Colonial Plaza

Colonial Plaza is a shopping center at the intersection of Colonial Drive and Bumby Avenue in Orlando, Florida. It opened on January 31, 1956, at a time when Orlando was beginning to expand beyond its traditional downtown retail district. The original development was built on land that had previously been used as a cow pasture and was conceived as a large suburban retail destination serving the growing population of Central Florida. At opening, it was described as the largest retail development in Florida. The initial center combined a broad strip of stores with two supermarkets, Publix and A&P, and variety retailers W. T. Grant and McCrory. Other opening tenants included Walgreens, Kinney Shoes, Thom McAn, a dry cleaner, a shoe-repair shop, a camera store, a television and appliance retailer, and local clothing businesses. A 75,000-square-foot Belk department store opened approximately two months after the rest of the center and provided the project with a major department-store anchor. The complex had more than 2,000 parking spaces at opening and was designed around covered, landscaped pedestrian areas rather than a fully enclosed mall. Colonial Plaza expanded substantially in the early 1960s. The first major expansion added an enclosed, air-conditioned concourse with approximately 30 storefronts and a 230,000-square-foot Jordan Marsh department store. The project increased the center to roughly 600,000 square feet and more than 57 stores. Jordan Marsh's arrival reinforced Colonial Plaza's role as a suburban alternative to downtown Orlando and helped change local shopping patterns. The center also became a regional draw, attracting shoppers from a wide area of Central Florida. A second major expansion opened in 1973. Known as the South Mall, it added another enclosed wing and a larger Belk store, bringing the overall property to approximately 800,000 square feet and more than 100 shops. The center was refurbished with new lighting, flooring, and ceilings, while retailers such as Casual Corner, Waldenbooks, Spencer Gifts, and other national and regional chains joined the tenant mix. The expansion took place during a period of rapid population growth and increased tourism in the Orlando region following the opening of Walt Disney World. The property continued to evolve during the 1980s. Ivey's opened a two-story department store in 1983, linked to the existing mall by a broad corridor. The project also included parking and landscaping changes and new exterior facades. However, the construction period was accompanied by temporary traffic disruption, a major fire that damaged four stores, lease expirations, and higher occupancy costs following changes in the mall's financial structure. Several tenants subsequently changed or closed, including Publix, O. G. Wilson's, and later other retailers. By the early 1990s, Colonial Plaza faced increasing competition from newer developments, especially Orlando Fashion Square across Colonial Drive. Its unusual combination of an older open strip, enclosed mall sections, separated department-store anchors, and limited restaurant infrastructure made customer circulation difficult. Jordan Marsh closed its Florida stores in 1991, and Woolworth, Dillard's, and Belk also departed during the following years. Vacancies approached half of the property by the time redevelopment plans were announced in 1994. The center was renovated and restructured between 1995 and 1996 as an open-air power center. This redevelopment replaced much of the former enclosed-mall format with a more flexible retail layout intended to improve visibility, circulation, and tenant access. Since 2001, Colonial Plaza has been owned and managed by Weingarten Realty. Its later tenant mix has included large-format and specialty retailers such as Total Wine & More, Hobby Lobby, Ross Dress for Less, Staples, Bealls Outlet, Marshalls, Old Navy, Barnes & Noble, and Petco. Colonial Plaza's history reflects the shift from downtown department-store shopping to suburban retail, the rise and decline of traditional enclosed malls, and the adaptation of older shopping properties into open-air centers.

