Westdale Town Center
A redeveloped open-air shopping and mixed-use destination in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, formerly known as Westdale Mall.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Westdale Town Center is a shopping and mixed-use property on the southwest side of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It began as Westdale Mall, a two-level enclosed super-regional shopping mall developed by The Hahn Company. The mall opened on October 4, 1979, after a lengthy planning and construction process that included zoning opposition, a recession-related delay, and an electricians' strike. At its early-1980s peak, the property had approximately 114 stores and was operating at roughly 93 percent occupancy, attracting customers from across eastern Iowa and nearby parts of neighboring states. The original mall opened with department-store anchors including JCPenney, Montgomery Ward, Younkers, and Petersen Harned Von Maur, which replaced Brandeis after that retailer withdrew before the mall opened. Over time, the property was affected by changing retail patterns, the closure of traditional department-store chains, competition from newer regional shopping centers, and the departure of many inline tenants. Montgomery Ward closed in 2001, the former Ward space was later occupied by Steve & Barry's, and Von Maur left in 2007. Steve & Barry's subsequently closed during that chain's bankruptcy in 2008. By 2007, more than half of the mall's stores had reportedly closed, and the property entered receivership amid mortgage problems involving a part-owner. Westdale also became an important temporary community facility after the Iowa flood of 2008. Vacant retail space hosted city and county offices, emergency-response centers for the American Red Cross, FEMA, and the Small Business Administration, and a temporary Cedar Rapids Public Library operation known as The Bridge. These uses illustrated the property's practical value even as its conventional retail business weakened. A local investor group led by realtor Scott Byers acquired the property through A. Shapiro LLC in a transaction effective January 1, 2013. Frew Development Group was brought in to redevelop the site, with plans calling for an approximately $90 million transformation from an enclosed mall into an open-air, multiuse destination. Most of the enclosed mall was closed and cleared after March 31, 2014, while selected anchor buildings remained. The project subsequently added or supported a broader mix of retail, dining, hospitality, medical, and service uses. The property is now known as Westdale Town Center rather than Westdale Mall. Its listed anchor and major users include JCPenney, Ross Dress for Less, U-Haul, Burlington, and PetSmart. Since 2018, Frew Development has also developed a Tru by Hilton hotel, a Home2 Suites by Hilton, a Boulder Tap House restaurant, and a U.S. Veterans Medical Clinic at or within the wider Westdale development. In 2020, Frew acquired the ground lease from A. Shapiro and became the sole owner of Westdale Town Center. The site's current positioning is therefore less that of a traditional enclosed regional mall and more that of an open-air neighborhood and regional service destination combining shopping, restaurants, lodging, healthcare, and other daily-use services.
History
Plans for Westdale Mall were first announced on March 29, 1972. The proposed development was initially planned as a roughly 560,000-square-foot enclosed mall with two or three anchor stores and between 30 and 50 smaller tenants on a 66-acre site. Later in 1972, Ernest W. Hahn of The Hahn Company acquired the property from Midwest Development of Cedar Rapids and Dial Realty of Omaha. Hahn then sought additional commercial zoning. A local group called Taxpayers for Sensible Planning opposed the expansion, arguing that a larger mall could harm established Cedar Rapids businesses. The city council nevertheless approved the rezoning by a 4–1 vote on May 22, 1974. Construction was delayed by the 1974 recession and did not begin until May 1976. A seven-week electricians' strike caused an additional delay, and the mall finally opened on October 4, 1979. JCPenney and Montgomery Ward, both relocated from downtown Cedar Rapids, opened as initial anchors. Younkers and Petersen Harned Von Maur opened in 1980; Von Maur had replaced Brandeis after Brandeis withdrew while its store was under construction. Despite the economic difficulties affecting Cedar Rapids manufacturing in the early 1980s, Westdale quickly became a strong regional draw. By early 1981 it had 114 stores and was approximately 93 percent occupied. The property's corporate history changed several times. The Hahn Company became TrizecHahn in 1980, and TrizecHahn sold Westdale to The Rouse Company in April 1998. Festival Companies assumed management in November 2004 and proposed a major renovation costing approximately $20 million, including an expansion and a new food court. Those plans were not completed as tenants continued to leave, partly under pressure from newer competition such as Coral Ridge Mall. Montgomery Ward closed in early 2001 when the chain ceased operations. Its former anchor space later housed Steve & Barry's from November 2005 until that retailer closed during its 2008 bankruptcy. Von Maur closed its Westdale store on January 31, 2007, citing declining business. By March 2007, more than half the stores had closed. The mall was placed in administrative receivership in November 2006 after H-N-W Associates, a part-owner, fell behind on mortgage payments. Heritage Property Management took over management, followed by General Growth Properties' leasing involvement in December 2006 and Jones Lang LaSalle's leasing role in 2010. Westdale was sold at a sheriff's sale to Cedar Rapids Properties, Inc., on July 10, 2007. Local officials debated redevelopment and temporarily imposed or lifted moratoria while proposals for restaurants and other uses were considered. Plans for a Sonic Drive-In and a T.G.I. Friday's did not proceed. The former Big Lots building was demolished in 2010 to make way for Edgewood Station. The Iowa flood of 2008 gave vacant Westdale space an important civic role. Temporary offices for Cedar Rapids and Linn County were established at the property, while disaster-response facilities for the American Red Cross, FEMA, and the Small Business Administration also operated there. Linn County later leased space known as Linn County West. The Cedar Rapids Public Library opened The Bridge, a temporary main library operation, at the former Osco Drug location on February 9, 2009, because the downtown library had been heavily damaged by flooding. County offices returned downtown in 2012, and the library subsequently planned to relocate its west-side branch. A. Shapiro LLC, a local investment group led by realtor Scott Byers, acquired Westdale in a transaction effective January 1, 2013. Frew Development Group, based in Denver, was assigned responsibility for a planned approximately $90 million redevelopment. The concept called for demolishing most of the enclosed mall and replacing it with an open-air, multiuse destination while retaining selected anchor structures. The mall closed to almost all tenants after March 31, 2014, and most of the enclosed structure was demolished. JCPenney, Younkers, and a City Looks salon were among the uses initially retained. Younkers later closed in 2018 after The Bon-Ton announced a nationwide round of store closures. The redevelopment broadened the property's role beyond enclosed-mall retail. Frew developed a Tru by Hilton hotel, a Home2 Suites by Hilton, a Boulder Tap House restaurant, and a U.S. Veterans Medical Clinic from 2018 onward. The current site includes JCPenney, Ross Dress for Less, U-Haul, Burlington, and PetSmart among its anchor or major users. In 2020, Frew acquired the ground lease from A. Shapiro LLC and became the sole owner. Westdale Town Center consequently represents the conversion of a declining regional mall into an open-air, mixed-use property focused on retail, dining, accommodation, healthcare, and services.
