Lakes Mall

Lakes Mall was an enclosed shopping mall in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, United States. It opened in 1972 during the expansion of enclosed suburban retail centers and initially relied on discount-oriented anchor tenants, including Jefferson Ward and Britt's. Other early occupants included Pantry Pride, a supermarket, and McCrory, a variety-store chain. The center served the local community but faced increasing competition from larger shopping centers in the surrounding area during the 1980s. The mall's decline accelerated as its principal anchors closed. Britt's left in 1981, Pantry Pride closed in 1984, and Jefferson Ward departed in 1985. By 1986 the property had more than 25 vacant spaces, and in 1987 forty-two of its eighty-three storefronts were empty. The owners attempted to reposition the property with a proposed main-street-style renovation. During this period, the mall also became notable for hosting the first locations of Office Depot and Sports Authority, although both businesses occupied or operated from spaces that did not restore the enclosed mall's internal circulation and tenant base. The former Jefferson Ward building was acquired by Kmart and partly converted into a Builders Square home-improvement store. The remaining portion became the first Sports Authority location and later accommodated an expansion of Sports Authority's retail and corporate functions. Because these newer large-format stores did not open directly into the mall's interior, they generated limited traffic for the remaining enclosed storefronts. By 1989, the interior had been reduced to McCrory, two restaurants, a men's clothing store, offices, and service businesses. McCrory closed at the end of that year. The property's physical and financial problems worsened around 1990. A mortgage and foreclosure dispute involved parties with interests in the property, while a city building inspector declared the structure unsafe in April. A roof collapse later that year prompted the last two small tenants, an optician and a dental office, to leave. At that point, Office Depot and Sports Authority were the principal surviving commercial occupants. Plans announced in 1992 called for demolishing the enclosed mall while retaining those stores. The mall structure was ultimately demolished in the mid-1990s, with detailed historical accounts placing the demolition in 1996, although some introductory descriptions date the end of the complex to 1995. The former site was redeveloped as a collection of freestanding or strip-style retail properties. Later occupants and successors included Linen Supermarket, Mac Frugal's, Smart & Final, Florida Career College, Ross Dress for Less, and Burlington Coat Factory. The property changed ownership in 2008 when UrbanAmerica LP acquired it, and it was later purchased by Yoram Izhak in 2012. Lakes Mall itself no longer operates as an enclosed shopping mall.

Lakes Mall opened in 1972 in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, as an enclosed shopping center built around discount and everyday-needs retail. Its initial anchor lineup consisted of Jefferson Ward and Britt's, while Pantry Pride supplied supermarket traffic and McCrory operated as a variety-store tenant. This combination reflected the mall's original community and value-oriented role rather than a luxury or specialty-retail positioning. During the 1980s, the property came under pressure from larger shopping centers in the area. The departure of Britt's in 1981, Pantry Pride in 1984, and Jefferson Ward in 1985 removed the mall's principal traffic generators. Vacancies multiplied, exceeding twenty-five spaces by 1986 and reaching forty-two of eighty-three storefronts in 1987. The owners proposed a renovation using a main-street theme, apparently seeking to make the aging center more attractive and less dependent on conventional enclosed-mall design. The property nevertheless attracted important new retail concepts. Office Depot opened a location in 1986, and the former Jefferson Ward building was acquired by Kmart. Part of that building became Builders Square, while the rest became the first Sports Authority location. Sports Authority later expanded into the Builders Square space and used the property for both retail and headquarters functions. These tenants were physically separated from the interior mall, however, so their presence did not revive the enclosed center's remaining shops. By 1989, the interior tenant roster had contracted to McCrory, two restaurants, a men's apparel store, and various office and service users. McCrory closed on December 31 of that year. Financial and ownership difficulties also affected the property: a mortgage was filed, and a foreclosure dispute involved a mortgage holder that also owned space in the mall and was unable to continue paying rent. Physical deterioration became decisive. In April 1990, a municipal building inspector declared the building unsafe. Builders Square closed in July 1990, allowing Sports Authority to expand. After a roof collapse, an optician and a dental office moved out, leaving Office Depot and Sports Authority as the principal remaining occupants. In 1992, the owners announced a plan to demolish the mall structure while retaining those stores. The enclosed complex was demolished in the mid-1990s. The supplied historical account identifies 1996 as the demolition year, while the article's introductory description refers more generally to a 1995 teardown; the exact year should therefore be treated cautiously. The site was redeveloped into a strip-style retail property. Early post-mall occupants included Linen Supermarket, Mac Frugal's, and Smart & Final. Mac Frugal's later became Big Lots, while Sports Authority, Big Lots, and Smart & Final all departed in 2003, amid broader changes affecting those businesses and their Florida operations. UrbanAmerica LP acquired the property in 2008. Florida Career College subsequently occupied part of the site. Ross Dress for Less opened on the north side in 2009, and Burlington Coat Factory opened at the south end in 2010. In May 2012, Yoram Izhak, who also owned Lauderhill Mall, acquired the property. These later transactions and tenants concern the redeveloped site rather than a continuing Lakes Mall enclosed-mall operation.

