Century III Mall
Encyclopedia
Century III Mall is a regional shopping mall located in the southern suburb of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
. It is the fourth largest shopping mall
in the Greater Pittsburgh area. Opened in 1979, and remodeled in 1997, the three-level mall contains 1290000 square feet (119,844.9 m²) of retail space and approximately 110 stores (out of approximately 180 locations). Anchor retailers at Century III Mall include Dick's Sporting Goods
, J. C. Penney
, Macy's
and Sears
. It is currently being operated by Jones Lang LaSalle
.
and the Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel Corporation in the early 1970s. The name Century III was conceived at the time of the nation's Bicentennial, making light of the time at hand – the advent of America's third century. When the mall opened in 1979, it was the 3rd largest enclosed shopping center in the world. The site is a recycled former U.S. Steel
industrial area, a huge slag pile once known as Brown's Dump. Slag, a waste product of steel making, had for years been transported by rail cars from the mills of Pittsburgh to this once remote valley. The pile grew until it became an artificial mountain, as hard as concrete and large enough to contain a mall (as well as many satellite stores). Because of abandoned coal mines beneath the construction site, real concrete had to be pumped underground before construction could begin. More concrete was said to be used in the filling of the old mines than was used in the mall itself.
in nearby Homestead
, which opened in 1999 and expanded over the years as well as South Hills Village
, located only five miles to the west in Bethel Park. Other factors, such as the worsening economy and retailer bankruptcies, are also negatively affecting the mall. In 1999, it lost a major tenant when Federated Department Stores
closed the Lazarus store due to under-performing sales. Other major stores, such as T.J. Maxx & More
and Wickes Furniture, have since moved, only to be replaced by stores typically found in less productive malls. As early as 2003, Century III Mall was about 20% vacant http://retailtrafficmag.com/development/construction/retail_pittsburgh_pops/, and as of 2006, it was 30% vacant http://mckeesport.dementia.org/blog/000578.html. Today, the mall is roughly 40% vacant with over a third of its spaces occupied by independent merchants. Specialty stores such as KB Toys
, Dollar Tree
, Express
, Steve and Barry's, The Disney Store, Old Navy
, Ritz Camera and Macy's Furniture Gallery
, have closed or moved over the years, sometimes never to be filled again. The once-sprawling food court, previously home to over 20 eateries, is now limited to only eight, ranging from Charley's Grilled Subs
to Subway
. Ruby Tuesday, a longtime dining establishment, also closed down in December 2008. In 2010, La Hacienda opened in the former Ruby Tuesday space, although it can no longer be accessed from inside the mall. Likewise, certain sections of the mall have been permanently barricaded and blocked off to the general public, further compounding the mall's growing troubles.
Simon Property Group
defaulted on its $78 million loan for Century III Mall in August 2011, ultimately transferring ownership to its lenders. The mall was on the selling block since 2006 as Simon determined that the mall didn't fit its long-term overview of the company and focused on investing in its more affluent properties in major cities. As of September 1, 2011, the mall is being managed by Jones Lang LaSalle
.
As the mall continues to languish, this has also affected the mall's assessment value, which stood at $66 million in April 2009, a 40 percent decrease from the previous $112 million in recent years. Prior to that, the mall was valued at $128 million. In June 2009, it decreased further to $58 million.
In June 2009, Century III Mall was named one of America's most endangered malls by U.S. News & World Report
.
The empty anchor location that used to house Macy's
Furniture Gallery & Clearance Center has a very full history. In 1979, it was built as a new location for the Chicago
-based Montgomery Ward
chain, which was attempting to expand its presence in the Pittsburgh area. This Wards location only lasted a few years however, and ultimately the entire Wards chain went bankrupt and was liquidated. In 1986, the location then became a unit of The Joseph Horne Company
(owned by the New York City based Associated Dry Goods Corporation
) which then closed its nearby Brentwood store. In 1994, the location changed names again when the Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores
purchased Horne's and converted the chain's locations into its own Lazarus
regional nameplate
. In 1998, after operating a few years as Lazarus, Federated closed several locations including the Century III store. The location then became a unit of Kaufmann's
(which was the largest of the three Pittsburgh-based department store
chains), who then opened a Furniture Gallery in that location. Kaufmann's was a division of the St. Louis-based May Department Stores Company. On July 18, 2005, Federated Department Stores purchased the May Department Stores Company. That purchase brought Kaufmann's under Federated ownership. On September 9, 2006, Federated converted all former May Company
regional department store nameplates, including Kaufmann's, into Macy's as part of a nationwide re-branding program. That caused the Kaufmann's Furniture Gallery location to be returned once again to Federated Department Stores ownership and renamed Macy's Furniture Gallery. In January 2009, the Macy's Furniture Gallery shuttered its Century III location as a cost-cutting measure.
