Park Central Mall

Park Central Mall is a historic commercial development on Central Avenue at Osborn Road in Phoenix, Arizona, within the city's Encanto Village. It is widely described as Phoenix's first shopping mall and played an important role in shifting the city's retail and business activity northward from the traditional downtown core. Although the property is no longer principally operated as a conventional shopping mall, much of its original building stock remains and the site now functions primarily as a mixed-use office and service complex known simply as Park Central. The project originated in the 1950s, when brothers Ralph Burgbacher and A.J. Burgbacher acquired approximately 46 acres occupied by the Central Avenue Dairy. At the time, the site was considered an ambitious location beyond Phoenix's established commercial center. The brothers proceeded despite criticism from other developers who believed that a large retail project in what was still viewed as a peripheral, semi-rural area would not succeed. Their development helped establish the Central Avenue corridor as an important midtown and later central-business-district location. Designed in a Mid-Century Modern style, the project involved several prominent Arizona and American architects. Welton Becket designed the Goldwater's department-store building, while Ralph Haver and John Schotanus Jr. worked on other portions of the center. Kitchell-Phillips Contractors Inc. constructed the development. Goldwater's opened in November 1956, before the formal opening of the broader center. The mall's ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on April 1, 1957, with 31 initial stores. Its early anchor lineup included Goldwater's, Diamond's, and J.J. Newberry. The new midtown stores attracted business from downtown Phoenix, and the relocation of major retailers contributed to the long-term weakening of downtown's role as the city's dominant retail destination. Park Central expanded as Phoenix grew. A two-level JCPenney store was added in the mid-1960s, and a covered parking structure designed by Al Beadle was completed in 1967. The area around Central Avenue subsequently filled with office towers and other commercial buildings, reinforcing the site's role as part of the emerging Uptown and central Phoenix business environment. The nearby original Phoenix Playboy Club, across Central Avenue, was another landmark associated with the area's commercial development before it closed in the 1980s. The original open-air format eventually became a competitive disadvantage as newer enclosed and air-conditioned malls gained popularity. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, the principal department-store anchors had departed. Robinson's, which had taken over the former Goldwater's location, closed near the end of the 1980s. JCPenney left around the beginning of the 1990s. Dillard's, which had acquired the former Diamond's store, continued for a time as a clearance operation before closing in the mid-1990s. After the final anchor departed, the property was progressively converted from retail use to office and mixed-use occupancy. Former department-store spaces became regional or administrative offices for organizations including Banner Health, Dignity Health, and UnitedHealth Group. Smaller storefronts continued to accommodate restaurants, cafés, personal services, and other businesses. A hotel was also developed on the southwestern portion of the site. The conversion altered or covered portions of the original architectural expression, giving parts of the property a more Postmodern appearance, but most of the original buildings remained substantially intact. In October 2017, Phoenix included Park Central among the locations proposed for Amazon's planned second headquarters. The proposal was part of the city's broader effort to attract the large employment project; Amazon ultimately selected other locations. Park Central remains an active commercial property with office, restaurant, service, hospitality, and transit functions. Its Osborn/Central Avenue stop provides access to the Valley Metro rail and streetcar network, further connecting the redevelopment to central Phoenix.

Park Central began as an early suburban or midtown retail experiment at a time when Phoenix was considerably smaller and most major commercial activity remained concentrated near the city center. Ralph Burgbacher and his brother A.J. Burgbacher acquired roughly 46 acres of the Central Avenue Dairy during the 1950s and planned a large open-air shopping development on the site. The location, approximately two miles north of the Arizona State Capitol, was initially regarded by some observers as too remote. Its eventual success helped demonstrate the commercial potential of the Central Avenue corridor and contributed to the later emergence of Uptown Phoenix. The original project was called Park Central Shopping City. Goldwater's opened its two-level store on November 8, 1956, ahead of the center's formal inauguration. The wider mall opened with ribbon-cutting ceremonies on April 1, 1957, and initially included 31 stores. Goldwater's and Diamond's served as major department-store anchors, while J.J. Newberry provided a five-and-dime format. The development was designed in the Mid-Century Modern style through the work of Welton Becket, Ralph Haver, and John Schotanus Jr., and was built by Kitchell-Phillips Contractors Inc. The center's opening changed retail geography in Phoenix. Goldwater's and Diamond's moved emphasis away from their older downtown locations toward the new Central Avenue site. When JCPenney later closed its downtown store and opened at Park Central, downtown Phoenix's former retail dominance weakened further. The surrounding corridor developed into a dense office district, with mid-rise and high-rise construction reinforcing the area's role as a central business and administrative location. Park Central evolved during the 1960s. A two-level JCPenney was added, and a covered parking deck designed by Al Beadle opened in 1967. The parking structure responded to Phoenix's intense summer heat and reflected the center's adaptation to a growing automobile-oriented metropolitan market. The property was also associated with other nearby entertainment and commercial landmarks, including the original Phoenix Playboy Club across Central Avenue, which closed during the 1980s. The open-air design that had initially distinguished Park Central became less competitive as Phoenix developed newer enclosed malls with extensive air conditioning. Department-store tenants gradually withdrew. Robinson's, which had replaced Goldwater's, closed shortly before the end of the 1980s. JCPenney closed at the beginning of the 1990s. Dillard's, successor to Diamond's, operated a clearance-center format for a period before leaving in the mid-1990s. With the anchor stores gone, the property no longer functioned as a conventional regional shopping mall. Redevelopment began after the final anchor closure. Vacant retail areas were adapted for offices, while smaller spaces continued to house restaurants and service businesses. The former Diamond's building became associated with regional offices for Catholic Healthcare West, later Dignity Health. The former Goldwater's building was used by Banner Health, and the former JCPenney space became offices for UnitedHealth Group. Other occupants described for the property included cafés, quick-service restaurants, a flower shop, a shoe-repair business, a health-supplement retailer, a computer-training company, a cable-service call center, and financial-services offices. A Hampton Inn was established near the southwestern portion of the complex. The conversion changed the visual character of portions of Park Central. Some original architectural features were covered or removed, and exterior treatments introduced a more Postmodern appearance. Nevertheless, most of the original buildings remained standing, allowing the site to retain a physical connection to its retail history. The property is now generally referred to as Park Central rather than as an operating enclosed or open-air mall. In 2017, Phoenix proposed Park Central as a candidate location for Amazon's second headquarters. The proposal reflected the site's large footprint, central location, office potential, and transportation access. Amazon selected other metropolitan locations, so the proposal did not lead to a headquarters move. Park Central continues to operate as a mixed-use business and commercial property, with office tenants, food and service businesses, hospitality uses, and an Osborn/Central Avenue stop on the Valley Metro rail and streetcar system.

