University Town Plaza

University Town Plaza is an outdoor shopping mall in Pensacola, Florida, United States. It is being developed on the site of the former University Mall, which operated from 1974 to 2013. The mall's original anchor stores were J. C. Penney, Sears, and McRae's. In 2013, the mall was torn down except for its anchor stores and rebuilt as an outdoor complex. Anchor stores of the outdoor complex are J. C. Penney, Burlington, BJ's Wholesale Club, and Academy Sports + Outdoors, with one vacancy previously occupied by Toys "R" Us. The mall is owned and managed by Washington Prime.[2]

University Town Plaza
LocationPensacola, Florida, U.S.
Coordinates30.4986°N 87.2251°W / 30.4986; -87.2251
Address7171 North Davis Highway
Opening date1974
Closing date2013 (original mall)
DeveloperCousins Properties[1]
OwnerWashington Prime Group
No. of anchor tenants5
Total retail floor area747,000 square feet (69,400 m2) (original mall)
No. of floors1

History

University Mall opened in 1974 with J. C. Penney, Sears-closed in July 2018, and McRae's, in its first location outside Mississippi.[3] The mall was largely damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, but all three anchor stores soon reopened.[4] Plans were first announced in 2007 to redevelop the mall, which had been losing stores, but retain all three anchors.[5]

Belk, which bought the McRae's chain, closed its store at the mall in 2011 and consolidated into a newly relocated store at Cordova Mall.[6] In 2013, Simon began demolition of the mall property, and announced the newly redeveloped mall would include Academy Sports + Outdoors, Burlington Coat Factory, and Toys "R" Us, which closed in June 2018. The first phase of renovation would also include a new series of inline shops including Famous Footwear, Motherhood Maternity, and a Jimmy John's restaurant.[7] J. C. Penney has remained operational at the mall.

In 2015, Sears Holdings spun off 235 of its properties, including the Sears at University Town Plaza, into Seritage Growth Properties.[8] The former Sears was torn down in 2019 for a BJ's Wholesale Club.[9]

References
  1. "Cousins starts unusual project". The Atlanta Constitution. September 29, 1974. pp. 2E. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  2. "Washington Prime Group Inc. - Properties - Portfolio - University Town Plaza".
  3. CSA Super Markets. Vol. 49. Lebhar-Friedman. 1973. Retrieved 2015-07-12.
  4. "Business briefs". pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved 2015-07-12.
  5. "The next pitch: University Mall officials now look to snag right retail mix". pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved 2015-07-12.
  6. "Changes Coming To Cordova Mall : NorthEscambia.com". northescambia.com. Retrieved 2015-07-12.
  7. "Pensacola Bay Area Business | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com". pnj.com. Retrieved 2015-07-12.
  8. "At University Town Plaza | Seritage".
  9. "New Tenant Announced for Shoppes at University Town Plaza in Pensacola, Florida | Stirling Properties". 10 December 2019.
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