Christown Spectrum Mall
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| Christown Spectrum Mall | |
| Facts and statistics | |
|---|---|
| Location | Phoenix, Arizona, United States |
| Opening date | 1961 |
| Management | Developers Diversified Realty |
| No. of stores and services | 50+ |
| No. of floors | 1 plus partial upper level |
Christown Spectrum Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. It opened on August 24, 1961 as Chris-Town Mall; at the time, it was the first enclosed shopping mall in the state of Arizona, as well as the largest mall between Los Angeles, California and Houston, Texas.[1]
By 2001, all but one of the mall's department stores had closed, with the rest being replaced by big box retail. That year, the mall was re-named Phoenix Spectrum Mall, with a series of redevelopments beginning soon afterward, including the addition of the first Costco to be located in an enclosed mall.[2]
About half of the mall was demolished for new development in 2006, at which point the mall was re-named Christown Spectrum Mall. Currently, Christown Spectrum comprises approximately fifty inline tenants; anchor stores currently include Costco, JCPenney, PetSmart, Ross Dress For Less, Super Target, and Wal-Mart Supercenter. Christown Spectrum Mall is managed by Developers Diversified Realty.
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[edit] History
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This section does not cite any references or sources. (December 2007) Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
Chris-Town Mall opened on August 24, 1961 as the first indoor, air-conditioned mall built in Arizona. Its original anchor stores included Montgomery Ward, JCPenney, and local department store Korrick's; other major tenants included S. S. Kresge, Woolworth, Walgreens, and a movie theater. Woolworth later closed and was demolished for a new wing anchored by Bullock's. A food court was also added in the 1980s.
Bullock's was acquired and re-named by Dillard's in 1985, while Korrick's was later converted to The Broadway. The Broadway was the first anchor store to leave the mall, closing its doors in 1995; this store was soon demolished for a Wal-Mart store, which was expanded to a Supercenter in 2003. Walgreens also relocated to the parking lot, with Big 5 Sporting Goods replacing the former Walgreens.
Grossman Company Properties acquired the mall in 2001, re-naming it Phoenix Spectrum Mall. Both JCPenney and Montgomery Ward closed that year; the former JCPenney was replaced with the first mall-based location for warehouse club chain Costco, while PetSmart and Ross Dress for Less filled most of the former Montgomery Ward space. Dillard's was subsequently shuttered in 2004; with the loss of anchor stores, the mall began to lose inline tenants as well.
[edit] Redevelopment
In March 2004, Phoenix Spectrum Mall was sold to a partnership formed by Developers Diversified Realty of Beachwood, Ohio, and Coventry Real Estate of New York. A year later, redevelopment began on the mall; most of the enclosed section between PetSmart and Costco was demolished for a new JCPenney store, replacing a JCPenney store at nearby Metrocenter Mall, and severing PetSmart entrance to the mall concourse. A Super Target was later built on the site of the former Dillard's wing.
The original theater complex and food court were demolished for additional parking, and the mall's interior was remodeled. When renovations were completed in 2007, the complex was re-named Christown Spectrum Mall, a combination of the mall's two previous names.[3]
[edit] Anchors[1]
- Costco (149,609 sq. ft.)
- Harkins Theatres (62,645 sq. ft.)
- JCPenney (98,000 sq. ft.)
- PetSmart (21,819 sq. ft.) No Mall Entry
- Ross Dress For Less (30,000 sq. ft.) No Mall Entry
- Super Target (173,900 sq. ft.) No Mall Entry
- Wal-Mart Supercenter (251,361 sq. ft.)
[edit] Former Anchors
- JCPenney (original location): Replaced by Costco in 2002.
- Dillard's: Closed 2004.
- Korrick's: Closed, became The Broadway
- The Broadway: Closed in 1995, demolished and became Wal-Mart.
- Wal-Mart: Expanded into Wal-Mart Supercenter.
[edit] Transportation
The Mall will be served by METRO Rail's Christown Spectrum Mall Station when service commences on 26 December 2008.
[edit] References
- ^ Chris-Town Legacy. Christownspectrum.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-02.
- ^ Hazel, Debra (2003-07). Shopping Centers Today: Cover Story: Costco taking anchor spots. ICSC.org. Retrieved on 2007-12-02.
- ^ Steinberg, Grayson. "New name for mall has familiar ring: Chris-Town", The Arizona Republic, June 25, 2007.
