When did Century III Mall start to decline? (West Mifflin, Mifflin: hotels, crawl space)

[Mopac1980]

I know back in the 80's and 90's it was a thriving mall that many people went to, when did Century III Mall all the sudden start to decline?

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by Mopac1980

I know back in the 80's and 90's it was a thriving mall that many people went to, when did Century III Mall all the sudden start to decline?

The further decline of West Mifflin and the Mon Valley coupled with the opening of the Waterfront. This started in the late 90's early 2000's.

Century III was huge but did not have the high end selection like other area malls.

[Mopac1980]

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

The further decline of West Mifflin and the Mon Valley coupled with the opening of the Waterfront. This started in the late 90's early 2000's.

Century III was huge but did not have the high end selection like other area malls.

That's too bad Century III didn't have a high end selection like the other area malls, is South Hills Village and Ross Park Mall the more upscale malls in the area?

What do you think of the Waterfront Mall?

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by Mopac1980

That's too bad Century III didn't have a high end selection like the other area malls, is South Hills Village and Ross Park Mall the more upscale malls in the area?

What do you think of the Waterfront Mall?

Ross Park established itself as the upscale mall of the region. South Hills Village is a nice mall and has been updated over the years. I remember trick or treating at South Hills Village mall in the late 70s and early 80's. I vividly remember the exotic bird cages suspended from the ceiling. This was before the mall had a food court.

The Waterfront is very useful. It is open air and full of the stores and restaurants that a family would need. It is also a good location for friends and family to stay while in town. There are several hotels on site and the Waterfront is centrally located.

[Independentthinking83]

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

The further decline of West Mifflin and the Mon Valley coupled with the opening of the Waterfront. This started in the late 90's early 2000's.

Century III was huge but did not have the high end selection like other area malls.

1999 was the beginning of the end of Century 3.

Parkway Center Mall went down the tubes in 2002 when Robinson mall opened.

[runpens1]

Originally Posted by Independentthinking83

1999 was the beginning of the end of Century 3.

Parkway Center Mall went down the tubes in 2002 when Robinson mall opened.

That sounds about right. Any other malls like that?

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by runpens1

That sounds about right. Any other malls like that?

Not as big as Century III.

Allegheny Center Mall across from downtown converted to offices and tech space.

[Independentthinking83]

Originally Posted by runpens1

That sounds about right. Any other malls like that?

I really liked Parkway center. It was two levels filled with stores and a 3rd partial level. The mall was in the city. It was built in 1982 and officially closed in the early 2010s.

W is right about Allegheny Center.

I remember when north hills village and northway malls were enclosed as well. I think north hills village went open air in the early 2000s and northway mall in the later 2000s. You had 3 enclosed malls on McKnight road on a 2.5 mile stretch of road. Of course Ross park is the remaining enclosed mall of the three. Northway Mall had a decent food court and I don’t remember north hills village much at the end. It was like a one level parkway center at the end and then target moved in and it just ended up open air strip shopping.

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by Independentthinking83

I really liked Parkway center. It was two levels filled with stores and a 3rd partial level. The mall was in the city. It was built in 1982 and officially closed in the early 2010s.

W is right about Allegheny Center.

i guess i was never at Parkway Center Mall in its heydey. i NEVER remember a buzz there - even back in the early 1990s eating at Chi-Chis (my first experience ever w/ mexican food - it was a food orgy, i tell you!).

huh - i had no idea it was filled w/ 2 levels!

i am a fan of allegheny center. i think it is a cool looking structure and hopefully they can retain and increase tenants and put that building to good use.

i see the failing of parkway center mall and the Kaufmann's building downtown as indicative of the type of leadership we have had in this area. in some cities, leaders will fight, plan, orchestrate to help resurrect dying projects. they've done nothing for K'mans, and i am not aware of anything for Parkway Center Mall, unless letting it and its surrounding pavement rot is some contrived plan.

[Independentthinking83]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

i guess i was never at Parkway Center Mall in its heydey. i NEVER remember a buzz there - even back in the early 1990s eating at Chi-Chis (my first experience ever w/ mexican food - it was a food orgy, i tell you!).

huh - i had no idea it was filled w/ 2 levels!

i am a fan of allegheny center. i think it is a cool looking structure and hopefully they can retain and increase tenants and put that building to good use.

i see the failing of parkway center mall and the Kaufmann's building downtown as indicative of the type of leadership we have had in this area. in some cities, leaders will fight, plan, orchestrate to help resurrect dying projects. they've done nothing for K'mans, and i am not aware of anything for Parkway Center Mall, unless letting it and its surrounding pavement rot is some contrived plan.

Parkway Center was two full levels with a 3rd partial floor. They had 5- anchor stores at one time and the mall at its peak employed 1,500 people. It was 500,000 square foot. There was a full food court on the lower level that closed in 1999. I found this video on you tube in 2010. KDKA did a story on it. It wasn’t the size of Ross park but I bet it was on par with Allegheny center. Anybody that walks in there can see it was an old mall.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wMWCP6Ecgl0

There is a Facebook page dedicated to parkway center mall with the shops and grand opening 11/4/82. There was old ads from the mall on that page as well.

You are right about the city and the kossman development. The issue with parkway center mall is that it was built on a trash dump that was filled. The main structure underneath had joints that could expand when the ground would settle. In 1982 this area was a little more than a crawl space. In 2010 they said the joints expanded so much you could fit a tractor trailer down there and it wouldn’t get stuck. That’s how
Much the ground sunk. It was unsalvageable. I remember walking in there right before it closed and the floor would shake due to the parkway traffic.

FYI the mall had 80 tenants total tenants at its peak according to KdKA.

It’s a shame on many counts. The leadership of this city over the past decades is amazing.