Tucson's El Con Center

A rendering of the first mall-type shopping center in -or around- the Old Pueblo. Its open-air shopping concourse extended for 537 feet.

Drawing from the Magna Investment & Development Corporation / Kivel Interests of Tucson

Tucson's first shopping mall was built adjacent to the posh Hotel El Conquistador, a local landmark since 1928. The name "El Con Center" is derived from the name of the hotel. 
Photo from http://www.ringbrothershistory.com

Our first EL CON site plan shows the locations of Hotel El Conquistador and the new shopping center built beside it. At this early date, EL CON CENTER spans around 488,000 leasable square feet and houses nineteen stores...with an eventual total of forty-two. The mall parking area has space for 3,000 autos.

EL CON CENTER TENANTS 1961:

LEVY'S (with Antoine Beauty Salon and Budget Shop) / MONTGOMERY WARD (with Snack Bar, Optical Shop and freestanding Auto Center) / EL RANCHO MARKET / F.W. WOOLWORTH 5 & 10 (with Luncheonette) / S.S. KRESGE 5 & 10 (with Dinette and Delicatessen) / Baker's Qualicraft Shoes / Coffee Dan's / Daniel's Jewelers / David's Wetherby-Kayser Shoes / First National Bank of Arizona / Gallenkamp Shoes / Grunewald & Adams Jewelers / House of Fabrics / Kinney Shoes / Lerner Shops ladies' wear / Mills-Touche' men's wear / Nan's Dress Shop / National Shirt Shops / Nu-Art Photo Service / Porter's apparel / Skaggs Drug Center (with luncheonette) / Singer Sewing Center / The College Shop / Wohlfeiler's Shoes

In a full-color photo, shoppers stroll the EL CON shopping concourse. F.W. Woolworth, on the right, was a junior anchor at the 6 million dollar complex.

Photo from Petley Studios, Incorporated

The first phase of a large-scale EL CON expansion was completed in the fall of 1969. This was built on the site of the demolished hotel and consisted of a new Levy's ["lee-veez"], relocated from a much smaller store in the original open-air mall.
Drawing from Levy's of Tucson

By 1972, the new Levy's has been joined by a 480,400 square foot interior mall (in light gray). This included J.C. Penney as an anchor. For 7 years, there were -in essence- two separate shopping centers at the site; the East Mall and West Mall. Collectively, they contained eighty-seven store spaces. Free parking was provided for 7,000 autos.

An exterior view of the EL CON J.C. Penney. The store would anchor the shopping complex for over 49 years.
Photo from Pima County, Arizona

By 1979, the two malls are merged into a single entity. With the completion of the latest expansion (in light gray), EL CON MALL houses five anchors, approximately 1,023,800 leasable square feet, and contains 124 stores and services. These are accessed from two fully-enclosed shopping concourses.

 

EL CON prospered, as the only major shopping center in town, for over 13 years. PARK MALL, the region's second enclosed retail venue, was inaugurated in May 1975. Developed by one of the owners of EL CON, PARK MALL was not a true competitor...at  least in its early years.
Graphic from the Sierra Investment Company

THE TUCSON MALL, which was completed in March 1982, was an EL CON competitor from the start.
Graphic from Forest City Rental Properties, Incorporated

Finally, there was FOOTHILLS MALL. Its grand opening was held in August 1982, providing even more retail rivalry for EL CON MALL.
Graphic from Federated Stores Realty, Incorporated

By the early 2000s, EL CON MALL had been in a downward spiral for a number of years. It was reconfigured as the new EL CON MALL. Most of the 1960 structure was bulldozed and replaced with a new megaplex and Home Depot. An abandoned Montgomery Ward will soon be demolished. The west anchor has gone through a succession of different nameplates. At this time, it is operating as a So-Cal-based Robinsons-May.

