Posts Tagged ‘Northwest Plaza’
Hundreds gather to support revitalization of Northwest Plaza
Supporters of all ages packed Northwest Plaza's center court today to show support and discuss ideas for the mall's revitalization.
Nearly 300 concerned citizens gathered today at Northwest Plaza, aiming to spur interest in its revitalization. The mall-walk and unofficial rally was organized by St. Ann resident Steve Erdelen, who grew up hanging out at the plaza’s Grand Court Fountain in the 1960s and 70s and recently launched a popular Facebook group called “I hung out at the fountain at Northwest Plaza as a teenager.”
As supporters streamed into the mall this afternoon, many astonished by just how empty it has become, security guards and other mall employees noted that they hadn’t seen this many people at Northwest Plaza in at least five years. “A lot of folks assume it’s dangerous here, but the fact is it’s mostly just dead,” one Sears employee told me. “I would love to see the place redeveloped, because it has so much potential.”
St. Ann mayor Gary Guittar addresses the crowd of Northwest Plaza supporters
That sentiment was echoed frequently at the rally, with most of the attendees recalling fond memories of Northwest Plaza and many still residing in the North County area. “It’s just such a waste,” Judy Gaithers of Overland said. “I don’t see Northwest Plaza becoming what it used to be, but surely it can be converted into something positive.” A corporate headquarters, a college campus, a mixed-use development with residential and retail – those were some of the ideas being kicked around the crowd.
Yet despite the hopeful spirit of today’s gathering, mall management tried to prohibit the media from taking photographs and initially denied Erdelen’s request to hold a much larger event. “This is not an insurrection, it’s a resurrection,” he told the audience, which included officials and staff from the city of St. Ann. “We’re here to show our support for the future of Northwest Plaza.”
“We will revitalize this mall,” St. Ann mayor Gary Guittar later assured the crowd. “With the support of citizens like you, we can do this.”
He and Erdelen then led the group on a quick mall-walk, firing up many attendees but also raising questions with others. “I’m thrilled to see so many people show up today,” a Florissant woman with two young children told me. “But what’s next? Where do we go from here?”
Mall-Walkers Aim to Rejuvenate Northwest Plaza
On January 23, a group of concerned citizens will gather to mall-walk at Northwest Plaza in hopes of spurring interest in its revitalization.
Though Northwest Plaza was once touted as the “largest mall in the world,” boasting nearly 200 retailers, today you can walk its massive, lifeless corridors and barely find a store or another shopper in sight. Following foreclosure in 2009 and the recent news that anchor Macy’s is closing, the mall’s future definitely hangs in question. But St. Ann resident Steve Erdelen, who grew up hanging out at the Plaza’s Grand Court Fountain, has a plan that he hopes can change that.
In late December, Erdelen, 54, started the Facebook group “I hung out at the fountain at Northwest Plaza as a teenager,” quickly drawing more than 700 members. Inspired by the enthusiastic response, he launched a successful spin-off group, “Let’s Revitalize Northwest Plaza Now!,” and is currently aiming to funnel that interest into a genuine grassroots movement.
On Saturday, January 23, Erdelen is inviting anyone with a desire to see Northwest Plaza revitalized to join him at the mall, on the site of the late fountain, for a mall-walk and informal reunion. He attempted to organize a formal gathering – a big bash featuring live music and probably more simultaneous visitors than the mall has seen in years – but mall managers told him that would not be possible. So onto plan B…the mall-walk.
“This cannot be considered an ‘event’ because many groups of people walk the mall every day,” Erdelen says. “There will just be a lot more mall-walkers on that day.” And what does he hope to achieve with this walk? Primarily draw attention to the fact that plenty of St. Louisans still care deeply about Northwest Plaza and want to see it rejuvenated.
“It became apparent that everyone wanted to get back together, so why not do it at the mall and generate some awareness that we really do care about Northwest Plaza’s future and we want to do something about it,” Erdelen said. “By creating a voice of thousands of interested parties, we hope to convince local government and developers that there is a demand for revitalization and a market for business.”
Personally, Erdelen would like to see Northwest Plaza converted into a mixed-use development featuring both retail and residential. He also believes it’s imperative that the mall return to its original open-air design, which offered more of a neighborhood feel and many unique architectural features, including the modernist fountain that Erdelen and so many others are nostalgic about to this day.
Once Northwest Plaza went into foreclosure in 2009, it was purchased by St. Ann Shopping Center LLC, a newly formed conglomerate of institutional investors that obtained the property for $29.95 million after being the sole bidders. Several years ago, the city of St. Ann formerly approved tax increment financing (TIF) of up to $98 million to revitalize the mall, and city officials once discussed the possibility of locating a Wal-Mart and even an Ikea there, but since the new owners took over, no firm plans for redevelopment have been shared with the public. Perhaps Erdelen’s mall-walk can start the ball rolling once again…
If you care about the future of Northwest Plaza and would like to join Steve and his legion of Facebook fans, meet at the mall’s center court, in the raised stage area, at 1pm on Saturday, January 23.
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Time Capsule: Northwest Plaza
After decades of gradual decline and various owners, Northwest Plaza went into foreclosure this year and was sold on September 1. The new owners, a conglomerate of 17 pension and investment funds, say they will continue to maintain the mall and keep it open while searching for a new developer.
Visiting the mall today, it’s hard to believe that it was ever a thriving shopping center. But in fact, when Northwest Plaza opened in the 1960s, it was a stylish and vibrant destination featuring striking architecture and unique modern sculpture.
click on images for a larger view
