arkansas university mall shopping center central arkansas operated approximately years closed university mall oldest enclosed shopping center metropolitan area located central site situated north interstate mall managed indianapolis based mall initially huge success popularity declined new retail outlets drew customers away departure anchor stores beginning bankruptcy left half building 1990s mall steadily declined retailers customers left popularity litigation involving deterioration building mall sold remaining tenants told vacate demolition began primary structure early prior associated buildings razed beginning december starting auto center auto center years automotive maintenance facility city history development developer indianapolis based real estate developer management company known company venture arkansas built shopping centers united_states landowners corporation listed developers inc developers included judge prominent attorney adviser smith wife daughter son law owned arkansas developers dissolved months announcement mall according newspapers time corporation owners mall property children original corporation owners mentioned later litigation property led closure sale smith told reporter got idea mall driving university avenue 1950s known street felt good buy called told good investment years managed acquire surrounding acres mall site included cemetery moved construction leased plans mall announced simon quoted saying site offered best potential seen city size mall complex comprised square foot square feet rest parking cars single level structure opened major department store sign lease new mall time big locally owned department stores downtown weeks later announced build stores property built square foot square foot store southeast corner mall marked return national store scale operation operated catalog store downtown years addition square foot warehouse took percent mall square footage store west end mall contained square feet free standing auto center marking largest department store state renovations mall underwent renovation renamed simply probably new mall simon planning mall reopening held march year news accounts special emphasis placed security program university mall drew thousands yearly known holiday displays programs favorite place including heart patients located university avenue october simon announced million expansion renovation university mall structure renovation handled started ending year later expansion add square feet existing square feet mall existing tenants said spend million expansion updated store added mall entrance second floor store enlarged expansion gave mall distinctive feature unusual coated tent like structure new referred let light reached stories high height sought construction expanded levels connected elevator new upper level walkway overlooking level square foot food court multi level parking garage built north mall grand day reopening held november television brought help celebrate electrical switch turned lights officially reopened renovated mall reopening featured elaborate centerpiece time mall stores expecting eventually house mall square feet space retail activity city eventually affect dallas unveiled plans convert open air park plaza shopping center enclosed mall directly street north university mall park plaza shopping center years old time landmark rapidly expanding area said completely rebuild total area increasing square feet including square feet new retail area plus new square foot store west end park plaza builders estimated work cost million created downtown announced initial tenants decade university mall plenty business succumbed effects dying downtown park plaza emerged best places shop decline real problems university mall started appearing 1980s tenants voiced concerns marketing efforts began closing stores went bankrupt closed stores leaving story square foot vacant building university mall site shopping traffic dropped dramatically afterward steady stream tenants began leaving property beginning simon property said occupancy university mall percent april departure report said percent mall vacant family limited partnership arkansas southern sued seeking injunction forcing simon undertake actions necessary restore mall good conditions land owners said entire mall state disrepair neglect claimed simon neglect maintain building driving away tenants decades team hired landowners document condition mall testified vacant space ceiling tiles dead december simon presented proposal mall build square foot mixed use facility retail office medical residential space news conference little rock regional chamber commerce building project potentially included half dozen individual structures including big box retailer west high rise residential buildings north medical office complex university avenue strategic communications assisting simon public relations campaign project said negotiations going plans apparently come pass june district judge ruled simon million repairs mall good condition pending sale property lawsuit dropped demolition october family limited partnership sold acres beneath mall acre convenience store corner dallas based led took loan million mortgage dallas purchased mall property million simon management issued deadline remaining tenants vacate mall midnight october reportedly planned demolish mall build open air shopping center called park avenue similar shopping center northeast property said knocking old mall planned build lifestyle center main street feel parts old university mall integrated park avenue parking deck possible level added basement saturday october shopping day mall locally owned retailers remained open paul shoes dress shop businesses relocated property slated long disputed potential site entire university mall property surrounded chain link fence following exit tenants demolition buildings outer parcels began december demolition primary structure starting january finishing march projected mixed park avenue development open site property mall target store parking lot anchors square feet opened expanded square feet september square feet opened march square feet opened september
University Mall (Little Rock, Arkansas)