- 2020
Frew becomes sole owner
[1]Frew Development acquired the ground lease and became the sole owner of Westdale Town Center.
- 2018
Younkers closes
[1]The Bon-Ton closure program ended Younkers' presence at Westdale.
- 2014
Enclosed mall largely demolished
[1]Most tenants left after March 31 and the enclosed mall structure was cleared except for selected anchors.
- 2013
A. Shapiro acquisition and redevelopment plan
[1]A local investor group acquired the property and announced a Frew-led transformation into an open-air destination.
- 2008
Flood recovery uses Westdale space
[1]Retail space was repurposed for government offices, emergency agencies, and other flood-recovery operations.
- 2007
Von Maur closes and store losses accelerate
[1]Von Maur closed its location, while more than half of the mall's stores had closed by March.
- 2001
Montgomery Ward closes
[1]Montgomery Ward shut its Westdale anchor as the chain ceased operations.
- 1981
Early regional success
[1]The mall reached approximately 93 percent occupancy with 114 stores.
- 1979
Westdale Mall opens
[1]The enclosed mall opened on October 4 with major department-store anchors.
- 1976
Construction begins
[1]Construction started after a recession-related delay.
Products and positioning
An open-air, mixed-use redevelopment serving Cedar Rapids with value-oriented retail, restaurants, lodging, healthcare, and other services, replacing the former enclosed regional-mall format.
Enclosed regional shopping mall · 1979
Westdale Mall
The original two-level enclosed mall opened in 1979 and served as a major regional retail destination for Cedar Rapids and surrounding communities. Its tenant mix included department stores, specialty retailers, services, and food uses. The enclosed mall format declined as anchor chains closed and newer competing shopping centers opened. Most of the structure was closed and demolished after March 2014.
Open-air mixed-use shopping center · 2014
Westdale Town Center
The current open-air redevelopment combines retail, restaurants, hotels, healthcare, and service uses. Its major users include JCPenney, Ross Dress for Less, Burlington, PetSmart, and U-Haul, alongside hospitality and community-oriented facilities. The format is designed as a broader daily-use destination rather than a conventional enclosed mall.
Brand decisions
2020
Frew Development acquires the ground leaseM&ABackground
Frew had managed and developed the property under a lease arrangement following the 2013 acquisition.
Action taken
Frew Development Group acquired the ground lease from A. Shapiro LLC.
Aftermath
Frew became the sole owner of Westdale Town Center.
2013
Conversion from enclosed mall to open-air mixed-use destinationStrategyBackground
High vacancy, anchor-store closures, and competition from newer regional malls weakened the enclosed Westdale Mall format.
Action taken
A. Shapiro LLC engaged Frew Development Group to pursue an approximately $90 million redevelopment, retaining selected anchors while removing most of the enclosed mall.
Aftermath
The mall largely closed in 2014 and was transformed into Westdale Town Center with retail, dining, hotel, medical, and service uses.
Recent events
- 2020
Frew Development becomes sole owner of Westdale Town Center[1]
M&A
Frew Development Group acquired the ground lease from A. Shapiro LLC and became the sole owner of the redeveloped property.
- 2020
Michelle Martinko murder investigation reaches conviction[1]
Other
Michelle Martinko was killed in the Westdale Mall parking lot in 1979. Jerry Lynn Burns was arrested in 2018 and convicted of first-degree murder in 2020.
- 2018
Younkers closes its Westdale location[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
The Bon-Ton announced that the Younkers store would close as part of a nationwide store-closure program, leaving JCPenney as the remaining traditional mall anchor.
- 2014
Redevelopment converts Westdale Mall into an open-air destination[1]
Product generation
Most tenants vacated by March 31 and the enclosed mall was demolished, leaving selected anchor buildings for the planned mixed-use redevelopment.
- 2013
Westdale is acquired by A. Shapiro LLC[1]
M&A
A local investor group acquired the mall and transferred development responsibility to Frew Development Group.
- 2006
Westdale enters administrative receivership[1]
Other
The property entered receivership after a part-owner fell behind on mortgage payments; management subsequently changed.
- 1981
Westdale reaches high early occupancy[1]
Other
The mall was reported to have 114 stores and approximately 93 percent occupancy, drawing shoppers from eastern Iowa and surrounding states.
- 1979
Westdale Mall opens after delayed construction[1]
Other
The enclosed Westdale Mall opened in Cedar Rapids on October 4 after recession-related delays and a seven-week electricians' strike.
Sources1 sources
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