She's Out of My League
were filmed at Century III Mall.
West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
West Mifflin is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, located southeast of downtown Pittsburgh. The population was 20,313 at the 2010 census....
. It is the fourth largest shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
in the Greater Pittsburgh area. Opened in 1979, and remodeled in 1997, the three-level mall contains 1290000 square feet (119,844.9 m²) of retail space and approximately 110 stores (out of approximately 180 locations). Anchor retailers at Century III Mall include Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. , or Dick's, is a Fortune 500 American corporation in the sporting goods and retail industries.The company's headquarters are on the grounds of Pittsburgh International Airport in Findlay Township near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dick's has 451 stores in 42 states as of...
, J. C. Penney
J. C. Penney
-External links:*...
, Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
and Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...
. It is currently being operated by Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc. is a multinational financial and professional services company specializing in real estate. Global headquarters are located in Chicago, with an operational remit covering the Americas regional market...
.
History
The planning and development of the Century III Mall began as a collaboration between the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation of Youngstown, OhioYoungstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
and the Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel Corporation in the early 1970s. The name Century III was conceived at the time of the nation's Bicentennial, making light of the time at hand – the advent of America's third century. When the mall opened in 1979, it was the 3rd largest enclosed shopping center in the world. The site is a recycled former U.S. Steel
U.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
industrial area, a huge slag pile once known as Brown's Dump. Slag, a waste product of steel making, had for years been transported by rail cars from the mills of Pittsburgh to this once remote valley. The pile grew until it became an artificial mountain, as hard as concrete and large enough to contain a mall (as well as many satellite stores). Because of abandoned coal mines beneath the construction site, real concrete had to be pumped underground before construction could begin. More concrete was said to be used in the filling of the old mines than was used in the mall itself.
Decline
The gradual decline of Century III Mall can be attributed to the development of the WaterfrontThe Waterfront
The Waterfront is a super-regional open air shopping mall spanning the three boroughs of Homestead, West Homestead and Munhall near Pittsburgh. The shopping mall sits on land once occupied by U.S. Steel's Homestead Steel Works plant, which closed in 1987. It has a gross leasable area of in "The...
in nearby Homestead
Homestead, Pennsylvania
Homestead is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA, in the "Mon Valley," southeast of downtown Pittsburgh and directly across the river from the city limit line. The borough is known for the Homestead Strike of 1892, an important event in the history of labor relations in the United...
, which opened in 1999 and expanded over the years as well as South Hills Village
South Hills Village
South Hills Village is a two-level shopping mall located in the Pittsburgh suburbs of Bethel Park and Upper St. Clair. It was developed by the Oxford Development Co. as the first shopping complex to be built as a fully enclosed structure. The two-level complex is currently owned by Simon Property...
, located only five miles to the west in Bethel Park. Other factors, such as the worsening economy and retailer bankruptcies, are also negatively affecting the mall. In 1999, it lost a major tenant when Federated Department Stores
Federated Department Stores
Macy's, Inc. is a department store holding company and owner of Macy's and Bloomingdale's department stores. Macy's Inc.'s stores specialize mostly in retail clothing, jewelery, watches, dinnerware, and furniture....
closed the Lazarus store due to under-performing sales. Other major stores, such as T.J. Maxx & More
T.J. Maxx
T.J. Maxx, sometimes referred to as TJ's or the Maxx, is an American department store chain owned by TJX Companies. With more than 900 stores T.J. Maxx is a major clothes retailer in the United States, whilst also operating stores in a number of other countries.-History:In 1976, T.J...
