Chapel Square Mall
Encyclopedia
The Chapel Square Mall was a shopping mall
in downtown
New Haven
, Connecticut
. It was one of the first fully enclosed air-conditioned downtown malls in the United States; it has now been converted into apartments.
, (1962–1982) (which was relocated here from where Chapel Square's office tower and Omni Hotel are now located), and a large branch of New York City
-based, Macy's
, (1964–1993). Both were built at earlier stages in the development.
and in particular, the effects it had on New Haven, the mall was successful in stemming some of downtown's earlier retail decline. In fact, from the mid-1960s through to the mid-1980s, when nearby Westfield Connecticut Post
mall was greatly expanded, downtown New Haven remained the dominant regional retail draw. However, like similar projects of that era, it began to show signs of needing an update and a renovation, starting in the early 1980s. In 1984, Chapel Square Mall and the office tower were sold to successful mall developer, The Rouse Company
of Columbia, Maryland
, who fully renovated Chapel Square by 1986, adding some new nationally-known shops, a branch of the upmarket Conran's home goods chain, and a large second-level food court that overlooked the New Haven Green
. The improvements were short lived as a dramatic downturn in the economy, the failure to find a replacement tenant for the failed Edw. Malley Co. location, the corporate bankruptcy and resulting closure of the Macy's
store and demise of the Conran's chain took an immediate toll on the mall's viability. In 1995, management of the mall went to the New Haven Chamber of Commerce.
in New York City
and Liberty Place Shops in Philadelphia. Frustration from not being able to acquire the adjacent vacant Macy's building, which was viewed by W. J. E. as necessary to making the project a large enough retail draw, allowed a partnering developer, David Nyberg of Acton, Massachusetts, and his partner Ronald Caplan President of the PMC Group from Philadelphia, backed by the Luber Adler Real Estate Fund take over the redevelopment. Reflecting developer Nyberg's and Caplan's strength, the mall was converted into a luxury apartment complex in 2003-2004 with part of the roof removed to create an interior courtyard. It is believed to be the first indoor shopping mall to be converted into apartments in the United States. Several spaces on the first floor were made into street-facing venues for retail and commercial use, and although they took a couple of years to lease out after the initial construction, now include stores such as Starbucks
, Sprint
, Rite Aid
, Buffalo Wild Wings
as well as several local, upscale restaurants, stores, and nightspots. This redevelopment of the mall property is partially credited with helping to revive other nearby sections of downtown.
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 downtown
Downtown New Haven
Downtown New Haven is the neighborhood located in the heart of the city of New Haven, Connecticut. It is made up of the original nine squares laid out in 1638 to form New Haven, including the New Haven Green, and the immediate surrounding central business district, as well as a significant portion...
New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. It was one of the first fully enclosed air-conditioned downtown malls in the United States; it has now been converted into apartments.
Creation
Originally proposed as part of the Church Street Redevelopment Project in 1957, after many plans and alterations, it opened in 1967. The mall was designed by New York Architects, Lathrop Douglas with two levels and 165000 square feet (15,329 m²). It was anchored by two adjacent department stores: the New Haven-based Edw. Malley Co.The Edw. Malley Co.
The Edw. Malley Co., often abbreviated Malley's, was a prestigious department store in Downtown New Haven, Connecticut, from 1852 to 1982. Company produced postcards promoted the establishment as "The Metropolitan Store of Connecticut"...
, (1962–1982) (which was relocated here from where Chapel Square's office tower and Omni Hotel are now located), and a large branch of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
-based, 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...
, (1964–1993). Both were built at earlier stages in the development.