The mall's North (Food Court) Entrance and open piazza it fronted on. This section of the former enclosed mall was torn down in 2012.
Photo from www.shopelconmall.com

The interior of the EL CON MALL Food Court. The prospective culinary complex was a 2001-2002 addition. It was never utilized and sat vacant for nearly 10 years.
Photo from www.shopelconmall.com

In late 2006, a section at the southwest corner of the mall was razed. The incomplete Ross store, seen here, was built in the space. It opened for business in November 2007.
Photo from Pima County, Arizona

That well-known Bentonville-based retailer joined the EL CON tenant list in September 2013.
Photo from www.elconcenter.com

In 2015, the shopping hub is once again -officially- promoted as a CENTER. The remainder of its enclosed shopping concourse has been ripped out and replaced by open-air sidewalks. A great deal of vacant inline store space has also been demolished. New stores in the 871,800 square foot complex  include PetSmart, Shoe Carnival and Marshalls.

EL CON CENTER
East Broadway and North Dodge Boulevards
Tucson, Arizona

Hotel El Conquistador, a grand, Spanish Revival structure, opened to much fanfare in November 1928. It was situated on the western half of a 93-acre plot, located 2.6 miles east of center city Tucson. Development of the eastern half of the site commenced in April 1959. 

An open-air shopping center was built by a joint venture of John E. Papanikolas' Magna Investment & Development Corporation and Joseph Kivel's Kivel Interests of Tucson. Albert C. Martin & Associates, of Los Angeles, designed the 488,000 square foot complex.

The first operational store at EL CON CENTER was a 2-level (62,000 square foot), Tucson-based Levy's ["lee-veez"], which was formally dedicated on November 16, 1960.  A branch of the First National Bank of Arizona was dedicated on February 1st. Montgomery Ward's 2-level (154,100 square foot) store opened for business on February 2nd.

Seven inline stores were launched on August 24, 1961. These were House of Fabrics, Gallenkamp Shoes, Lerner Shops, Kinney Shoes, an El Rancho Market grocery, (15,000 square foot) F.W. Woolworth and (27,900 square foot) S.S. Kresge 5 & 10.

Nine stores opened their doors on November 2, 1961; Baker's Qualicraft Shoes, The College Shop, Daniel's Jewelers, Grunewald & Adams Jewelers, Mills-Touche men's wear, Nu-Art Photo Service, Skaggs Drug Center, Wohlfeiler's Shoes and David's Wetherby-Kayser Shoes. EL CON CENTER now featured nineteen stores and services. When fully-leased, the mall would house forty-two.

The adjacent hotel closed in 1964 and was razed in 1968. In its place, a new 2-level (193,300 square foot) Levy's was built. This store opened on September 15, 1969 and was expanded with a third level (to 290,000 square feet) in 1975. The original Levy's store re-opened, as a Tucson-based Steinfeld's, on March 27, 1971.

Meanwhile, a single-level, fully-enclosed mall was being built, which would be anchored by a 2-level (115,900 square foot) J.C. Penney. This store was dedicated on August 4, 1971, with its freestanding Penney's Auto Center opening for business on August 23rd. This new West Mall encompassed approximately 480,400 leasable square feet. Its first inline store, Florsheim Shoes, began business in February 1972. First National Bank relocated into the West Mall in May. Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour welcomed first customers in July 1973.

The adjacent (but separate) open-air complex was now promoted as the East Mall. It, and the enclosed West Mall, were operated as a single entity. In the mid-1970s, construction commenced on a second phase of the enclosed complex, which served to connect the two shopping centers. Encompassing 215,600 leasable square feet, the connecting section was anchored by a 2-level (120,000 square foot), Phoenix-based Goldwaters. This store was dedicated on August 14, 1978.

As the new section was being built, the existing East Mall mall was enclosed and climate-controlled. The merged mall, which encompassed approximately 1,023,800 leasable square feet, held its grand opening on January 27, 1979. Among 124 stores and services were United Jewelers & Distributors, Showcase Cards, Wicks 'N Sticks, T-Shirts Etcetera, Musicland, B. Dalton Bookseller and Morrow's Nut House. The TM Theatres El Con 6 showed first features on August 19, 1979.

The shopping hub had encountered its first competition with the completion of PARK MALL {2.7 miles east, in Tucson} in May 1975. THE TUCSON MALL {5.3 miles northwest, also in Tucson} opened for business in March 1982. FOOTHILLS MALL {9.7 miles northwest, in Pima County} was dedicated in August of the same year.

