TOWNE MALL
Roosevelt and Towne Boulevards
Warren County (Franklin Township), Ohio
Plans for a major Greater Middletown shopping center were announced in October 1973. A fully-enclosed mall was being envisaged by the Warren County Development Company, a joint venture of local investors. The mall-to-be would include two anchor department stores and be adjacent to Village East, a 350-unit condominium complex.
TOWNE EAST MALL would be built on part of an 86-acre tract, located northwest of the Interstate 75 and Ohio Route 122 interchange, 4 miles southeast of downtown Middletown. The prospective mall site would be entirely within Warren County's Franklin Township. Minnesota's Ralph B. Shimer was hired to design the new shopping facility.
Approval for mall construction was granted by Warren County commissioners in January 1974. In August, the project received a boost. Dayton-based Elder-Beerman backed out of a plan to build a new store at MIDDLETOWN MALL, in downtown Middletown. They opted to become an anchor at the prospective TOWNE EAST MALL.
By December 1974, the name of the new shopping hub had morphed to simply TOWNE MALL. Cincinnati-based McAlpin's had been part of the project since the beginning. Development of the retail hub had been assumed by a joint venture of the Miami Valley Properties Company and Mersco Realty Company (a subsidiary of Mercantile Stores, the McAlpin's parent company).
Construction had commenced at the mall site, now comprised of 53.6 acres, in early 1974. A 1-level (113,300 square foot), Cincinnati-based McAlpin's debuted on February 16, 1975. In April, Sears confirmed that they would also anchor TOWNE MALL. The store would relocate from a downtown Middletown location.
By this time, a third entity was in charge of the development of TOWNE MALL; Greater Cleveland's Jacobs, Visconsi, Jacobs Company. Over 350,000 square feet of selling space was added to the west side of McAlpin's. When fully-realized, TOWNE MALL encompassed approximately 465,400 leasable square feet and contained fifty-seven stores under its roof.
A mall-wide grand opening commenced on February 9, 1977. Forty-one stores were in operation, including a 1-level (68,000 square foot) Sears. The 1-level (118,000 square foot), Dayton-based Elder-Beerman was dedicated on April 29th of the same year. Charter tenants included GNC, J. Riggings, Chess King, Casual Corner, Chick-Fil-A, The Limited, Spencer Gifts, Lowmark Drugs, Camelot Music and a York Steak House.
The interior of TOWNE MALL featured tropical gardens, a sunken Center Court and seating area and several skylights. Works of art were created by Clarence E. Van Duzer {of Cleveland}, Joseph Anthony McDonnell {of Bedford Village, New York} and Norman Poirier {of Cleveland Heights}.
Major shopping centers in the vicinity of TOWNE MALL included the aforementioned MIDDLETOWN MALL (1974), plus TRI-COUNTY CENTER (1960) {15.2 miles southwest, in Springdale} and DAYTON MALL (1970) {10.9 miles northeast, in Montgomery County}.
TOWNE MALL was successful in its early years, as it was the only shopping venue in Southwestern Ohio to feature both Elder Beerman {of Dayton} and McAlpin's {of Cincinnati}. In fact, the McAlpin's did so well that it eventually opened three smaller boutique-type stores within the mall.
For years, Middletown had made overtures toward annexing the property. This was bitterly contested by local residents. The issue was eventually decided by the Ohio Supreme Court. In 1996, Middletown prevailed and TOWNE MALL was taken into the city limits.
Middletown had been coveting tax dollars generated by the mall for years. Ironically, by the time they finally engulfed the complex, it was beginning to decline. The proliferation of discount stores in its vicinity -such as Meijer ["miy-ir"], Target and Wal-Mart- hurt business. It is also opined that exorbitant rents charged for store space contributed to the decline of TOWNE MALL. Whatever the case, by the early 2000s, the shopping venue was virtually vacant.
Ownership of TOWNE MALL changed hands in January 2001, when Chattanooga-based CBL & Associates Properties bought the holdings of the Richard E. Jacobs Group (formerly Jacobs, Visconsi, Jacobs).
McAlpin's had morphed into a Dillard's following the Mercantile Stores merger of August 1998. Other smaller inline tenants made a gradual exodus from the shopping center. By the mid-2000s, there were thirty vacant storefronts out of a total of fifty-two. This prompted CBL to propose various redevelopment plans between 2006 and 2009. These multi-million dollar projects would have reinvented the structure in one of the following formats;
1. A two-anchor lifestyle center with the enclosed mall having been opened up as a central plaza.
2. A New Urbanism Town Center, with the entirety of the mall having been demolished and replaced by retail, residential and office components.
3. A mixed-use Lifestyle Center of newly-constructed retail, office and hospitality components, surrounding a central greenspace.
Eventually, the City of Middletown and Warren County decided not to contribute funding for any renovations. Dillard's shuttered their TOWNE MALL operation in June 2008. Another impediment to the redevelopment was the opening of CINCINNATI PREMIUM OUTLETS {3.8 miles south, in Monroe}. The first stores in this open-air shopping hub began business in August 2009.
