February 1, 201114 yr "Crime was so rampant that a police substation was built." Sherman, you're my friend and I enjoyed reading this, but that is nothing for than mere speculation attempted to be put forward as fact. The Forest Park and Fairfield Police had a substation there for years and often held D.A.R.E. events and such there. I remember going to them as a kid. When the mall was renovated to "Cincinnati Mills," the substation was moved down by the food court. The police always had a kind of "ambassador" presence there, it wasn't put there to curtail rising crime post-mills renovation that your article seems to suggest. Sorry, I just felt the need to point that out. They didn't put a substation there to curtail crime, it had always been there. "Even the suburbs can suffer from years of neglect, vandalism and crime." While I agree with you about the anti-downtown attitude most suburbanites seem to place on downtown while not looking in their own backyard (i.e. Kenwood), what vandalism was there at Cincinnati Mall that your article implies? Even though I moved out of Fairfield, I still have to go back there every now and then for eye appointments, they keep the place pretty well maintained and they were pretty quick to throw me out of there for shooting photos. When you're a security force with nothing to guard, it's a pretty easy job. Also, again, I don't think crime was as rampant there as you make it seem. It's a good article and a good recap story how that place never panned out, but I think the statement on crime is quite a big exaggeration.
February 1, 201114 yr There was a large incident at Metropolis in 2008 (IIRC), which may have been posted here, where about 200 youths got rowdy and started causing mass disruptions at the night club and throughout the mall. The three times that I went there in the past year were at night, and during the time when the club was open, and it was very uncomfortable to walk anywhere near the car and not be followed, or see general shit happen. The mall suffers from crime, hence the need for a police substation (how many other malls have that? Northgate? Kenwood? Tri-County?) You also forget that in the winter of 1992, 2 rival gangs went to the Forest Fair Mall and started a violent indoor gang war, that included shootings, robberies and the like. Hence the need for the substation. I think I placed the date of the substation too far ahead, so I'll correct that.
February 1, 201114 yr A few years back, an old friend tried for like half and hour to drive us up to Metropolis. I was living in Corryville at the time and had already been drinking so I didn't want to drive. I was thinking, "If I want to go to a rough bar, I think I'll stick to ones around here, not the one all the way up at the mall."
February 1, 201114 yr There was a large incident at Metropolis in 2008 (IIRC), which may have been posted here, where about 200 youths got rowdy and started causing mass disruptions at the night club and throughout the mall. I think the incident you're referring to is when a gun was pulled and there was a huge response from the Fairfield and Forest Park police. I remember watching the ruckus from the hotel parking lot across the way cause I saw all the cop cars on my way home from work. The mall itself wasn't open, just the nightclub. Also, you can't enter the nightclub from within the mall itself, you have to go outside. The three times that I went there in the past year were at night, and during the time when the club was open, and it was very uncomfortable to walk anywhere near the car and not be followed, or see general sh!t happen. Are you kidding me? To enter Metropolis you have to park in a completely different parking structure than that of the main mall, why were you parked there and who was following you? What kind of "general sh!t?" The mall suffers from crime, hence the need for a police substation (how many other malls have that? Northgate? Kenwood? Tri-County?) While these malls don't have substations, they do have a constant police presence. I've worked at both Tri-County and Springdale and both had cops in there at all times working out of the customer service desk. The point of the substation at Cincinnati Mall/Forest Fair was supposed to be some educational thing done between the Fairfield and Forest Park police, since the mall fell into both of their jurisdictions. You also forget that in the winter of 1992, 2 rival gangs went to the Forest Fair Mall and started a violent indoor gang war, that included shootings, robberies and the like. Hence the need for the substation. If you have a link to an article on this, I'd love to read it. I remember there always being rumors of gangs there, but I don't remember anything about an indoor shooting war. I think I placed the date of the substation too far ahead, so I'll correct that. Yeah, the article made it seem like it was installed after the Mills renovations to curtail some high spike in crime at that time. They had a substation there for years. I have a picture of me at the substation in 1993 with my "koala care" day care class. Also, the substation closes with the main mall and doesn't stay open with Metropolis. It's not located adjacent to the parking garage, it's located within the mall itself.
