Shopping Centers Today is the news magazine of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
Issue link: https://sct.epubxp.com/i/704472
Southdale Center, Edina, Minn. I n 1 9 5 6 t h e f o r m e r D a y t o n C o . f o r e v e r c h a n g e d t h e A m e r i - can retail landscape when it opened Southdale in the budding Minneapolis suburb of Edina. Designed by Austrian-born Victor Gruen, Southdale would become the prototype of the modern mall. It was not only the first fully en- closed, climate-controlled s h o p p i n g c e n t e r i n t h e country, but also the first project to bring two rival department stores together under one roof — Dayton's and its closet competitor, Donaldson's — to create a stronger retail draw. I n t e r e s t i n g l y , G r u e n had more than shopping in mind when he designed the two-level mall. He felt the success of the project also hinged on its ability to attract suburbanites by serving as a de facto town center. "By affording op- portunities for social life and recreation in a pro- tected pedestrian environ- ment, by incorporating civic and educational fa- cilities, shopping centers can fill an existing void" in America's rising suburbs, Gruen wrote in 1960. To encourage shoppers to lin- ger, Gruen designed the mall to face inward, with its shops overlooking a gar- den-themed center court featuring a goldfish pond and aviary, sculptures and friendly, open-air power center. The revamped center, now simply called Westgate, opened in the fall of 2007. The tenant mix now includes several major big-box retailers, some fast-casual and sit-down restaurants, and apparel retailers clustered together in an "ap- parel row." An Earth Fare supermarket opened in 2011. For some of its anchors and junior anchors, Westgate is home to their best-performing stores in North- eastern Ohio, according to Michael Fitzgerald, vice president and direc- tor of leasing for IRC Retail Centers, which bought Westgate in 2012 and has since relocated s o m e t e n a n t s a n d a d d e d m o r e apparel chains. "Westgate now has the feeling of a pedestrian-friendly town center," said Fitzgerald, "and our ongoing initiative to enhance the merchandise mix creates synergies amongst our retailers, which drives better customer traffic and overall sales within the asset." A u g u s t 2 0 1 6 / S C T 41