Colonial Plaza was developed during Orlando's postwar suburban expansion. Groundbreaking began in mid-1954 at Colonial Drive and Bumby Avenue, on a former pasture near what developers regarded as the population center of the Orlando market. The project was financed by the firm of Michael R. Sudakow, with the R. M. Thompson Company handling development, construction, contracting, and engineering. Morris Lapidus was the architect, while Howard D. Spencer was responsible for leasing. The estimated construction cost was $3 million in contemporary dollars. The center opened on January 31, 1956. Its original format consisted primarily of a large open strip with covered pedestrian walkways, more than 2,000 parking spaces, and over two dozen shops. The anchor tenant mix included a 22,000-square-foot Publix, an A&P supermarket, W. T. Grant, and McCrory. Walgreens moved from downtown Orlando to the new center, and specialty retailers included Kinney Shoes, Thom McAn, a camera shop, a television and appliance store, a shoe-repair business, and several local clothing stores. Belk opened a 75,000-square-foot department store roughly two months later. Opening events included civic presentations, musical performances, a Marine Corps color guard, giveaways, and a vehicle prize drawing. Colonial Plaza's first major expansion took place in 1961 and 1962. Thirty new storefronts were arranged along an enclosed, air-conditioned concourse leading to a 230,000-square-foot Jordan Marsh department store. The addition raised the center's area to approximately 600,000 square feet and its store count to more than 57. Jordan Marsh's four-story building was one of Orlando's earliest major suburban department stores. The expansion included decorative tropical colors, Venetian glass, rosewood, palm plantings, and a long internal corridor. Parking capacity was expanded dramatically, and a movie theater was planned for an adjacent outparcel that later became The Plaza Live. The project helped accelerate the movement of retail activity away from downtown Orlando. A further expansion was announced in 1972 and completed in 1973. The South Mall added a second enclosed concourse and a new, larger Belk department store, taking the property to approximately 800,000 square feet and more than 100 stores. Existing areas received new lighting, floors, and ceilings. The South Mall attracted retailers including Casual Corner, Waldenbooks, Spencer Gifts, and relocated footwear and fashion tenants. Its development coincided with the expansion of the Orlando region's population and tourism economy after Walt Disney World's 1971 opening. In the early 1970s, Colonial Plaza was reported to draw millions of visits annually and shoppers from a radius extending well beyond Orlando. Tenant changes continued in the 1970s and 1980s. The former Belk space became an O. G. Wilson's catalog showroom in 1974 after Belk moved to its South Mall location. Following W. T. Grant's bankruptcy, Woolworth opened in the former Grant space in 1977 with an expanded merchandise assortment and restaurant. Publix later closed, and the former supermarket space was ultimately occupied by Rhodes Furniture. O. G. Wilson's closed in 1987 and was replaced by J. Byrons. A roof collapse at Colonial Plaza Cards caused by a leak led to that retailer's relocation and reopening under a Hallmark franchise. In 1982, plans were announced for an 85,200-square-foot, two-story Ivey's department store. The project opened in 1983 and connected to the existing property through a wide corridor lined with kiosks. It also involved parking redesign, new landscaping, and exterior renovations to older portions of the center. The opening produced the strongest first-day sales in Ivey's history, but the construction period temporarily reduced traffic. A fire damaged merchandise in four stores, with Jarman Shoes suffering the greatest impact and reopening in a temporary location until reconstruction was completed. Lease expirations and increased rents arising from a restructuring of the property's finances also contributed to tenant turnover. The center entered a difficult period in the early 1990s. Dillard's acquired the Ivey's chain in 1990 and converted its stores. Federated announced the closure of Jordan Marsh's Florida stores, including Colonial Plaza's location, in 1991. The loss of Jordan Marsh exposed the center's physical separation between its older mall section and the South Mall. Tenants also criticized the hybrid layout, the distance between department-store anchors, and the absence of a food court or substantial restaurant program. The center attempted to maintain traffic with directional signs and golf-cart transportation between sections, while the closed Jordan Marsh building was adapted as a tunnel connection. Woolworth announced its departure in 1993, while other stores also closed. In 1994, Cousins/Newmarket proposed acquiring and converting the property into a power center. At that point, the mall was reported to be nearly half vacant, with analysts attributing the decline to its age, unusual configuration, and competition from Orlando Fashion Square and other newer developments. Dillard's and Belk closed around 1994–1995. Renovation and restructuring work carried out from 1995 into 1996 transformed Colonial Plaza into an open-air power center, a format better suited to large stores, direct exterior access, and simpler customer circulation. Weingarten Realty has owned and managed the property since 2001. In its later format, Colonial Plaza has accommodated a mix of national large-format, specialty, off-price, home, book, office-supply, pet, and beverage retailers. Reported major tenants have included Total Wine & More, Hobby Lobby, Ross Dress for Less, Staples, Bealls Outlet, Marshalls, Old Navy, Barnes & Noble, and Petco. The center's development history illustrates the successive retail models that shaped American suburban commerce: the postwar strip center, the enclosed regional mall, the department-store era, and the open-air power center.

• 2001

  Weingarten Realty takes ownership and management

  [1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  Weingarten Realty became the property's owner and manager.

• 1996

  Open-air redevelopment is completed

  [1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  The former hybrid mall was restructured as an open-air power center.

• 1994

  Power-center redevelopment is proposed

  [1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  Cousins/Newmarket announced plans to acquire and redevelop the heavily vacant mall.

