The Journal-News reached out to the Ohio Department of Development and Gov. In the fall of 1988 Cincinnati, Ohio would be the arena for an all out shopping mall rumble. Intentionally designed to be different than all the other mundane shopping malls, the five anchors were to have their own individual style through the use of architecture. [19] As part of LJ Hooker's bankruptcy filing, the company offered all four of the department stores it had acquired for sale. Learn how your comment data is processed. [48] As part of Mills' development, Babies "R" Us replaced Stein Mart, and Johnny's Toys had opened in the upper level of the former Elder-Beerman,[49] while the older Super Saver theater was sold to the local theater chain Danbarry and renamed the Dollar Saver. I thought it was a nice mall, only went there a couple of times-where liveliness go ? "With these grants, we're giving communities the resources they need to help clean up and revitalize sites to remove eyesores and attract new business," Lt. Gov. The current owners are attempting to sell the property for $55 million, but they have not been able to do so because a buyer is not willing to pay this price. The demolition projects will be funded through the governor's Ohio Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program. Mall struggles to find niche. Cincinnati Enquirer 12 July 2006. 9 By September, only 56% of the mall was leased, including 60% of the anchor space and 47% of the inline retailer space. 2, The malls fortunes mirrored the Mills Corporations finances by April 2006. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. I was around when the Forest Fair Mall came into fruition, which was the only way (at the time) that the mall area could have been saved. I remember the first time I went there was when The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course came to theaters back in 2002 ago. Later that day, his . ..30 years of failed attempts at the same thing. The old Forest Fair Mall, now known as the Cincinnati Mall, is being demolished by the Butler County Land Bank, which has applied for a $9.5 million grant. 614, In 2007, Cincinnati Mills was a contender for IKEA, a Swedish home furnishings retailer, but the deal fell through after IKEA announced that it would build a free-standing store in West Chester. FAIRFIELD, Ohio The former Forest Fair mall is set to be demolished, along with 825 other structures across the state, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced Friday. Denise G. Callahan, Journal-News, Hamilton, Ohio, Polar bear kills woman, boy in remote Alaska village, Just hours before the Idaho murders, another grisly scene unfolded outside Bryan Kohberger's window, In Montecito, the Million-Dollar Views Still Come With Mudslide Risks, Channing Tatum says parenting with ex-wife Jenna Dewan made them realize they were so different, Hawaii fisherman overboard, missing after hooking large ahi, Courtney Lopez Opens Up About Mario's Health. And one of those stores is an arcade. In the meantime, shoppers can find their favorite stores and brands online or at other nearby malls. The sad thing is the retail landscape in this country has changed. Forest Fair: Mall on the Mend. Cincinnati Enquirer 29 Oct. 2000. Jon Husted said in a statement. 2341021 The project was aided by $19 million in tax increment financing for two parking garages. Biggs in Forest Park to close. Cincinnati Enquirer 14 May 2008. "There are sites all over Ohio that are perfect for redevelopment, but the cost to demolish the crumbling structures on these properties is standing in the way of new economic opportunities," DeWine said in a statement. [52] Also contributing to the decline were continued competition with Northgate and Tri-County malls, along with a newer outdoor mall called Bridgewater Falls in nearby Hamilton; lower-class demographics surrounding the mall; shopper unfamiliarity with the specialty tenants within; bankruptcy filings of key tenants; and complications from an accounting scandal in which the Mills corporation was involved. