Northway Mall
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Northway Mall, in Ross Township, north of Pittsburgh, is today viewed as a rather insignificant mid-sized mall. However, this has not always been the case. When Northway Mall first opened its doors on August 1, 1962, it ushered in history as the first indoor mall in the state of Pennsylvania. The mall also housed a unique feature when it opened, a glass enclosed elevator. While glass elevators are very common in malls today, the one in Northway Mall was the third such elevator in the country. The original mall also included a bird aviary, which was something of a standard feature in America's early enclosed shopping malls. This aviary was removed in 1994.
Northway began life as Northway Shopping Center, a strip mall built in 1953. The lower level is the original strip mall enclosed, with the remainder of the mall being later construction.
Original anchors included Horne's, Woolworth, G.C. Murphy, and A&P. A&P was replaced by Herman's in the 1980s. The mall thrived from 1962 to August 1986, when Ross Park Mall opened. After this, Northway began to lose appeal. Horne's and Murphy's left in 1988; the former had opened at Ross Park Mall in 1987 but had operated both stores for some time. The former Horne's was purchased by Dahlkemper's, which remained there until the chain's bankruptcy in 1993. Murphy's was filled with a discount movie theater, later purchased by National Amusements and converted to a new release cinema. Woolworth left in 1991 and the space sat vacant until 1996, when Marshall's moved in. Dick's Sporting Goods bought the old Dahlkemper's space and moved in around 1994. Herman's went out in 1992, and Borders expanded the location and opened in 1995.
A food court was added in 1990 and enjoyed little success, with Rax being the only national chain. Today it holds only two eaterys, locally-owned Mama Lucia Pizza and an African food stand.
After declining through the late 80's and early 90's, Northway Mall was renovated in the mid-90's. Today, it is officially known as Shoppes At Northway, and is -once again- in decline; many of its lots are empty. However, the mall still retains all of its anchor locations, and hosts such stores as Value City, Dick's Sporting Goods, Borders Books and Music, Old Navy and Marshall's.
Plans are currently in the works to redevelop the mall as an open-air, power center. If carried out, some of the existing upper level will be torn down, leaving the anchor stores intact. As yet, no plans have been finalized.
[edit] External links
| Pittsburgh Metro Shopping Malls and Centers |
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| Pittsburgh Central: Downtown Retail | Station Square | Southside Works | Northshore | Mt. Washington | University District | Strip District | Shadyside |
| Pittsburgh's North Hills: Pittsburgh Mills | Ross Park Mall | Northway Mall | Grove City Outlets | North Hills Village | Waterworks Mall | Clearview Mall | Cranberry Mall |
| Pittsburgh's West Hills & Airport: AirMall | The Mall at Robinson | Robinson Town Centre | Beaver Valley Mall | The Pointe at North Fayette | Collier Crossing |
| Pittsburgh's South Hills: South Hills Village | Century III Mall | The Galleria | The Waterfront | SouthPointe Center | Victory Center |
| Pittsburgh's East Hills: Monroeville Mall | Westmoreland Mall | Greengate Centre | Edgewood Towne Center | Miracle Mile |
