Upper Valley Mall

Upper Valley Mall was a regional shopping center located west of Springfield, Ohio, near U.S. Route 68 in German Township, Clark County. The mall opened on August 2, 1971, under the ownership and development of the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation of Youngstown. Its original anchor lineup included J. C. Penney, Sears, Rike's, and Wren's, giving the property the traditional department-store structure of a mid-sized American shopping mall. Over time, the anchor brands changed through acquisitions, consolidations, and closures. Rike's became Shillito-Rike's, then Lazarus, Lazarus-Macy's, and ultimately Macy's, while Wren's became Block's before its space was absorbed into Lazarus after Federated Department Stores acquired Block's in 1987. The property contained approximately 267,466 square feet of floor space and was configured to accommodate roughly 55 stores, although its tenant count and commercial role diminished substantially in later years. F. W. Woolworth was among the original tenants but closed in January 1992. Elder-Beerman opened on October 2, 1992, in the former Woolworth location and became one of the mall's later department-store anchors. The mall also included a cinema and a mixture of national specialty retailers, restaurants, and local businesses. Upper Valley Mall's decline accelerated in the 2010s. Elder-Beerman and Old Navy closed in January 2013, followed by a period in which the property increasingly relied on smaller retailers and nontraditional uses. A satellite museum operated by the Dayton Society of Natural History opened in 2013 as the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery Springfield. It initially occupied about 4,000 square feet before expanding into the former Elder-Beerman space, but the satellite location closed in April 2016. The mall entered receivership in July 2014, and management shifted from Simon Property Group, the successor to DeBartolo's mall interests, to Urban Retail Properties. Macy's and J. C. Penney closed in spring 2015, leaving Sears as the final remaining department-store anchor. The cinema closed in February 2017. Clark County acquired the former Macy's property through its land bank in December 2016 and purchased the rest of the mall site, excluding Sears, in May 2018. Sears announced its closure in December 2018 as part of a nationwide store-closing program and shut its Upper Valley Mall location on March 10, 2019. The mall consequently had no anchor stores. A proposed conversion into a mixed-use sports complex involving Home Plate Sports Academy, restaurants, a hotel, retail space, and a movie theater was reported in 2019 but was never realized. Victoria's Secret announced its closure in January 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Clark County authorized use of the former J. C. Penney store as a temporary vaccination and testing clinic. The facility operated from late 2020 until May 27, 2021. County officials announced in April 2021 that the mall would permanently close to the public on June 16. At the time, thirteen tenants remained, including Bath & Body Works, Spencer Gifts, GNC, Emporium, Springfield Chess Club, and Mark Pi Express. On June 9, 2021, the county announced an agreement to sell the mall and its 76.8-acre property to Ohio developer Industrial Commercial Properties for $2.25 million, subject to due diligence and closing arrangements. The stated redevelopment concept was a mixed-use business park rather than a conventional retail mall. Upper Valley Mall closed as scheduled on June 16, 2021, marking the end of its public retail operation.

Upper Valley Mall opened on August 2, 1971, in German Township near Springfield, Ohio. It was developed by the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation and initially followed the dominant American regional-mall model: a fully enclosed retail center organized around several department-store anchors. J. C. Penney, Sears, Rike's, and Wren's were the original anchors, while F. W. Woolworth was an early additional tenant. The mall's department-store identities changed over the following decades. Rike's passed through the Shillito-Rike's and Lazarus names before eventually becoming part of Macy's. Wren's later became Block's. After Federated Department Stores acquired Block's in 1987 and consolidated the chain into its Lazarus division, the Block's space was converted into additional Lazarus selling area. Woolworth closed in January 1992, and Elder-Beerman opened in its former location on October 2 of that year. The property covered approximately 267,466 square feet and had capacity for about 55 stores. Its long-term position weakened as department stores and enclosed malls faced increasing competition from larger retail centers, power centers, online commerce, and changing consumer habits. Elder-Beerman and Old Navy closed in January 2013. That year, the Dayton Society of Natural History introduced the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery Springfield, a satellite museum intended to provide a community and educational use within the mall. The museum began in a smaller space and expanded into the former Elder-Beerman premises in November, but the satellite closed on April 30, 2016. Ownership and management became increasingly unstable. Upper Valley Mall entered receivership in July 2014, and Simon Property Group transferred management to Urban Retail Properties. Macy's and J. C. Penney closed in spring 2015. The cinema closed in February 2017, further reducing the mall's entertainment draw. Clark County's land bank acquired the former Macy's site in December 2016 for approximately $200,000 and purchased the balance of the site, excluding Sears, in May 2018 for slightly more than $3 million. Sears was the last remaining anchor after the other department stores departed. Its closure was announced on December 28, 2018, and the store ceased operations on March 10, 2019. A redevelopment concept involving Home Plate Sports Academy and a mixed-use sports complex was reported in 2019, but the proposal did not proceed. Victoria's Secret, one of the remaining specialty retailers, announced its closure in January 2020. The former J. C. Penney store gained a temporary public-health role during the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2020, the Clark County Commission authorized the Clark County Combined Health District to use the space for vaccination and testing. Although initially described as a three-month arrangement, the clinic operated until May 27, 2021. By 2021, the county had decided that continued operation as a conventional mall was no longer viable. On April 15, officials announced a June 16 permanent closure. Thirteen tenants remained, including national specialty stores, local businesses, a chess club, and Mark Pi Express, which had operated at the mall for 28 years. On June 9, the county announced a $2.25 million sale agreement with Industrial Commercial Properties for the mall and its 76.8-acre site. ICP proposed converting the property into a mixed-use business park. The mall closed as scheduled on June 16, 2021. The county later said that materials from the property, including Peanuts-themed Christmas displays, would be made available to the Clark County Heritage Center for preservation.

