Eastland Mall Redevelopment

[monsoon]

Things Remembered, a gift shop (I'd guess) that is a national chain, near Dillard's on the upper level, has shut down.

When was Eastland last remodeled? I'd guess around 1990?

I don't ever remember there being a mass updating to the mall anywhere near the scale that was done at Southpark. It seems to me it was done more piecemeal. Belk re-did their store, the food court was revamped some, etc. I have not been in Eastland in a number of years but I don't remembering it changing much from what was there in the 1970s.

[DigitalSky]

I think in the mid 90s Dillards was renovated, its exterior notably, and also inside the fountains were removed.

[StevenRocks]

Belk looks like it was remodeled in the late '80s on the interior; the inside looked like a budget version of the Belk SouthPark interior of that era. Dillard's looks like it was redone around 1995; the Oak Hollow Mall store in High Point opened that same year and looks identical inside. The mall itself had to have been redone somewhere between Belk and Dillard's renovations, though the mall renovations, like metro said, don't seem to have been particurally extensive.

Dillard's had fountains inside? Do tell

Edited February 25, 2007 by StevenRocks

[mallguy]

The Dillard's looks also like the Haywood Mall Dillard's, which opened in '95, so I think you are all correct. Some of the in-line stores (American Eagle before it closed, The Limited...before it closed, etc.) all look like mid- to late-90s stores. So I'd guess the mall started going to pot in the late '90s. Sad.

[DigitalSky]

Belk looks like it was remodeled in the late '80s on the interior; the inside looked like a budget version of the Belk SouthPark interior of that era. Dillard's looks like it was redone around 1995; the Oak Hollow Mall store in High Point opened that same year and looks identical inside. The mall itself had to have been redone somewhere between Belk and Dillard's renovations, though the mall renovations, like metro said, don't seem to have been particurally extensive.

Dillard's had fountains inside? Do tell

Sorry, I meant the fountains inside the mall itself, not in Dillard's

[mallguy]

One thing at Eastland now that cracks me up: the vacant Belk's has simply been deleted from the mallmanacs inside the mall. Oh, all that vacant anchor space? Let's just chop it off the map on the directory and it doesn't exist. Solves that vacancy problem!

[DigitalSky]

One thing at Eastland now that cracks me up: the vacant Belk's has simply been deleted from the mallmanacs inside the mall. Oh, all that vacant anchor space? Let's just chop it off the map on the directory and it doesn't exist. Solves that vacancy problem!

yet

i wonder how long it'll stay on their website

[MZT]

The Burlington Coat Factory wing of the mall doesn't even have anything that would interest me. I have felt in the past, like the mall "ends" at the ice rink when entering from Belk.

[StevenRocks]

One thing at Eastland now that cracks me up: the vacant Belk's has simply been deleted from the mallmanacs inside the mall. Oh, all that vacant anchor space? Let's just chop it off the map on the directory and it doesn't exist. Solves that vacancy problem!

I noticed that. "Pay no attention to the store behind the curtain!" LOL

[monsoon]

I think in the mid 90s Dillards was renovated, its exterior notably, and also inside the fountains were removed.

This was done when they bought Iveys. They took the opportunity to revamp the 1970s decor somewhat.

[Datamastr]

Things Remembered, a gift shop (I'd guess) that is a national chain, near Dillard's on the upper level, has shut down.

When was Eastland last remodeled? I'd guess around 1990?

You are correct, around 1990. I know because that's when I moved into an apartment on Harris Blvd (then Newell-Hickory Grove Road) and I used to shop Eastland often. The current glass and metal handrailing on the second floor was put in then, as was the current tiling. They also took out the sunken observation areas overlooking the skating rink (anyone else remember these?).

Edited February 26, 2007 by Datamastr

[DigitalSky]

You are correct, around 1990. I know because that's when I moved into an apartment on Harris Blvd (then Newell-Hickory Grove Road) and I used to shop Eastland often. The current glass and metal handrailing on the second floor was put in then, as was the current tiling. They also took out the sunken observation areas overlooking the skating rink (anyone else remember these?).

Wow!!! You brought back memories, I totally forgot about the sunken observation areas but I remember now.

[xyhamiltonboi]

I just did some major research on Eastland Mall and here are my findings.