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. See a spelling or grammar error in our story? By this time, Guitar Center had also closed, and a studio was proposed for its space, while a hotel was slated for the former Elder-Beerman/Steve & Barry's space. Menu. Save up to 50% off on Le Creuset Cookware During the 2023 Winter Savings Event, What Is Amazon Warehouse? - https://www.patreon.com/salvatoreamadeoCatch up on the full Expedition Log Series!https://www.youtube.c. [2] According to these plans, the mall would consist of 1,500,000 square feet (140,000m2) of retail space, with 70 percent of the building in Forest Park and 30 percent in Fairfield. Although there are a number of properties on the mall property in Hamilton County, officials had already submitted demolition applications to the state. [62] Bass Pro Shops announced plans to relocate to West Chester Township in 2013. FOREST FAIR VILLAGE Forest Fair Mall/Village aka Cincinnati Mall/Mills in Fairfield, OH. People would go in to gawk at the prices but you couldnt buy anything there. Combined, the new Forest Fair Mall featured 1-million square feet with B. Altman, Biggs, Bonwit Teller, Elder-Beerman, and Parisian as anchors and 200 stores. In fact most would very fondly remember their local Time-Out arcade. A $150 million investment by developers is expected to create 900 to 1,500 jobs in construction of light industrial buildings on the site. Such good memories. In January 1991, Hookers seven lenders took over the malls operation as FFM Limited Partnership. A former paper mill site in Middletown was to be demolished and recontaminated with the help of a $2.8 million grant from the state. Even the bathrooms had the water shut off. Ben Davis with Hillwood told the Journal-News they can't comment on the deadline issue. [18] In 1996, Meijer opened across the street from the mall. The mall has a variety of stores and restaurants that you can visit. Privacy Policy. 11 Complications with leasing delayed the opening of the west fashion wing with upscale tenants until March 1989. Jon Husted said in a statement. All rights reserved. 15 20, Cincinnati Mills was purchased by the Cincinnati Holding Company, a subsidiary of World Properties Inc. of New York, for $4.7 million on March 4, 2009. 12 Nov. 2008. [50] Inline tenants at this point were focused mainly on discount stores and amenities suitable for families, as was typical of other properties developed by Mills. I had to check the places I recalled being at when I was a kid. [9] Immediately after the Bigg's wing of the mall opened, Elder-Beerman was confirmed for the vacated anchor left behind by B. Altman's relocation. [46], Elder-Beerman announced the closure of its store in 2003, as the chain wanted to focus on smaller stores in markets with lower populations. [69] In mid-2017, a Christian media company had expressed interest in using part of the mall property for a studio. It was so neat to be able to rent a pole, catch fish, and then cook them on an open fire right there in the mall! According to the funding application, the property is currently valued at $9.2 million, with $2 million of that on the Butler County side. The Butler County Journal News reported that any plans for the mall's demolition would be contingent on the availability of funds, with one potential plan being to convert the property to light industrial use. In 2002, the Mills Corporation purchased the Malls at Forest Fair for $69.4 million and began a $70 million renovation project in February 2003. Former Forest Fair Mall, other buildings will be demolished if funds come through February 24, 2022, 8:37 PM The Butler County Land Bank has applied for $9.5 million in state funding to raze. Between the constant juggle of different owners, bankruptcies, and rebranding efforts, the mall never reached full occupancy and it has been on life support for many years. Mike DeWine's office Tuesday about the May 2023 deadline that appeared to jeopardize the $8 million project to raze the old Forest Fair mall but didn't receive a response. 1983 homicide of Robert "Bobby" Gutkaiss. Former Forest Fair mall to be demolished wlwt 135 96 Related Topics Cincinnati Hamilton County Ohio United States of America North America Place 96 comments Best Add a Comment golgi42 2 mo. Parisian closed its anchor store at the mall in June 1998. At the time, each of the other wings was about 90 percent leased except for the Lifestyle wing, which was only 25 percent leased. Forest Fair Village (formerly Cincinnati Mall, Cincinnati Mills, and Forest Fair Mall) is an abandoned shopping mall in the northern suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. [60] In addition, the property owners had fallen delinquent on property taxes. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. [15] A 1989 article in The Cincinnati Enquirer described the mall as "entering uncharted waters" due to Sakowitz, B. Altman, Parisian, and Bonwit Teller all being not only new to the Cincinnati market, but also due to the higher-priced merchandise available at those stores, in comparison to the area's more blue collar demographics. Um, on second thought, maybe that wasnt such a good idea. [48] By January 2005, the mall had a 90 percent occupancy. The murder investigation will continue. Can Cincinnati Mills work? Cincinnati Enquirer 4 Feb. 2007. [23] All of the other Sakowitz stores were also liquidated at this point, along with all but two locations of Bonwit Teller. Just shy of 2 million square feet, would not only put Forest Fair Mall in the elite 1% of malls larger than 1 million square feet it would also make it the second largest shopping mall in the state. 