# Worcester Center Galleria

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Shopping mall in Massachusetts, United States

Worcester Center Worcester Center on January 26, 2014 Location Worcester, Massachusetts, United States Coordinates 42°15′44″N 71°47′55″W / 42.262225°N 71.79851°W / 42.262225; -71.79851 (Worcester Common Outlets) Address 100 Front Street Opened July 29, 1971 Closed April 2006 (demolished September 13, 2010–May 18, 2011) Developer Worcester Center Associates Architect Welton Becket and Associates Stores 126 Anchor tenants 3 (Worcester Center Galleria) 5 (Worcester Common Fashion Outlets) Floor area 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m2) Floors 2 Parking 4,300 space garage

The **Worcester Center Galleria**, located in Downtown [Worcester, Massachusetts](/source/Worcester%2C_Massachusetts), was a two level [shopping mall](/source/Shopping_mall) which originally opened on July 29, 1971, as a part of the Worcester Center urban renewal project. The mall, which connected the [100 Front Street](/source/100_Front_Street) and 120 Front Street office towers, was successful for 20 years until it closed following a series of store vacancies. The mall re-opened in 1994 as a short-lived outlet center called Worcester Common Fashion Outlets, finally closing in 2006. The mall was demolished and redeveloped into a project called CitySquare.

## History

### 1971–1993: Beginnings

Advertisement for [Jordan Marsh](/source/Jordan_Marsh), 1971

Mall Guide, 1971

The Worcester Center Galleria opened on July 29, 1971.[1] To be built, a large swath of Worcester's downtown was demolished to make room for the 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m2) mall and two connected skyscrapers ([100 Front Street](/source/100_Front_Street) and 120 Front Street). The Galleria had a large open area with an arched roof that was supposedly modeled after the [Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II](/source/Galleria_Vittorio_Emanuele_II) in [Milan, Italy](/source/Milan%2C_Italy).[1][2] The design for the mall also included a 4,300-space [parking garage](/source/Parking_garage), which, at the time, was the largest parking structure in the world.[2][3] Two construction experts from New York and California had called the original mall "the finest shopping center they had ever seen in the United States."[1] The original [anchor stores](/source/Anchor_store) included [Filene's](/source/Filene's), [Jordan Marsh](/source/Jordan_Marsh), and [Kennedy's](/source/Kennedy's).[2] By the late 1980s, two of the major anchors, Filene's and Jordan Marsh, had moved out, while other area malls such as the [Auburn Mall](/source/Auburn_Mall_(Auburn%2C_Massachusetts)) and [Greendale Mall](/source/Greendale_Mall) began drawing away customers.[4]

### 1994–2003: Revitalization

In 1994, Worcester Center Associates sold the Galleria to New England Development which slowly shut down the remaining stores with plans to revitalize the mall.[4] On October 29, 1994, the Galleria reopened as the Worcester Common Fashion Outlets, with [Judith Light](/source/Judith_Light) taking the role of spokesperson, appearing in a large publicity campaign for the mall.[1][5] With the reopening, there were drastic changes to the stores housed in the mall and the look and layout of it. The original anchors were gone and replaced with [Sports Authority](/source/Sports_Authority), [Bed Bath and Beyond](/source/Bed_Bath_%26_Beyond_Inc.), [Saks Off Fifth Avenue](/source/Saks_Fifth_Avenue) Outlet, [Media Play](/source/Media_Play), and [Filene's Basement](/source/Filene's_Basement) (later [VF Factory Outlet](/source/VF_Corporation)).[3] After the re-opening, the mall contained a total of 126 [outlet stores](/source/Outlet_store).[6]

As time went on, this re-marketing of the mall did not help. In 1996 the name was changed another time to simply Worcester Common Outlets,[6] and in 1997, a larger outlet mall, the [Wrentham Village Premium Outlets](/source/Wrentham_Village_Premium_Outlets), opened off nearby [Interstate 495](/source/Interstate_495_(Massachusetts)) in [Wrentham](/source/Wrentham%2C_Massachusetts), [Massachusetts](/source/Massachusetts) drawing from the Common Outlets' customer base.[3]

### 2004–present: Closure and redevelopment

[Unum Company's](/source/Unum) Massachusetts headquarters at One Mercantile Place in downtown [Worcester, Massachusetts](/source/Worcester%2C_Massachusetts)

Business at the mall slowly died down until June 22, 2004, when Berkeley Investments, along with its capital partner, Starwood Capital of Greenwich, Connecticut announced that they would buy the Worcester Common Outlets.[6] After the announcement of the acquisition, leases in the mall were not renewed and it slowly emptied. The mall closed for good in April 2006.[3] Berkeley has demolished a large portion of the mall and has begun construction of a mixed-use development named CitySquare where a combination of retail, housing and office space will replace the mall.[6] Berkeley Investments planned on keeping the parking garages and [Worcester Foothills Theatre](/source/Worcester_Foothills_Theatre), which called a section of the basement of the mall home,[7] until it suspended operations[8] on May 10, 2009, due to lack of funding.[9]

The project is an example of [transit oriented development](/source/Transit_oriented_development) because of its proximity to public transportation.[6]

