First Colony Mall
Encyclopedia
First Colony Mall is a regional shopping mall in Sugar Land, Texas
—about 25 miles (40.2 km) southwest of Houston. The mall—located west of the intersection of U.S. Highway 59 and State Highway 6—opened on March 14, 1996 and was recently expanded in 2006. First Colony Mall is owned by General Growth Properties
and is the only mall within Sugar Land.
The mall is anchored by Macy's
, Dillard's
and JCPenney. Dillard's has recently opened an additional location in the shopping center that will focus solely on men's clothing in the former Mervyn's store at the start of 2009. Its specialty tenant mix is generally upper-middle class in nature.
store and caused a support wall to collapse, sending bricks to the sidewalk below. Part of the interior was damaged and 5-6 inches of water accumulated inside the store.
The tornado also damaged an exterior wall at the JCPenney store, and also damaged part of the roof and the mall's sprinkler system, resulting in water damage to several specialty stores in the mall. No one was injured in the tornado, even though two patrons in the nearby ice skating complex sought medical attention on their own. This was especially surprising given the President's Day shopping crowd present that day.
In 2006, First Colony Mall underwent an expansion that added a lifestyle center wing in front of the main entrance. Several stores established in the mall relocated to the new addition, while others opened their first locations in Fort Bend County. Additionally, one retailer, Barnes and Noble, relocated from an adjacent shopping center.
There are also two restaurants next to the addition, Kona Grill
and The Cheesecake Factory
. In addition to Kona Grill and The Cheesecake Factory, other dining facilities have been added to the new courtyard section of the mall. The Black Walnut Cafe, Grimaldi's Pizzeria
, and Paciugo have been the most current additions. Since the lifestyle wing was built on the front parking lot, parking garages were built in front of the Dillard's and Macy's stores to alleviate parking problems created by the new addition. Additionally, traffic lights were installed at the intersection of North Town Center Boulevard at the ring road to alleviate extreme traffic problems at the main entrance.
In addition to the anchors, the mall also has a 24-screen AMC Theatres
complex located on an outlying parcel southeast of the mall.
Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a...
—about 25 miles (40.2 km) southwest of Houston. The mall—located west of the intersection of U.S. Highway 59 and State Highway 6—opened on March 14, 1996 and was recently expanded in 2006. First Colony Mall is owned by General Growth Properties
General Growth Properties
General Growth Properties, Inc. is a publicly traded real estate investment trust in the United States. It is based in Chicago, Illinois at 110 North Wacker Drive, a historic building designed by architectural firm Graham, Anderson, Probst & White...
and is the only mall within Sugar Land.
The mall is anchored by 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...
, Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
and JCPenney. Dillard's has recently opened an additional location in the shopping center that will focus solely on men's clothing in the former Mervyn's store at the start of 2009. Its specialty tenant mix is generally upper-middle class in nature.
Tornado of 1998
On February 16, 1998, a tornado damaged the mall and the Sugar Land Aerodrome ice skating complex located south of the mall. The tornado hit the southwest corner of the Dillard'sDillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
store and caused a support wall to collapse, sending bricks to the sidewalk below. Part of the interior was damaged and 5-6 inches of water accumulated inside the store.
The tornado also damaged an exterior wall at the JCPenney store, and also damaged part of the roof and the mall's sprinkler system, resulting in water damage to several specialty stores in the mall. No one was injured in the tornado, even though two patrons in the nearby ice skating complex sought medical attention on their own. This was especially surprising given the President's Day shopping crowd present that day.
2006 expansion
There are also two restaurants next to the addition, Kona Grill
Kona Grill
thumb|right|Kona Grill at [[Stamford Town Center]]Kona Grill Inc. is a company based in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, that owns and operates 25 restaurants, the newest one opened in Baltimore, MD. It was founded in 1997. Its restaurants have won over 50 awards, including Best New Restaurant, Best...
and The Cheesecake Factory
The Cheesecake Factory
The Cheesecake Factory, Inc. is a restaurant company in the United States. The company operates 165 upscale, casual, full-service dining restaurants: 151 under The Cheesecake Factory mark, 13 under the Grand Lux Cafe mark and one under the RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen mark...
. In addition to Kona Grill and The Cheesecake Factory, other dining facilities have been added to the new courtyard section of the mall. The Black Walnut Cafe, Grimaldi's Pizzeria
Grimaldi's Pizzeria
Grimaldi's Pizzeria is a popular pizzeria in the New York City area. The original, and most famous of these locations is located under the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn on Old Fulton Street. It does not sell slices; only whole pies...
, and Paciugo have been the most current additions. Since the lifestyle wing was built on the front parking lot, parking garages were built in front of the Dillard's and Macy's stores to alleviate parking problems created by the new addition. Additionally, traffic lights were installed at the intersection of North Town Center Boulevard at the ring road to alleviate extreme traffic problems at the main entrance.
Anchors
- Dillard'sDillard'sDillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
(210,000 sq ft., opened 1996) - Dillard's Men (84,000 sq ft., opened 1996 as MervynsMervynsMervyns was an American middle scale department store chain based in Hayward, California. It carried national brands of clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, electronics, and housewares. Many of the company's stores were in shopping malls...
, closed 2006, reopened June 2008) - JCPenney (125,000 sq ft., opened 1996)
- 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...
(200,000 sq ft., opened 1996 as Foley'sFoley'sFoley’s was a chain of department stores owned by May Department Stores and headquartered in Downtown Houston, Texas. As of August 30, 2005, the division was dissolved and operation of the stores was assumed by Federated's Macy's West and Macy's South divisions. Foley's operated stores in Texas,...
, became Macy's in 2006)
In addition to the anchors, the mall also has a 24-screen AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres , officially known as AMC Entertainment, Inc., is the second largest movie theater chain in North America with 5,325 screens, second only to Regal Entertainment Group, and one of the United States's four national cinema chains AMC Theatres (American Multi-Cinema), officially known as...
complex located on an outlying parcel southeast of the mall.