| Location | San Antonio, Texas, USA |
|---|---|
| Opening date | 1988 |
| Developer | Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation |
| Owner | Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation |
| No. of stores and services | 100+ |
| No. of anchor tenants | 2 |
| Total retail floor area | 1,060,000 sq ft (98,000 m2) |
| No. of floors | 4 |
| Website | www.shoprivercenter.com |
Rivercenter is a shopping mall located in downtown San Antonio, Texas along the River Walk. It is anchored by Macy's, as well as a 38-story, 1,001-room Marriott hotel. The mall was purchased in 2005 by Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation.[1]
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Rivercenter opened in 1988 with San Antonio's first Lord & Taylor department store, an IMAX theater, as well as Dillard's (closed August 2008). Part of the downtown redevelopment included an extension of San Antonio's famed River Walk into the Rivercenter lagoon.
Lord & Taylor, then owned by May Department Stores, was converted into a Foley's in 1989. In 2006, the space became Macy's after Macy's parent, Federated Department Stores, bought May Department Stores. The structure that houses Dillard's, an AMC Theatres, as well as other shops originally opened in 1887 as a freestanding Joske's at the corner of Alamo and Commerce streets. Several expansions from 1909 to 1953 brought the space to 551,000 square feet (51,200 m2). Joske's closed the flagship store for remodeling in 1987, planning to reopen in 1988, to coincide with the Rivercenter opening. But Dillard's acquired the Joske's chain shortly after the store closed for remodeling. The massive flagship store was divided up, with Dillard's occupying only a portion of the five-level building. The remaining area of the building was converted into lease space and a retail atrium for Rivercenter and an AMC movie theater. Even with the division of the building into other uses, portions of the structure, including 200,000 sq ft (19,000 m2). of space on the top two floors, as well as the old "bargain basement," remained unoccupied.
In October 2006, plans were revealed to redevelop the property over a number of years.[2] Five-star restaurants and more outdoor seating would be added in the first phase of redevelopment. The redevelopment of the Joske's space would be the next phase. The Joske's facade along Commerce Street would be restored, bringing back the windows and brick that were covered in one of Joske's own renovations before Rivercenter was built, and tenants would be added for the currently vacant two upper floors. A luxury hotel would be added in the last phase, forcing a multi-level parking garage to close, but another parking garage would be built on another part of the property. San Antonio's Historic and Design Review Commission approved the redevelopment plan on October 4, 2006.[3] A grand re-opening is planned for 2008.[4]
It was reported in June 2008 that Ashkenazy purchased the historic Joske's building from Dillard's and plans to revitalize the landmark property as part of the property's redevelopment.[5][6][7]
The old five-floor Dillard's/Joske's building is planned to be the newest ballrooms of the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel. Each floor will receive a junior to grand ballroom with 10 meeting rooms on each floor. The 5th floor of the building would be a grand ballroom. The Fashion Level of the mall would become Marriott Rivercenter Hotel's newest meeting space. Each of the stores would be transformed into a meeting room. (Similar to the meeting rooms at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center). Mall patrons would not have access to this level. The only access to this level would be through Marriott Rivercenter Hotel's big glass window located on the third floor. Parking would be affected by the transformation of the property. Central Parking System's Commerce Street Garage is expected to now be a relief parking garage owned and operated by Towne Park Valet of the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel. Fogo De Chao's valet parking will be on "A" and "B" levels. Levels "C" and "D",would become hotel patron parking. Level "E" and "F" would become Marriott Rivercenter Hotel's employee parking.
Several new stores are planned to be opened. Plans are to make the mall resemble the "Miracle Mile Shops" at the Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The mall is also expected to have a multi-million-dollar state-of-the-art video, lighting, and audio show. Unconfirmed operation of this is expected to be the existing A/V Department of the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel. A historical view of the City of San Antonio will be shown. The San Antonio Experience will be the unofficial name of the show.
If the acquisition takes place, construction is said to start July 2010 with a finishing date of Fall 2012.