Plaza Las Américas
Encyclopedia
Plaza Las Américas is a shopping mall
in Hato Rey, San Juan, Puerto Rico
, located at the intersection of Routes 18 and 22. It is near the Roberto Clemente Coliseum
, the Hiram Bithorn Stadium
, and the WKAQ-TV
's studios. "Plaza", as it is known to many Puerto Ricans
, was the first indoor mall built in Puerto Rico. It is the largest shopping mall in the Caribbean and the second largest in Latin America.
The primary anchor store is a 3-level (261,500 square foot) J.C. Penney
. It is the chain's first location outside the fifty states and its largest operation between 1968 and 1971. The mall also houses two San Juan-based department stores as its second and third anchors. These are a 2-level (76,500 square foot) Gonzales Padin and (22,000 square foot) Velasco. Inline stores include Martha Washington Ice Cream, Gordon's (jewelers), Florsheim Shoes, La Esquina Famosa ('men's clothing), Bakers (shoes), Zales Jewelers, Clubman, Marianne Shops, Singer Sewing Center, Lerner Shops, Thom McAn Shoes, La Favorita and First Federal Savings Bank...along with an F.W. Woolworth's (five and dime), Farmacias Gonzalez (pharmacy), La Cosa (curios), La Tienda Sin Nombre (shoes), Benny's Toys, Pueblo Supermarket, travel agency and a full-sized hardware store. A small section had a second floor where medical and business offices were accessible.
. It replaces the 3-level store that had opened at the mall in 1968. The new Penney's at Plaza las Americas is the chain's largest store. The original location is subdivided into new retail spaces.
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...
in Hato Rey, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Hato Rey, Puerto Rico
Hato Rey is a former ward located in the northwest part of the dissolved municipality of Río Piedras. It now stretches over three wards of the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico:*Hato Rey Central*Hato Rey Norte*Hato Rey Sur...
, located at the intersection of Routes 18 and 22. It is near the Roberto Clemente Coliseum
Roberto Clemente Coliseum
The Roberto Clemente Coliseum is a sporting events and concert arena in San Juan, Puerto Rico.It was, for many years, Puerto Rico's largest indoor event facility, and it continues being one of the largest....
, the Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Hiram Bithorn Stadium is a baseball park in San Juan, Puerto Rico, operated by the municipal government of the city of San Juan. Its name honors the first Puerto Rican to play in the major leagues, Hiram Bithorn, who first played with the Chicago Cubs in 1942...
, and the WKAQ-TV
WKAQ-TV
WKAQ-TV is a full-power television station located in San Juan, Puerto Rico transmitting over digital 2.1. The station is owned and operated by NBCUniversal and is branded simply as Telemundo....
's studios. "Plaza", as it is known to many Puerto Ricans
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, was the first indoor mall built in Puerto Rico. It is the largest shopping mall in the Caribbean and the second largest in Latin America.
1918
The brothers Jerónimo, Rosa, Gerardo and Jaime Fonalledas acquire 527 acres (2.1 km²) of land previously known as “Las Monjas”. This land was property of Don Pablo Ubarri Capetillo, the Count of Santurce.1920
Little by little cane harvesting was eliminated with the intention of using the land for the creation of Milk Company, eventually known as "Vaquería Tres Monjitas".1950
The metropolitan area of San Juan was growing rapidly. The Planning Board begins to project the ordered development of the lands. It is then, that the Fonalledas brothers come up with the idea of establishing a Regional Shopping Center in the “Las Monjas” property. The Planning Board includes in its development plan a space of 15 land cords for a Shopping Center.1962
The plans for the construction of a Shopping Center and the negotiations with tenants begin.1967
In the month of April the construction of Plaza las Americas begins, under the direction of the engineer Peter Jacobson.1968
Plaza Las Americas holds its grand opening September 12. It is the first enclosed shopping center in Puerto Rico and the largest in Latin America. The project is inaugurated with a total of 79 establishments, a twin cinema and parking for 4,000 vehicles. One hundred percent of the space is rented and nearly 2,000 people are employed in the new Mall.The primary anchor store is a 3-level (261,500 square foot) J.C. Penney
J.C. Penney
J. C. Penney Company, Inc. is a chain of American mid-range department stores based in Plano, Texas, a suburb north of Dallas. The company operates 1,107 department stores in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. JCPenney also operates catalog sales merchant offices nationwide in many...