and Wickes Furniture, have since moved, only to be replaced by stores typically found in less productive malls. As early as 2003, Century III Mall was about 20% vacant http://retailtrafficmag.com/development/construction/retail_pittsburgh_pops/, and as of 2006, it was 30% vacant http://mckeesport.dementia.org/blog/000578.html. Today, the mall is roughly 40% vacant with over a third of its spaces occupied by independent merchants. Specialty stores such as KB Toys
KB Toys
K·B Toys was a chain of mall-based retail toy stores in the United States. It was founded in 1922 by the Kaufman brothers. K·B operated 605 stores in 44 U.S. states, Puerto Rico as well as Guam. It was privately held in Pittsfield, Massachusetts...
, Dollar Tree
Dollar Tree
Dollar Tree, Inc. is an American chain of discount variety stores that sells every item for $1.00 or less. A Fortune 500 company, Dollar Tree is headquartered in Chesapeake, Virginia and operates 4,010 stores throughout the 48 contiguous U.S. states. Its stores are supported by a nationwide...
, Express
Express (store)
EXPRESS is an American fashion retailer headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and New York, New York. Express operates over 550 stores in the United States and generates $1.8 billion in annual sales.-History:...
, Steve and Barry's, The Disney Store, Old Navy
Old Navy
Old Navy is an American clothing brand as well as a chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc., with corporate operations in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco.Gap, Inc. was run by...
, Ritz Camera and Macy's Furniture Gallery
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
, have closed or moved over the years, sometimes never to be filled again. The once-sprawling food court, previously home to over 20 eateries, is now limited to only eight, ranging from Charley's Grilled Subs
Charley's Grilled Subs
Charley's Grilled Subs is a sandwich chain headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.The chain has 400 locations in 46 states and Puerto Rico in the United States and in 15 other countries, including Canada, Dubai, Germany, Guam, Italy, Iraq, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Panama, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom,...
to Subway
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
. Ruby Tuesday, a longtime dining establishment, also closed down in December 2008. In 2010, La Hacienda opened in the former Ruby Tuesday space, although it can no longer be accessed from inside the mall. Likewise, certain sections of the mall have been permanently barricaded and blocked off to the general public, further compounding the mall's growing troubles.
Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group, Inc. is an American commercial real estate company, ranked #1 in the United States as the largest real estate investment trust. Simon is a fully integrated real estate company which operates from five retail real estate platforms: regional malls, Premium Outlet Centers, The...
defaulted on its $78 million loan for Century III Mall in August 2011, ultimately transferring ownership to its lenders. The mall was on the selling block since 2006 as Simon determined that the mall didn't fit its long-term overview of the company and focused on investing in its more affluent properties in major cities. As of September 1, 2011, the mall is being managed by Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc. is a multinational financial and professional services company specializing in real estate. Global headquarters are located in Chicago, with an operational remit covering the Americas regional market...
.
As the mall continues to languish, this has also affected the mall's assessment value, which stood at $66 million in April 2009, a 40 percent decrease from the previous $112 million in recent years. Prior to that, the mall was valued at $128 million. In June 2009, it decreased further to $58 million.
In June 2009, Century III Mall was named one of America's most endangered malls by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
.
Former anchors
- Gimbels – later split between Marshall's (upper level) and TJ Maxx (lower level), latter eventually becoming TJ Maxx & More
- Horne'sHorne'sThe Joseph Horne Company, often referred to simply as Joseph Horne's or Horne's, was an iconic, regional department store chain based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The store was one of the oldest in the country being founded on February 22, 1849 but due to its regional presence in the country, it...
– later Lazarus - Kaufmann'sKaufmann'sKaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last...
– now Macy's - Kaufmann's FurnitureKaufmann'sKaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last...
– later Macy's Furniture Gallery - LazarusLazarus (department store)F&R Lazarus & Company — commonly known as Lazarus — was a regional department store retail chain operating primarily in the U.S. Midwest, and based in Columbus, Ohio...
