Driver's Village
A former enclosed shopping mall in Cicero, New York, converted into an automotive retail and service complex known as Driver's Village.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Driver's Village is an automotive retail and service complex in Cicero, New York, near Syracuse. The property originated as Penn-Can Mall, an enclosed shopping center that opened on March 28, 1976. Developed by the Winmar Company of Seattle, the mall was the first enclosed shopping mall in the northern Syracuse area and the fourth such mall in the broader Syracuse metropolitan market. It was planned to accommodate 86 stores; 28 were operating at opening, with additional tenants arriving soon afterward. The original mall was built in a linear configuration and was initially anchored by Sears. Hills was added at the opposite end in 1983, and a further wing containing Chappell's was added during a 1986 expansion. The expansion changed the overall layout into a T-shaped mall and increased the reported store capacity or tenant count to 121. Other retail components included junior-anchor locations for Addis & Company and Dey Brothers, as well as a three-screen cinema. Penn-Can's competitive position weakened during the 1990s as newer and larger shopping centers opened in the Syracuse area. Wilmorite entered a partnership with the Eagan family, the mall's original owners, in 1989. Wilmorite had developed Great Northern Mall in nearby Clay in 1988, and several Penn-Can tenants subsequently shifted to that newer property. Sears and Chappell's moved to Great Northern, while Steinbach and Caldor took over their former spaces at Penn-Can. The opening of Pyramid Companies' Carousel Center in 1990 added further pressure. Tenant changes continued as the mall declined. After Steinbach left, Burlington Coat Factory occupied that space in 1993. Caldor took over the former Chappell's location after Caldor stores opened at other Wilmorite properties. In 1994, Wilmorite announced a plan to demolish the principal mall structure and retain selected freestanding or anchor buildings, with a proposed power center, a home-improvement big-box tenant, and a Regal Cinemas theater. The enclosed mall ultimately closed in 1996. Hills continued operating until its chainwide closure in 1999, after which the location became an Ames store. Burlington Coat Factory remained on the property until 2016. In early 2000, automotive dealer Roger Burdick purchased the former mall property and began converting it into an automobile-centered destination called Driver's Village. Robertson Strong Apgar Architects designed the redevelopment. The former Sears and Ames wings were demolished, while much of the remaining structure was gutted; portions of the former corridor and the eastern part of the 1986 wing were retained. Ames closed in 2002 and its space became a used-car showroom. The redeveloped property combined new-vehicle dealerships, used-car sales, service operations, and a range of non-automotive businesses. Driver's Village is described as having connections to 16 new-car franchises in the main building, representing Audi, Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, GMC, Jeep, Kia, Lincoln, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Ram, and Volkswagen. Four additional franchises—BMW, Hyundai, Lexus, and Toyota—operate in separate buildings on the property. Other occupants and facilities have included a cafe, catering operations, a children's party venue, real-estate, insurance, financial, and tax-service offices, Aspen Athletic Club, and the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. The site therefore remains active, but its current identity and business model are automotive rather than enclosed-mall retail.
History
Penn-Can Mall was an enclosed shopping center in Cicero, New York, near Syracuse. It opened on March 28, 1976, as the first enclosed mall in the northern part of the Syracuse area and the fourth mall in the metropolitan region. The development was constructed by the Winmar Company of Seattle, Washington. Although the property was designed with room for 86 stores, only 28 were open at launch; the remaining spaces were filled relatively quickly. The initial building followed a straight-line design and was anchored by Sears. Hills joined the property in 1983 at the opposite end of the mall. In 1986, a new wing anchored by Chappell's was added, producing a T-shaped configuration and increasing the mall's reported store count to 121. Addis & Company and Dey Brothers operated junior-anchor locations, and the mall also contained a three-screen movie theater. The ownership and tenant structure changed as the Syracuse retail market developed. In 1989, Wilmorite formed a partnership with the Eagan family, the original owners. Wilmorite had opened Great Northern Mall in Clay in 1988, and Sears and Chappell's subsequently moved from Penn-Can to Great Northern. Steinbach replaced Sears, while Caldor replaced Chappell's. The 1990 opening of Carousel Center, developed by Pyramid Companies, further intensified competition from newer regional retail facilities. Penn-Can experienced continuing tenant turnover during the decade. Burlington Coat Factory replaced Steinbach in 1993. Caldor occupied the former Chappell's space after the chain expanded at other Wilmorite properties. In 1994, Wilmorite proposed removing the central mall structure while retaining Burlington Coat Factory, Hills, and Caldor. The proposed replacement was a power center with an unidentified home-improvement big-box retailer and a Regal Cinemas theater. The proposal did not preserve the enclosed mall as an operating format. The mall closed in 1996. Hills remained open until 1999, when the chain ceased operations; Ames then occupied the location and operated there until 2002. Burlington Coat Factory remained at the property until 2016. The closure and subsequent tenant persistence illustrate the difference between the end of the enclosed-mall operation and the continued use of portions of the underlying commercial site. In early 2000, Roger Burdick, a local automobile dealer, purchased the former mall and began a major adaptive-reuse project. The redeveloped property was named Driver's Village. Robertson Strong Apgar Architects designed the conversion. The Sears and Ames wings were demolished, while the rest of the mall was largely gutted. The retained elements included the former corridor and the eastern portion of the newer 1986 wing. Ames's eventual 2002 closure allowed that space to become a used-car showroom. The resulting complex was organized around automotive sales and service. The main building was connected to 16 new-car franchises, while BMW, Hyundai, Lexus, and Toyota were listed as operating in separate buildings on the property. The reported brands included Audi, Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, GMC, Jeep, Kia, Lincoln, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Ram, and Volkswagen in the main complex. Driver's Village also retained a mixed-use component, with food, catering, children's entertainment, professional offices, fitness facilities, and the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. Thus, the site evolved from a conventional regional mall into an automotive-oriented commercial campus rather than disappearing entirely after the mall's closure.