Following this, TOWNE MALL limped along in a state of retail twilight. Sears and Elder-Beerman remained in business...along with stores such as GNC, Radio Shack, Bath & Body Works, Finish Line and Dunham's Sports. By mid-2012, there were just eighteen operational stores.
In October 2012, the mall was sold to George Ragheb, of California. The Sears and Elder-Beerman buildings were not included in the transaction, but the latter was eventually purchased, along with the vacant Dillard's.
The new owner proposed a 25 million dollar rehab and repositioning of the shopping center. New names were put forward; THE DISTRICT AT MIDDLETOWN, MIDDLETOWN GALLERIA and TOWNE MALL GALLERIA. TOWNE MALL GALLERIA was selected as the center's new moniker.
Unfortunately, the mall's retail renaissance has been stunted by several mixed-use projects being built in its vicinity. BRIDGEWATER FALLS {11.6 miles southwest, in Butler County} was dedicated in 2011. AUSTIN LANDING {8.8 miles northeast, in Montgomery County} opened in stages between 2011 and 2014. Finally, LIBERTY CENTER {8.7 miles south, in Butler County} held its grand opening in 2015.
By the spring of 2014, a proposed rehab of TOWNE MALL GALLERIA had not started. Several stores had given up and shut their doors. These included Worthmore Men's, Kay Jewelers, All About You Catering, Finish Line, Home Connection and GameLand & PCs.
News of a prospective Burlington (Coat Factory), announced in July 2014, was welcomed by stores still in operation. The (56,000 square foot) Burlington, taking half of the old Dillard's, opened on March 13, 2015. Remaining space was occupied by a (57,300 square foot), Morgantown, West Virginia-based Gabe's. This store was dedicated on October 10, 2015.
A new strip center was built in the front parking area. TOWNE MALL SHOPPES encompassed 12,700 leasable square feet and housed Buffalo Wild Wings, Aspen Dental, Sport Clips and a GNC (which moved from inside the mall). Stores were open by May 2017.
Unfortunately, the grand openings of these stores were met with bad tidings. Elder-Beerman shuttered their 39-year-old unit on January 31, 2017. Sears, another charter 1977 tenant, went dark in September of the same year. The City of Middletown, who planned on purchasing and redeveloping the complex with retail, residential and hospitality components, cancelled all plans in November 2022.
Warren County (Franklin Township), Ohio
Plans for a major Greater Middletown shopping center were announced in October 1973. A fully-enclosed mall was being envisaged by the Warren County Development Company, a joint venture of local investors. The mall-to-be would include two anchor department stores and be adjacent to Village East, a 350-unit condominium complex.
TOWNE EAST MALL would be built on part of an 86-acre tract, located northwest of the Interstate 75 and Ohio Route 122 interchange, 4 miles southeast of downtown Middletown. The prospective mall site would be entirely within Warren County's Franklin Township. Minnesota's Ralph B. Shimer was hired to design the new shopping facility.
Approval for mall construction was granted by Warren County commissioners in January 1974. In August, the project received a boost. Dayton-based Elder-Beerman backed out of a plan to build a new store at MIDDLETOWN MALL, in downtown Middletown. They opted to become an anchor at the prospective TOWNE EAST MALL.
By December 1974, the name of the new shopping hub had morphed to simply TOWNE MALL. Cincinnati-based McAlpin's had been part of the project since the beginning. Development of the retail hub had been assumed by a joint venture of the Miami Valley Properties Company and Mersco Realty Company (a subsidiary of Mercantile Stores, the McAlpin's parent company).
Construction had commenced at the mall site, now comprised of 53.6 acres, in early 1974. A 1-level (113,300 square foot), Cincinnati-based McAlpin's debuted on February 16, 1975. In April, Sears confirmed that they would also anchor TOWNE MALL. The store would relocate from a downtown Middletown location.
By this time, a third entity was in charge of the development of TOWNE MALL; Greater Cleveland's Jacobs, Visconsi, Jacobs Company. Over 350,000 square feet of selling space was added to the west side of McAlpin's. When fully-realized, TOWNE MALL encompassed approximately 465,400 leasable square feet and contained fifty-seven stores under its roof.
A mall-wide grand opening commenced on February 9, 1977. Forty-one stores were in operation, including a 1-level (68,000 square foot) Sears. The 1-level (118,000 square foot), Dayton-based Elder-Beerman was dedicated on April 29th of the same year. Charter tenants included GNC, J. Riggings, Chess King, Casual Corner, Chick-Fil-A, The Limited, Spencer Gifts, Lowmark Drugs, Camelot Music and a York Steak House.
The interior of TOWNE MALL featured tropical gardens, a sunken Center Court and seating area and several skylights. Works of art were created by Clarence E. Van Duzer {of Cleveland}, Joseph Anthony McDonnell {of Bedford Village, New York} and Norman Poirier {of Cleveland Heights}.
Major shopping centers in the vicinity of TOWNE MALL included the aforementioned MIDDLETOWN MALL (1974), plus TRI-COUNTY CENTER (1960) {15.2 miles southwest, in Springdale} and DAYTON MALL (1970) {10.9 miles northeast, in Montgomery County}.