Steinfeld's became the first EL CON MALL anchor store to fold, on August 26, 1984. Its space was to sit vacant, being used, on an intermittent basis, as a Holiday Sharing Center for the needy. In November 1993, the space re-opened as the short-lived Pavilion at El Con Mall, which included a food court, farmer's market, bazaar and indoor street fair.

The next anchor alteration involved Levy's, which was rebranded by Dallas-based Sanger-Harris in September 1985 and Houston-based Foley's in July 1987. On February 2, 1997, the store morphed into a Los Angeles-based Robinsons-May. It was rebranded by Macy's on September 9, 2006. Goldwaters became a Dillard's in September 1986 and closed for good on May 9, 2000.

By this time, much had changed at the mall site. The circa-1960 section, and a portion of the 1979 mall,  had been knocked down in December 1998. Montgomery Ward was left standing. The Century 20 At El Con Mall megaplex was built, which showed first features on June 30, 1999. A 1-level (123,200 square foot) Home Depot was dedicated in June 2001.

A Food Court and open piazza were installed between the new megaplex and existing J.C. Penney. Oddly enough, the Food Court was never used. Montgomery Ward shut down on March 18, 2001. The building was bulldozed with ground broken, for a 1-level (125,000 square foot) Target, in November 2003. The store held its grand opening on July 25, 2004.

Another "anchor's away" took place in January 2008, with the shuttering of Macy's. This ended up providing a way for Wal-Mart to establish a presence at EL CON MALL...something they had been trying to do since 1999. At that time, a proposal for an EL CON Wal-Mart was met with so much community opposition that the city passed a Big Box Ordinance to (temporarily) stop Wal-Mart from SuperCentering the mall.

A few years later, The City of Tuscon met with Wal-Mart behind closed doors and formulated a way to work around the Big Box Ordinance. A development plan was approved by the City of Tucson in June 2011. Construction was delayed by a lawsuit filed by a "Stop Wal-Mart" citizens group in November 2011. In the meantime, the owners of the property, Tucson-based MAS Real Estate Management, worked tirelessly to reposition the shopping complex. Its long-term revitalization included a new Ross Dress for Less.

Outparcel structures were built along the front of the site, including Office Depot, Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill, Chick-fil-A and In-N-Out Burger. Moreover, the Goldwaters-Dillard's building, sitting vacant since 2000, was retenanted. Burlington Coat Factory renovated the building and opened a store, on its first level, on March 5, 2010.

All legal hurdles for the construction of the EL CON WalMart were resolved in August 2012. Work on the 1-level (100,000 square foot) SuperCenter began in the fall of 2012, with its grand opening taking place on September 11, 2013. Missouri-based real estate entrepreneur Stan Kroenke acquired EL CON MALL in May 2014. At this time, the official name reverted to EL CON CENTER. 

The mall's official website had been taken down on 2011. In spite of this, a new store opened for business. Marshalls joined the retail roster, with a (23,000 square foot) location, on August 20, 2015. J.C. Penney, an EL CON tenant since 1971, shuttered their store in October 2020.

Sources:

The Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Arizona)
The Tucson Citizen
http://www.ringbrothershistory.com
https://www.scribd.com/doc / "Arizona Movie Theaters"
http://www.labelscar.com
http://www.elconmall.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
https://www.pima.gov / Pima County, Arizona

http://www.insidetucsonbusiness.com
https://www.cinematreasures.org
"El Con Mall" article on Wikipedia

Arizona's Scottsdale Fashion Square

SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE was developed on a site located 13 miles northeast of the Arizona State House. Originally an open-air complex, it was implemented in stages between 1959 and 1962.

Photo and Graphic from Harry Lenart and Coldwell Banker & Company

Talk about humble beginnings! Here we see the first segment of what would become SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE. There were only four tenants in business in 1959; a liquor store, barber shop, camera shop and A.J. Bayless supermarket.
Photo from www.azcentral.com

Phoenix's Goldwaters chain built their second branch at SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE. The exterior of the 2 million dollar store featured large Italian tile mosaic panels crafted by artisan Sheila Dean.     

Drawing from Goldwaters, Incorporated

The original SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE is depicted in a circa-1962 plan. The section shown in black was completed in 1959-1960. The remainder (in dark gray) opened in 1961 and '62. When fully-realized, the mall spanned approximately 228,000 leasable square feet and contained twenty-two stores and services. Free parking was provided for 2,000 autos.

SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE TENANTS 1962:

GOLDWATERS (with Antoine Beauty Salon and Barber Shop) / A.J. BAYLESS supermarket / Baron's Restaurant / Bostrom's ladies' wear / Burnett's Books & Records / Expectation Shops / Fashionette / Fashion Square Barber Shop / First National Bank of Arizona  (outparcel) / Goot Shoes / Goldwaters Men's World / Holiday House ladies' wear / Jenni ladies' wear / Joy's Sportswear / Kamera Korner / Liquor Oasis / Michele's Beauty Salon / Pancho's Gift Shop / Pinney & Robinson / Rosenzweig's Jewelers / Ryan-Evans Drug (with luncheonette) / Switzer's ladies' wear (with beauty salon) / Waltah Clark's Hawaiian Shop 

 

Baron's Restaurant was an original FASHION SQUARE tenant.

Drawing from Harry Lenart and Coldwell Banker & Company

SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE
East Camelback and North Scottsdale Roads
Scottsdale, Arizona

Greater Phoenix's sixth open-air mall was developed by a joint venture of Scottsdale's Harry Lenart and Coldwell Banker & Company. The complex was built on a 32.2-acre plot, situated 13 miles northeast of the Arizona State Capitol, in suburban Scottsdale. The site, formerly farm fields, had been utilized for a rodeo stadium by the Scottsdale Jaycees in the mid-1950s.

A small shopping plaza was built on the eastern half of the parcel. Its (28,700 square foot) A.J. Bayless Market opened its doors on January 15, 1959. The plaza included Kamera Korner, Liquor Oasis, and a barber shop. Ryan-Evans Drug commenced operation on January 30, 1960. 

In August 1960, construction got underway on an adjacent open-air mall. Designed by Phoenix's Edward L. Varney Associates and John Schotanas, it consisted of a single retail level -with basements- anchored by a 2-level (70,000 square foot), Phoenix-based Goldwaters. This store held its grand opening on October 9, 1961. 

The first four operational inline stores were Switzer's, Rosenzweig's Jewelers and Burnett's Books & Records. These debuted on October 30, 1961. Jenni (Jennifer's ladies' wear) opened its doors on November 16th. 

Five additional stores were dedicated on February 15, 1962; The Expectation Shop, Fashionette, Goot Shoes, Pancho's Gifts and Waltah Clarke's Hawaiian Shop. Baron's Restaurant welcomed first diners later in February 1962. With its completion, SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE encompassed approximately 228,000 leasable square feet and housed twenty-two stores and services. 

Ground was broken for a mall expansion in November 1972. The open-air West Wing extension would consist of two retail floors; a Ground Level and partial Upper. The addition was anchored by a 2-level (50,000 square foot), Phoenix-based Diamond's, which opened for business on March 17, 1974. With its completion, the shopping hub housed forty-nine stores and spanned approximately 360,000 leasable square feet.

In the early years, the primary retail rival of SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE was the fully-enclosed LOS ARCOS MALL (1969) {3 miles south, also in Scottsdale}.

Camelview Plaza

A fully-enclosed shopping and office complex was built adjacent to the FASHION SQUARE mall in the early 1970s. CAMELVIEW PLAZA, and its 10-story Bank of Arizona tower, encompassed around 361,000 leasable square feet. At its official dedication in 1974, CAMELVIEW PLAZA was anchored by a Texas-based Sakowitz specialty fashion store.
Drawing from Business Realty of Arizona, Incorporated

A freestanding movie house, the Harkins Cinema Seven Twin, pre-dated the adjacent mall. The theater was completed in June 1973, almost a year before the dedication of the first stores in CAMELVIEW PLAZA. 
Photo from Harkins Theatres

A CAMELVIEW PLAZA logo montage features trademarks of stores and services in operation during the 1970s.

The shopping concourse at SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE was expanded westward in 1974 (in medium gray). A Diamond's department store was built on the west end. CAMELVIEW PLAZA -the mall next door- had also been dedicated in 1974. Its new Bullock's (light gray) had just opened for business at the time of this circa-1977 plan.

