Century 3 and the Declining South Hills (Pittsburgh, Erie: appointed, bankrupt, landlord)

[lifepgh2op]

Originally Posted by Tallysmom

But I like knowing where black youth are shopping -- because I won't bother going there.

And there is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with that.

As a middle aged suburban white woman, that pretty assures me that the stores there are not geared to my tastes.

I would fully expect a car loaded with young people to take a look at where I shop and run in the other direction, too.

Age is one thing, yes. That makes sense. But the race is different...not all white people shop at the same stores as other white people and same with black people. If some black people are shopping at Macy's does that mean Macy's won't have something that you like as a white suburban woman? Maybe. Maybe not. Probably depends on personal preferences rather than race.

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by lifepgh2op

Age is one thing, yes. That makes sense. But the race is different...not all white people shop at the same stores as other white people and same with black people. If some black people are shopping at Macy's does that mean Macy's won't have something that you like as a white suburban woman? Maybe. Maybe not. Probably depends on personal preferences rather than race.

You're right -- and I'd guess the thing I'm dealing with out here is we are pretty mixed racially out here.

Our's is far more a poor/rich class segregation.

[Staash]

Originally Posted by Pitman

By the posts on this forum you would think the Century 3 mall/South Hills area is some kind of ghetto! .

As far as malls go, Century III had a pretty good run. 20 years ago, the place was packed and every storefront was occupied. At the time it was built, it was one of the biggest malls in the world. I visited recently, and it's clearly on the decline: empty storefronts, more "bargain" retailers, etc. Not sure if this is reflective of underlying economic conditions or a development shift to outdoor shopping centers like the Waterfront.

As an aside, on my last visit I saw _a_lot_ of Mexican immigrants shopping there. Was this just an anomaly, or is Pittsburgh now a destination for Mexican immigration? If so, which communities are they populating?

The Century III situation reminded me of Parkway Center mall. Looked like it was on the decline 10 years ago, but it's still standing. I'd like to visit there soon, as I have an odd fascination with the death cycle of shopping centers. I suspect that it's similar to Allegheny Center in that it's been mostly converted to offices, perhaps for all the East Indians I see when I drive around Greentree?

[ExPit]

Originally Posted by Staash

As an aside, on my last visit I saw _a_lot_ of Mexican immigrants shopping there. Was this just an anomaly, or is Pittsburgh now a destination for Mexican immigration? If so, which communities are they populating?

Beechview for one.

[By~Tor]

I work at C-III in the maintenance dept., and I know that it has a reputation as the "Ghetto Mall"... we don't get much in the way of help from Simon, but again, you have to have tenants in the mall in order to start getting sway within that community. And all the businesses have moved out of the mall to strip mall areas along 51, due to the high rent at C-III.

1.2 million s.f. of space, and about 40% empty, but then, we also need to hear an outcry from the masses about how they want Simon to reinvest in the mall.

I'd love to hear points of view, as my job depends on the mall being healthy..... or being sold.... or being closed....

Originally Posted by erik27pgh

Simon property group owns Century Three Mall. They are the largest mall developer In the nation. Simon owns the 2 premier Pittsburgh malls, Ross Park as well as South Hills Village, both malls are well managed and both are quite upscale. I am repulsed unprofessional way that Simon Is running Century 3, they should be ahamed. That mall Is the largest In the Pittsburgh area but when Simon bought South Hills Village they STOPPED leasing and maintaining Century. They are not giving Pittsburgh shoppers any reason to shop there, what had been a 5 ancor mall Is now a 3 ancor mall, THANKS SIMON If there was a jail for bad landlords Simon should be on death row for killing Century 3. Years ago Boscovs wanted the Lazarus space when It became available BUT Lazarus and Macys made a deal to keep Boscovs out and put that crummy furnature store In where Lazarus had been. Boscovs Is a middle market department store and belongs In Century 3 mall, Simon should have done the Boscovs deal, I feel that they are purposely making Century 3 mall fail. Old Navy Is leaving at the end of January, there will be no Old Navy In south hills while there are 2 on Mcknight road, GO FIGURE! Simon could agressively lease Century 3 but doesn't. Century 3 was never an upscale mall BUT Is a middle market mall. Century 3 services a different market and customer base than South Hills Village. Correctly leased Century 3 can draw customers from Greensburg, Squirrel Hill, Uniontown, and Monroeville, and Is built In an upper middle class area, there is no reason that Century 3 cannot be sucessful except that the landlord will not correctly lease the mall and Its crimminal. Simon has MANY middle market malls that are In small towns that are sucessful, they know how to run middle market malls. The Mall property Is private property and Simon can stop bus service but Instead allows every bus on their property, Ross Park mall does not. The parking lot Is horrible, parts are closed the air conditioning Is broken. Simon knows how to lease malls but looks like they are tying to kill the mall for some reason and that's unfortunate because Century 3 and South Hills Village can operate sucessfully together because they attract a different tennant mix. I wish the community would apply pressure, Pleasant Hills/West Mifflin Is not a bad area and deserves a decent well run mall, not the blighted atmosphere that Simon has painted. It should be against the law to run a nice property Into the ground. I wish that Simon would give Pittsburgh's largest mall the attention that It deserves so It can once again flourish. Bring Boscov's, Dillards, put TJ Max and Marshalls back, put a Borders Book or Barnes and Noble or even Books a Million In, Ross Dress For Less, Saks outlet, Nordstrom Rack, H+M, Jo Annes, Linnens And Things, Bed Bath And Beyond, Neiman Marcus Rack, Cabelas, even resturants like Rainforest Cafe, Cheesecake factory or even Daves Famous, most of these tennants are not In the South Hills, Seems Simon Is pretending that they can't lease the mall but 30 years of successful retail tells a different story. Simon Is truly not maximizing this property's potential, actually cheating South Hills out of a good place to shop, Simon should want that mall to suceed, Its the largest mall that gets the least attention and thats just not right.

[sketchbooks]

It's a shame, since CIII has the closest Sears to where I live (and WAY nicer than the one in Monroeville)
I'm fixing up my house, and I may be keeping that Sears in business with major appliances and tool purchases.

[MissShona]

Originally Posted by sketchbooks

It's a shame, since CIII has the closest Sears to where I live (and WAY nicer than the one in Monroeville)
I'm fixing up my house, and I may be keeping that Sears in business with major appliances and tool purchases.

I also find Century III to be in a super convenient location. The next closest shopping area to me is the Waterfront (which I don't feel is all that comprehensive); although South Hills Village and Monroeville are not too much further -- they still are a pain for me to get to. Also I work in Belle Vernon, and most of my co-workers live around there and they come up to Century III to shop even. So really, if it closes...it will be missed (especially given these gas prices...)

[By~Tor]

I agree, about South Hills Village being a pain to get to... from where I live in Mt. Oliver, BOTH SHV and Century III are exactly 7.3 miles away, and also 7.3 miles from each OTHER. . . . yet it takes me only 20 minutes to get to C-III, but almost 40 mins to get to SHV, because of the traffic and the lack of 2lanes along rt. 88....

I think there's a golden opportunity for vendors to get space in Century III and help bring back this once-sparkling Mall to its former grandeur....

[raubre]

I was at Century 3 a few weeks back on a Saturday. Deadmalls.com should look into this, lol. I was told that the mall is purposely raising rates so tenants don't renew and the mall can close.

[raubre]

I also thought that the C3 shopping area was the least progressive. Look how long it took for a Dick's to open in that area. They don't even have a Borders or a Barnes and Noble.