The Falls
An upscale open-air shopping mall in Kendall, Florida, organized around landscaped pools, waterfalls, bridges, retail stores, restaurants, and entertainment venues.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Falls is an open-air shopping mall in Kendall, an unincorporated suburban community in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Developed by The Rouse Company and opened in 1980, the center was conceived as an upscale outdoor retail destination rather than a conventional enclosed mall. Its defining architectural and landscape feature is a man-made lagoon and water garden containing pools, waterfalls, bridges, sculpture, and decorative lighting. This design gives the property its name and remains central to its identity and visitor experience. The property has more than 110 stores and combines fashion, department-store, specialty, beauty, lifestyle, dining, and entertainment uses. Macy's is the principal traditional anchor. Bloomingdale's was another major anchor for decades, opening its store in 1984, but its location closed in 2020. The former Bloomingdale's space was subsequently redeveloped for Life Time Fitness, a large health and fitness facility that opened on August 4, 2023. The center also includes a cinema operation that began as UA Movies 7, expanded after Hurricane Andrew, and later operated under Regal branding. It was eventually presented as Regal Bistro at The Falls. The Falls expanded significantly in the 1990s. A 1996 expansion reportedly doubled the size of the shopping center and added 54 stores, while Macy's opened at the property in October of that year. The mall's history also reflects the restructuring and consolidation of the U.S. retail-property industry. Ownership or control passed from The Rouse Company to Taubman Centers, then to General Motors Pension Trust, and later to The Mills Corporation. In 2007, Simon Property Group and Farallon Capital Management acquired The Mills Corporation, after which Simon assumed management of The Falls. Simon and Farallon remain associated with the property's ownership, with Simon described as holding and managing a 50 percent interest and Farallon holding the remaining share. The center has also had to adapt to severe weather, changing department-store economics, and shifts in consumer demand. Hurricane Andrew caused extensive damage to the mall and Bloomingdale's in 1992; the department store reopened after repairs in a larger three-story configuration, and the cinema returned in expanded form in 1994. More recently, the closure of Bloomingdale's removed one of the property's historic anchors, but the Life Time redevelopment introduced a service-oriented use intended to broaden the center's role beyond conventional shopping. New specialty retailers announced in 2024 included JD Sports, LoveSac, G by GUESS, TOUS, and lululemon. The Falls therefore operates as a mixed retail, dining, entertainment, and wellness destination serving the Miami metropolitan area, with its landscaped outdoor environment continuing to distinguish it from enclosed regional malls.
History
The Falls was developed by The Rouse Company, a Columbia, Maryland-based real-estate developer, and designed by M. Gerwing Architects. It opened in 1980 as an upscale open-air shopping plaza in Kendall, Florida. Rather than relying on an enclosed, climate-controlled format, the project was planned around an elaborate man-made lagoon with pools, waterfalls, pedestrian bridges, sculpture, and decorative lighting. The water-centered landscape became the property's primary architectural signature and supplied the name The Falls. Bloomingdale's was announced as the first major anchor in April 1982. Its two-story store opened on August 12, 1984, establishing the center as a destination for higher-end department-store shopping. The mall suffered severe damage during Hurricane Andrew in September 1992, as did the Bloomingdale's building and the on-site UA Movies 7 cinema. Bloomingdale's was repaired and reopened in late 1993 in a three-story configuration. The cinema reopened on January 27, 1994, with 12 screens. The property underwent a major expansion in 1996. The project doubled the size of the shopping center and added 54 stores. Macy's opened at The Falls in October 1996 after the expansion, providing the center with another major department-store anchor. In May 1997, The Rouse Company announced that it would sell The Falls as part of its transition toward a real-estate investment trust structure. The sale to Taubman Centers was completed in December 1997. Taubman later sold its ownership interests in ten shopping centers, including The Falls, to the General Motors Pension Trust in August 1998. In the cinema sector, United Artists Theatre Circuit merged with Regal Cinemas and Edwards Theatres in 2002 to create Regal Entertainment Group. The mall's United Artists cinema was consequently rebranded as Regal UA Falls 12. In August 2004, the Mills Corporation acquired the General Motors Pension Trust's interests in The Falls as part of a wider transaction valued at $1.03 billion. In April 2007, Simon Property Group and Farallon Capital Management acquired The Mills Corporation in a transaction valued at $1.64 billion. Following that acquisition, Simon assumed management of The Falls. The property has been described as jointly owned by Simon and Farallon, with Simon holding a 50 percent interest and the balance associated with Farallon. The next major transition came in 2020. Macy's, Inc. announced in January that Bloomingdale's would permanently close its Falls location after more than three decades of operation. The store closed on January 11, leaving Macy's as the mall's only traditional department-store anchor. Simon then announced plans to demolish the former Bloomingdale's building and replace it with a Life Time Fitness resort center. Although the facility had initially been expected to open earlier, it opened on August 4, 2023. The redevelopment reflects a broader effort to diversify the center's tenant mix as department stores contract and consumers place greater value on dining, services, entertainment, wellness, and experiential uses. In 2024, the mall announced additional specialty tenants, including JD Sports, LoveSac, G by GUESS, TOUS, and lululemon, with more announcements following later in the year. The cinema has operated through several brand formats and was later renovated and presented as Regal Bistro at The Falls. The Falls remains an active open-air retail and mixed-use destination in the Miami area, distinguished by its landscaped water features and combination of shopping, dining, entertainment, and fitness uses.
