12-14-2006
( Reply#: 657 ) |
Bill Bucko |
Wow, THANKS!
I actually visited Woodmar Shopping Center only rarely. Usually I glimpsed it only as my family drove past on 165th, on the way to Downtown. Still remember dozens of tank cars on the rr tracks along 165th, and the Armour Swift and Co. factory. I believe a WalMart has been built there now.
Bill
Warren G. Harding Class of '63 |
12-14-2006
( Reply#: 661 ) |
wvcogs |
This isn't a very good image, but it will give you some idea of what the Woodmar Shopping Center looked like when it was built in 1955 before it was enclosed and became the Woodmar Mall sometime late in the 1960s. The drugstore on the left is Walgreen's. At right is the Carson's store. The image was scanned from the intro page to the ads section of a high school yearbook.
[img]http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g268/wvcogs72/woodmar2.jpg[/img]
Ken...
Former Hessvillite
Morton Graduate 1960 |
11-22-2011
( Reply#: 7464 ) |
Little Stevie |
I found this article in a copy of the Hammond Historical Society from January of '06 on the history of the Woodmar Shopping Center.
It's a good read:
Out with the old, In with the New
Woodmar Mall is set to be reborn once again with ambitious plans recently announced by city officials. The mall today is all but a shell of its glorious past. Although its not really a dead mall, it's a shopping center on the critical list, only a small handful of stores remain out of the fifty plus shops that once called Woodmar Mall home during its heyday.
New life will be brought back to the struggling shopping center. Work will be underway soon as the southern portion of the mall is demolished to make room for a new Carson’s. Once a new Carson Pirie Scott store is completed the remainder of the mall will be leveled. A linear style mall is planned with several big name retailers to locate in the New Woodmar Mall and its out lots. During the early 1950’s, the Calumet Regions economy was in high gear, it was on a thrill ride of economic prosperity, the result of postwar prosperity. Many of the mills and factories here had three shifts of employees who were working around the clock. This large flux of disposable income helped to expand the neighborhood shopping districts that reached beyond mammoth thriving main central business district, more commonly called Downtown Hammond.
Enter a group of developers who envisioned a different future for retail shopping for Hammond and the Calumet Region. Landau & Heyman foresaw the shift towards a multi-store shopping center, where
customers could “one stop shop” allowing customers to conveniently shop at one location.
This concept was a bold move in 1953. There were many small strip centers with four or five stores, but there were only a few shopping centers with 30 or more stores in existence across the entire country.
Herbert H. Heyman and partners Howard H. Landau along with Elias Perlman, had a long standing record of commercial real estate development throughout the Calumet Region. As they began to realize that time pressed shoppers wanted convenience and choice, the idea of Woodmar Mall was born.
Partners of the proposed mall choose Hammond because of its excellent public transportation and central location. They found a site along the west side of Indianapolis Boulevard between 165th and
167th Streets. This 20 acre site had originally been planned for a corporate office building for the meat packing plant of Swift & Company. Swift had never built the facility and sold the land to Landau & Heyman in 1953.
Now with a tract of land, the partners new that they needed a large anchor store with name recognition to attract potential customers. Negations were underway with Carson Pirie Scott & Company to build
its first store in Indiana. Carson’s agreed and signed a fifty year lease and planned to open the store during their 100th anniversary in 1954.
The original design for the mall featured a single 135,000 sq ft building, with an adjacent 64,000 sq ft pentagon shaped two story building to house Carson’s. Free parking was available for 1,500 cars in the lot surrounding most of the complex. Cost to build Woodmar Shopping Center was $3 million. The location and original design of Woodmar was met with skepticism and criticism from many
seasoned retailers. Critics faulted its location, since it was located in the middle of an industrial area. The front of the Carson’s store faced away from the street, so all one sees is its sheltered loading dock. “But Landau & Heyman wanted Carson’s front to
face the Mall to expose shoppers to the other stores in the shopping center.”
A three day Grand opening event took place in late spring of 1954 with a twenty page advertising circular with news and sales of the new stores located at the mall.
An array of prizes were offered, they included a brand new 1955 Mercury Montclair worth $3500 with $100 gasoline, Amana Upright Home Freezer, Frigidaire room air conditioner, Ranch mink stole, a
boy’s & girl’s bike and 10—$10 gift certificates. Carson Pirie Scott & Company opened their new store on November 1, 1954, just in time for the busy holiday shopping season.
The eight original tenants of the mall were J. J. Newberry; Kinney Shoes the company’s 340th store and only the second store to operate in a shopping center; National Food Store; Andes Candies; Maling
Shoe; Maternity Modes; Ritz Millinery; and Chapman Laundry & Cleaners.
On May 19 fourteen other stores were opened. They included Benson & Rixon Menswear; Einhorn’s Women’s Sportswear & Apparel; Hansel & Gretel Shop; Hoosier State Bank; Lerner Shops; Miles Paint& Wallpaper; O’Conner & Goldberg Shoes; Powell Bakery; Rothchild’s Womenswear; The Cotton Shop; Fabric Fair; Walgreen Drugs; Watland Brother Camera; and The Woodmar Grill.
