenced in March 1993. The 12-bay Plaza Food Court was built in space vacated by a Madigan's apparel store in September 1992. The new food facility opened for business in November 1993. Original vendors included Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Chicago Hot Dog, Cinnabon, Sakkio Japan, Great Steak & Potato Company, Panda Express and Sbarro the Italian Eatery.
Major shopping hubs in the YORKTOWN trade area included OAKBROOK CENTER (1962) {2.8 miles east, in Oak Brook} and WOODFIELD MALL (1971) {14 miles north, in Schaumburg}. This complex completed an expansion in 1973, which demoted YORKTOWN to the position of second-largest mall in Chicagoland.
Anchor store rebrandings at YORKTOWN were set in motion on March 20, 1987, when the Wieboldt's store went dark. It would sit vacant for 7 years. Davenport, Iowa-based Von Maur renovated the building into a flagship location, which was dedicated on July 18, 1994. Montgomery Ward closed in March 2001, with its vacant building being demolished in late 2004.
The first renovation of YORKTOWN CENTER had been done in the mid-1980s. This project added new flooring, neon lighting and skylights, with shopping concourse stairways being replaced with elevators. A second remodeling commenced in March 1993. The 12-bay Plaza Food Court was built in space vacated by a Madigan's apparel store in September 1992. The new food facility opened for business in November 1993. Original vendors included Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Chicago Hot Dog, Cinnabon, Sakkio Japan, Great Steak & Potato Company, Panda Express and Sbarro the Italian Eatery.
The renovation continued into the following year. New landscaping, lighting and seating were installed. Moreover, mall entrances were rebuilt. During a subsequent remodeling in the early 2000s, the Grand Court was refurbished, with new escalators installed.
A fourth renewal of the mall began in early 2005. The demolished Ward's was replaced by the 230,000 square foot SHOPS ON BUTTERFIELD. This enclosed and open-air lifestyle addition was officially dedicated in June 2007 and included twenty-three tenants. Among these were Belly Couture, The Denim Loft, Burr Ridge Eyewear, Mirobelli Shoes, a (32,500 square foot) Lucky Strike Lanes bowling alley and (33,200 square foot) Forever 21. On the periphery of SHOPS ON BUTTERFIELD were Claim Jumper, Capital Grille, Buca di Beppo and Rock Bottom Brewery restaurants.
In April 2012, YORKTOWN CENTER was acquired by a joint venture of New York City-based KKR (Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Company) and El Segundo, California's Pacific Retail Capital Partners.
In April 2013, work commenced on an 18 million dollar remodeling. During this project, the existing Plaza Food Court was upgraded, with expanded seating, wi-fi stations and a Family Lounge. The culinary complex was renamed The Eatery. The Grand Court was refurbished, with new seating, lighting and fountains. Moreover, the main mall entrance was rebuilt and new signage installed throughout the complex. The refurbishment was completed in June 2014.
In April 2013, work commenced on an 18 million dollar remodeling. During this project, the existing Plaza Food Court was upgraded, with expanded seating, wi-fi stations and a Family Lounge. The culinary complex was renamed The Eatery. The Grand Court was refurbished, with new seating, lighting and fountains. Moreover, the main mall entrance was rebuilt and new signage installed throughout the complex. The refurbishment was completed in June 2014.
Carson Pirie Scott shuttered their YORKTOWN store on August 31, 2018. By the early 2020s, planning was underway to demolish the abandoned Carson's and replace it with a 200 million mixed-use complex. The first phase of construction would create a 29,600 square foot, open plaza, flanked by 36,400 square feet of retail and restaurants.
A second phase would add The Square, two low-rise apartment buildings. These would contain a total of 621 residential units. Demolition of the abandoned Carson's was scheduled to commence in the summer of 2024, with completion of the 4-phase project occurring sometime around 2030.
Sources:
The Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune
The Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois)
www.cinematreasures.org
http://www.yorktowncenter.com
http://pacificretail.com (Pacific Retail Capital Partners)
www.cinematreasures.org
http://www.yorktowncenter.com
http://pacificretail.com (Pacific Retail Capital Partners)
https://yorktowncenter.com
https://ago-item-storage.s3.amazonaws.com
https://therealdeal.com