CAMELVIEW PLAZA TENANTS 1977:

BULLOCK'S (with Home Store) / SAKOWITZ (with Tastemaker Gourmet Shop and Strawberry Patch Beauty Circle hair styling salon) / Cinema Seven Twin (outparcel) / CamelView Hairstylists / CamelView Terrace Restaurant /  Courreges ladies' wear / Dave Roark's Lounge / E.F. Hutton & Company / Hanny's apparel / Lee Optical / Lillie Rubin ladies' wear / Paul Johnson Jewelers / Patti's Pinafore Patch children's wear / Robert French portrait studio / Scottsdale Artists' League Gallery / The Arizona Bank / The Magic Pan Creperie / Unicorn Oriental Gallery / Vidal Sassoon Salon / Waldenbooks

CAMELVIEW PLAZA
East Camelback Road and North 68th Street
Scottsdale, Arizona

In June 1970, plans for a second East Camelback Road mall were announced. The fully-enclosed complex would be developed by Chicago's John F. Cuneo, under the auspices of Business Realty of Arizona, Incorporated. Chicago's Belli & Belli architects would design the structure, which would occupy a 26.9-acre parcel directly west of -and next door to- SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE. 

CAMELVIEW PLAZA would include the 10-story Bank of Arizona office tower. This (100,000 square foot) structure was completed in June 1972. It was followed by the Harkins Cinema Seven Twin, a northeast parking area outparcel, which showed first features on June 17, 1973.

The retail mall was the final segment of the project. It included a 2-level shopping concourse and 2-level, subterranean parking garage. Anchoring CAMELVIEW PLAZA was a 2-level (110,000 square foot), Houston-based Sakowitz; the chain's first store outside of Texas. It held a grand opening -as part of a Gala of the Yellow Roses charity ball- on February 11, 1974. Charter inline tenants included Margo's la Mode ladies' wear, Lillie Rubin ladies' wear, Dave Roark's Lounge and Waldenbooks.

A  multilevel parking garage and second anchor store were added to the complex. Los Angeles-based Bullock's opened its 2-level (160,000 square foot) store on January 31, 1977. CAMELVIEW PLAZA now encompassed approximately 521,000 leasable square feet and housed twenty retail tenants.

Scottsdale Fashion Square

A FASHION SQUARE logo montage is made up of trademarks of various mall stores. These were in operation during the 1960s, '70s and '80s. 

A rendering shows the proposed Palm Court that was being added to the FASHION SQUARE as part of a 1988-1991 renovation. When completed, said court extended for three floors and included a glass roof retractable skylight.

Drawing from the Westcor Company 

The malls, following their 4-year-long renovation. As part of the 150 million dollar project, FASHION SQUARE was fully-enclosed, with 2 retail levels added. Its east anchor was enlarged, a new Dillard's store erected, and parking garage built. A 2-level connecting concourse now linked both malls. On the CAMELVIEW end, the Bullock's store was expanded. Post-renovation, the malls covered around 1.4 million leasable square feet and contained 175 stores. 

Dillard's has maintained a FASHION SQUARE presence since 1984, when they acquired and rebranded the Diamond's chain. Between 1986 and 1998, Dillard's bounced around the mall(s) so many times that it is difficult to keep up with all of the changes (until now, at least). Four past and present anchor boxes have housed Dillard's stores. There was even a virtually forgotten "double-header" operation for 3 and a half years. 

Phoenix's Westcor bought the FASHION SQUARE mall in 1983. In 1995, they acquired CAMELVIEW PLAZA. Dillard's assumed the Bullock's store in August 1998. A new South Wing was dedicated in September 1998. With these improvements, the malls, collectively known as SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE since 1996, encompassed around 1.8 million leasable square feet, with over 225 stores. Free parking was provided for over 9,000 autos.

A contemporary view of the Palm Court at SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE. 

Photo from Wikipedia / "Flyer84"

The new Dillard's Fashion Square opened for business in August 1998. It was (and is) the flagship of the entire Arkansas-based chain.

Photo from Heather Guerra

The store spanned 365,000 square feet, making it the largest standard Dillard's unit in the cosmos.