February 1, 201114 yr I love the indoor mountain bike park idea. The agriculture museum might have potential, but I don't quite understand the concept.
February 1, 201114 yr There was a large incident at Metropolis in 2008 (IIRC), which may have been posted here, where about 200 youths got rowdy and started causing mass disruptions at the night club and throughout the mall. I think the incident you're referring to is when a gun was pulled and there was a huge response from the Fairfield and Forest Park police. I remember watching the ruckus from the hotel parking lot across the way cause I saw all the cop cars on my way home from work. The mall itself wasn't open, just the nightclub. Also, you can't enter the nightclub from within the mall itself, you have to go outside. I had one experience of the Forest Fair club scene. Somewhere around 93-94. And I remember accessing it from within the mall via a escalator. It was a bar "complex" where you paid one cover for access to four bars. Country, Dance, and I forget the other two. Is this now Metropolis? "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
February 1, 201114 yr ^It was called Bourbon St. I don't think Metropolis is accessible through the main mall though. The place certainly had it's problems back in the day and there was crime. I remember going there in the late 90's/early 2000's and security not letting you walk around in large groups (they also had this policy at Northgate and Tri-County when I worked there), but I can't find any information on an indoor shooting war.
February 1, 201114 yr Yea, I don't ever remember hearing anything about a shooting inside the mall. I do remember the rumors of gangs roaming it in the 90's though. I don't think I personally have ever felt threatened walking around there. Now the Monroe Outlet Mall....... that gives me the hee bee gee bees!!
February 1, 201114 yr There is a lot you won't find in the newspapers, because it's just bad PR. Found this out firsthand, the management will try anything to keep it out of the papers. Happens here at work too. Found some interesting tidbits: "HANGING OUT: - TEENS WITH IDLE TIME WEAR OUT WELCOME" 22 June 1992 * Crowds of teenagers gathering at Eastgate in 1992 that led to some major disturbances. The prior summer saw a major brawl at a McDonalds - where a security firm was hired just for the parking lot on the weekends. * In May 1992, Cincinnati Police had to halt teen dances in downtown because of over 20 assaults. Up to 600 teenagers were involved in the melee on Pete Rose Way. * Forest Fair having issues with teen control in the parking lots and garage. "FOREST PARK POLICE WIN STATE AWARD - COP PROGRAM 'OUTSTANDING'" April 7, 1992 * Police substation opened in December 1991. Called the COP Shop. FIGHT ASIDE, MALL IS SAFE, POLICE SAY February 25, 1992 * Breakdown in arrests since the mall opened in 1987: 1986 - 841 1987 - 964 1988 - 1,117 1989 - 1,693 1990 - 2,255 * Huge disturbance in the parking lot 3 days prior to article published, melee. There are more, but the NewsBank is giving me fits right now. "CINCINNATI MILLS CHANGES CAP CODE" August 28, 2004 * Changes to the dress code is "racial profiling," notes several African-Americans in the article (their quote, term). * Perception that under Forest Fair management, the mall had become a gang hangout. Several articles from August 1998 about a series of gang-related robberies in the area malls, including Forest Fair, that are violent and involve guns. Still searching, news search engine hanging.
February 5, 201114 yr There was a rumor that there were gang wars inside Forest Fair during the 1990s, guess it was true after all? Bourbon Street must have been on the upper level of the old Bonwit Teller, back when it was Festivals of Forest Fair. http://www.southlandstone.com/projects/Forest_Fair_Mall.pdf
February 7, 201114 yr I saw an article that stated the nightclub at Cincinnati Mills will be closing. so yet another space that will need filled will be totally empty soon if they dont get something else in there
February 7, 201114 yr Sherman, I grew up in Fairfield and was often at Forest Fair Mall but do not ever remember feeling unsafe inside. Most of what you talked about is rumor, as others have said. And the articles you posted are about a variety of malls which includes Forest Fair. That hardly seems to indicate some Forest Park- Fairfield turf war being waged inside the mall. I think that groups of kids hanging out places sometimes get in fights. That does not make them gangs and isolated incidents hardly make something a big problem. The picture that Gordon painted seems much closer to reality.
