Collin Creek Mall
Collin Creek Mall was a regional shopping mall in Plano, Texas, that operated from 1981 until its permanent closure in 2019 and is being replaced by a mixed-use development.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Collin Creek Mall was a regional shopping center in Plano, Texas, developed to serve the rapidly expanding communities of Collin County and the northern Dallas metropolitan area. The mall stood on the west side of North Central Expressway, or U.S. 75, near the present-day President George Bush Turnpike. Its name combined Collin County with Spring Creek, the waterway that ran beneath the property through a system of culverts. The project emerged during Plano's rapid population growth in the late 1970s. Federated Department Stores, through its real-estate subsidiary Federated Stores Realty, announced plans in 1977 for a large enclosed mall intended to attract shoppers from a wide area of North Texas. RTKL Associates designed the building in a greenhouse-inspired style. A distinctive interior centerpiece was a long indoor creek with a waterfall, fountains, and landscaping. The center court was accompanied by The Village Walk, a collection of smaller local shops, and The Patio, an early food-court area. Construction began in November 1979. Sanger Harris, a Federated department-store subsidiary, opened before the rest of the complex in October 1980. The principal mall opened on July 29, 1981, with Sears and Dillard's as initial anchors. Lord & Taylor joined the anchor lineup later that year, and JCPenney opened in 1983. The property was sold by Federated to JMB Realty Corporation in 1983 for $112 million, beginning a succession of ownership and management changes. During the 1980s and 1990s, several department-store identities changed. Sanger Harris was converted into Foley's in 1987, while Mervyn's acquired and renovated the former Lord & Taylor location in 1990. A 1992 interior renovation removed The Village Walk, replaced the original indoor creek with a smaller fountain, and renamed the food court The Terrace. The Rouse Company acquired a minority interest in 1995 and later assumed management. Rouse subsequently became part of a broader ownership arrangement involving Simon Property Group and Westfield Group before being acquired by General Growth Properties in 2004. Foley's became Macy's in 2006, and Mervyn's closed its store that same year. The vacant Mervyn's building was later converted into Amazing Jake's Food and Fun, which opened in 2008. The mall declined as newer and more modern retail destinations opened in the surrounding region, including Stonebriar Centre, Firewheel Town Center, and Allen Premium Outlets. General Growth Properties transferred Collin Creek and other underperforming properties to Rouse Properties in 2011. Although Plano offered a $600,000 grant in 2012 to support renovations and tenant recruitment, the center continued to lose commercial momentum. Dillard's announced its closure in 2013, Macy's closed in March 2017, and the property was classified as a special-consideration asset in 2014. A subsequent report stated that the mall had not been profitable since 2011. In 2015, ownership transferred to Midland Loan Services, a division of PNC Financial Services, for $57.6 million. Several redevelopment concepts followed. Dreien Partners proposed a roughly $1 billion mixed-use plan in 2018 involving offices, homes, restaurants, green space, and a synthetic river, but financing and lender disputes prevented the purchase from closing. Centurion American announced a separate plan in August 2018 and acquired the property later that year. Sears and Amazing Jake's closed in spring 2019, while JCPenney remained open on a separate parcel for a time. The mall held a 1980s-themed farewell event on July 26, 2019, and permanently closed on July 31. Demolition began the following month. The replacement project is planned as a large mixed-use district with residential buildings, offices, hospitality, restaurants, entertainment, and retail. Some elements of the original mall are intended to be incorporated into the new development, preserving a connection to the site's history. JCPenney announced in 2020 that its remaining store would close in November, and its 10.6-acre parcel was sold to Centurion American for $15 million. The redevelopment broke ground in September 2021 after delays associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Infrastructure work includes sanitary-sewer construction and reinforcement of the culverts carrying Spring Creek. As of July 2024, infrastructure was complete and apartment construction had begun. Retail and restaurant components were expected to open in phases from late 2026 through 2028.