Eastland Mall was updated around 1997-2000 time period with a updated food court and some things done here and there. Despite many saying the mall started dying in the late 90s, it was still healthy and gaining new stores. On the list for stores opening that I could find between 1997-2001 I found Childrens Place, Kay Jewelers, Whitehall Jewelers, Lids, Journeys, Charley's Steakery, and a few other national chains. Final negociations were in the midst for Gap Kids, Old Navy 12 screen cinema and The Disney Store. When JCPenney became the outlet store the mall's traffic picked up and Gloria Jeans coffee made a bid for the mall. The mall started a downward spiral in 2003. It was when Belk announced it was thinking of leaving that everything kinda got put on hold. Glimcher spent the rest of the time working with them to see if they would stay. This is what hurt the mall

- Belk's negative perception of the mall and annoucement of closing in the future

- THe media's coverage of a dying mall

- Bankrupt chains closing in 2003 including Friedman's, Gadzooks and KB Toys

- A transit center

Then without anything being said, Glimcher annoucing they were selling the mall. I think this has put a lot of things on hold as of right now.

I want to know how the few remaining national tenants are doing in the mall. Kay Jewelers, Childrens Place and Journeys type of stores.

[DigitalSky]

Its interesting that Old Navy and even a 12 screen cinema was set to come to the mall.

[monsoon]

The mall started a downward spiral in 2003.

The mall was already in its downward spiral around 1994-1995 by which point it was being abandoned in great numbers of the middle class. I do remember being there in 1995 and feeling unsafe. It might have been my last trip there. The stores closing and leaving are a symptom of this downfall, not the cause.

[DigitalSky]

Yeah I think one shouldn't look solely at the stores that were closing/coming, because the downfall did start prior to JC Penney's departure.

[mallguy]

In Eastland's heyday, what was its fanciest store? I'd figure that every mall of that era must have had a Hart-Schaffner-Marx store or the like.

This discussion is most interesting. Amazing that even in December '06, the mall was PACKED one Saturday when I went, and I recall that even in '05 it had full-line Belk and Dillard's stores, plus a Bombay Co., but now it's a dying ghetto mall.

Edited February 27, 2007 by mallguy

[StevenRocks]

In Eastland's heyday, what was its fanciest store? I'd figure that every mall of that era must have had a Hart-Schaffner-Marx store or the like.

There was a Miller & Rhoads there at one point, but I don't know if it was the fancoiest store or not.

[mallguy]

There was a Miller & Rhoads there at one point, but I don't know if it was the fancoiest store or not.

Wow- really? Where? Was it a junior anchor?

[CLT]

Wow- really? Where? Was it a junior anchor?

As I recall it was about the same location as Champs.

[mallguy]

Wow, that is BIG. Seems as if a lot of '70s malls had tiny department stores scattered among the in-line tenants; Haywood Mall had a Meyers-Arnold where the food court is now.

So Eastland "opened to much fanfare", had good stores and was a good mall for so many years, and then it went bust!

[StevenRocks]

Wow- really? Where? Was it a junior anchor?

Like CLT was saying, it was on the JCPenney end of the mall and (I think) two levels. You can see the old exterior entrance on the upper level on the back of the mall near Sears.

M&R had a bunch of these smallish department stores in the '70s. Most of them closed down by the mid '80s, but a few held on until the end of the chain.

[uptownliving]

City of Charlotte, Belk Stores, Charlotte Chamber, and Glimcher Realty Trust are sponsering an Urban Land Institute Advisory Panel on the revitalization of Eastland Mall. The panel will present their findings on March 8th at 10am in Room 267 at the CharMeck Govt Center. The public is welcome to attend.

More details in this press release.

It is good to see this mall getting all of this attention from people that have experience in turning things around. Will be interesting to see what they come up with.

[DigitalSky]

City of Charlotte, Belk Stores, Charlotte Chamber, and Glimcher Realty Trust are sponsering an Urban Land Institute Advisory Panel on the revitalization of Eastland Mall. The panel will present their findings on March 8th at 10am in Room 267 at the CharMeck Govt Center. The public is welcome to attend.

More details in this press release.

It is good to see this mall getting all of this attention from people that have experience in turning things around. Will be interesting to see what they come up with.

I might try to attend that. I really hope something positive comes out of this. Thanks for the link UL.

[mallguy]

Funny that Belk is taking part in the revitalization efforts; I'd guess the chain just wants to see the mall's value increase so it can get a better sale price for its vacant anchor store.