Colonial Plaza

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Coordinates: 28°33′01″N 81°20′59″W / 28.55028°N 81.34972°W / 28.55028; -81.34972
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Colonial Plaza
Total retail floor area
497,693 square feet (46,237.2 m2)[1]
No. of floors1
Public transit accessLocal Transit Lynx 6, 13, 51, 313 at the Colonial Plaza SuperStop

Colonial Plaza is a shopping mall in Orlando, Florida, United States. Opened in 1956, it was the largest retail development in the state of Florida at the time of its construction. The original complex included two supermarkets and two variety stores, plus a Belk department store. It underwent multiple expansions in its history, the first of which added a Jordan Marsh department store and an enclosed mall concourse. Further expansion in 1973 added a second enclosed wing and a relocation of Belk, while Ivey's was added in 1983 and sold to Dillard's in 1990.

The center's vacancy increased in the early 1990s due to competition from

Bealls Outlet, Marshalls, Old Navy, Big Lots, Barnes & Noble, and Petco
.

History

Groundbreaking for Colonial Plaza began in mid-1954. The site chosen for the center was the corner of Colonial Drive (Florida State Road 50) and Bumby Avenue, on land previously used as a cow pasture. Overall construction costs were estimated at $3,000,000 (equivalent to $34,037,175 in 2023). Morris Lapidus served as architect, while development, construction, contracting, and engineering were handled by the R. M. Thompson Co. of Clearwater. The firm of Michael R. Sudakow financed the project and Howard D. Spencer handled leasing. At the time, it was the largest retail development in the state of Florida. Representatives of the Sudakow firm said that the site for the center was chosen because they felt that Orlando, being in the center of the state, was poised for significant growth in population and retail development. The specific location was chosen because of its proximity to the Orlando market's center of population at the time.[2]

The interior of a shopping mall in the 1960s, with tiled floor. Visible are a fountain, several kiosk shops, planters with trees, and signage reading "Hanover Shoes", as well as several customers.
The interior mall of Colonial Plaza in the 1960s.

Colonial Plaza opened for business on January 31, 1956. The center included two supermarkets: a 22,000-square-foot (2,000 m2)

A&P, whose store was described by that chain's vice-president of operations for the Southeastern United States area as "large enough to serve the needs of residents in the east area of Orlando."[4] Two variety store chains also had locations in the center: W. T. Grant, whose 31,000-square-foot (2,900 m2) location was their second in the Orlando area,[5] and a smaller McCrory, which was the forty-first in the state of Florida.[6] Other notable tenants upon opening included a dry cleaner, a shoe repair shop, a television and appliance store, a camera shop, and several local clothing stores. It also featured a Walgreens pharmacy which had relocated from downtown Orlando,[7] and two national shoe stores: Kinney Shoes and Thom McAn.[8] All of the stores opened to a specially designed sidewalk, which was tinted green to reduce glare, and protected by overhangs from each store.[9] The center's parking lot had over 2,000 spaces, and was illuminated by mercury-vapor lamps.[10] Overall, the center had a total of 20 acres (8.1 ha) of shop space at the time, with over 24 shops in total. Opening ceremonies included presentations from city dignitaries and a United States Marine Corps color guard, performances by a local band, free candy for all patrons, and a prize drawing with a grand prize of a Plymouth Plaza. More than 50,000 shoppers were predicted to visit on opening day, with an estimated average of 10 cars using each parking spot daily.[11] Two months after the rest of the center opened, a 75,000-square-foot (7,000 m2) Belk department store opened as well. It was the largest department store in Orlando at the time, including departments for men's, women's, and children's clothing and footwear, along with jewelry, gardening, sporting goods, patio furniture, a key and lock shop, and a sandwich shop.[12]