Photo from Heather Guerra

Arizona's Diamond in the Desert, circa-2009. The mega mall dedicated its tenth enlargement in October 2009. A vacant anchor on the east end was bulldozed and replaced with a Barney's New York, 2 levels of underground parking, and a shopping concourse extension. At this time, the mall's retail level orientation is as follows; Palm Court, Level 1 and Level 2.  

The Barney's New York "luxury department store" at SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE was short-lived. It was dedicated in October 2009 and shuttered in May 2016.

Photo from Wikipedia /  "Cygnusloop99"

A 2010 photo of the mall's Southeast Entrance. Two restaurants flank the Lower Level entry corridor. Both are also no longer in business. Marcella's Ristorante Pizzeria & Wine Bar shut down in September 2011. Modern Steak followed in May 2013.

Photo from Wikipedia /  "Cygnusloop99"

 

In a near-constant state of renovation, SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE dedicated a North East Expansion in December 2015. This project added a state-of-the-art multiplex and Dick's Sporting Goods retail store.

Drawing from Nelsen Partners Architects  

Soon after construction dust settled, work was underway on -yet- another mall expansion. An Elevated Luxury Wing was built on the northwest corner. Its first phase brought two levels of trendy retail and restaurants; all surrounding a grand entrance. The first stores opened in November 2018. 

Drawing from www.macerich.com / The Macerich Company  

A circa-2020 site plan shows the mega mall's new North East Expansion and Elevated Luxury Wing in shades of gray. With these modifications, the gross leasable area of SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE stands at around 1.9 million leasable square feet, with a tenant list of 250 stores and services. For the record, the mall's retail level orientation is now as follows; Lower Level, Level 1 and Level 2. 

  

SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE
East Camelback and North Scottsdale Roads
Scottsdale, Arizona

The two malls at the northwest corner of Camelback and Scottsdale Roads operated on a competitive -but friendly- basis for several years. In May 1983, Phoenix-based Westcor bought the FASHION SQUARE complex. CAMELVIEW PLAZA was still owned by its original developer, Scottsdale-based Business Realty of Arizona.

Dillard's established a FASHION SQUARE presence when it acquired the Diamond's chain in 1984. Sakowitz in CAMELVIEW PLAZA was shuttered on March 9, 1986. Soon after, Dillard's began renovating that store.

A "double-header" was created, with the old Sakowitz becoming Dillard's Camelview, which sold women's and children's merchandise. Diamond's was reconfigured as Dillard's Fashion Square, which carried men's apparel and accessories, home furnishings and electronics. The dual-Dillard's operation made its debut on September 24, 1986. The stores were connected by a parking lot shopper's shuttle, known as The Dilly.

On August 12, 1986, ground was broken for an expansion of the CAMELVIEW PLAZA Bullock's. The store was enlarged with a 65,000 square foot, west side addition. When Bullock's was re-dedicated, on March 18, 1988, it encompassed 224,000 square feet.

SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE would be expanded in three phases. On March 6, 1988, work began on the first phase; an expansion and renovation of Goldwaters. The A.J. Bayless and Revco (nee' Ryan-Evans) Drug stores where demolished. Goldwaters was expanded northward, with 90,000 square feet added. The remodeled store was dedicated on September 9, 1988. It encompassed 180,000 square feet.

A second phase mall expansion commenced on June 10, 1988. Two retail levels were added to the shopping concourse, with the facility being fully-enclosed. A 2,300-space parking garage was built and thirty new stores signed. The renovated area was dedicated on November 10, 1989. New FASHION SQUARE tenants included The Disney Store, Eddie Bauer, Aeropostale, St. Croix, Brentano's Books and Z Gallerie.   

Goldwaters was rebranded as a Los Angeles-based J.W. Robinson's on February 26, 1989. Soon after, Westcor embarked on the third (and final) phase of their 150 million dollar FASHION SQUARE expansion. A 2-level "retail sky-bridge" was built. It extended from the west end of FASHION SQUARE, crossed over North Goldwater Boulevard, and connected to the east entrance of CAMELVIEW PLAZA. 

