After Googling Horton Plaza, that would be a perfect template by which to renovate City Center.

 

They should definitely consider opening Town St. back up to reconnect High and 3rd. For those who don't know, the mall was built ontop of Town St., cutting off access to High St. from 3rd, so now Town deadends into a vacant storefront heading west. Putting Town St. through City Center would (1) open the mall up to the environment around it, (2) allow for more foot traffic, (3) reduce the size of the mall and available storefronts, as City Center is far too big for what the area can support. I would love to see Town St. running through the mall feature a mix of grocers and delis, as well as local artisan stores and clothing stores, almost replecating the former farmers market that used to stand where City Center is today, but not taking away from the North Market. It would also be great to see the outdoor skating rink, which also used to sit where City Center currently sits, return to downtown, similar to Horton Plaza.

 

The facade of the entire mall needs to be changes also, so that it complements the urban landscape instead of repelling it as it currently does. I would like to see a residential tower with a ground floor grocer in the open parcel of land on the corner of Rich and High St as well. However, in my dreams, I have Limited Brands taking over Neiman Marcus (which is proposed), building a new flagship store downtown on the plot of land, and Limited Brands building their new 60-story world headquarters on top of the new store. (Hey, one can dream, right?) :wink2:

Ah I remember 10 years ago when people said how great city center is and how cities like Cincinnati needed to be like Columbus and build their own downtown mall in order to attract people to the center city. For once I am glad people in Cincy never bought into that misguided view.

Ah I remember 10 years ago when people said how great city center is and how cities like Cincinnati needed to be like Columbus and build their own downtown mall in order to attract people to the center city. For once I am glad people in Cincy never bought into that misguided view.

 

What about tower place?  Isn't that a mall?

Tower place was never designed to be the same type of mall or have the same appeal as city center or Circle Mall in Indy. The planners of tower place purposefully tried to create a small scale mall, which would not have the anchor department stores to minimize the amount of street shopping that would have been lost. Yes, Tower Place is a mall, but it was not on the same level as city center.

^unfortunately, the same cannot be said about tower city ***

^unfortunately, the same cannot be said about tower city ***

 

Yea, but Tower City is a lot more functional as a city square than the City Center mall and Tower place could be. True the big time stores are no longer in Tower city but it still is a very viable mall. Tower city has a hotel complex, and it is a major rail, bus hub for the city where a lot of transfers take place thus making people converge on the area. The fact that it is also a major connection to the Jacobs field Gund arena areas and the Stokes courthouse will continue to sustain it. Sure it will no longer have stores like J crew or Coach or whatever the new trend is but there will be stores that will be drawn there because Tower City will always be a hub to draw people.

 

If you want to draw parrellels in Cleveland of a failed downtown mall, look at the Galleria. A very nice mall built in the heart of the buisness district connected to a major office tower. It caters solely to the work crowd and has no sustainability after hours. It is not conveinent to the hotels, or stadiums,  and there really is no other retail in the area to draw people to the mall.

^you don't like the hungarian museum?

^you don't like the hungarian museum?

 

Oooooh!

Where (in Cleveland, I'd presume) is this Hungarian Museum?

Isn't it in the Galleria?!?

yes, yes it is.....

City Center is a mall, no?

 

All my friends from OSU do their shopping at Tuttle Crossing mall, a good 12 mile drive.  OSU is right outside downtown, BTW. 

 

City Center is a doomed concept.  If Columbus's downtown had more pedestrian traffic to begin with it would have been better off, but it sadly does not.

Does City Center have a food court?  It didn't when I went there. 

It could be a way to draw people in for lunch...that is about the only thing that brings people to the Galleria in Cleveland

City Center has various food vendors within the mall but not a single "food court."

Is City Center attached to a hotel?  Most urban malls that I've seen are attached to good sized hotels.  That creates internal pedestrian traffic.

Yes City Center is attached to the Hyatt on Capitol Square.  20 floors.

 

I work downtown, and it is quite busy for lunch in there during the hours of around 12-2.

City Center was pretty sucessfull when it opened, had some fairly upscale stores, if I recall right, on the very top floor, as well as a Marshall Fields as an anchor dept store (paired w. that old Lazarus).

 

 

When I went to OSU (1999-2002), I knew plenty of students who would take the High St. COTA line from Longs Bookstore to City Center.

