Mayfield Mall

Mayfield Mall was a regional shopping center in Mountain View, California, that operated from 1966 until its closure in January 1984. It took its name from Mayfield, the former municipality that was annexed by Palo Alto in 1925. Although the mall was located in Mountain View, its name preserved the identity of the earlier community. The center was an early example of the enclosed, air-conditioned suburban mall format in Northern California. It promoted itself as the first enclosed and carpeted shopping center in the United States, and it was described as the first air-conditioned enclosed mall of its type in Northern California. The original complex had 24 tenants and included nationally recognized retailers such as Joseph Magnin and Woolworth. Its principal anchor was JCPenney, which consolidated stores previously operating on Castro Street in Mountain View and on University Avenue in Palo Alto into a large suburban branch at Mayfield Mall. At the time of its opening, that JCPenney location was the chain's largest suburban store. The mall's relatively small footprint and dependence on a single major anchor later became serious weaknesses. JCPenney announced in May 1983 that it would close its Mayfield Mall branch and move to San Antonio Shopping Center. The announcement undermined the center's commercial viability, and ownership was unable to secure a replacement anchor tenant. Mayfield Mall shut as a shopping center in January 1984, although some individual stores and a Greyhound bus terminal continued operating for a period afterward. The property then entered an office-oriented phase. Hewlett-Packard became its sole major occupant and remodeled the former retail structure for corporate use, adding features including an atrium and higher ceilings. The building housed HP's American response center and approximately 1,600 workers. HP later consolidated its operations into other facilities, leaving the site vacant in the early 2000s. Several redevelopment proposals followed. A proposed sale to Stanford Hospital failed because of zoning issues. William Lyons Homes subsequently planned a 260-unit residential project that would have demolished the former mall, but the developer entered bankruptcy. In 2012, Rockwood Capital and Four Corners Properties acquired the property for $90 million and pursued an office-preservation and renovation strategy rather than demolition. The complex was renamed San Antonio Station. In September 2013, Google leased the entire approximately 500,000-square-foot property in what was reported as the largest lease deal of that year in Silicon Valley. Google later purchased the property in 2016 for $225 million. The former mall is now associated with Google's Building RLS1, illustrating the transition of obsolete retail real estate into technology-sector office space. It is therefore best understood as a defunct shopping-mall brand and a surviving adaptive-reuse property rather than an active retail business.

Mayfield Mall opened in 1966 in Mountain View, California, during the expansion of enclosed suburban retail centers in the United States. Its name referred to Mayfield, a former town annexed by Palo Alto in 1925, rather than to Mountain View itself. The center was promoted as an early milestone in Northern California retail: it was described as the region's first air-conditioned enclosed mall of its type and also advertised itself as the first enclosed and carpeted shopping center in the United States. The mall began with 24 tenants. Its best-known retailers included Joseph Magnin and Woolworth, while JCPenney served as the main anchor. JCPenney consolidated its earlier stores on Castro Street in Mountain View and University Avenue in Palo Alto into the new suburban location. The resulting branch was the retailer's largest suburban store at the time, giving the mall a substantial initial draw. Mayfield Mall's business model depended heavily on its anchor. The center had limited room for expansion, and the loss of JCPenney proved difficult to absorb. In May 1983, JCPenney announced that it would close the branch and relocate to San Antonio Shopping Center. Mall ownership could not attract a substitute anchor, and the retail operation closed in January 1984. A number of smaller outlets and a Greyhound bus terminal continued operating temporarily, but the property no longer functioned as a conventional shopping mall. The building survived through adaptive reuse. Hewlett-Packard became its only major occupant and renovated the former mall into offices. The remodeling included an atrium and higher ceilings, and the site housed HP's American response center with about 1,600 employees. HP eventually consolidated its operations elsewhere, leaving the property vacant in the early 2000s. The vacant structure attracted competing redevelopment ideas. A proposed transaction involving Stanford Hospital failed over zoning concerns. William Lyons Homes later pursued a plan for 260 housing units that would have demolished the former mall, but the developer's bankruptcy halted that path. In 2012, Rockwood Capital and Four Corners Properties bought the property for $90 million. Rather than replacing the structure with housing, they sought to renovate it for office use and renamed the complex San Antonio Station. Google leased the entire roughly 500,000-square-foot property in September 2013. The lease was reported as the largest of its kind in Silicon Valley that year and marked the site's transformation from a failed retail center into technology office space. In 2016, Google purchased the property for $225 million. The former Mayfield Mall is now identified with Google's Building RLS1, making the site a notable example of a defunct shopping center retaining physical continuity while changing completely in function.

• 2016

  Google buys the property

  [1]Mayfield Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Google purchases the site for $225 million; the property becomes associated with Building RLS1.

• 2013

  Google signs property-wide lease

  [1]Mayfield Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Google leases the entire former mall property in a major Silicon Valley office transaction.

• 2012

  Property acquired for office-oriented redevelopment

  [1]Mayfield Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Rockwood Capital and Four Corners Properties acquire the former mall for $90 million and pursue renovation for office use under the name San Antonio Station.

• 1984

  Retail operations end

  [1]Mayfield Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall closes in January after ownership cannot secure a replacement anchor tenant.

• 1983

  JCPenney announces departure

  [1]Mayfield Mallen.wikipedia.org

  JCPenney announces that it will close its Mayfield Mall branch and move to San Antonio Shopping Center.

• 1966

  Mayfield Mall opens

  [1]Mayfield Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The enclosed, air-conditioned shopping mall opens in Mountain View with JCPenney as its principal anchor and 24 original tenants.

A pioneering Northern California enclosed suburban shopping mall that later became an example of retail-property adaptive reuse.

• 2016

  Google purchases the former mallM&A

  Background

  Google had leased the entire approximately 500,000-square-foot property since 2013.

  Action taken

  Google acquired the property outright.

  Aftermath

  The former mall became associated with Google's Building RLS1 and continued as an office facility rather than a retail center.

  Purchase price. $225 million (2016)

  Source

• 2012

  Owners choose office reuse over demolitionStrategy

  Background

  Earlier plans included a housing development that would have removed the former mall, while a proposed Stanford Hospital transaction failed because of zoning issues.

  Action taken

  Rockwood Capital and Four Corners Properties acquired the property and pursued renovation for office use, renaming it San Antonio Station.

  Aftermath

  The property remained standing and subsequently attracted Google as a full-building tenant.

  Acquisition price. $90 million (2012)

  Source

• 1983

  JCPenney elects to leave Mayfield MallStrategy

  Background

  JCPenney was the mall's principal anchor, and its branch served as a consolidated location for earlier stores in Mountain View and Palo Alto.

  Action taken

  The retailer announced the closure of its Mayfield Mall store and planned relocation to San Antonio Shopping Center.

  Aftermath

  The mall could not secure another anchor and closed as a shopping center in January 1984.

  Source

1. 1Mayfield Mallen.wikipedia.org