While the concept of the climate controlled indoor shopping mall is just over 40 years old. Landau & Heyman saw this in the mid 1960’s as the wave of the future. So when Carson’s decided to do a $1.5
million expansion of its Woodmar store, Landau & Heyman drew up plans to create one of the areas first enclosed shopping malls to Hammond.
The Carson’s expansion added a third floor with 34,000 sq ft and 13,000 sq ft on the first floor, increasing the store size to 110,000 sq ft. The enclosed mall opened in late March 1966, followed up by the enlarged Carson’s opening in June of 1966. Woodmar Mall has undergone six major renovations and expansions sine it was enclosed in 1966. During the middle to late 1970’s leases for two large tenants were not renewed. J. J. Newberry and Sterk’s Super
Foods (National Foods was the original tenant) giving Landau & Heyman the opportunity to introduce yet another new retail trend—the mini mall.
In 1975 the vacated Newberry store located near the center of the mall was transformed into a European style cobble stoned courtyard housing 15 boutique style stores. It was modeled after the Court of Lions in Seville, Spain, the new mini mall was given the
same exact name. Several shopping center trade publications hailed this new mini mall for its success and originality. It was reported that the new stores in the Court of Lions did three times the amount of business of the Newberry store in just the first year. During this renovation new street lights were also installed in the parking lot. A year and a half later a second mini mall was built in the empty Sterk’s store. Named the Court of Turtles and featured a more modern look. In 1982 a six store expansion was made to the southern part of the mall. In 1985 a six tenant Woodmar Food Court replaced the Walgreen Grill.
Woodmar Mall was not just a shopping center, it was an integral part of the neighborhood serving as a kind of community center, a gathering place for the many special events that were held in the mall. Before the Auto show in Chicago at McCormick Place, area residents had a chance to see the latest in autos at the Woodmar New Car Show. “People came from all around to see these new cars.”
The Pinewood Derby brought dozens of boy scouts to the mall to race their soapbox cars. Holidays were a festive time at the mall, who could forget Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Woodmar was host to
numerous fashion and bridal shows. Health fairs and Fire Prevention Week. Hobby and Craft and Home Improvement shows were also very well attended at Woodmar Mall. These are all just memories.
In May of 2001, Woodmar Mall was sold at a Lake County sheriff’s tax sale for $6,000,000 to Great West Life and Annuity a Denver Colorado insurance company. Ironically it was the same company that wrote the mortgage for the mall back in the 1980’s when it was also sold. It was the lone bidder on the property.
The new owners will be working with city officials to help revive the economically deprived mall. Plans also call for rejuvenating, not only the mall but street and intersection improvements as well.
LS |
11-22-2011
( Reply#: 7465 ) |
HassoBenSoba |
HERE ONCE AGAIN is the '57 Yearbook picture of the Woodmar Shopping Center's line-up of stores on the SOUTH end of the mall ~
[IMG]http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af12/HassoBenSoba/WoodmarMall57-1.jpg[/IMG]
AND HERE IS the listing of all of the stores by address - North to South - from the 1958 Hammond City Directory ~
[IMG]http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af12/HassoBenSoba/HammondDir58Woodmar0002.jpg[/IMG]
HERE'S the same list from the 1961 Hammond Directory ~
[IMG]http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af12/HassoBenSoba/HammondDir61Woodmar0001.jpg[/IMG]
LR |
11-22-2011
( Reply#: 7468 ) |
Little Stevie |
Here are 4 more pictures of the WSC from the sixties
[IMG]http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i398/littlestevie/WoodmarSigns.jpg[/IMG]
This pole sign was the last remaining item to fall to the wrecking ball with the exception of Carson's. They came down sometime last year. This picture might be from the 70's since the the "Center" is now enclosed.
However, while driving by the WSC Monday, I noticed that construction crews beginning to work in the parking lots. They were re-surfacing parts of it.
[IMG]http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i398/littlestevie/WoodmarChristmas.jpg[/IMG]
Christmas Time at Woodmar. How many of you went there to give Santa you gift list?
[IMG]http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i398/littlestevie/WSC02.jpg[/IMG]
Probably another picture from around Christmas.
[IMG]http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i398/littlestevie/WSC01.jpg[/IMG]
A south view from in front of Carson's?
LS |
11-23-2011
( Reply#: 7473 ) |
wvcogs |
Stevie, Larry, et al,
Here's the same photo from the north end of Woodmar Shopping Center that appeared as a two page spread to introduce the advertising section in the 1965 Top Hat yearbook.
Ken
[img]http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g268/wvcogs72/Hammond/WoodmarCenter.jpg[/img] |
11-23-2011
( Reply#: 7474 ) |
HassoBenSoba |
KEN--
Thanks for this; much better contrast than the first scan.
Incidentally, I saw first-hand a copy of the 1959 Morton yearbook with the 2-page photo that you posted on
the "Magoun Ave" thread. That pic of Indy Blvd at night, when you see it close-up, is like a work of fine art.