 

With Gateway, OSU is hoping those students now will stay around and not go to Tuttle instead.

The question is what is going to move into City Center once Kauffmans goes out of business probably within the next 2 years??

 

Would shoppers from the suburbs be drawn down to city center to shop in Columbus's hometown department store Value City at the City Center.

Luckily all of the Limited chain stores remain at the mall, 21 Forever, American Eagle and a few other chains.  If the mall is smart they will try to keep the remaining key stores and renovate now maybe lowering the number of retail spaces or closing the third level and adding stores that appeal to vistors and people who live and or work downtown.  I live just down the street from the mall and still make trips to Express because its convenient.  I feel it will be hard for Kaufmans to stay afloat without a major mall supporting it, but I hope somehow they can lure customers without the mall connection being strong.  Also, someone said they should add a hotel etc, when City Center was built the Hyatt on Capital Square was part of the project and is still connected to to the mall and the Ohio Theater.

Just curious, which space is Kauffman's in?  Originally wasn't there Lazarus, Marshall Field's and Jacobson's in there?  I seem to recall that the Field's store was really nice...kind of a smaller version of the flagship State St store...is that where Kauffman's is?  If so, that would be a nice store even though Kaufmann's is kind of junky...even the flagship downtown store in Pittsburgh is in pretty rough shape.

If the mall is smart they will try to keep the remaining key stores and renovate now maybe lowering the number of retail spaces or closing the third level and adding stores that appeal to vistors and people who live and or work downtown.

 

I think that is key. City Center as it currently stands is far too big for the area it now serves and needs to have storefronts removed. Also as mentioned, City Center is only really busy during the lunch hour, as there are still some decent restuarants in the mall, but no food court. As I mentioned earlier, they should make Town St. cut through the mall and stick the restaurants facing the open areas. I think the demand still remains for several chain stores, and Limited's hometown ties should at least keep some in there. As far as Kaufmann's future goes, it's really up in the air as far as I'm concerned. Considering Federated had no intentions of keeping the Flagship Lazarus store open, I don't see why their stance should chage as far as the downtown Kaufmann's goes.

 

I seem to recall that the Field's store was really nice...kind of a smaller version of the flagship State St store...is that where Kauffman's is?

 

That's correct. When Field's left the Columbus market, Kaufmann's took over both their location in City Center and the Mall at Tuttle Crossing. The store's interior is very nice, but the exterior is horrid, and looks extremely out of place and is in no way inviting to foot traffic, or just about any other traffic in general. Renovations would certainly have to be made there to keep the department store viable.

i think they should redo the outside to fit with the fifth third tower. or if they open up town street, just the half next to 5/3. then do something different for the other side...maybe louie sullivan can cook something up still...  :drunk:

From Business First of Columbus, 12/26/05:

 

What's with City Center?

Mills Corp. mum on plans for the once regal mall, but many see it continuing to change

Kathy Showalter, Business First

 

Tattoo store operator Joseph Dudley wasn't encouraged the first time a friend suggested he call Columbus City Center about leasing space in the downtown mall.  Dudley, owner of the Carpé Diem Dermal Art Studio, had approached shopping center managers about finding a place in high-traffic retail centers, but he was always turned down.  "People's views toward tattooing still hadn't changed," he said.

 

But Dudley figures those attitudes may be softened now, because since Nov. 21 he has been leasing a 2,300-square-foot space on City Center's second floor - a spot last occupied by a Nine West shoe store.  Once the top spot for Central Ohio shoppers, demand for space in the 1.2 million-square-foot mall is so slack that specialty shops like Carpé Diem occupy storefronts that national chains once bid to fill.

 

That won't be the case forever, however.

 

Mills Corp., which assumed 50 percent ownership of City Center from General Motors Asset Management Corp. and took over its management a year ago, is working on a second life for the 16-year-old mall.  Columbus officials won't forecast an outcome, but they're confident City Center's future won't be the same as its high-flying past.

 

Read more at http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/12/26/story3.html?from_rss=1

Why don't we just turn City Center into a giant Dollar Store?  What a waste!

City Center tenants dwindle

COLUMBUS DISPATCH Jan. 2, 2006

 

More well-known stores are closing their doors at Columbus City Center. During December, the list of tenants that ceased operations at the Downtown mall included American Eagle Outfitters, Christian St. John, Perfumania and Yankee Candle. City Center Diner, on the first floor, also closed.  Now, Lane Bryant is conducting a going-out-ofbusiness sale. An employee said last week that it will close in mid-January.

