Coliseum Mall
Encyclopedia
Coliseum Mall was a medium-size shopping mall
located in Hampton, Virginia
. It was located in the middle of the peninsula in the "Coliseum Central" commercial district of Hampton, adjacent to the major highway interchange of Interstate 64
and Mercury Boulevard
. The site is now finishing development as the Peninsula Town Center
.
, JCPenney, and Nachman's. The center was the largest and busiest shopping area on the Virginia Peninsula
as it opened on October 31, 1973, until Newmarket North Mall
opened in 1975 with Sears
, Leggett
, and Miller & Rhoads
which had moved from its original location across the street at the original Newmarket Shopping Center.
Thus, Coliseum Mall was expanded in 1976, thus adding Norfolk-based Smith & Welton and Richmond-based Thalhimers, which had deleted the apostrophe from its prior corporate name, "Thalhimer's
".
In 1980 E. J. Korvette
declared bankruptcy and closed all its locations. The Coliseum location was left vacant until major tenant Montgomery Ward
acquired the space. Ward had moved from the adjacent Mercury Mall which was converted into an open-air shopping center. The company's Auto Center remained at Mercury.
In 1987, The Crown American Corporation
and the City of Newport News built and developed the competitive Patrick Henry Mall
, and later surrounding "big-box" shopping centers sprouted around the mall during the 1990s. Since then the city's Oyster Point/Patrick Henry district has experienced substantial growth, making commercial retail challenging for the Coliseum Central district of Hampton.
Until the last several years, Coliseum existed, though did not really keep up with changing times. The Ward location closed with that company's closure and became a Burlington Coat Factory
. The Nachman's location went through several name changes and ownerships before demolition in 2006, along with Smith & Welton. Thalhimers became Hecht's
in 1991 and Macy's
in 2006.
buildings. On January 14, 2007, the mall permanently closed its doors to prepare for demolition in late February 2007. Anchor stores Macy's and a new JCPenney were to remain open throughout most of the construction.
Taking its place, the new Peninsula Town Center
is planned to be the first step in a revitalization of the entire city core.
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
located in Hampton, Virginia
Hampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
. It was located in the middle of the peninsula in the "Coliseum Central" commercial district of Hampton, adjacent to the major highway interchange of Interstate 64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
and Mercury Boulevard
Mercury Boulevard
Mercury Boulevard in the cities of Hampton and Newport News in the Peninsula region of southeastern Virginia carries U.S. Highway 258 approximately south from Fort Monroe at Old Point Comfort on Hampton Roads to the north end of the James River Bridge...
. The site is now finishing development as the Peninsula Town Center
Peninsula Town Center
Peninsula Town Center is an open air mixed-use development located in the Coliseum Central Business improvement district of Hampton, Virginia in the Hampton Roads region. The Town Center is located on the site of the original Coliseum Mall, an enclosed facility constructed in 1973 by Mall...
.
History
The mall was built in 1973, as a commercial centerpiece of Hampton's Mercury Boulevard-Coliseum Central district and still remains the largest single tax source within the city. Coliseum opened with three anchors: E. J. KorvetteE. J. Korvette
E. J. Korvette, also known as Korvette's, was an American chain of discount department stores, founded in 1948 in New York City. It is notable as one of the first department stores to challenge the suggested retail price provisions of anti-discounting statutes. Founded by World War II veteran...
, JCPenney, and Nachman's. The center was the largest and busiest shopping area on the Virginia Peninsula
Virginia Peninsula
The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, USA, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay.Hampton Roads is the common name for the metropolitan area that surrounds the body of water of the same name...
as it opened on October 31, 1973, until Newmarket North Mall
Newmarket North Mall
Newmarket North Mall was a mall located in Hampton, Virginia that opened in 1975. Its three anchors were Miller & Rhoads, Leggett and Sears.In 1989, Goodman Segar Hogan bought the property and began a two-year, $9 million renovation and expansion project...
opened in 1975 with Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...