- 2016
Burlington Coat Factory tenancy ends
[1]Burlington Coat Factory, one of the last major holdover retail occupants from the mall era, leaves the property.
- 2002
Ames space becomes a used-car showroom
[1]After Ames closes, its former location is repurposed for used-vehicle sales.
- 2000
Conversion to Driver's Village begins
[1]Roger Burdick purchases the former mall and starts converting it into an automotive complex.
- 1996
Enclosed mall operation ends
[1]Penn-Can Mall closes after losing ground to newer area malls.
- 1993
Burlington Coat Factory replaces Steinbach
[1]Burlington Coat Factory takes over the space vacated by Steinbach.
- 1990
Carousel Center opens nearby
[1]A newer Syracuse-area shopping center opens and adds to Penn-Can Mall's competitive challenges.
- 1989
Wilmorite enters ownership partnership
[1]Wilmorite partners with the Eagan family, the mall's original owners.
- 1986
T-shaped expansion is completed
[1]A new Chappell's wing expands the property and increases the reported store count to 121.
- 1983
Hills becomes an additional anchor
[1]Hills opens at the end opposite Sears, strengthening the mall's department-store anchor lineup.
- 1976
Penn-Can Mall opens
[1]The enclosed mall opens in Cicero on March 28 with Sears as its principal anchor and 28 operating stores.
Products and positioning
Originally positioned as a regional enclosed shopping mall serving northern Syracuse and surrounding communities; since its 2000 redevelopment, positioned as a multi-brand automotive retail, service, and mixed-use destination.
Shopping mall · 1976
Penn-Can Mall enclosed retail center
The original Penn-Can Mall was a regional enclosed shopping center with department-store anchors, junior anchors, specialty retail space, and a three-screen cinema. Its tenant mix included Sears, Hills, Chappell's, Addis & Company, Dey Brothers, Steinbach, Caldor, and Burlington Coat Factory at different points in its history.
Automotive retail and services · 2000
Driver's Village automotive complex
The post-2000 redevelopment uses portions of the former mall site for new-vehicle dealerships, used-car sales, service centers, and related automotive operations. The complex has been associated with numerous manufacturer franchises, including Audi, Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, GMC, Jeep, Kia, Lincoln, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Ram, Volkswagen, BMW, Hyundai, Lexus, and Toyota.
Brand decisions
2000
Adaptive reuse as an automotive destinationStrategyBackground
Following the mall's closure, the property required a new commercial purpose as conventional enclosed retail declined.
Action taken
Roger Burdick purchased the site and redeveloped it as Driver's Village, demolishing the Sears and Ames wings and converting retained portions into automotive showrooms and service facilities.
Aftermath
The former mall site continued operating as a mixed-use automotive complex with multiple new-car franchises, used-car sales, service businesses, and non-automotive tenants.
1994
Plan to replace the enclosed mall with a power centerStrategyBackground
Declining performance and competition from newer Syracuse-area malls led Wilmorite to consider abandoning the enclosed-mall format.
Action taken
Wilmorite announced a plan to demolish the central mall structure while retaining selected anchor buildings and adding a home-improvement big-box store and a Regal Cinemas theater within a proposed power-center redevelopment.
Aftermath
The enclosed mall closed in 1996. The later redevelopment took a different form when Roger Burdick converted the property into Driver's Village.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Wegmans and Driver’s Village partner to offer COVID-19 vaccinations[2]
Wegmans announced a partnership with Driver’s Village to offer COVID-19 vaccinations at the dealership's location. The clinic was scheduled for March 22, from noon to 5 p.m.
Sources2 sources
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