- 2024
New specialty retailers announced
[1]The Falls announces incoming tenants including JD Sports, LoveSac, G by GUESS, TOUS, and lululemon.
- 2023
Life Time Fitness opens
[1]Life Time Fitness opens its resort center in the former Bloomingdale's building on August 4.
- 2020
Bloomingdale's closes
[1]Bloomingdale's permanently closes its Falls location on January 11 after more than 30 years.
- 2007
Simon and Farallon acquire The Mills Corporation
[1]Simon Property Group and Farallon Capital Management acquire The Mills Corporation and subsequently assume management of The Falls.
- 2004
Mills Corporation acquires the GM Pension Trust interest
[1]The Mills Corporation acquires the General Motors Pension Trust's shares in The Falls as part of a broader transaction.
- 2002
Cinema rebranded under Regal
[1]Following the formation of Regal Entertainment Group, UA Movies 12 at The Falls is rebranded as Regal UA Falls 12.
- 1998
Ownership transferred to GM Pension Trust
[1]Taubman sells its ownership interest in The Falls to General Motors Pension Trust.
- 1997
Sale to Taubman Centers
[1]The Rouse Company announces the sale of The Falls to Taubman Centers, completed in December.
- 1996
Major expansion and Macy's opening
[1]A project doubles the shopping center's size and adds 54 stores; Macy's opens at The Falls in October.
- 1994
Expanded cinema reopens
[1]The damaged cinema reopens on January 27 as a 12-screen venue.
Products and positioning
Upscale open-air shopping, dining, entertainment, and wellness destination centered on a landscaped water environment.
Shopping center · 1980
Open-air retail center
The core offering is an outdoor shopping environment with more than 110 stores arranged around landscaped water features, pedestrian bridges, pools, waterfalls, sculpture, and decorative lighting. The tenant mix spans apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty, jewelry, home goods, specialty retail, dining, and services.
Department store · 1996
Macy's
Macy's is the principal traditional department-store anchor at The Falls. Its opening followed the center's major 1996 expansion, which substantially increased the property's size and store count.
Fitness and wellness · 2023
Life Time Fitness
Life Time Fitness occupies the former Bloomingdale's anchor building. The resort-style fitness center broadened the property's offer into health, wellness, exercise, and membership services and opened on August 4, 2023.
Cinema and entertainment · 1994
Regal Bistro at The Falls
The property's cinema developed from UA Movies 7, was expanded to 12 screens after Hurricane Andrew, and later entered the Regal network. It has subsequently operated under the Regal Bistro at The Falls presentation.
Brand decisions
2020
Redevelopment of the former Bloomingdale's siteStrategyBackground
Bloomingdale's closed its long-running store, leaving the mall with a vacant major anchor space and Macy's as its only traditional department-store anchor.
Action taken
Simon announced that the former Bloomingdale's building would be demolished and replaced with a Life Time Fitness resort center.
Aftermath
Life Time Fitness opened at the site on August 4, 2023, adding a major wellness and membership-based use to the mall.
2007
Simon and Farallon acquire The Mills CorporationM&ABackground
The Mills Corporation owned or controlled The Falls as part of a broader portfolio of shopping centers.
Action taken
Simon Property Group and Farallon Capital Management acquired The Mills Corporation and Simon assumed management of The Falls.
Aftermath
The property became part of the Simon-managed portfolio and remained associated with Simon and Farallon ownership.
Acquisition value. (2007 transaction)
1996
Major expansion of the shopping centerStrategyBackground
The Falls sought to increase its regional retail capacity and strengthen its position as an upscale open-air destination.
Action taken
The property was expanded to approximately twice its previous size, adding 54 stores; Macy's also opened during the expansion period.
Aftermath
The expansion created a larger tenant base and established Macy's as a major anchor.
Recent events
- 2024
New specialty retailers announced for The Falls[1]
Product launch · Other
The mall announced incoming stores including JD Sports, LoveSac, G by GUESS, TOUS, and lululemon, with additional retailer announcements reported later in the year.
- 2023
Life Time Fitness opens at The Falls[1]
Product launch
The Life Time Fitness center opened on August 4, 2023, occupying the former Bloomingdale's location and becoming a major non-retail component of the property.
- 2020
Bloomingdale's closes its store at The Falls[1]
Other · Leadership change
Bloomingdale's parent company Macy's, Inc. announced that the long-standing Bloomingdale's location at The Falls would permanently close in January 2020, leaving Macy's as the mall's only traditional department-store anchor.
- 2020
Simon announces Life Time Fitness redevelopment for former Bloomingdale's site[1]
Product launch
Simon Property Group announced plans to replace the former Bloomingdale's building with a Life Time Fitness resort center, shifting part of the property toward health, fitness, and service-based use.
Sources2 sources
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