• 2012

  Yoram Izhak purchases the property

  [1]Lakes Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Yoram Izhak acquires the site after later retail redevelopment.

• 2008

  UrbanAmerica acquires the site

  [1]Lakes Mallen.wikipedia.org

  UrbanAmerica LP of New York City purchases the redeveloped property.

• 1996

  Enclosed mall is demolished

  [1]Lakes Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The property is cleared and redeveloped as strip-style retail space.

• 1990

  Building safety problems culminate

  [1]Lakes Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The building is declared unsafe, and a later roof collapse prompts the final small tenants to leave.

• 1986

  Office Depot opens

  [1]Lakes Mallen.wikipedia.org

  An early Office Depot location opens at Lakes Mall.

• 1985

  Jefferson Ward closes

  [1]Lakes Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The principal original anchor leaves the property.

• 1984

  Pantry Pride closes

  [1]Lakes Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The supermarket anchor departs.

• 1981

  Britt's closes

  [1]Lakes Mallen.wikipedia.org

  One of the original discount anchors leaves the mall.

• 1972

  Lakes Mall opens

  [1]Lakes Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The enclosed mall opens in Lauderdale Lakes with Jefferson Ward and Britt's as major anchors, supported by Pantry Pride and McCrory.

A community-oriented enclosed discount shopping center that later attempted repositioning through large-format retail and a proposed main-street design, but ultimately gave way to strip-style redevelopment.

• Retail property · 1972

  Enclosed shopping mall

  Lakes Mall's primary offering was an enclosed retail environment serving local shoppers. The center combined department-style discount stores, a supermarket, a variety store, restaurants, apparel retail, offices, and service businesses. Its enclosed format was later undermined by vacancies, declining traffic, and the physical deterioration of the structure.

• Retail property · 1972

  Anchor and large-format retail space

  The property accommodated large-format retail users including Jefferson Ward, Britt's, Office Depot, Builders Square, and Sports Authority. Office Depot and Sports Authority were especially notable because the site hosted early locations of both chains. Their locations operated largely outside the enclosed mall's internal circulation and therefore did not restore the center's broader tenant ecosystem.

• 1992

  Decision to demolish the enclosed mallStrategy

  Background

  The building had been declared unsafe, experienced a roof collapse, and was left with very few interior tenants.

  Action taken

  Plans were announced to demolish the mall structure while retaining the Office Depot and Sports Authority facilities.

  Aftermath

  The enclosed mall was demolished in the mid-1990s and replaced by strip-style retail development.

  Source

• 1987

  Main-street renovation proposalStrategy

  Background

  The mall had accumulated substantial vacancies as shoppers shifted toward larger competing centers.

  Action taken

  The owners announced plans to renovate the enclosed property with a main-street-themed design.

  Aftermath

  The repositioning did not halt the decline of the interior mall, which continued losing tenants and traffic.

  Source

1. 1Lakes Mallen.wikipedia.org