 

This concourse, which housed 100 stores and services, was completed in stages. The first added a 3-level (236,000 square foot) Dillard's to the FASHION SQUARE mall. This new mercantile was built on the north side of the existing Dillard's Fashion Square. The new Dillard's, dedicated on June 20, 1990, consolidated the individual women's and men's operations, which were shuttered.

Dillard's Fashion Square was sectioned into inline stores, including the 9-bay Palm Cafes Food Court and Harkins Fashion Square Luxury 7. This venue showed first features on March 15, 1991, with the adjacent Palm Cafes also welcoming its first diners. Vendors included La Salsa, Panda Express, Great Steak & Fry Company, Sakura Japan and Sbarro the Italian Eatery. 

 

Common areas in the newly-renovated "shopping paradise" featured several aesthetic touches. A Palm Court stairway was incorporated into a 2-level "rain curtain" fountain. "The Bronze Shopper" sculpture, also in the Palm Court, was crafted by Marc D'Ambrosi. Rob Fisher created "Symphony In The Air," a large, suspended sculpture. 

 

The mall marriage expansion and renovation was completed in April 1991. By this time, Neiman Marcus was remodeling the vacant Dillard's Camelview. A grand opening for Neiman Marcus was held on October 19, 1991. Robinson's morphed into a Robinsons-May on January 31, 1993. The CAMELVIEW Bullock's was shuttered on May 31, 1995 and sat vacant for over 2 years.

In August 1995, Westcor acquired CAMELVIEW PLAZA in a joint venture with the Yarmouth Group, of New York City. Although the two Scottsdale malls had been physically linked, they continued to operate under their original names. In 1996, the CAMELVIEW PLAZA name was retired. Henceforth, both malls would operate under one name; SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE.

 

By this time, another expansion was underway. A South Wing was built, which extended over Camelback Road to a 3-level (235,000 square foot) Nordstrom. Two parking garages, fifty stores -and 425,000 square feet- were added to the mall. The South Wing was dedicated, with the Scottsdale Fashion Square Exclusive Premier Celebration, on September 17, 1998. New South Wing tenants included Big Dog Sportswear, Boss Hugo Boss, Crate & Barrel, Great Train Store and Hops! Bistro & Brewery.

As the new wing was being completed, Dillard's was busy renovating the vacant Bullock's. The store was expanded, taking in inline store area of the old CAMELVIEW PLAZA. When construction dust settled, the new Dillard's encompassed a whopping 365,000 square feet. It opened for business on August 8, 1998. The previous Dillard's, in the FASHION SQUARE section, re-opened as a Sears on February 17, 1999.

 

SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE now covered 1,929,600 leasable square feet and was the largest shopping center in the Grand Canyon State. The dawn of the 21st century brought more changes. Westcor Partners was absorbed by the Santa Monica-based Macerich Company in May 2002. Sears had been shuttered in January 2001 and re-opened -as a Macy's- in August 2002. Robinsons-May closed in June 2006.

On September 1, 2007, a 130 million dollar mall renovation got underway. The vacant Robinsons-May building was bulldozed, along with adjacent parking garages on the store's north and east sides. These were replaced by 2-levels of underground parking, topped off by a 2-level (65,000 square foot) Barney's New York and bi-level shopping concourse addition housing eighteen store spaces.

The Barney's New York expansion was officially dedicated on October 15, 2009. Joining the SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE directory were tenants such as Love Culture, Aqua Beachwear, Arthur, Michael Stars, Ed Hardy, Modern Steakhouse and Marcella's Ristorante Pizzeria & Wine Bar. With the reconstruction, the gross leasable area of SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE was increased to approximately 1,939,600 square feet.

A subsequent expansion got underway in July 2014. It added a 1-level (50,000 square foot) Dick's Sporting Goods, which was dedicated on July 17, 2015. The Harkins Camelview At Fashion Square 14 megaplex showed first features on December 18, 2015. The two existing Harkins venues had been shuttered; the Fashion Square 7 on December 6 and CamelView 5 on December 10.

By late 2017, another mall renovation and expansion was underway. The shopping concourse between the Palm Court and Neiman Marcus was refurbished with new flooring, elevators, escalators, store fronts and ceilings. An Elevated Luxury Wing was created, which included a grand mall entrance and stores such as Trina Turk, Saint Laurent and the Breitling, Hublot and IWC Schaffhausen Swiss watch boutiques. Casual dining restaurants Ocean 44, Nobu and Toca Madera, also joined the directory.