– later Kaufmann's Furniture - MarshallsMarshallsMarshalls, Inc., is a chain of American department stores owned by TJX Companies. Marshalls has over 750 conventional stores, as well as larger stores named Marshalls Mega Store, covering 42 states and Puerto Rico. Marshalls expanded into Canada in March 2011...
– later Wickes Furniture - Macy's Furniture GalleryMacy'sMacy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
– closed January 2009 - Montgomery WardMontgomery WardMontgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
– later Horne's - Steve & Barry'sSteve & Barry'sSteve & Barry's was an American retail clothing chain, featuring casual apparel. By mid-2008, the chain operated 276 stores in 39 states. The company was headquartered in Port Washington, New York. The company liquidated all of its stores throughout 2008....
– closed January 2009 - TJ Maxx/TJ Maxx & More – later Steve & Barry's
- Wickes FurnitureWickes FurnitureWickes Furniture, owned by Sun Capital Partners, was a privately held chain of furniture stores based in Wheeling, Illinois. The company was founded in 1971 with a showroom in Fridley, Minnesota, and at its peak operated 43 stores in California, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada, and Oregon.The company,...
– now Dick's Sporting Goods
The empty anchor location that used to house Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
Furniture Gallery & Clearance Center has a very full history. In 1979, it was built as a new location for the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
-based Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
chain, which was attempting to expand its presence in the Pittsburgh area. This Wards location only lasted a few years however, and ultimately the entire Wards chain went bankrupt and was liquidated. In 1986, the location then became a unit of The Joseph Horne Company
Horne's
The Joseph Horne Company, often referred to simply as Joseph Horne's or Horne's, was an iconic, regional department store chain based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The store was one of the oldest in the country being founded on February 22, 1849 but due to its regional presence in the country, it...
(owned by the New York City based Associated Dry Goods Corporation
Associated Dry Goods
Associated Dry Goods was a chain of department stores that merged with May Department Stores in 1986. It was founded in 1916 as an association of independent stores called American Dry Goods, based in New York City.-History:...
) which then closed its nearby Brentwood store. In 1994, the location changed names again when the Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores
Federated Department Stores
Macy's, Inc. is a department store holding company and owner of Macy's and Bloomingdale's department stores. Macy's Inc.'s stores specialize mostly in retail clothing, jewelery, watches, dinnerware, and furniture....
purchased Horne's and converted the chain's locations into its own Lazarus
Lazarus (department store)
F&R Lazarus & Company — commonly known as Lazarus — was a regional department store retail chain operating primarily in the U.S. Midwest, and based in Columbus, Ohio...
regional nameplate
Nameplate
A nameplate identifies and displays a person or product's name. Name plates are usually shaped as rectangles but are also seen in other shapes, sometimes taking on the shape of someone’s name...
. In 1998, after operating a few years as Lazarus, Federated closed several locations including the Century III store. The location then became a unit of Kaufmann's
Kaufmann's
Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last...
(which was the largest of the three Pittsburgh-based department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
chains), who then opened a Furniture Gallery in that location. Kaufmann's was a division of the St. Louis-based May Department Stores Company. On July 18, 2005, Federated Department Stores purchased the May Department Stores Company. That purchase brought Kaufmann's under Federated ownership. On September 9, 2006, Federated converted all former May Company
May Company
May Company may refer to several American businesses:*The May Department Stores Company, a defunct retail company acquired by Federated Department Stores in 2006**May Company California, a defunct California department store that merged with J. W...
regional department store nameplates, including Kaufmann's, into Macy's as part of a nationwide re-branding program. That caused the Kaufmann's Furniture Gallery location to be returned once again to Federated Department Stores ownership and renamed Macy's Furniture Gallery. In January 2009, the Macy's Furniture Gallery shuttered its Century III location as a cost-cutting measure.
In popular culture
Some scenes from the 2010 romance comedy filmFilm
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
She's Out of My League
She's Out of My League
She's Out of My League is a 2010 American romantic comedy film directed by Jim Field Smith and written by Sean Anders and John Morris. The film has, in its starring roles, Jay Baruchel and Alice Eve, and was produced by Jimmy Miller for Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks and filmed in Pittsburgh,...
were filmed at Century III Mall.