 

Read more at http://dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/01/02/20060102-E8-00.html

i am very happy to hear about these shops pulling out. that will spur change. honestly the whole mall needs to go away -- keep the parking garage and rebuild a lifestyle-type mall in its place with residential diversity above and around the shops. maybe something like cityplace in west palm beach for example?

 

http://www.cityplace.com/cityplace_photo.html

 

 

Is City Center underground?

No.  It is about 3 stories above ground.

Interesting..I've been there twice and always had the feeling that it was below grade.

City Center wasn't like that at one time. At one time, we had Gucci, Henri Bendel, Ralph Lauren, Jacobsons, and Marshall Fields. We were the shopping destination of Ohio! How we long for those days again. I think they should turn City Center into an Easton-type shopping center, except City Center will be in a real "town" center! Some people say that with Columbus' cold weather it won't work, but look at Easton! I'm sure that the Mills Corp. has something great in mind for City Center!

Does Eaton heat its sidewalks?  I like that aspect of Legacy Village.

^Yes.

This is not good news for COlumbus' City Center Mall, which is pretty much on life support as it is.

 

Malls’ owner scales back plans

Mills Corp. in default on some loans, filings reveal

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Jeffrey Sheban, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

The owner of Columbus City Center and the Mall at Tuttle Crossing has run into financial difficulties and is scrapping millions of dollars worth of projects.  A filing by Mills Corp. is potentially more bad news for City Center, which is facing a rash of tenant defections as Mills contemplates how to revive the ailing Downtown shopping center.

 

Mills, which bought a controlling interest in both malls in October 2004, disclosed late last week in Securities and Exchange Commission filings that it is in default on some loans and that it must restate financial results as far back as 2000.  Mills stock has lost one-third of its value in six months and the company is now seen by some as a takeover target.

 

Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/01/10/20060110-E1-01.html

Topic merged.

 

There is a search box in the top right corner for finding existing threads.

 

why wimwar heated sidewalks are de rigeur in the modern northern lifestyle mall. my heaven don't you know?

 

lol!

 

seriously, tear out most of cc --- its a great spot for one of those new type malls. it would make for a sharp positive tipping point for downtown residential. while they are at it heat those sidewalks too.

 

 

City Center can recover by catering to urban life

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Ann Fisher, The Columbus Dispatch

 

In 1990, the general manager of Columbus City Center sneered at the thought of kiosks in his marble-plated homage to the great American shopping experience.  His big-box domain was the fantasy mall — in his own mind.  City Center isn’t so snooty now, with airbrush T-shirt stores and a tattoo parlor on board.  Current owners — the other guy is long gone, along with the Taubman Co. — can’t even fill the kiosks someone sank so low as to bring in.

 

Here’s a fantasy: Give Downtown, German Village and other center-city workers and residents what they want and need: tools, furniture, crafts and good food and drink. Henri Bendel was a nice thought, but most Downtowners will be nesting when they aren’t hitting the bars, or empty-nesting when they aren’t working and traveling.  Make it easy to shop during lunch breaks, and offer free Downtown residential delivery.

 

Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/01/11/20060111-E1-04.html

City Center owner stands by plans for mall, official says

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Jeffrey Sheban

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

The owners of Columbus City Center mall have told Columbus officials that they remain committed to the ailing shopping center, despite financial problems that are forcing the company to retrench.  Bob McLaughlin, the city’s Downtown development director, said Mills Corp. contacted city officials over the weekend to express interest in the mall.  "Our dialogue with Mills has not changed in its tenor, and there’s been no alteration of their position that City Center remains part of their strategy," he said.

 

Mills Corp., of Arlington, Va., disclosed late last week that it is in default on some loans and that it must restate financial results as far back as 2000. The developer, which owns, manages and leases 42 malls, said that it will abandon 10 projects at a cost of $71 million and will focus its efforts on others that are "most likely to enhance shareholder value."