February 8, 201114 yr Forest Fair? Unsafe?!?! LOL!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT A HOOT! Watch out for that Ferris wheel ya'll! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 8, 201114 yr No offense, but some people are way too young to remember anything significant that occurred there during the early 1990s. Did you know that MS-13 roamed the mall back, and in the surrounding suburbs of Sharonville and Winton Woods? Or R20^llin? Even the Tot Lots went up there to Metropolis on occasion! Found some papers that I obtained that should provide more specifically the crime that occurred in the mall. I'll post this up in an article soon.
February 8, 201114 yr Regardless if the mall had "crime" or not (I'm sure Kenwood and Tri-County had "crime" as well), it was a safe mall and I do remember it well in the 90's. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 8, 201114 yr I'll concede that it is entirely possible that gang members went to the mall but the idea that it was a threatening or dangerous place is ludicris. Gang members went dancing? Uh oh. I've never heard of a shooting in the mall and only know of a couple instances of significant fights at the mall. While I may have been young in the early 90s, I don't really see my mother taking her three young children into the war zone you describe.
February 8, 201114 yr Regardless if the mall had "crime" or not (I'm sure Kenwood and Tri-County had "crime" as well), it was a safe mall and I do remember it well in the 90's. Funny thing...I typically avoid malls like the plague, but was at kenwood tagging along with a friend during the Holiday madness. My friend was working with a woman at the Macys watch counter. She was polite enough, but seemed very annoyed when my friend didn't find a watch to his liking. On one occasion when she went several cases away to show him some better merch, she just left a few watches that were worth several hundred $$ apiece on the counter instead of placing them back in the locked case. Keep in mind, the place was PACKED with people, and she just laid them down there for anyone to take off with. I picked them up and walked down to where my friend was, and after their final exchange, I handed her the watches, explaining I wasn't sure if she knew they had been left out. She looked at me, barely saying thank you or anything, and simply stated in a very snotty voice that "things like that don't happen at Kenwood." Like I'm sure no one has ever stolen a thing from that entire mall.... ever....stupid Bi*ch.
February 8, 201114 yr Regardless if the mall had "crime" or not (I'm sure Kenwood and Tri-County had "crime" as well), it was a safe mall and I do remember it well in the 90's. Funny thing...I typically avoid malls like the plague, but was at kenwood tagging along with a friend during the Holiday madness. With all this talk about crime, I thought something entirely different when you said "tagging"
February 8, 201114 yr Sherman, I don't think that anyone is arguing whether or not gangs were there on occasion and such. My point was, and while I may be "too young" to remember, that the mall wasn't as bad or dangerous as a place that your article seemed to make it out to be. I don't think it was your intention to mislead anyone and I didn't mean to imply that, however, the overall tone made it sound as if the mall was a warzone, it wasn't. Also, Sharonville is not a surrounding suburb of Cincinnati Mills.
February 8, 201114 yr From working at that store, I know they had a massive security apparatus. They often had 10 or more folks undercover at any point. In the early 90s, Swifton was still a substantial retail center and Kenwood wasn't nearly as upmarket as it is today. Could things have gone down @ Forest Fair, probably, but gang members go shopping like everybody else and that doesn't mean there was blood in aisles.
February 8, 201114 yr I don't think that anyone is arguing whether or not gangs were there on occasion and such. My point was, and while I may be "too young" to remember, that the mall wasn't as bad or dangerous as a place that your article seemed to make it out to be. I don't think it was your intention to mislead anyone and I didn't mean to imply that, however, the overall tone made it sound as if the mall was a warzone, it wasn't. Never said it was a warzone. That was your quote, not mine. Can't find any reference to "warzone" on my article, but this is what I wrote: "By this point, crime in the center was so rampant that a police substation was installed adjacent to the parking garage." That still makes no mention of a warzone, or anything in any sort of relation. Also, Sharonville is not a surrounding suburb of Cincinnati Mills. Again, never said that. "Did you know that MS-13 roamed the mall back, and in the surrounding suburbs of Sharonville and Winton Woods?" Sharonville and Winton Woods are suburbs of Cincinnati.