1960s–1970s: First expansion

In 1961 and 1962, the center underwent its first expansion, consisting of 30 new storefronts facing an enclosed, air-conditioned mall concourse, and ending in a 230,000-square-foot (21,000 m2) Jordan Marsh department store. This expansion increased the size of the property to 600,000 square feet (56,000 m2) and over 57 stores, making it the largest shopping center in Florida at the time.[13] Jordan Marsh's store featured a mix of "tropical colors" and pastel tones, along with Venetian glass and rosewood paneling.[14] Jordan Marsh had originally wanted to locate downtown, but chose to locate at Colonial Plaza instead as the property owners of their intended downtown location had raised their rates. It was also the first four-story department store in Orlando, and flight attendants of Eastern Air Lines were present to instruct shoppers on the use of escalators.[7] The enclosed portion began at the existing strip's middle, extending backward from W. T. Grant to the Jordan Marsh store along a 461-foot (141 m) corridor of stores. It was decorated with lampposts, lanterns, planters with palm trees, and brick and redwood flooring.[13] To accommodate the expansion, the parking lot was expanded to a capacity of 15,000 cars. The majority of the stores in this section were local and regional stores, except for 5-7-9 and Lane Bryant.[14] Clinton Gamble was the architect of this expansion,[13] and construction was handled by Frank J. Rooney of Fort Lauderdale. Costs of the expansion were estimated at $2,900,000 (equivalent to $29,568,374 in 2023).[15] To accommodate for the anticipation of increased shopping mall traffic, a traffic light was installed on Colonial Drive and Coy Drive, the next intersection to the east of Bumby Avenue and closest to main mall access from Colonial Drive.[13] Following this expansion, Sudakow announced that a 1,200-seat movie theater (now occupied by The Plaza Live, a performance hall) would be built by Florida State Theaters Inc. on an outparcel facing Bumby Avenue.[16]

Colonial Plaza marked a shift in shopping patterns for the Orlando market, as many major retailers that had been previously operational downtown had moved either to it or to other suburban developments. Among the stores to move out of downtown Orlando in favor of a suburban location was Sears, which built across from the plaza in 1963.[7] In late 1965 and early 1966, the shopping center held a "birthday sale" honoring the center's tenth year of business, which included mall-wide sales, a petting zoo, and an exhibition on gems and minerals. At the time, Spencer noted that the center drew shoppers from a 100-mile radius, and that further growth around the property had ensued, including a Goodyear tire service center, a bank, and a bowling alley.[17]

1970s–1980s: South Mall and Ivey's

A second expansion was announced in 1972, consisting of a second mall concourse behind the Jordan Marsh store, and leading to a newer, larger Belk department store. This expansion, known as the South Mall, would bring the mall's overall size to 800,000 square feet (74,000 m2) and over 100 shops, and had a projected cost of $6,000,000 (equivalent to $43,704,057 in 2023).[18][19] Coinciding with this expansion, the existing property was refurbished with new lighting, floors, and ceilings.[19] The new location of Belk and the South Mall both opened in 1973. Among the new tenants in the South Mall were Casual Corner, Waldenbooks, Spencer Gifts, and relocations of Kinney Shoes and 5-7-9.[20] The new Belk location had more than double the floor space of its prior location, reflecting the company's move toward larger stores.[21] Store managers noted that the new location would carry more women's designer clothing and sportswear, in addition to furs and year-round sales of swimsuits.[22] The expansion of Colonial Plaza coincided with several other retail developments throughout the area, including another mall, Orlando Fashion Square, which was built around the existing Sears store across Colonial Drive.[7][23] An Orlando Sentinel article said that in 1972, prior to the opening of the expansion, Colonial Plaza had seen over 10.4 million visitors, who had spent approximately $60,000,000 (equivalent to $437,040,573 in 2023).[19] The sudden increase in retail developments in the Orlando market in the early 1970s was seen by retail analysts as the result of a heavy increase in tourism and overall population growth for the entire Orlando region following the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971.[24]

Once the new Belk opened, their previous location in Colonial Plaza was converted to O. G. Wilson's, a

Gap, Miracle-Ear, and Fanny Farmer. The owner of the Gap store in the mall noted that sales at his store were slow since it was in the Belk wing, thus putting it further away from main shopper traffic in the Ivey's and Jordan Marsh end of the mall.[29][28]

A map of Colonial Plaza as it existed in 1989, highlighting the enclosed mall corridors and locations of major stores.
A map of Colonial Plaza in the 1980s, highlighting the expansions received over the years.