. It is the chain's first location outside the fifty states and its largest operation between 1968 and 1971. The mall also houses two San Juan-based department stores as its second and third anchors. These are a 2-level (76,500 square foot) Gonzales Padin and (22,000 square foot) Velasco. Inline stores include Martha Washington Ice Cream, Gordon's (jewelers), Florsheim Shoes, La Esquina Famosa ('men's clothing), Bakers (shoes), Zales Jewelers, Clubman, Marianne Shops, Singer Sewing Center, Lerner Shops, Thom McAn Shoes, La Favorita and First Federal Savings Bank...along with an F.W. Woolworth's (five and dime), Farmacias Gonzalez (pharmacy), La Cosa (curios), La Tienda Sin Nombre (shoes), Benny's Toys, Pueblo Supermarket, travel agency and a full-sized hardware store. A small section had a second floor where medical and business offices were accessible.
1969
The architectonic design of Plaza las Americas wins the URBE Prize for commercial arquitecture.1979
The first expansion of the shopping center is completed. Fifty-five new stores are added in a 3-level North Wing. This is anchored by a 3-level (329,000 square foot) Sears. The “Terraza de Plaza”, the first food court to be established in the island, comprises the third level of the addition, along with two additional movie theaters (Plaza III and IV).1992
The new Development Plan for the second great expansion of Plaza las Americas is published.1994
The expansion of Plaza las Américas and also the remodeling of “La Terraza” are completed. The number of restaurants was increased from 19 to 24, and the movie theaters from 5 to 10. The construction of the “Torre de Plaza” is finished at a cost of $15 million. The Tower added 146000 square feet (13,563.8 m²) of profitable space to the shopping Center”1996
Plaza las Americas announces its largest expansion and remodeling at a cost of more than $246 million.1997
The advertising campaign of Plaza las Americas “Menos mal que está Plaza” is awarded the Maxi Award which is granted by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).1998
The first phase of the center's three-year-long expansion and renovation is dedicated. This consists of a newly-built, 4-level (350,000 square foot) J.C. PenneyJ.C. Penney
J. C. Penney Company, Inc. is a chain of American mid-range department stores based in Plano, Texas, a suburb north of Dallas. The company operates 1,107 department stores in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. JCPenney also operates catalog sales merchant offices nationwide in many...
. It replaces the 3-level store that had opened at the mall in 1968. The new Penney's at Plaza las Americas is the chain's largest store. The original location is subdivided into new retail spaces.
1999
The overpass bridge on the De Diego Expressway is inaugurated, offering better access to the Shopping Center.2000
The remodeling and expansion of the Shopping Center is completed. Now it offers a new facade and a total of 2100000 square feet (195,096.4 m²), occupied by over 300 stores. A 2-level (255,000 square foot) Macy’s opens, as the third anchor of the shopping center, October 25. It is the chain's first location outside the fifty states. A thirteen (13)-screen multiplex is also completed. A concept of “public” art is created in the shopping center, which includes pieces by local artists.Notable attributes
- Considered by many to be the Caribbean's leading shopping center.
- It is the largest shopping center in the Caribbean.
- Plaza's RadioShackRadioShackRadioShack Corporation is an American franchise of electronics retail stores in the United States, as well as parts of Europe, South America and Africa. As of 2008, RadioShack reported net sales and operating revenues of $4.81 billion. The headquarters of RadioShack is located in Downtown...
and PumaPUMA AGPuma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two...
are each company's busiest and highest grossing stores in the world. - Plaza's Macy'sMacy'sMacy'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...
and Borders & MusicBorders GroupBorders Group, Inc. was an international book and music retailer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company employed approximately 19,500 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders and Waldenbooks stores....
are each company's highest grossing stores in the world. - Macy's store inside the mall is also the first one to open outside North America.
- The largest JCPenney store in the world (a full 4 stories) is located at the mall.
- The Forever 21Forever 21Forever 21 is an American chain of clothing retailers with branches in major cities in The United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East that offers fashion and accessories for young women and men....
, SephoraSephoraSephora is a chain of cosmetics stores founded in France in 1970 and acquired by Paris-based conglomerate LVMH in 1997. The Sephora chain includes more than 750 stores in 17 countries...
and Abercrombie & FitchAbercrombie & FitchAbercrombie & Fitch is an American retailer that focuses on casual wear for consumers aged 18 to 22. It has over 300 locations in the United States, and is expanding internationally....
stores located in the mall were the first stores that each chain opened in Latin AmericaLatin AmericaLatin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. and Victoria Secret and CH Carolina Herrera store are located in this Mall. - It holds 2 police station (PRPD and San Juan Police), as well as a small fire department post in the lower parking complex, right next to the police station.
- The mall produces approximately 8,000 local jobs.
- The mall has a local economic impact of approximately $268 million.
- The mall has approximately 11,000 parking spaces.
- Plaza Internacional Mall
- It has the world's largest Romano's Macaroni Grill restaurant.
Anchor Stores
- JCPenney (350,000 sq ft)
- Sears (329,000 sq ft)
- Macy'sMacy'sMacy'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...
(255,000sq. ft)