February 8, 201114 yr Sorry Sherman, but the implications of both statements are both misleading. First you talked about rampant crime in the mall, then you further went on to post about gangs and violence. Most of the information you cited only indirectly linked Forest Fair Mall to gang violence. There is a lot of you connecting dots and then saying that you never did. And I'm not an english major but your second statement certainly sounds like you are talking about suburbs surrounding the mall. Why else would it be worth mentioning? And as an aside, Winton Woods is not a suburb, it is a school district and a park.
February 8, 201114 yr It's a statement that noted the gangs not only thrived in Forest Park, but in other suburbs (of Cincinnati). Hard to connect it up other than that. And you are correct, Winton Wood is not a suburb or a CDP, but a school district. Does Greenhills work better?
February 8, 201114 yr Never said it was a warzone. That was your quote, not mine. I never claimed you did nor did I quote you as saying that. I merely said that was the kind of picture your article and your comments on here were painting the mall as, that's the vibe I got. Also, Sharonville is not a surrounding suburb of Cincinnati Mills. Again, never said that. The context you brought it up in made you seem like you were attributing it as a suburb of the mall.
February 8, 201114 yr An update from my post yesterday. Now it looks like the Metropolis may remain open at the mall. They have signed a lease and are going to try to remain open
November 17, 201113 yr Cincinnati Mall plans for new sports complex Ice rinks, volleyball court part of plan By: Valerie Miller FOREST PARK, Ohio - Cincinnati Mall has a new plan to mix retail with sports entertainment to make use of thousands of square feet of empty retail space. The mall, formerly known as Cincinnati Mills, and originally Forest Fair Mall, has struggled for decades in trying to create a successful business plan to draw consistent crowds. The Journal News reports that Cincinnati Sports Zone has signed a 25-year lease to open a new sports complex inside the space formerly used by Bigg's. The plan calls for three ice rinks to be used for hockey, figure skating and recreational skating. The newspaper reports that the zone will take up 180,000 square feet. The development also will include a restaurant, a sports bar and a volleyball court. The large space also can adjust to accommodate other events. The ice rinks can melt to be used instead for soccer or even car shows. Cont (with video) "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
December 18, 201113 yr Supposedly, in the beginning, the bigg's wing was always the discount wing, and it was laid out so that you could take your shopping cart from store to store, and that there was a two-level store called "Super Sports USA", "Summer Sports USA", or just "Sports USA" (it could've been Oshman's SuperSports USA, but I have no proof of that). Were there any larger stores in the bigg's wing besides the sporting goods shop and the bigg's?
December 19, 201113 yr ^So that's why there's that strange concrete alcove next to the Bigg's wing entrance.
December 20, 201113 yr There was a huge CompUSA next to the Bigg's, but it didn't have an entrance inside the mall. It was attached, but you had to leave the mall to enter it.
March 23, 201213 yr Cincinnati Mall adds night club Business Courier Cincinnati Mall has replaced the former Metropolis Night Club, which close in June 2011, with a new night club tenant. Place 2 B Night Club has signed a five-year lease for more than 29,000 square feet of space at the Forest Park center, according to a news release from Cincinnati Mall. The club, for people ages 21 and up, is scheduled to open this summer. Place 2 B will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights offering live music, DJs, Thursday college nights and other events. Cont "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
March 23, 201213 yr ^^You mean prosti-tots. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
March 25, 201213 yr Cincinnati Mall adds night club Business Courier Cincinnati Mall has replaced the former Metropolis Night Club, which close in June 2011, with a new night club tenant. Cont I didn't realize that Metropolis was open that recently, but I haven't been on that side of the mall in a very long time. The only reason I even go there these days is for the Babies 'R Us store, but now there is one near Kenwood Mall. However, I sometimes go to the one at Cincinnati Mall because my brother works in Fairfield, so I can meet him for lunch. One day I had planned on meeting him at the Chipotle in the parking lot, so I went to BRU first. I was shocked to find out that so much of the mall had been shut down that it was nearly impossible to actually walk from the store to Chipotle. I had to cut through the Bass Pro Shop to get there.