• 1991

  Jordan Marsh closes

  [1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  The Florida closure of Jordan Marsh removed one of Colonial Plaza's principal anchors.

• 1990

  Ivey's stores are converted to Dillard's

  [1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  Dillard's acquired the Ivey's chain and rebranded the Colonial Plaza department store.

• 1983

  Ivey's expansion opens

  [1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  A two-story Ivey's department store opened alongside parking, landscaping, facade, and circulation improvements.

• 1973

  South Mall opens

  [1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  A second enclosed wing and a larger Belk store brought the center to about 800,000 square feet and more than 100 shops.

• 1962

  Jordan Marsh expansion opens

  [1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  An enclosed concourse and a 230,000-square-foot Jordan Marsh store expanded the property to approximately 600,000 square feet.

• 1956

  Colonial Plaza opens

  [1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  The center opened on January 31 with supermarkets, variety stores, specialty retailers, and more than 2,000 parking spaces.

• 1956

  Belk becomes an anchor

  [1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  A 75,000-square-foot Belk department store opened about two months after the main center.

• 1954

  Groundbreaking begins

  [1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  Construction began at Colonial Drive and Bumby Avenue on land formerly used as a cow pasture.

A regional Orlando shopping center that evolved from a pioneering suburban retail complex and enclosed mall into an open-air power center anchored by large-format, specialty, discount, grocery-adjacent, and service retailers.

• Retail property · 1956

  Colonial Plaza shopping center

  Colonial Plaza is a multi-tenant retail property serving Orlando and Central Florida. It began as a large open strip center in 1956, expanded into an enclosed mall with major department-store anchors, and was later converted into an open-air power center. Its tenant categories have included apparel, groceries, home goods, books, office supplies, wine and spirits, pet products, discount merchandise, and personal services.

• 2001

  Weingarten Realty assumes ownership and managementM&A

  Background

  After the property's conversion into an open-air retail center, ownership and management changed to Weingarten Realty.

  Action taken

  Weingarten Realty acquired and began managing Colonial Plaza.

  Aftermath

  The center continued operating as an open-air retail property with large-format and specialty tenants.

  Source

• 1994

  Redevelopment as an open-air power centerStrategy

  Background

  Colonial Plaza was nearly half vacant after anchor closures, tenant turnover, competition from newer Orlando malls, and persistent problems caused by its hybrid layout.

  Action taken

  Cousins/Newmarket announced plans to acquire and redevelop the property, with the resulting work converting the former enclosed and strip-mall combination into an open-air power-center format.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment, carried out between 1995 and 1996, created a more flexible configuration for large-format and specialty retailers.

  Source

• 2001

  Weingarten Realty becomes owner and manager[1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Weingarten Realty acquired ownership and management responsibility for Colonial Plaza, which it continued to operate as an open-air retail center.

• 1996

  Colonial Plaza is renovated as an open-air power center[1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A redevelopment completed between 1995 and 1996 restructured the former hybrid enclosed mall into an open-air format.

• 1994

  Redevelopment into an open-air power center is announced[1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Cousins/Newmarket announced plans to acquire and redevelop the heavily vacant mall as a power center after years of competition and declining occupancy.

• 1991

  Jordan Marsh closes its Colonial Plaza store[1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The closure of Jordan Marsh's Florida operations removed a key anchor and intensified concerns about Colonial Plaza's divided layout and circulation problems.

• 1983

  Ivey's opens a new department store[1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  A two-story Ivey's store opened as part of a broader property renovation involving parking, landscaping, facades, and a connecting corridor.

• 1983

  Fire damages four Colonial Plaza stores[1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A fire destroyed merchandise in four stores during the period of the Ivey's expansion. Jarman Shoes operated temporarily while its premises were rebuilt.

• 1973

  South Mall expansion opens[1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  Other · Product generation

  A second enclosed wing and a larger Belk department store opened, expanding Colonial Plaza to roughly 800,000 square feet and more than 100 shops.

• 1962

  First major expansion adds Jordan Marsh and an enclosed concourse[1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  Other · Product generation

  An expansion completed in the 1961–1962 period added a large Jordan Marsh department store and an air-conditioned enclosed shopping corridor, making the center substantially larger.

• 1956

  Colonial Plaza opens as Florida's largest retail development[1]Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Orlando shopping center opened on January 31 with supermarkets, variety stores, specialty shops, extensive parking, and a later-opening Belk department store.

1. 1Colonial Plazaen.wikipedia.org