Plaza Las Américas

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Coordinates: 18°25′19″N, 66°4′28″W

Plaza Las Américas
Plaza Las Américas
Facts and statistics
Location San Juan, Puerto Rico
Opening date April 12, 1968
Management Empresas Fonalledas, Inc.
Owner Empresas Fonalledas, Inc.
No. of stores and services 300 (approx.)
No. of anchor tenants 3
Total retail floor area 2.1 million ft²
Parking 11,000 (approx.)
No. of floors 3 (excluding office bldg.)
Website http://www.plazalasamericas.com

Plaza Las Américas is a large and famous shopping mall in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, located right across from the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, the Hiram Bithorn Stadium, and close to WKAQ-TV's studios. "Plaza", as known by many Puerto Ricans, is the largest shopping mall in the Caribbean and any Spanish-speaking country and the 2nd in all of Latin America, the first American-style mall built in Puerto Rico and one of the largest malls in southeastern United States.

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[edit] History

The concept of Plaza Las Américas was first thought of in the late 1950s by members of the Fonalledas family, an affluent Puerto Rican family with Spanish roots. The idea of having an American-style, indoor shopping center was met with much skepticism in Puerto Rico, but construction of the mall began in 1967. On April 12, 1968, the mall was opened to the public.

During the 1970s, the mall remained as a long one-story building with a total retail floor space of about 800,000 ft². It housed many important stores such as JC Penney, González Padín, Kress, Thom McAnn, and a Pueblo supermarket. The Fonalledas family built a second mall named Plaza del Caribe in Ponce based on much of Plaza Las Americas design and features.

The mall’s official logo (see above) consists of three white sails each with a colored cross in the middle (one red, one blue, and one yellow) which symbolize Christopher Columbus's three ships (the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria) in which he sailed during his historic voyage in 1492.

[edit] Expansion projects

The 146,000 square foot office tower.
The 146,000 square foot office tower.

Between 1979 and 1980, an expansion project added a second and third floor to the mall. The project provided new floor space for current stores and for new tenants, including a Sears anchor store and many other specialty stores (such as The Hobby Store, La Casa de los Tapes, etc.). The expansion also added a restaurant area in its third floor known as La Terraza (The Terrace), which included many fast food restaurants, a cinema, and an arcade.

During the 1990s, a second expansion added much needed floor space, a Toys R US store, more parking space, and a 146,000 square foot (14,000 m²) office building. The office building houses several medical, corporate and law offices, as well as the mall’s parent company's, Empresas Fonalledas, Inc., headquarters.

In 2000, a third major expansion added approximately 700,000 ft² of floor space, another cinema, a two-story Borders store, additional parking spaces, and a complete renovation of the mall’s halls and walkways. 3 conjoined buildings were built adjacent to the mall which now houses a Rooms to go store, an OfficeMax, and the largest Kmart in the Caribbean (a full two stories). The expansion also produced two notable attractions: a four story JC Penney store (the largest in the world) and a three story Macy's store (the first Macy's store to open outside the continental United States).

As part of the most recent expansion, the mall featured several new fountains and sculptures, including seven large medallions in different areas around the mall, designed by famed Puerto Rican artists Myrna Báez, Nick Quijano y Marta Pérez García and Antonio Martorell. Each of these medallions represent an important part of Puerto Rico’s history, culture, and natural features:

  • Grand Central Atrium – represents the first meeting of Christopher Columbus with the local natives (tainos) in Puerto Rico in 1493.
  • JC Penney entrance – represents El Yunque, as well as the island’s other forests, rivers and waterfalls.
  • Between the JC Penney and Macy’s entrances – represents Puerto Rico’s night sky and the impact it had on Taíno beliefs (astrology) and early Spanish navigation.
  • Macy’s entrance – represents Puerto Rico’s marine life, including many of Puerto Rico’s endangered species, such as the manatee and the sea turtle.
  • Old Navy entrance – represents Puerto Rico’s flora, including palm trees seen all across the island’s beaches
  • Sears entrance – represents Puerto Rico’s fauna and trees, symbolized by a large tree and a birds flying nearby.
  • Grand Central Atrium (third floor) – represents Puerto Rico’s gastronomy, symbolized by one of the most popular dishes among Puerto Ricans: white rice with beans and a fried egg.

In June 2006, a new bowling alley was opened adding of 35,000 ft² of floor space to the mall. Named “Galaxy Lanes”, the alley consists of 32 bowling lanes, an internet chat room, two restaurants, dance floor, 2 bars, and two VIP rooms. Galaxy Lanes is known for its unique design as a disco. Around the clock, there is live music, lighting and laser effects, and screen visuals that sometimes persuades people to believe that they are in a nightclub instead of a bowling alley.

[edit] Some of the Stores

[edit] Restaurants

[edit] Other attractions

  • Caribbean Cinemas (13 movie screen theater)
  • Galaxy Lanes (Bowling Alley and Restaurant)

[edit] Notable attributes

One of the main entrances to the mall.
One of the main entrances to the mall.
  • Considered by many to be Puerto Rico's leading shopping center,[citation needed].
  • It is the largest shopping center in the Caribbean.
  • The RadioShack store in Plaza is the busiest and highest grossing RadioShack store in the world.
  • The largest JC Penney store in the world (a full 4 stories) is located at the mall.
  • The largest Big K-Mart store in the Caribbean is located at the mall.
  • The first Macy’s store to open outside of the continental US is located at the mall.
  • The mall produces approximately 8,000 local jobs and has a local economic impact of approximately $268 million.
  • The mall has approximately 11,000 parking spaces.

[edit] Anchor Stores

[edit] External links