The first new stores opened for business in November 2018, with subsequent dedications being held over the next 3 years. SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE now encompassed approximately 1,883,000 leasable square feet and featured over 240 stores and services.

Sources:

The Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Arizona)
http://www.azcentral.com
http://www.hortonrealtyadvisors.com

http://www.fashionsquare.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
http;//www.westcor.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)

http://www.macerich.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)

https://www.macerich.com

https://www.fashionsquare.com

 https://www.fundinguniverse.com

http://www.fashionsquareredevelopment.com
https://www.mcassessor.maricopa.gov / Maricopa County, Arizona
http://www.scottsdalepublicart.org

https://fabulousarizona.com
"Scottsdale Fashion Square-North Expansion" prospectus / Nelsen Partners
"Scottsdale Fashion Square" article on Wikipedia 

Phoenix's Maryvale Shopping City

Phoenix's third mall-type shopping complex opened 2 years after its first (PARK CENTRAL SHOPPING CITY). The MARYVALE mall was built in three phases. The first phase structure is depicted above, which housed the Bowlero Lanes bowling alley, an S.S. Kresge 5 & dime and El Rancho Market.
Drawing from Victor Gruen Associates

The second and third phase mall is shown here, which dates this image to around 1965. By this time, a Montgomery Ward department store is anchoring the complex. There is also a second supermarket (Fry's) and the nation's largest Walgreen Drug.
Photo from Phoenix Public Library Collection / Petley Studios, Incorporated 

MARYVALE SHOPPING CITY opened for business in August 1959. It was the commercial center of Maryvale, one of Phoenix's first -and largest- post-war planned communities. This circa-1961 plan shows the first phase mall in black. Phase two appears in medium gray. In all, there were 250,000 leasable square feet, twenty-two stores and parking accommodations for 2,500 autos.

MARYVALE SHOPPING CITY TENANTS 1961:

MONTGOMERY WARD (with Snack Bar, Garden Center and attached Auto Center) / MALCOLM'S (with Stop for Style Beauty Salon and gift wrapping service) / S.S. KRESGE 5 & 10 (with luncheonette) / EL RANCHO MARKET grocery (with Corn Cabin popcorn stand) / Bowlero Lanes bowling alley (with Lantern Inn restaurant and Buffeteria cafeteria) / Clip Joint Barber Shop / First National Bank of Arizona (outparcel) / Gordon's Jewelers / Happy House Shop candy & gifts / House of Fabrics / Kiamy's Shoes / Mam'selle of Arizona ladies' wear / Merritt Electric TV & home appliance / Mode O'Day Frock Shop / One Hour Valet / Paper Mill Cards & Office Supplies / Phoenix Shoe Rebuilders / Ryan-Evans Drug (with luncheonette) / The Hub men's wear / Trust Finance

The basic footprint of the 16 million dollar open-air mall was established with its third phase. A south store block (in gray) was built in the mid-1960s. It housed a Fry's Food Store and Walgreen Drug (reputedly the largest store in the chain). MARYVALE SHOPPING CITY now spanned approximately 321,000 leasable square feet.

The MARYVALE TERRACE shopping center was located across North 51st Avenue from the SHOPPING CITY and predated it by 3 years. The first TERRACE stores were launched in May 1956. Several years later, another strip complex -MARYVALE PLAZA- was built across West Indian School Road from the mall. PLAZA stores began opening in November 1979.
Graphic from John F. Long Home Builders, Incorporated

By the mid-'80s, the SHOPPING CITY has been enclosed and renamed MARYVALE MALL. It now includes a South Wing (in gray). Built in the late '70s, the addition is anchored by Mervyn's. A Zody's discount mart was added in 1981, which -by the time of this plan- has morphed into a Target. The center now encompasses around 585,000 leasable square feet and contains sixty-two store spaces.

A montage of MARYVALE SHOPPING CITY and MALL logos includes trademarks for stores that populated the complex between its grand opening -in 1959- all the way up to the very last operational tenant, which closed in 1998.