By 1985, the Publix store in the mall had closed. Although Dayton-Hudson Corporation (now

Ross Dress for Less in 1985 due to poor sales.[33]

1990s: Decline and redevelopment

Atlanta, Georgia, announced plans to buy the mall and redevelop it into a power center.[40] At the time of their acquisition, the mall was nearly 50 percent vacant, and retail analysts had noted that its decline was due to its age, its unconventional layout, and its proximity to Orlando Fashion Square and other newer malls.[41] Following this announcement, both Dillard's and Belk closed between late 1994 and early 1995.[42][43]

1995–present: Redevelopment into a power center

After acquiring the property in early 1995, Cousins/Newmarket announced that redevelopment plans would call for demolition of nearly the entire property in favor of a

Just for Feet.[46] Many of these big box stores opened in stages between late 1995 and early 1996.[47] L. Luria & Sons underwent a chainwide liquidation in mid-1997,[48] and by 1999, their building had been retenanted by Staples.[49]

Bealls Outlet and Ulta Beauty two years later.[54] Five Below opened at the center in August 2018.[55] In late 2018, Floor & Decor moved across the street to Orlando Fashion Square,[56] and in 2020 it became a Conn's electronics store.[57] Following the closure of the Stein Mart chain that same year, their location in Colonial Plaza was sold to Sprouts Farmers Market.[58] As of 2020, Colonial Plaza is the eighth-largest shopping center in the Orlando area.[59] The center has a trade area of over 292,000 people within a 5-mile radius, and average daily traffic counts of 72,500 cars along Colonial Drive and Bumby Avenue.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "Colonial Plaza". Weingarten Realty. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  2. ^ Field, Ben (May 16, 1954). "$3,000,000 development paces Orlando's growth". The Orlando Sentinel. p. 1D. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  3. ^ "Publix has new service". The Orlando Sentinel. January 31, 1956. p. 1D. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  4. ^ "A&P ready for opening". The Orlando Sentinel. January 31, 1956. p. 12C. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  5. ^ "Grants will feature modern merchandising". The Orlando Sentinel. January 31, 1956. p. 9D. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  6. ^ "Self service shopping set". The Orlando Sentinel. January 31, 1956. p. 10C. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  7. ^
    ISBN 9781625846624
    .
  8. ^ "New stores listed at Colonial Plaza". The Orlando Sentinel. January 31, 1956. p. 12C. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  9. Newspapers.com Open access icon
    .
  10. ^ "Daylight lighting set at center". The Orlando Sentinel. January 31, 1956. p. 1D. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  11. ^ "Colonial Plaza shopping center opening set". The Orlando Sentinel. January 31, 1956. pp. C1. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  12. ^ "Belk's new department store set for opening". The Orlando Sentinel. March 7, 1956. p. 1C. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  13. ^ a b c d "Colonial Plaza's 57 stores in gala opening". The Orlando Sentinel. October 21, 1962. p. 19F. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  14. ^ a b "New Jordan Marsh store". The Orlando Sentinel. June 25, 1961. p. 2E. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  15. ^ "Marsh, plaza expansion work starts". The Orlando Sentinel. September 24, 1961. pp. 1B. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  16. ^ "Colonial Plaza theater started". The Orlando Sentinel. July 25, 1962. pp. 1B. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  17. ^ "Plaza plans biggest sale". The Orlando Sentinel. October 17, 1965. pp. 11G. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  18. ^ Marlowe, Dick (May 16, 1972). "Plaza plans $6 million expansion". The Orlando Sentinel. pp. 1A, 22A. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  19. ^ a b c Marlowe, Dick (April 1, 1973). "Plaza's growth mirrors Orlando boom". The Orlando Sentinel. p. 9D. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  20. ^ Williams, Andy (August 27, 1973). "Colonial Plaza firm on opening date". The Orlando Sentinel. p. 5B. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  21. ^ Pollick, Mike (October 14, 1973). "Mall Belk Lindsey to open Monday". The Orlando Sentinel. p. 16C. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  22. ^ Trexler, Lynn (October 16, 1973). "Hundreds attend opening of Belk-Lindsey". The Orlando Sentinel. p. 1D. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  23. ^ Marlowe, Dick (October 21, 1973). "Shopping centered here". The Orlando Sentinel. p. 1F. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  24. ^ "Shopping centered here". The Orlando Sentinel. October 21, 1973. pp. 1F. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  25. ^ "Myers to manage catalog showroom". The Orlando Sentinel. May 1, 1974. p. 13A. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  26. ^ "Woolworth opening modern store in Colonial Plaza". The Orlando Sentinel. November 24, 1976. p. 4B. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  27. ^ Hagstrom, Suzy (April 22, 1982). "Colonial Plaza will get facelift, new Ivey's store". The Orlando Sentinel. pp. F1, F2. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  28. ^ a b Hagstrom, Suzy (August 11, 1983). "Ivey's opening has mall abuzz". The Orlando Sentinel. pp. D1, D2. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  29. ^ a b c Hagstrom, Suzy (August 13, 1984). "Colonial Plaza - the old and the new". The Orlando Sentinel. p. 3. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  30. ^ a b Suzy Hagstrom (May 1, 1983). "Retailers wait out ill effects of Colonial Plaza renovation". The Orlando Sentinel. pp. E1, E12. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  31. ^ "CFB report". The Orlando Sentinel. September 16, 1985. pp. 1, 2. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  32. ^ "CFB report". The Orlando Sentinel. January 19, 1987. pp. 1, 2. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  33. ^ Smith, Denise L. (June 27, 1987). "JByrons comes back to Orlando". The Orlando Sentinel. pp. B1, B6. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  34. ^ "Dillard's moves in". The Orlando Sentinel. November 1, 1990. p. C1. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  35. ^ Suris, Oscar (May 6, 1991). "Plaza shopping for a solution". The Orlando Sentinel. p. 5. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  36. ^ Feigenbaum, Nancy (September 4, 1991). "Store's exit leaves a hole in the mall". The Orlando Sentinel. pp. A1, A5. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  37. ^ Patrizio, Ron (October 17, 1991). "Signs, golf carts steer shoppers through mall". The Orlando Sentinel. p. I3. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  38. ^ Feigenbaum, Nancy (October 23, 1993). "Woolworth phase-out on the menu". The Orlando Sentinel. pp. C1, C10. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  39. ^ Feigenbaum, Nancy (February 3, 1992). "Mall suffers after chains pull out". The Orlando Sentinel. p. 5. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  40. ^ Jackson, Jerry (June 3, 1994). "Colonial Plaza Mall plans may mean shops are history". The Orlando Sentinel. pp. B1, B5. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  41. ^ Jack Snyder, Christine Shenot (June 2, 1994). "Colonial Plaza may get face-lift, new-style shops". The Orlando Sentinel. pp. A1, A6. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  42. ^ Shenot, Christine (December 30, 1994). "Closing act draws near at Orlando mall". The Orlando Sentinel. pp. C1, C4. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  43. ^ Snyder, Jack (January 12, 1995). "Plaza to lose Belk-Lindsey". The Orlando Sentinel. pp. B1, B5. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  44. ^ Kuhn, Brad (January 25, 1996). "Byrons will change into Uptons". The Orlando Sentinel. p. B1. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  45. ^ Stutzman, Rene (February 20, 1995). "More mall details". The Orlando Sentinel. p. 22. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  46. ^ "Retail". The Orlando Sentinel. June 17, 1996. p. 19. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  47. ^ "Colonial Plaza progress". The Orlando Sentinel. November 14, 1995. p. B1. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  48. ^ "Luria's checks out of Orlando". The Orlando Sentinel. July 11, 1997. p. B1, B6. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  49. ^ "More Staples in the area?". The Orlando Sentinel. June 7, 1999. p. 1. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  50. National Real Estate Investor
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  51. ^ Chediak, Mark (May 21, 2007). "Floor & Decor outlets chain debuts in Orlando". The Orlando Sentinel. p. 3. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  52. ^ Pedicini, Sandra (October 8, 2010). "New stores snag shuttered spots". The Orlando Sentinel. pp. A1, A4. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  53. ^ Pedicini, Sandra (October 6, 2011). "Orlando Babies "R" Us and Toys "R" Us closing Sunday". The Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  54. ^ "Openings". The Orlando Sentinel. July 8, 2013. p. D2. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  55. ^ O'Connor, Brendan (August 26, 2018). "New Five Below Shop Now Open in Colonial Plaza". Bungalower. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  56. ^ "First look: Orlando Fashion Square mall's $20M rehab welcomes its 1st anchor". Orlando Business Journal. October 2, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  57. ^ "Appliance store powers up its first Orlando location". Orlando Business Journal. January 7, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  58. ^ "Colonial Plaza gets Sprouts Farmers Market and Conn's Home Plus". December 29, 2020. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  59. ^ "Largest Retail Centers Ranked by Total square feet". Orlando Business Journal. September 28, 2018. Retrieved January 20, 2019.

External links

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