The $563 million project to construct CitySquare stalled for years as Berkeley Investments struggled to secure tenants.[10][11] The first phase of the project received city approval in May 2008.[12] In March 2009, it was announced that [Unum Group](/source/Unum_Group), an insurance company, would lease more than 175,000 square feet (16,300 m2) in the future CitySquare development. This allowed $25 million in state demolition funding to flow.[13] On September 13, 2010, demolition of portions of the former mall started and on May 18, 2011, visible exterior demolition began.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-italy_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-italy_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-italy_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-italy_1-3) Goslow, Brian (April 4, 2003). ["Mall rat memories"](https://web.archive.org/web/20081120074952/http://www.worcestermag.com/archives/2004/03-04-04/lead_continued.shtml). *Worcester Magazine*. Archived from [the original](http://www.worcestermag.com/archives/2004/03-04-04/lead_continued.shtml) on November 20, 2008. Retrieved December 2, 2008.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-globerenewal_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-globerenewal_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-globerenewal_2-2) Woolhouse, Megan (October 1, 2006). ["Worcester's $1 billion bet"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080413074732/http://www.boston.com/realestate/news/articles/2006/10/01/worcesters_1_billion_bet/). *[The Boston Globe](/source/The_Boston_Globe)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.boston.com/realestate/news/articles/2006/10/01/worcesters_1_billion_bet/) on April 13, 2008. Retrieved December 2, 2008.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-judith_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-judith_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-judith_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-judith_3-3) ["Worcester Common Outlets; Worcester, Massachusetts"](http://www.labelscar.com/massachusetts/worcester-common). Labelscar. September 14, 2006. Retrieved December 2, 2008.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-globe_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-globe_4-1) Palmer Jr., Thomas C. (June 30, 2004). ["Waking up Worcester: Officials, investors hope $300m plan sparks a revival"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121022140332/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-118795409.html). *[The Boston Globe](/source/The_Boston_Globe)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-118795409.html) on October 22, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Judith Light Set Free By Role of Cancer Patient"](http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WO&p_theme=wo&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EADE459A9BDB946&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM). *[Telegram & Gazette](/source/Telegram_%26_Gazette)*. February 4, 2000. Retrieved December 2, 2008.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-pressrelease_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-pressrelease_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-pressrelease_6-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-pressrelease_6-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-pressrelease_6-4) ["Berkeley Investments, Inc. Announces Acquisition of Worcester Common Outlets; Redevelopment Plans Will Revitalize Downtown Area"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090816051354/http://www.ci.worcester.ma.us/pressrel/OutletsAcquisition.htm). [Worcester, Massachusetts](/source/Worcester%2C_Massachusetts). June 22, 2004. Archived from [the original](http://www.ci.worcester.ma.us/pressrel/OutletsAcquisition.htm) on August 16, 2009. Retrieved December 2, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Foothills to be in CitySquare future"](http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WO&p_theme=wo&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=109A450011BBBFEB&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM). *[Telegram & Gazette](/source/Telegram_%26_Gazette)*. April 21, 2005. Retrieved December 2, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Playbill News: Foothills Theatre in Central MA Suspends Operations"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090503171412/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/128821.html). *www.playbill.com*. Archived from [the original](http://www.playbill.com/news/article/128821.html) on May 3, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** foothillstheatre.com

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Foster, Tom (November 14, 2008). ["Downtown Worcester office rentals hold steady"](http://www.telegram.com/article/20081114/NEWS/811140692/0/FRONTPAGE). *[Telegram & Gazette](/source/Telegram_%26_Gazette)*. Retrieved December 2, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Kotsopoulos, Nick (August 23, 2007). ["CitySquare gets second extension"](http://www.telegram.com/article/20070823/NEWS/708230738). *[Telegram & Gazette](/source/Telegram_%26_Gazette)*. Retrieved December 5, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Kotsopoulos, Nick (May 21, 2008). ["Council OKs Plan to Start Project"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090131104928/http://newcitysquare.com/news/read_news.cfm?news=36). *[Telegram & Gazette](/source/Telegram_%26_Gazette)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.newcitysquare.com/news/read_news.cfm?news=36) on January 31, 2009. Retrieved December 5, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Progress for major Worcester development"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121023015105/http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2009/03/progress_for_ma.html). *[Boston Globe](/source/Boston_Globe)*. March 31, 2009. Archived from [the original](http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2009/03/progress_for_ma.html) on October 23, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2009.

## External links

- [Worcester Magazine Article about the mall](https://web.archive.org/web/20081120074952/http://www.worcestermag.com/archives/2004/03-04-04/lead_continued.shtml)

- [Photo gallery of Mall Area before and during construction](http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=WT&Date=20040520&Category=MALL&ArtNo=520001&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=1) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131231053235/http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=WT&Date=20040520&Category=MALL&ArtNo=520001&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=1) December 31, 2013, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

v t e Shopping malls in Massachusetts Barnstable County Cape Cod Mall Mashpee Commons Bristol County Dartmouth Mall Emerald Square Essex County Liberty Tree Mall The Loop Northshore Mall Square One Mall Hampden County Holyoke Mall at Ingleside Hampshire County Hampshire Mall Mountain Farms Mall Middlesex County Arsenal Yards Burlington Mall CambridgeSide Natick Mall Shoppers World Shops at Billerica The Shops at Chestnut Hill Solomon Pond Mall Norfolk County Legacy Place Patriot Place South Shore Plaza The Street Chestnut Hill Wrentham Village Premium Outlets Plymouth County Hanover Crossing Kingston Collection Westgate Mall Suffolk County Copley Place Faneuil Hall Lafayette City Center Prudential Center The Shops at Suffolk Downs Quincy Market South Bay Worcester County Auburn Mall The Mall at Whitney Field Defunct Berkshire Mall Dedham Mall Eastfield Mall Greendale Mall New Harbour Mall Silver City Galleria Swansea Mall Worcester Center Galleria

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Worcester Center Galleria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worcester_Center_Galleria) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worcester_Center_Galleria?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.