 

Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/01/11/20060111-D2-00.html

More City Center stores closing

Limited’s presence to shrink, sources say

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Jeffrey Sheban THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

One of Columbus City Center’s largest remaining tenants is preparing to scale back operations there.  Limited Brands expects to close three of six Columbus City Center mall stores by the end of the month, sources close to the situation said yesterday.  The moves, which are not final but are proceeding in that direction, would involve the Limited, Express Men and Victoria’s Secret Beauty stores.  That would leave an Express store for women, Victoria’s Secret and the combination Bath & Body Works and White Barn Candle store.

 

The Express women’s store on the third floor would become a dual-gender store while Victoria’s Secret Beauty, which sells perfume and lotion, would become a department within the Victoria’s Secret lingerie store, also on the third floor.  City Center property manager Jory Thomas was out of the office yesterday and not available for comment.  Limited Brands spokesman Anthony Hebron said he couldn’t comment. "Nothing has been finalized," he said.

 

Read more http://dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/02/18/20060218-B1-00.html

Two words: grand plaza. Best of all, it'd be mixed use.

Once the downtown area picks up enough people, I could see City Center being the destination for downtown residents to do chain store/"medium" box shopping.  By this I mean some non-mall typically suburban stores that could be redone into an urban setup.  Because of logistics, the City Center could handle larger stores getting larger deliveries that other parts of downtown couldn't (and wouldn't) want to accommodate.  If they put in the right mix of stores, I could see it not hurting the smaller shops (not sure about this).  Just no Wal-Marts please!!  The center wouldn't be a destination for suburbanites, but with enough local customers it wouldn't have to be.

 

They could build apartments above the mall to add more density.  With a little different situation, they built a mall with apartments and student housing into old gas holding tanks in Vienna, Austria.  Just an example of the creative things you can do with old or outdated space.  Here is the website (sorry, many parts are in German):

 

http://www.wiener-gasometer.at/en/

 

Another idea for the mall could be offices mixed in.  In fact, it could be somewhat like the plans for the Lazarus building.  Instead, they could make it into a small office/small business incubator for entrepreneurs who would like to open offices downtown but couldn't afford space in some of the highrises.  If some of the businesses really took off, then they would be more likely to stay downtown and expand. 

 

The space could combine this small office idea with apartments/condos for a unique live-work arrangement.

 

Whatever they decide on, I do agree that it sould be given a face lift and/or be split into smaller sections.  Right now it is very ugly!  Especially that part on High Street with the grassy knoll in front of it that has the painted skyline picture.   

 

 

 

Whatever they decide on, I do agree that it sould be given a face lift and/or be split into smaller sections.  Right now it is very ugly!  Especially that part on High Street with the grassy knoll in front of it that has the painted skyline picture.   

 

That part looks like a spot that was going to a future department store location...or one that was planned and never built.  That mall looked dated from the minute it opened...1976 suburban Randall Park Mall in the middle of 1991 Downtown Columbus. 

Three more major retailers closing doors at City Center

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Jeffrey Sheban, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

With occupancy at the Downtown mall already below 50 percent, three more national retailers have left or plan to.  The music and entertainment store f.y.e. closed last week, and two women’s retailers are liquidating stock in advance of April closings.  Forever XXI, which sells to teens and young women and occupies the largest space at City Center after Kaufmann’s, is leaving April 1.  New York & Co. is scheduled to close April 26. It sells casual and work clothes for women and used to be called Lerner New York when it was part of Limited Brands. All merchandise was 60 percent off yesterday. 

 

American Eagle Outfitters, Disney, Express Men, Lane Bryant, Limited, Victoria’s Secret Beauty and Yankee Candle also have closed this year.  City Center, built in 1989 and for nearly a decade central Ohio’s top retail destination, has been losing market share since the opening of the Mall at Tuttle Crossing in 1997, followed by Easton Town Center in 1999 and Polaris Fashion Place in 2001.

 

Read more at http://www.columbusdispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/03/18/20060318-B1-03.html

 

:x

This is just sad.  I wish that Mills would just come public with some sort of plan (assuming they have one), because as of right now no one has any faith in the future of the mall.  How many of these retailers could have been talked into staying if they saw some sort of positive future?