TOWNE MALL was successful in its early years, as it was the only shopping venue in Southwestern Ohio to feature both Elder Beerman {of Dayton} and McAlpin's {of Cincinnati}. In fact, the McAlpin's did so well that it eventually opened three smaller boutique-type stores within the mall.
For years, Middletown had made overtures toward annexing the property. This was bitterly contested by local residents. The issue was eventually decided by the Ohio Supreme Court. In 1996, Middletown prevailed and TOWNE MALL was taken into the city limits.
Middletown had been coveting tax dollars generated by the mall for years. Ironically, by the time they finally engulfed the complex, it was beginning to decline. The proliferation of discount stores in its vicinity -such as Meijer ["miy-ir"], Target and Wal-Mart- hurt business. It is also opined that exorbitant rents charged for store space contributed to the decline of TOWNE MALL. Whatever the case, by the early 2000s, the shopping venue was virtually vacant.
Ownership of TOWNE MALL changed hands in January 2001, when Chattanooga-based CBL & Associates Properties bought the holdings of the Richard E. Jacobs Group (formerly Jacobs, Visconsi, Jacobs).
McAlpin's had morphed into a Dillard's following the Mercantile Stores merger of August 1998. Other smaller inline tenants made a gradual exodus from the shopping center. By the mid-2000s, there were thirty vacant storefronts out of a total of fifty-two. This prompted CBL to propose various redevelopment plans between 2006 and 2009. These multi-million dollar projects would have reinvented the structure in one of the following formats;
1. A two-anchor lifestyle center with the enclosed mall having been opened up as a central plaza.
2. A New Urbanism Town Center, with the entirety of the mall having been demolished and replaced by retail, residential and office components.
3. A mixed-use Lifestyle Center of newly-constructed retail, office and hospitality components, surrounding a central greenspace.
Eventually, the City of Middletown and Warren County decided not to contribute funding for any renovations. Dillard's shuttered their TOWNE MALL operation in June 2008. Another impediment to the redevelopment was the opening of CINCINNATI PREMIUM OUTLETS {3.8 miles south, in Monroe}. The first stores in this open-air shopping hub began business in August 2009.
Following this, TOWNE MALL limped along in a state of retail twilight. Sears and Elder-Beerman remained in business...along with stores such as GNC, Radio Shack, Bath & Body Works, Finish Line and Dunham's Sports. By mid-2012, there were just eighteen operational stores.
In October 2012, the mall was sold to George Ragheb, of California. The Sears and Elder-Beerman buildings were not included in the transaction, but the latter was eventually purchased, along with the vacant Dillard's.
The new owner proposed a 25 million dollar rehab and repositioning of the shopping center. New names were put forward; THE DISTRICT AT MIDDLETOWN, MIDDLETOWN GALLERIA and TOWNE MALL GALLERIA. TOWNE MALL GALLERIA was selected as the center's new moniker.
Unfortunately, the mall's retail renaissance has been stunted by several mixed-use projects being built in its vicinity. BRIDGEWATER FALLS {11.6 miles southwest, in Butler County} was dedicated in 2011. AUSTIN LANDING {8.8 miles northeast, in Montgomery County} opened in stages between 2011 and 2014. Finally, LIBERTY CENTER {8.7 miles south, in Butler County} held its grand opening in 2015.
By the spring of 2014, a proposed rehab of TOWNE MALL GALLERIA had not started. Several stores had given up and shut their doors. These included Worthmore Men's, Kay Jewelers, All About You Catering, Finish Line, Home Connection and GameLand & PCs.
News of a prospective Burlington (Coat Factory), announced in July 2014, was welcomed by stores still in operation. The (56,000 square foot) Burlington, taking half of the old Dillard's, opened on March 13, 2015. Remaining space was occupied by a (57,300 square foot), Morgantown, West Virginia-based Gabe's. This store was dedicated on October 10, 2015.
A new strip center was built in the front parking area. TOWNE MALL SHOPPES encompassed 12,700 leasable square feet and housed Buffalo Wild Wings, Aspen Dental, Sport Clips and a GNC (which moved from inside the mall). Stores were open by May 2017.
Unfortunately, the grand openings of these stores were met with bad tidings. Elder-Beerman shuttered their 39-year-old unit on January 31, 2017. Sears, another charter 1977 tenant, went dark in September of the same year. The City of Middletown, who planned on purchasing and redeveloping the complex with retail, residential and hospitality components, cancelled all plans in November 2022.
Sources:
The Dayton Daily News
The Middletown Journal (Middletown, Ohio)
The Dayton Daily News
The Middletown Journal (Middletown, Ohio)
The Journal-News (Hamilton, Ohio)
http://www.shoptownemall.com
Warren County, Ohio property tax assessor website
www.brightwire.com
Warren County, Ohio property tax assessor website
www.brightwire.com
http://www.urbanohio.com forum / Comment post by "PreservationRestoration"
www.cblproperties.com / CBL & Associates Properties
http://specialtyretail.com
http://www.bizjournals.com
www.cblproperties.com / CBL & Associates Properties
http://specialtyretail.com
http://www.bizjournals.com