Larry |
11-23-2011
( Reply#: 7475 ) |
wvcogs |
Larry:
I remember being there when that photo in the 1959 book was taken, but cannot take any credit for pulling the trigger. Mr. Rasmussen probably snapped the shutter on the old 4" x 5" Graphic. He usually did on the large photos like that one.
Ken...
(Here's one of those old work horses from my collection.)
[img]http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g268/wvcogs72/Hammond/CrownGraphic.jpg[/img] |
11-23-2011
( Reply#: 7476 ) |
HassoBenSoba |
KEN--
You MUST be kidding me----you mean that YOU were there on that photo shoot??! Jeez, this gets better all the time! I wonder if
the Morton Top Hat gang (such as it is) has any of the old files from that era? I'd be willing to expend some time and energy to see if
I can find that negative!
Do you remember if you took OTHER pics of the stores that night? I'm assuming that the two "lovebird"/students in the pic were also
Mortonites who were there to assist. I know it was ages ago, but please share any more memories that you have.
I was just looking at the actual '59 yearbook again today in the
Hammond Library Historical Room; I asked the guy there about scanning the pic for me...but it's too big; he'd have to do it in pieces.
If you reply to this e-mail, why not post the photo again here? It
deserves to be featured in more than one thread.
Thanks
Larry |
11-23-2011
( Reply#: 7477 ) |
wvcogs |
Larry,
If you sent an email to the "Click to send an E-Mail" address my profile, I didn't receive it. I'll be happy to send you a copy of the picture. The file uploaded to PhotoBucket was a small one, but I can attach a much larger one to an email. Do you want to try to send me an email so I can get file to you?
I know the name of the boy in the photo, but cannot identify the girl because of the lighting. I have a few negatives; they're mostly sports and the 1960 senior/underclass basketball game. Is it possible there is a photo club archive at the school?
Here's another copy.
Ken
P.S. I will rescan and get rid of that ugly line in the middle.
[img]http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g268/wvcogs72/Hammond/1959adpage.jpg[/img] |
11-24-2011
( Reply#: 7478 ) |
HassoBenSoba |
Ken--
I meant to say "Post", not e-mail. So I'll e-mail you.
Larry |
11-26-2011
( Reply#: 7485 ) |
wvcogs |
Larry,
Here's the copy of the Indy Blvd photo that Jim Zacny posted to Planet Hammond on September 1. It looks like he took a picture of it instead of scanning. I'm guessing he got it from the local history room at the library. I wonder how many other photo club pictures are on file there.
Ken
[img]http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g268/wvcogs72/Hammond/1959adpagex1.jpg[/img] |
11-26-2011
( Reply#: 7487 ) |
HassoBenSoba |
KEN--
This is obviously an 8x10 print of the pic; you can the see the white edges, plus there's no caption/text in the
lower right corner as it appeared in the '59 yearbook.
Can you find out from Jim where her got this? It might be in the files at the Hammond Library--but I went through
the Morton stuff and didn't see it.
Larry
PS-- I've tried to e-mail you twice, but keep getting a message that there was a technical problem of some sort.
Maybe Tom J can help. |
11-26-2011
( Reply#: 7489 ) |
Tom J |
quote:
Originally posted by HassoBenSoba
KEN--
This is obviously an 8x10 print of the pic; you can the see the white edges, plus there's no caption/text in the
lower right corner as it appeared in the '59 yearbook.
Can you find out from Jim where her got this? It might be in the files at the Hammond Library--but I went through
the Morton stuff and didn't see it.
Larry
PS-- I've tried to e-mail you twice, but keep getting a message that there was a technical problem of some sort.
Maybe Tom J can help.
I'm just a lowly "moderator," not an "administrator." I can't help with the Email problem. If Ken has his account set up to accept Emails and the Email address that he used for his registration here is still valid, then I don't know what the problem is.
Sorry.
Tomster |
11-26-2011
( Reply#: 7490 ) |
wvcogs |
Larry,
That's what it looks like to me, an 8x10 print. I sent Jim a message on Facebook and asked him where he found it.
Tom,
I checked and my email address is current. Also, I tried to send emails to Larry a couple times and got the same technical message. It appears that part of the forum isn't working.
Ken |
11-26-2011
( Reply#: 7491 ) |
Tom J |
Ok, we have had this problem before. Mr. Clavin took care of it the other times. I'll let him know about it.
In the meantime, I have both of your Email addresses. Would you guys like for me to Email you and give you each other's Email address?
Tomster |
11-27-2011
( Reply#: 7493 ) |
HassoBenSoba |
TOM--
Yes, send Ken my e-mail address.
Larry |
11-27-2011
( Reply#: 7495 ) |
Tom J |
Took care of it, lar.
Tom |
11-27-2011
( Reply#: 7496 ) |
Little Stevie |
Wow! Looking at the above photo of the couple on Indy Blvd. I'm guessing the aperture setting was around f1.4 and by gauging the headlight streaks in the photo, the shutter-speed was 1/30.
Just a guess!
LS |
