Fashion District Philadelphia is a revitalization zone to be anchored by a renovated mall at the former site of The Gallery at Market East. The area was originally planned to be an outlet mall to be called "Fashion Outlets of Philadelphia", but the plans were later changed to be a new "retail district" consisting of clothing stores and a movie theater. Tenants such as H&M and various other chains have signed leases. The new mall is planned to open in 2018. Planners have envisioned that Philadelphia as the sixth largest city does not have a major retail center when even compared with Kansas City, the 37th largest city. The mall is envisioned to fill that "void" that even smaller cities have, to sell items to the Central City market that has only up to now only been available elsewhere. Many of the new retailers planning to open have never had a presence in Center City before.
Video Fashion District Philadelphia
History
Prior to the Fashion District Philadelphia, the space was once called The Gallery at Market East and was opened in 1977 and was later expanded as Galleries I and II in the early 1980s. The Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT) acquired Gallery I in April 2003 from The Rouse Company and Gallery II in the third fiscal quarter of 2004 from the state's Public School Employees' Retirement System. The total complex measures approximately 1,100,000 square feet (100,000 m2) of retail space and at its peak had over 130 stores.
Formerly, the space was anchored by Strawbridge's department store at 8th Street. It is also the main entrance for SEPTA's Jefferson Station at 11th and 12th Streets. The mall also provides access to an underground concourse that connects to the Market-Frankford Line at its 8th and 11th street stations.
In September 2008, the developers of Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia changed their proposed casino location to The Gallery at Market East after receiving opposition from residents near the original proposed site in South Philadelphia. The new proposal was endorsed by both Mayor Michael Nutter and Governor Ed Rendell. The original proposal for the Foxwoods Casino at The Gallery at Market East was for a 3,000-slot-machine casino on two floors currently occupied by Burlington Coat Factory, which would force that store to relocate. However, on February 26, 2009, it was announced that the developers of the Foxwoods Casino were looking to locate their new casino on three floors of the former Strawbridge's store.
In January 2014, it was announced that Kmart would be closing its Gallery store in late April. There are plans to turn the former Kmart space into multiple street-facing stores centered on an atrium and to redevelop the mostly vacant top level of the mall. It was announced in April 2014 that Century 21 would open an anchor store at the mall. In July 2014, Macerich acquired a 50% stake in The Gallery at Market East and invested $106.8 million to redevelop the mall in a joint venture with PREIT. As of 2015 many stores in The Gallery, including most restaurant concessions, have closed in preparation for the renovation.
As of June 19, 2015, the $325 million remodeling of "The Gallery" had been officially approved by the city council, and the legislation had been approved by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. Demolition started in August 2015, with construction expected to last two years and a grand opening sometime in 2017. According to the website for the Fashions Outlets of Philadelphia, the Burlington and Century 21 anchor stores will remain open during reconstruction.
In August 2017, the developers announced that outlets plan has been abandoned and the mall will instead feature a mix of retail, entertainment, and dining venues, much to that of a traditional shopping mall. The mall will effectively be renamed Fashion District Philadelphia, with an anticipated opening sometime in 2018.
Maps Fashion District Philadelphia
Anchors
- Burlington (127,271 sq. ft.)
- Century 21 (100,000 sq. ft.)
Former anchors and majors
- Kmart - replaced Clover and closed in 2014
- Strawbridge's - flagship and home office, closed in 2006
- JCPenney - anchored second phase at 11th & Market, closed in 2002
- Clover - replaced Stern's and closed in 1996
- Stern's - replaced Gimbels and closed in 1992
- Gimbels - a four-level store which occupied 3/4 of the 900 block of Market Street, closed in 1987
Transit connections
The following rail stations are connected to The Gallery:
- 8th St Station -- SEPTA Market-Frankford Line, SEPTA Broad-Ridge Spur, PATCO Speedline
- 11th St Station -- SEPTA Market-Frankford Line
- Jefferson Station -- SEPTA Regional Rail
Besides the SEPTA rail connections, various SEPTA city bus routes and New Jersey Transit bus routes have stops next to The Gallery. The Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal, Philadelphia's primary inner city bus station, is located immediately to the north of The Gallery.
References
External links
- The Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment trust -- corporate owners
- Philebrity
- fashiondistrictphiladelphia.com - new website for Fashion District Philadelphia.
Source of article : Wikipedia
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