19 In a move to restore the malls viability, the company renamed the property Cincinnati Mall and sought non-traditional tenants to fill the empty shopping center. It has recently been announced that an industrial firm is under contract to purchase this all but empty shopping center (Bass Pro Shop and Kohls are the only major tenants left) with the goal of tearing it down and redeveloping the site for light industrial purposes. According to the release, the site will be redeveloped by the cities of Fairfield and Forest Park. I saw a tour of this on YouTube by the Proper People, they tour abandoned buildings and take some beautiful pictures, and since this was a couple years ago I had to see if it was still open. It is situated on the border between Forest Park and Fairfield, at the junction of Interstate 275 and Winton Road (Exit 39). It is situated on the border between Forest Park and Fairfield, at the junction of Interstate 275 and Winton Road (Exit 39). Wonderpark Family Fun Center, an indoor childrens amusement park, opened in September 2001. The Butler County Land Bank has applied for $9.5 million in state funding to raze a host of local eyesores, but the bulk of the money if awarded would go to topple the former Forest Fair Mall. Mike DeWine's office Tuesday about the May 2023 deadline that appeared to . As of now, there is no word from the mall on when it will reopen. [71] Officials of both Butler and Hamilton County submitted plans to the state of Ohio in 2022, calling for $9.5 million in funds to demolish the mall. THE PROJECTS ARE GOING TO BE FUNDED THROUGH THE GOVERNORS OHIO BUILDING. And even then with the announcement that they'll be tearing down the mall bass pro shop is rumoured to be moving. [3] By July 1987, mall developers had also stated that two other department stores had committed to the project: Higbee's and Bonwit Teller. In 2017, Newmark began marketing Cincinnati Mall for sale with a list price of $55 million. The only thing that will save this once vibrant mall is a liquor license and strip poles. 910 views Jul 17, 2022 36 Dislike Share Dead Malls 4.41K. [73] A month later, WLWT reported that the mall is slated for demolition along with 825 other buildings across Ohio, as part of State Governor Mike DeWine's Ohio Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Skyblacker 1 mo. If you do go to the mall, why not do it in style in a retro style Forest Fair shirt from Untitled Colours. [7], The first phase of the mall, featuring Bigg's and approximately 20 other stores, opened on July 11, 1988. Latest plan for Cincinnati Mall: ice rink, water park., Baverman, Laura. Finally, center court and the former location of Bonwit Teller became "The Festival at Forest Fair", focused on entertainment and new restaurants. 11. Initially, the site at the northeast corner of the Interstate 275 beltway's interchange with Winton Road was to consist solely of Bigg's, a local hypermarket chain. Would you try an airplane cookie flavored doughnut. [54] North Star proposed to begin converting portions of the mall to office space, call centers, or other non-retail uses,[56] also renaming the property to Cincinnati Mall in April 2009. You can also walk around the mall and enjoy the scenery. The first grocery store to open in the mall was a Kroger, which opened in the late 1970s. [39] Also joining the mall between 2000 and 2001 were Media Play,[40] Off 5th (an outlet division of Saks Fifth Avenue),[41] and the first Steve & Barry's sports clothing store in Ohio. We ate at Chik-Fil-A []. You have neighboring malls 2 exits away in both directions that have been established for a long time. Overall, Forest Fair Mall would be the second-biggest mall in the state of Ohio at the time of construction, behind only the now-defunct Randall Park Mall in North Randall, a suburb of Cleveland. ), which is to just tear the whole thing down and convert the area into what I see in Washington State (where I live now since 2006) which are recreational facilities, complete with skateboard ramps, municipal swimming pool and specialty shops kind of like a Cincinnati version of the old Coney Island. Other tenants included an Australian restaurant called Wallaby Bob's, a 1950s-styled cafe, Oshman's Sporting Goods,[12] and an eight-screen movie theater called Super Saver. 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