Renewal and decline
Despite ongoing criticism of the ravages of urban renewalUrban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
and in particular, the effects it had on New Haven, the mall was successful in stemming some of downtown's earlier retail decline. In fact, from the mid-1960s through to the mid-1980s, when nearby Westfield Connecticut Post
Westfield Connecticut Post
Westfield Connecticut Post, originally the Connecticut Post Shopping Center and later the Connecticut Post Mall, is a three-story shopping mall, located on the Boston Post Road in Milford, Connecticut. It is currently the largest mall in the state of Connecticut and is owned and operated by The...
mall was greatly expanded, downtown New Haven remained the dominant regional retail draw. However, like similar projects of that era, it began to show signs of needing an update and a renovation, starting in the early 1980s. In 1984, Chapel Square Mall and the office tower were sold to successful mall developer, The Rouse Company
The Rouse Company
The Rouse Company, founded by James W. Rouse in 1939, was a publicly held shopping mall and community developer from 1956 until 2004, when General Growth Properties Inc...
of Columbia, Maryland
Columbia, Maryland
Columbia is a planned community that consists of ten self-contained villages, located in Howard County, Maryland, United States. It began with the idea that a city could enhance its residents' quality of life. Creator and developer James W. Rouse saw the new community in terms of human values, not...
, who fully renovated Chapel Square by 1986, adding some new nationally-known shops, a branch of the upmarket Conran's home goods chain, and a large second-level food court that overlooked the New Haven Green
New Haven Green
The New Haven Green is a privately owned park and recreation area located in the downtown district of the city of New Haven, Connecticut. It comprises the central square of the nine-square settlement plan of the original Puritan colonists in New Haven, and was designed and surveyed by colonist...
. The improvements were short lived as a dramatic downturn in the economy, the failure to find a replacement tenant for the failed Edw. Malley Co. location, the corporate bankruptcy and resulting closure of the 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...
store and demise of the Conran's chain took an immediate toll on the mall's viability. In 1995, management of the mall went to the New Haven Chamber of Commerce.
Conversion
In April 2002, the city of New Haven sold the mall and redevelopment rights to William, Jackson, Ewing, Inc of Baltimore, who was known for such successful urban retail and mixed-use projects such as Grand Central TerminalGrand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Liberty Place Shops in Philadelphia. Frustration from not being able to acquire the adjacent vacant Macy's building, which was viewed by W. J. E. as necessary to making the project a large enough retail draw, allowed a partnering developer, David Nyberg of Acton, Massachusetts, and his partner Ronald Caplan President of the PMC Group from Philadelphia, backed by the Luber Adler Real Estate Fund take over the redevelopment. Reflecting developer Nyberg's and Caplan's strength, the mall was converted into a luxury apartment complex in 2003-2004 with part of the roof removed to create an interior courtyard. It is believed to be the first indoor shopping mall to be converted into apartments in the United States. Several spaces on the first floor were made into street-facing venues for retail and commercial use, and although they took a couple of years to lease out after the initial construction, now include stores such as Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
, Sprint
Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel Corporation is an American telecommunications company based in Overland Park, Kansas. The company owns and operates Sprint, the third largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States, with 53.4 million customers, behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility...
, Rite Aid
Rite Aid
Rite Aid is a drugstore chain in the United States and a Fortune 500 company headquartered in East Pennsboro Township, Pennsylvania, near Camp Hill. Rite Aid is the largest drugstore chain on the East Coast and the third largest drugstore chain in the U.S....
, Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar is a casual dining restaurant and sports bar franchise in the United States that is known for its Buffalo wings.-History:...
as well as several local, upscale restaurants, stores, and nightspots. This redevelopment of the mall property is partially credited with helping to revive other nearby sections of downtown.
Sources
- Agard-Jones, Vanessa - The Magical Mall of Make Believe - The New Journal, v29 #5, 18 Apr 1997
- Altschuler, David - Co-op close to moving into Chapel Square Mall
- Gillers, Gillian - Chapel Square to reopen soon - The Yale Herald, 6 Mar 2003
- Hazel, Debra - Fresh Start - ICSC Publications, Jul 2003
- James DeadMalls.com - 28 Jan 2006