March 29, 201213 yr Just seen an article that states Cincinnati Mall will change names once again. They are thinking about the name Forest Fair Village, stating they dont want to considered a mall. Construction should begin soon on the Sports Ice rink in the former Biggs location. Also supposed to be opening are Arcade Legacy (opened Feb 12), Extreme Baseball Academy, Bee Active Adventure Zone, Universal Fitness, Brain Freeze Treats and Grill, and Body of Influence. If all these open, wonder how much activity this will bring to the mall or I am sorry - village Cheryl
March 29, 201213 yr Cincinnati Mall adds night club Business Courier Cincinnati Mall has replaced the former Metropolis Night Club, which close in June 2011, with a new night club tenant. Cont I didn't realize that Metropolis was open that recently, but I haven't been on that side of the mall in a very long time. The only reason I even go there these days is for the Babies 'R Us store, but now there is one near Kenwood Mall. However, I sometimes go to the one at Cincinnati Mall because my brother works in Fairfield, so I can meet him for lunch. One day I had planned on meeting him at the Chipotle in the parking lot, so I went to BRU first. I was shocked to find out that so much of the mall had been shut down that it was nearly impossible to actually walk from the store to Chipotle. I had to cut through the Bass Pro Shop to get there. Fun fact, I went to Metropolis over the summer on its last day of operation.
March 29, 201213 yr ^Were you babysitting one of the kids there? Just seen an article that states Cincinnati Mall will change names once again. They are thinking about the name Forest Fair Village, stating they dont want to considered a mall. Construction should begin soon on the Sports Ice rink in the former Biggs location. Also supposed to be opening are Arcade Legacy (opened Feb 12), Extreme Baseball Academy, Bee Active Adventure Zone, Universal Fitness, Brain Freeze Treats and Grill, and Body of Influence. If all these open, wonder how much activity this will bring to the mall or I am sorry - village Cheryl I wonder if all those tenants will really appear and if/when they do - will they last? Arcade Legacy is actually pretty neat and run by some really nice guys.
March 29, 201213 yr Cincinnati Mall adds night club Business Courier Cincinnati Mall has replaced the former Metropolis Night Club, which close in June 2011, with a new night club tenant. Cont I didn't realize that Metropolis was open that recently, but I haven't been on that side of the mall in a very long time. The only reason I even go there these days is for the Babies 'R Us store, but now there is one near Kenwood Mall. However, I sometimes go to the one at Cincinnati Mall because my brother works in Fairfield, so I can meet him for lunch. One day I had planned on meeting him at the Chipotle in the parking lot, so I went to BRU first. I was shocked to find out that so much of the mall had been shut down that it was nearly impossible to actually walk from the store to Chipotle. I had to cut through the Bass Pro Shop to get there. Fun fact, I went to Metropolis over the summer on its last day of operation. My (ex)girlfriend's friend's brother was Ultimate Fighting there.
December 1, 201212 yr What's the status on Cincinnati Sports Zone and the new "Forest Fair Village" name?
December 1, 201212 yr I don't know if anybody has already seen this, but last year an article appeared on Labelscar about this mall (whatever it's called this week). They had a very strange experience to say the least when visiting at night back in 2010. Scope it here: http://www.labelscar.com/ohio/forest-fair-mall-cincinnati-mills-cincinnati-mall-cincinnati-ohio
December 2, 201212 yr Yes - I've been inside when it's just been a dark concourse. It's creepy as hell, to find just a handful of stores open in complete darkness.
December 2, 201212 yr Yes - I've been inside when it's just been a dark concourse. It's creepy as hell, to find just a handful of stores open in complete darkness. I just walked around there yesterday, and there are no stores open except for the anchors, the Danberry movie theatre, and one restaurant in the food court. Many of the walkways and escalators are barricaded off.
December 3, 201212 yr That's sad. It's also no surprise that the agriculture museum/mountain bike/etc. development isn't happening, either.
December 20, 201212 yr Taestell, When you visited the mall, was the arcade type store already closed? It had games and some movies for sale. I visited it back in the summer Cheryl
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