History
Collin Creek Mall was conceived during the rapid suburban expansion of Plano and surrounding Collin County in the late 1970s. Federated Department Stores announced the project in 1977 through Federated Stores Realty, seeking to establish a major regional shopping destination along North Central Expressway. The location was still relatively suburban and rural compared with central Dallas, but Plano's population and economic base were expanding quickly. Federated commissioned RTKL Associates to design a two-level enclosed mall with a greenhouse-like architectural character. The original design emphasized an indoor landscape. Its central court incorporated a roughly 300-foot indoor creek, waterfall, fountains, and vegetation. The Village Walk provided approximately 18,000 square feet for smaller local merchants, while The Patio served as the food-court component. Because Spring Creek crossed the site, three large culverts were built beneath the structure. Construction began in November 1979. Sanger Harris opened its department store on October 20, 1980, before the rest of the mall. Collin Creek's main building, including Sears and Dillard's, opened on July 29, 1981. Lord & Taylor followed in October 1981 and JCPenney opened in July 1983. Federated sold the mall and three other properties to JMB Realty Corporation in October 1983 for $112 million. Store identities and ownership arrangements changed repeatedly over the next two decades. Sanger Harris became Foley's in 1987. Mervyn's purchased the former Lord & Taylor space in 1990, renovated it, and reopened later that year. In 1992, the mall was remodeled: The Village Walk was removed, The Patio became The Terrace, and the original indoor creek was replaced with a smaller fountain. The Rouse Company acquired a 30 percent interest in 1995 and assumed management. In 2002, Rouse became part of an ownership arrangement involving Simon Property Group and Westfield Group and ultimately obtained full ownership from Urban Retail Properties and Rodamco North America. General Growth Properties acquired Rouse in 2004 in a transaction valued at $12.6 billion. During this period, Foley's was converted to Macy's in 2006 as part of a national rebranding initiative. Mervyn's also closed its Collin Creek store in 2006 and withdrew from the North Texas market. The vacant anchor was later repurposed as Amazing Jake's Food and Fun, which opened in July 2008 after an interior renovation. The property entered a prolonged decline during the 2010s. Newer destinations, including Stonebriar Centre, Firewheel Town Center, and Allen Premium Outlets, offered stronger tenant mixes and more contemporary shopping environments. In 2011, General Growth Properties moved Collin Creek into Rouse Properties as part of a portfolio of underperforming Class-B and Class-C properties. Plano offered a $600,000 grant in 2012 to encourage improvements and tenant recruitment, but the mall continued to lose anchors. Dillard's announced its departure in October 2013. In December 2014, Rouse classified Collin Creek as a special-consideration asset, a designation associated with significant performance concerns. A Trepp analysis reported that the property had not been profitable since 2011. In 2015, the property was transferred to its lender, Midland Loan Services, a PNC Financial Services division, for $57.6 million. Redevelopment became the principal strategy for the site. In early 2018, Dreien Partners proposed a roughly $1 billion transformation that would have added offices, residential development, restaurants, parks, and a synthetic river inspired by the Spring Creek setting. The proposal was also discussed as a possible location for Amazon's HQ2. Dreien's attempted financing and disagreement with Frontier State Bank prevented the purchase from closing. Centurion American introduced a competing plan in August 2018 and acquired the property later that year. Its proposal called for residential neighborhoods, office buildings, a hotel, restaurants, a concert venue, underground parking, and retail uses. The plan initially aimed to preserve both mall wings and the separately owned JCPenney store, while replacing several anchor buildings and much of the parking. Sears closed in March 2019 and Amazing Jake's closed in April. On July 26, the mall hosted a farewell event called Goodbye Collin Creek Mall, Hello Collin Creek, featuring an 1980s-themed entertainment program, a costume contest, a tribute band, and a vintage DeLorean. Collin Creek Mall closed permanently on July 31, 2019, and demolition started the next month. JCPenney remained open temporarily during the transition but announced in August 2020 that its store would close in November. Its 10.6-acre parcel was sold to Centurion American for $15 million. The redevelopment was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, then formally broke ground on September 24, 2021. Public infrastructure work included sanitary-sewer installation and reinforcement of the Spring Creek culverts. By July 2024, infrastructure was complete and two apartment buildings were under construction, with single-family residences expected to follow. The redevelopment is designed to retain selected elements of the former mall while introducing new residential, office, hotel, entertainment, restaurant, and retail uses. Retail and restaurant openings were projected to occur in phases beginning in late 2026 and continuing through 2028.
- 2021
Redevelopment breaks ground
[1]The successor mixed-use project holds its groundbreaking after pandemic-related delays.
- 2019
Mall permanently closes
[1]Following a public farewell event, Collin Creek Mall closes on July 31 and demolition begins soon afterward.
- 2015
Lender takes ownership
[1]Midland Loan Services acquires the mall from the prior ownership structure for $57.6 million.
- 2013
Dillard's announces departure
[1]Dillard's announces that its Collin Creek location will close by January 2014.
- 2011
Property moves into Rouse Properties
[1]Collin Creek is included in General Growth Properties' spinoff of underperforming properties into Rouse Properties.
- 2008
Amazing Jake's opens
[1]The former Mervyn's anchor is converted into a family entertainment and buffet venue.
- 2006
Foley's becomes Macy's
[1]The Foley's anchor is converted to Macy's during Federated's national rebranding program.
- 1992
Interior center court is remodeled
[1]The original local-shop area is removed, the food court is renamed The Terrace, and the indoor creek is replaced by a smaller fountain.
- 1983
JCPenney joins the anchor lineup
[1]JCPenney opens at the mall, completing the initial major-anchor expansion.
- 1981
Main mall opens
[1]Collin Creek Mall opens on July 29 with Sears and Dillard's as major anchors.
Products and positioning
A regional enclosed shopping mall designed to serve Plano, Collin County, and the wider northern Dallas market. In its early years it differentiated itself through multiple department-store anchors and a greenhouse-style interior featuring an indoor creek, waterfall, and landscaped center court. Later, it competed as an aging Class-B/Class-C property against newer North Texas shopping and lifestyle centers.