• 2021

  Retail operation ends

  [1]Upper Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Upper Valley Mall closes permanently on June 16 after the county selects Industrial Commercial Properties for redevelopment.

• 2020

  Former J. C. Penney becomes health clinic

  [1]Upper Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The county authorizes COVID-19 vaccination and testing in the former J. C. Penney space.

• 2019

  Sears closure leaves mall without anchors

  [1]Upper Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Sears closes on March 10, making Upper Valley Mall an anchorless property.

• 2016

  Museum satellite closes

  [1]Upper Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery Springfield satellite closes on April 30.

• 2014

  Receivership and management transition

  [1]Upper Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall enters receivership and management shifts from Simon Property Group to Urban Retail Properties.

• 2013

  Museum satellite launches

  [1]Upper Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Dayton Society of Natural History opens the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery Springfield satellite inside the mall.

• 1992

  Elder-Beerman becomes an anchor

  [1]Upper Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Elder-Beerman opens on October 2 in the former Woolworth location.

• 1987

  Block's is absorbed into Lazarus

  [1]Upper Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Following Federated Department Stores' acquisition of Block's, the Upper Valley Mall location is converted into additional Lazarus selling space.

• 1971

  Upper Valley Mall opens

  [1]Upper Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation opens the mall on August 2 with J. C. Penney, Sears, Rike's, and Wren's as anchors.

A mid-sized regional shopping mall serving Springfield and surrounding communities in Clark County, Ohio. In its later years, the property shifted from department-store-led retail toward specialty tenants, community uses, temporary public services, and eventual commercial redevelopment.

• Retail format · 1971

  Department-store retail

  The mall's principal historical offering was department-store retail through J. C. Penney, Sears, Rike's, Lazarus, Macy's, Wren's, Block's, and Elder-Beerman. These stores supplied apparel, household goods, accessories, and other general merchandise and formed the center's original traffic-generating structure.

• Retail and services · 1971

  Specialty retail and services

  In its later years, Upper Valley Mall accommodated smaller specialty retailers and local operators, including Bath & Body Works, Spencer Gifts, GNC, Emporium, and Mark Pi Express. These tenants represented the mall's residual retail, personal-care, gift, food, and community-service offer after the department-store anchors departed.

• Entertainment · 1971

  Cinema and entertainment

  An original-tenant cinema provided movie entertainment and helped broaden the center's appeal beyond shopping. The cinema remained part of the property for decades but closed on February 20, 2017.

• Museum and education · 2013

  Boonshoft Museum of Discovery Springfield

  The Dayton Society of Natural History operated a satellite museum in the mall from 2013 to 2016. It opened in a roughly 4,000-square-foot space and later expanded into the former Elder-Beerman premises, reaching approximately 20,000 square feet before closing.

• 2021

  Sale and conversion to business-park useM&A

  Background

  With the mall no longer viable as a conventional retail center, Clark County sought a new use for the property.

  Action taken

  The county agreed to sell the mall and its 76.8-acre site to Industrial Commercial Properties for $2.25 million, subject to due diligence and closing arrangements.

  Aftermath

  The mall closed on June 16, 2021, and the proposed direction shifted toward a mixed-use business park.

  Agreed sale price. $2.25 million (2021 announced transaction)

  Source

• 2020

  Temporary COVID-19 clinic approvedOther

  Background

  Clark County needed space for pandemic vaccination and testing operations.

  Action taken

  The former J. C. Penney store was made available to the Clark County Combined Health District.

  Aftermath

  The clinic operated from late 2020 through May 27, 2021, beyond the initially anticipated three-month period.

  Source

• 2019

  Proposed sports-complex redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  After Sears became the final anchor and announced its departure, Home Plate Sports Academy was reported to be considering a broader redevelopment of the mall.

  Action taken

  The reported concept included sports facilities, restaurants, retail, a hotel, and a movie theater.

  Aftermath

  The proposed project did not materialize.

  Source

• 2014

  Management transfer after receivershipStrategy

  Background

  The mall entered receivership in July 2014 amid declining retail performance and ownership-management difficulties.

  Action taken

  Management was transferred from Simon Property Group to Urban Retail Properties.

  Aftermath

  The property continued operating, but subsequent anchor closures and declining occupancy led to county ownership and eventual redevelopment planning.

  Source

1. 1Upper Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org