, Leggett
Leggett
Leggett may refer to:people* Anthony James Leggett, theoretical physicist* Jack Leggett* Isiah Leggett* Jeremy Leggett* Lucille Leggett* Mortimer Dormer Leggett* Robert Leggett, Canadian non-fiction writer, geologist...
, and Miller & Rhoads
Miller & Rhoads
Miller & Rhoads was a Virginia-based department store chain. Throughout its 105 year life-span, the store played an active role in the Richmond community, along with its friendly cross-street rival Thalhimers.- Origins :...
which had moved from its original location across the street at the original Newmarket Shopping Center.
Thus, Coliseum Mall was expanded in 1976, thus adding Norfolk-based Smith & Welton and Richmond-based Thalhimers, which had deleted the apostrophe from its prior corporate name, "Thalhimer's
Thalhimer's
Thalhimers was a department store in the Southern United States. Based in Richmond, Virginia, the venerable chain at its peak operated dozens of stores in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and one store in Memphis, Tennessee....
".
In 1980 E. J. Korvette
E. J. Korvette
E. J. Korvette, also known as Korvette's, was an American chain of discount department stores, founded in 1948 in New York City. It is notable as one of the first department stores to challenge the suggested retail price provisions of anti-discounting statutes. Founded by World War II veteran...
declared bankruptcy and closed all its locations. The Coliseum location was left vacant until major tenant Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
acquired the space. Ward had moved from the adjacent Mercury Mall which was converted into an open-air shopping center. The company's Auto Center remained at Mercury.
In 1987, The Crown American Corporation
Crown American
Crown American is a privately held American company that manages and develops commercial real estate. The corporate headquarters is in downtown Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in a building designed by architect Michael Graves....
and the City of Newport News built and developed the competitive Patrick Henry Mall
Patrick Henry Mall
Patrick Henry Mall is a shopping mall in Newport News, Virginia. It is located on Interstate 64 Westbound and Jefferson Ave at exit 255A. Patrick Henry Mall, which is named after Patrick Henry, opened as the Peninsula area's third enclosed regional mall in 1987 after Coliseum Mall in Hampton 15...
, and later surrounding "big-box" shopping centers sprouted around the mall during the 1990s. Since then the city's Oyster Point/Patrick Henry district has experienced substantial growth, making commercial retail challenging for the Coliseum Central district of Hampton.
Until the last several years, Coliseum existed, though did not really keep up with changing times. The Ward location closed with that company's closure and became a Burlington Coat Factory
Burlington Coat Factory
Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation is a national department store retailer focusing on clothing and shoes, with over 450 stores in 45 states and Puerto Rico.. In 2006, it was acquired by Bain Capital, LLC in a take-private transaction...
. The Nachman's location went through several name changes and ownerships before demolition in 2006, along with Smith & Welton. Thalhimers became Hecht's
Hecht's
Hecht's, also known as Hecht Brothers, Hecht Bros. and the Hecht Company, was a large chain of department stores located mainly in the mid-Atlantic and southern region of the United States....
in 1991 and Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
in 2006.
Redevelopment
According to the Hampton City Council's Coliseum Central Master Plan, most of the current Mall property will be converted to three or four blocks of a new urban setting with 1-2 story buildings of mixed use. The aim is to change the outdated suburban "parking lot desert" into a trendy pedestrian-friendly district of mixed-use and condominiumCondominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
buildings. On January 14, 2007, the mall permanently closed its doors to prepare for demolition in late February 2007. Anchor stores Macy's and a new JCPenney were to remain open throughout most of the construction.
Taking its place, the new Peninsula Town Center
Peninsula Town Center
Peninsula Town Center is an open air mixed-use development located in the Coliseum Central Business improvement district of Hampton, Virginia in the Hampton Roads region. The Town Center is located on the site of the original Coliseum Mall, an enclosed facility constructed in 1973 by Mall...
is planned to be the first step in a revitalization of the entire city core.
External links
- Deadmalls.com: Coliseum Mall
- Coliseum Mall redirecting to Peninsula Town Center
- http://www.steiner.com/news.aspx?id=232 Management Firm Press Release