Retail property · 1981
Regional enclosed shopping mall
The principal offering was a two-level, approximately 1.1-million-square-foot enclosed regional mall serving Plano, Collin County, and the northern Dallas area. It combined department stores, specialty shops, local retailers, dining, and public interior spaces. Its original greenhouse-style architecture and landscaped indoor creek were central to the mall's identity, although later renovations simplified the center court.
Local retail area · 1981
The Village Walk
The Village Walk was an approximately 18,000-square-foot area of smaller, locally owned shops arranged around the mall's original indoor creek and center court. It was intended to complement the large department-store anchors with independent and specialty retail. The area was removed during the 1992 interior renovation.
Food court · 1981
The Patio and The Terrace
The Patio was the mall's original food-court area. During the 1992 renovation it was renamed The Terrace, reflecting the broader remodeling of the center court. The food-court concept provided quick-service dining for shoppers and remained part of the mall's general retail and leisure offer.
Family entertainment center · 2008
Amazing Jake's Food and Fun
Amazing Jake's Food and Fun occupied the former Mervyn's anchor after the department store left North Texas. The venue combined family entertainment and a buffet restaurant, representing an effort to adapt vacant department-store space to a nontraditional use. It opened in July 2008 and closed in April 2019 before the mall's demolition.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Goodbye Collin Creek Mall, Hello Collin Creek
Plano · North Texas
A public farewell event held on July 26, shortly before the mall's permanent closure. The 1980s-themed program included a tribute band, a costume contest, and a vintage DeLorean display, using nostalgia to mark the end of the mall's operating history.
Outcome. The event served as the mall's final major public celebration before closure on July 31, 2019.
Brand decisions
2018
Pursue a mixed-use replacement projectStrategyBackground
The mall had lost several department-store anchors and faced sustained competition from newer regional and lifestyle centers.
Action taken
Centurion American proposed replacing much of the mall's anchor and parking areas with housing, offices, a hotel, restaurants, entertainment, underground parking, and new retail, while retaining selected mall structures.
Aftermath
Centurion American acquired the property, the mall closed in 2019, and demolition and replacement construction proceeded in phases.
Proposed redevelopment value. $1 billion (2018 proposal)
2011
Transfer the mall to Rouse PropertiesStrategyBackground
Collin Creek was underperforming relative to newer shopping destinations in the North Texas market.
Action taken
General Growth Properties included the property in a portfolio of approximately 30 underperforming assets spun off into Rouse Properties.
Aftermath
The move separated the mall from General Growth Properties' core portfolio but did not reverse its long-term decline.
2008
Repurpose the former Mervyn's anchorStrategyBackground
Mervyn's closed its Collin Creek store in 2006, leaving a large anchor building vacant.
Action taken
The vacant building was converted into Amazing Jake's Food and Fun, a family entertainment center and buffet restaurant.
Aftermath
The conversion added an entertainment use to the mall's tenant mix, although the venue later closed during the final redevelopment period.
1992
Simplify the mall's interior conceptStrategyBackground
The original center court, including The Village Walk and indoor creek, required a substantial interior footprint and reflected an earlier generation of enclosed-mall design.
Action taken
Management removed The Village Walk, changed the food-court name to The Terrace, and replaced the indoor creek with a smaller fountain.
Aftermath
The renovation modernized and simplified the interior but reduced some of the features that had distinguished the original mall.
Recent events
- 2021
Mixed-use redevelopment breaks ground[1]
Other
The replacement development held its groundbreaking on September 24 after delays connected with the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2020
JCPenney announces closure and land sale[1]
M&A · Other
JCPenney announced that its remaining Collin Creek store would close in November; its 10.6-acre parcel was sold to Centurion American for $15 million.
- 2019
Collin Creek Mall closes permanently[1]
Other · Campaign
After a 1980s-themed farewell event, the mall closed on July 31. Demolition began the following month as the Centurion American redevelopment moved forward.
- 2018
Dreien Partners proposes a billion-dollar redevelopment[1]
Other
Dreien Partners proposed replacing portions of the mall and parking area with offices, residences, restaurants, open space, and a synthetic river, but financing and lender disputes prevented the acquisition from closing.
- 2018
Centurion American announces redevelopment plan[1]
Other
Centurion American proposed a mixed-use project involving housing, offices, a hotel, concert venue, restaurants, underground parking, and preservation of selected mall structures.
- 2017
Macy's closes its Collin Creek store[1]
Other
Macy's ended operations at the mall on March 31, leaving the property without one of its principal anchors.
- 2015
Ownership transfers to Midland Loan Services[1]
M&A
The mall was sold to Midland Loan Services, a PNC Financial Services division, after its deteriorating performance.
- 2014
Mall designated a special-consideration asset[1]
Other
Rouse Properties classified Collin Creek as a special-consideration asset amid continuing financial weakness and possible foreclosure concerns.
- 2013
Dillard's announces closure[1]
Other
Dillard's announced that its Collin Creek location would close by January 2014.
- 2012
Plano offers renovation and recruitment assistance[1]
Other
The city offered Rouse a $600,000 grant intended to support renovations and attract tenants.
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