The Summit (Wheatfield, New York)

The Summit
Location Wheatfield, New York
Opening date 1972
Closing date 2009
Developer Forest City Enterprises
Owner Zoran Cocov
No. of stores and services 3 (98 at capacity)
No. of anchor tenants 3 (5 at capacity)
Total retail floor area 800,000 square feet (74,322.4 m2)
No. of floors 1

The Summit, formerly Summit Park Mall, was an enclosed shopping mall in Wheatfield, New York. Opened in 1972, the mall became largely vacant by the late 1990s. It underwent renovations in 2004 and 2005 which added new anchor stores and tenants, but after the mall's developers filed for bankruptcy protection in 2009, the complex was closed except for three anchor stores: Sears, The Bon-Ton and Save-A-Lot, with two more vacant anchors last occupied by Steve & Barry's and a Macy's closeout store.

The Summit was located on Williams Road, and New York State Route 952V, south of US 62 (Niagara Falls Boulevard) and north of NY 265/NY 384 (River Road).

History

The original anchor stores of Summit Park Mall were Sears and three local department stores: AM&A's (now The Bon-Ton), Hens & Kelly and Jenss, with other major tenants including Child World and McCrory. Hens & Kelly moved out in 1982,[1] and remained vacant until October 1992, when Macy's opened its first closeout store in the space.[2]

Also in 1992, Child World closed its store,[3] which was converted to a Toys "R" Us by year's end.[4] The Macy's closeout store closed in 1995 and was never replaced by another anchor.[5] By the late 1990s, the mall was 40% vacant, and its owners had expressed interest in converting portions of it to office space.[6] Jenss closed in 1998.[7]

In 2004, a local developer purchased the mall for $5 million, with plans to rename the complex Destination Niagara USA.[8] At that point, the mall was 65% vacant.[9] The mall was then renamed The Summit, and new tenants were added, including a Steve & Barry's, which opened in 2005 in the former Jenss space,[7] a children's play center in the former McCrory[9] and an aerospace museum.[10] The mall's sales increased by 18% in 2007.[11]

Toys "R" Us closed its store in early 2006 as part of the chain's reorganization plan.[12] Two years later, a Save-A-Lot grocery store opened in half of the Toys "R" Us building.[13] Steve & Barry's closed in 2008.[7]

In May 2009, the mall's owners, Oberlin Plaza One, announced that the mall would close on June 6 following the company's filing for bankruptcy protection. At the time, twenty-five stores operated within the mall.[14] The mall was allowed to stay open beyond this date after the U.S. Bankruptcy Court decided to extend the deadline for closure, although many of the twenty-five remaining tenants relocated.[15] By August 2009, the mall's last three inline tenants moved out, leaving only Sears, The Bon-Ton and Save-A-Lot operational.[16]

In January 2013, the mall building was flooded with up to six inches of water from a pipe, in what was believed by Niagara County police to be an act of vandalism.[17][18] In March 2014 Zoran Cocov purchased the mall for 4.2 million dollars. Cocov revealed plans in late 2014 to revive the space adding stores, museums, a sportsplex, wine tasting center, and a business incubator. Cocov also received tax breaks for 700,000 dollars for five years for renovations to revive the space.[19]

References

  1. ↑ Thad Komorowski (30 January 2005). "Summit Park Mall reinventing itself yet again". The Buffalo News.
  2. ↑ "Macy's closeout store opens in Wheatfield". The Buffalo News. 24 October 1992.
  3. ↑ "Child World plans to shut 2 area stores, files bankruptcy petition". The Buffalo News. 8 May 1992.
  4. ↑ James T. Madore (24 January 1993). "Building on a strong season, retailers are counting a rise in consumer confidence". The Buffalo News.
  5. ↑ Thomas J. Prohaska (1 April 1998). "Niagara aerospace museum to open in Summit Park Mall on Armed Forces Day". The Buffalo News.
  6. ↑ Sharon Linstedt (15 July 1998). "Summit Park Mall's new owners may add office spaces at site". The Buffalo News.
  7. 1 2 3 Caitlin Murray (20 November 2008). "Wheatfield: Steve & Barry's to close at The Summit". Niagara Gazette.
  8. ↑ Lisa Haarlander (27 January 2004). "Summit Park Mall is getting local ownership, new name". The Buffalo News.
  9. 1 2 Kevin Purdy (22 March 2004). "Family Entertainment Center at Wheatfield, N.Y. Mall to Offer Kids' Play Area.". The Buffalo News.
  10. ↑ Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (1999). The AOPA pilot: voice of general aviation. 42. p. 50.
  11. ↑ Hill, Dave (18 January 2008). "Climbing The Summit". Tonawanda News. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  12. ↑ Kevin Purdy (11 January 2006). "Toys "R" Us in Summit mall to close". Tonawanda News.
  13. ↑ Dave Hill (16 January 2008). "Wheatfield: Save-A-Lot opens at The Summit". Tonawanda News.
  14. ↑ Aaron Besecker and Denise Jewell Gee (6 May 2009). "The Summit mall is closing by June 6". The Buffalo News.
  15. ↑ Mark Scheer (6 June 2009). "Wheatfield: New Life for the Summit". Niagara Gazette.
  16. ↑ Aaron Besecker (30 August 2009). "The Summit hits new depths". The Buffalo News.
  17. ↑ Summit Mall building flooded
  18. ↑ Burglar may have caused massive flood in former Summit mall - City & Region - The Buffalo News
  19. ↑ "Summit Mall to be sold to Canadian company".

Coordinates: 43°05′17″N 78°56′17″W / 43.088°N 78.938°W / 43.088; -78.938

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