I don't think there is a positive future for the mall.  I think it will either have to be torn down or made into an open-air market like Easton.  I just don't think a mall was really ever meant to be in a downtown area.  Although, the only downtown malls I have ever been to have been in Indianapolis, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Columbus.  Hmmm, i guess I have been to more downtown malls that I origionally thought.  Anyway, I think the mall in Indianapolis is successful because it is connected to multiple hotels and the convention center.  The one in Chicago--the one I went to was located on Michigan Ave.--the most popular retail place in the country's third largest city, no?  City Center just isn't located in a part of downtown that I think is normally populated by out-of-towners.  Maybe if it were located closer to the convention center or the arena district, things would have been better for it.  My two cents.

Maybe if it were located closer to the convention center or the arena district, things would have been better for it.

 

There are already several shops and restaurants located in between Battelle Hall and the newer section of the convention center. There isn't enough space to put an entirely new mall with anchor stores and all, but there is already a retail element established.

 

City Center is, for all intensive purposes, dead. It's not even on life support, since no one is actively trying to recusitate it. Whether this is part of some grander scheme or not, I think they (the city, developers, whatnot) are doing the downtown area a disservice by distancing themselves away from retailers that might have had an interest in setting up shop in whatever replaces the space where City Center currently sits. I just find it odd that with so much planned for the entire area surrounding the mall, that it remains a black hole. Personally, I would have the CDDC buy the mall from Mills Corp and let Georgetown Co. and the other developers that are in charge of River South have at the mall. Maybe then something would happen.

Op-ed on what to do with City Center.

 

City Center is ideal for recreational activities

 

I see new life coming to the Columbus City Center. How fitting it would be if this shopping mall became the crown jewel of the Columbus Department of Recreation and Parks.

 

There would be basketball, badminton and volleyball courts; a fitness center with the latest equipment; gymnastics, line dancing and aerobics classes; computer classes for beginners; story times for toddlers; drawing and painting classes for teens and adults.

 

Over a typical eight-week program, people could learn how to play bridge, how to write a mystery novel or how to cook.

 

In all, the programs held indoors at other recreation centers would fit nicely at the Columbus City Center. It is safe and there is plenty of indoor parking. With all the condominiums and other new housing being built in the area, Columbus has new life coming Downtown at a gallop. So let’s have a recreation center for all the new Downtown, too. I also see Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Council President Matt Habash and Recreation & Parks Director Wayne Roberts cutting the ribbon for the grand opening of the new City Center Recreation Center. Yes, it takes vision to see the future, and I believe these gentlemen and their colleagues have that vision. JEFF GREEK Columbus

 

http://www.dispatch.com/editorials-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/03/29/20060329-A12-04.html

Interesting rumor making the rounds that City Center Mall may be bought out by Nationwide Realty, the prime developers of the Arena District.  They've certainly showed creativity and the ability to think outside the box in that development.  If this is true, City Center Mall is a "box" that could use that kind of thinking.

For the love of God, just do SOMETHING with it!  :shoot:

^Really. Especially if the whole RiverSouth thing is going to be started. With Nationwide taking up developing that area I wouldn't be surprised if they're going to be the ones to do something about City Center. Let's hope they, or someone will soon.

Rumor at least partially confirmed....I'd bet this is just the first step to a complete takeover by Nationwide.  Mills Corporation is on the ropes.

 

Ailing City Center gains adviser

Nationwide Realty’s role could grow if mall owner exits

Friday, March 31, 2006

Mike Pramik, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Nationwide Realty Investors, the developer of the Arena District, has been enlisted to help guide the future of Columbus City Center.  That future has become increasingly uncertain as the Downtown mall faces as many problems as its majority owner, Mills Corp. 

 

Occupancy rates at the mall have declined below 50 percent in recent months, while Mills is seeking a buyer for the company as its stock slides and financial troubles build.  "The Mills sale could turn the keys (of City Center) over to the city any day," said Robert Milbourne, president of the Columbus Partnership, a group of central Ohio business leaders. "Mills could say, ‘We don’t have a good plan; we’re looking for help.’

 

"I don’t know if or whether it would happen, but it certainly makes sense to be prepared for it."

 

Nationwide Realty’s role will be to help Capitol South Urban Redevelopment Corp., which owns the mall land, assess plans that Mills might put forward. It would take over as developer only if Mills walks away. "We hope that (Mills) will succeed and bring forward a plan that’s great for Downtown Columbus," said Brian Ellis, Nationwide Realty’s president. "We are absolutely hoping for the best and preparing for the worst."

 

Read more at http://dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/03/31/20060331-G1-00.html

I <3 Nationwide.