• 2017

  Phoenix proposes Park Central for Amazon headquarters

  [1]Park Central Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Phoenix included Park Central in its proposal for Amazon's planned second headquarters.

• 1995

  Retail-to-office conversion follows anchor closures

  [1]Park Central Mallen.wikipedia.org

  After Dillard's discontinued its clearance-center operation in the mid-1990s, the property was progressively converted into offices and mixed-use commercial space.

• 1990

  JCPenney closes

  [1]Park Central Mallen.wikipedia.org

  JCPenney left the property around the beginning of the 1990s, removing another major department-store anchor.

• 1989

  Robinson's departs

  [1]Park Central Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Robinson's, successor to Goldwater's in the former anchor space, closed near the end of the 1980s as competition from newer enclosed malls intensified.

• 1967

  Covered parking deck is completed

  [1]Park Central Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A covered parking structure designed by Al Beadle was added to address the Phoenix climate and support the growing center.

• 1960

  Central Avenue corridor develops

  [1]Park Central Mallen.wikipedia.org

  As Phoenix expanded, office and commercial construction around Park Central helped transform the surrounding area into a major midtown and central-business-district corridor.

• 1957

  Park Central Shopping City opens

  [1]Park Central Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The open-air center held its ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 1, 1957, with 31 initial stores and major anchors including Goldwater's, Diamond's, and J.J. Newberry.

• 1956

  Goldwater's opens

  [1]Park Central Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The two-level Goldwater's department store opened at Park Central on November 8, 1956, before the formal opening of the wider shopping center.

A historic Phoenix retail landmark repositioned as a transit-accessible mixed-use office, restaurant, service, and hospitality campus.

• Retail · 1956

  Department-store retail

  Park Central's original commercial offer centered on large department stores. Goldwater's and Diamond's opened as principal anchors, followed by a two-level JCPenney. These stores provided broad assortments of apparel, household goods, accessories, and general merchandise and helped establish the center as Phoenix's leading early suburban retail destination. The anchor format declined as newer enclosed, air-conditioned malls gained market share.

• Food and beverage

  Restaurants and cafés

  After the retail conversion, smaller spaces at Park Central continued to support food and beverage businesses. The property has been associated with cafés and quick-service restaurants, including Starbucks Coffee, Jamba Juice, and Qdoba Mexican Grill. These uses support office workers, visitors, hotel guests, and nearby residents while maintaining a public-facing commercial role after the departure of the department stores.

• Commercial real estate · 1995

  Office and administrative space

  The former anchor buildings and other retail areas were adapted for office occupancy following the decline of the shopping-center format. The complex has housed regional or administrative operations for organizations including Dignity Health, Banner Health, and UnitedHealth Group. This conversion is the defining contemporary use of Park Central and is the reason the site is now generally identified as a mixed-use business complex rather than a traditional mall.

• 2017

  Phoenix includes Park Central in Amazon headquarters proposalOther

  Background

  Amazon invited communities to propose locations for a second headquarters, prompting Phoenix to identify potential development sites.

  Action taken

  The city proposed Park Central as a possible headquarters location.

  Aftermath

  The proposal did not result in Amazon locating its second headquarters at Park Central.

  Source

• 1995

  Conversion from shopping mall to mixed-use office complexStrategy

  Background

  The open-air center lost its principal department-store anchors as newer enclosed and air-conditioned malls attracted retailers and shoppers.

  Action taken

  Vacant retail areas and former anchor stores were repurposed for offices, restaurants, services, and hospitality uses.

  Aftermath

  Park Central continued as an active commercial property, but its primary identity changed from a shopping mall to a mixed-use business and service campus.

  Source

• 2017

  Phoenix proposed Park Central as a possible site for Amazon's second headquarters[1]Park Central Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The city of Phoenix proposed the Park Central property as one possible location for Amazon's planned second headquarters, a project expected at the time to generate substantial employment. Amazon ultimately chose other locations.

1. 1Park Central Mallen.wikipedia.org