NorthPark Center; Dallas, Texas
One of the basic rules governing continued success in the realm of modern enclosed malls seems to be constant change through renovations, expansions, and other innovations in the face of increasing competition. Even if we ignore the implications and realities of the current recession, enclosed malls have gotten short shrift throughout the past decade as developers have oversaturated the retail landscape with big box power centers, ‘Lifestyle Centers’ and strip malls galore. Outdoor, ‘Lifestyle’ malls continue to be planned and constructed at a breakneck pace, even in extreme climates, and there are only a few enclosed malls currently either planned or in construction today across the United States. This oversaturation has resulted in massive problems across the country, such as urban blight and greyfields as there are more boxes than box stores to fill them, and sites only a decade or two old go fallow as new construction appears.
More importantly, as developers and shoppers alike have decided the traditional enclosed shopping mall was ‘out’, the extant landscape of shopping malls across the country has gone into a paniced frenzy to stay viable. Second- and third-tier malls have either languished or reinvented themselves as complements – such as discount malls – to first-tier malls, and many first-tier malls have gone through extensive renovations, expansions, and innovations – such as ‘Lifestyle’ outdoor additions – in order to remain competitive. NorthPark Center - Dallas’ premier first-tier mall with 225 stores on three levels – has not been immune to the challenges facing enclosed malls in today’s retail market. However, how the owners of NorthPark chose to innovate their continued success is not only unique – but fascinating when juxtaposed with traditional methods.
Before NorthPark became Dallas’ premier upscale destination, it was a 97-acre cotton field on the northern edge of Dallas. In the early 1960s, the cotton field was purchased by art connoisseur and developer Raymond Nasher, who had big things in mind. In 1965, NorthPark Center opened with great fanfare – at the time, it was said to be the largest climate-controlled center of its kind.
NorthPark opened in 1965 with a simple, minimalist design featuring clean lines and a one-level L shape. Dallas architectural firm Omniplan designed the mall with bright natural light, scrubbed concrete floors and white brick walls, a marked departure from more elaborate or fanciful designs. One reason for the minimalist design was Nasher’s love for modern and pop art, as the mall showcased works by Warhol, as well as other famous artists Lichtenstein, Borofsky and others. NorthPark received the American Institute of Architects Award for “Design of the Decade – 1960s” – and again won accolade in 1992 with AIA’s 25-year award for Design Excellence. Other commercial centers have featured public art, but Nasher’s influence brought a contemporary collision between commercialism and modern art – and in the 1960s these were one in the same, so it was a perfect and natural fit. The exterior of the center’s L-shape featured eloquently manicured, landscaped lawns with trees, and was a great place to sit for a picnic, or to people watch.
As the years and decades progressed, NorthPark was well poised to become one of two – the other being Galleria Dallas – Dallas area ‘showcase’ malls, and it became just as destinational as a tourist attraction as it was a shopping venue. Even as NorthPark reached a plateau of success, the owners of the mall – the original Nasher family who designed it in the first place – decided to embark upon a long-whispered about expansion of the mall, completing the mall’s four sides from an L into a square shape. The new expansion, which began in 2005, brought a two-level mallway along with a Barneys New York and a flagship Nordstrom, a third level 16-screen AMC theatres, and a brilliant food court with an outside seating area in the middle of the inside seating area; the expansion was complete in Spring 2006.
Balking today’s renovation trends which employ the same sterile materials and designs, the Nashers amazingly decided to build the mall’s expansion in the exact same style as the 40-year-old extant structure, using the exact same materials and the exact same architectural firm - Omniplan. As a result, the two-level expansion is a seamless transition from the older part which was built in 1965; the same white brick walls, clean lines, and polished floors were used. In addition, the theme of public art was continued throughout the 2005 addition, featuring a giant orange sculpture by Mark di Suvero, as well as works by Claes Oldenburg and others. In addition, Bookmarks, a children’s library, the only of its kind in a mall, features a modern pop-art design and is also by Omniplan. Visitors can also relax in CenterPark, an outdoor landscaped garden featuring Live Oaks and other native Texas fauna, which is in the middle of the mall’s square design.
Today, NorthPark Center, at 2.3 million square feet, is the largest shopping center in the Dallas area and the 19th largest in the country. Featuring anchor stores Neiman Marcus, Dillards, Macys, and Nordstrom – and junior anchors Barney New York and Robb & Stucky furniture – NorthPark is an exciting, vibrant old-meets-new design that is functional as well as kitschy. With 25 million annual visitors, it is also one of the Dallas/Fort Worth area’s top tourist attractions, according to the Dallas Business Journal.
We visited NorthPark in July 2005 – before the renovation opened – and again in January 2009 – after it was completed. Our 2009 visit was, very coincidentally, the same day actor Kevin James was visiting the mall in character as “Paul Blart” promoting his mall cop movie of the same name. At any rate, enjoy these pictures of the clean, cool lines and architecural gem that is NorthPark Center, and feel free to leave comments.
2005 photos, original 1965 mall (first one shows the expansion under construction):
2009 photos, exterior shots:
2009 photos, 2005-06 expansion:
2009 photos, original 1965 mall:
Charles
March 25th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
What’s that, a Sonic in their food court? I’m SO there!!
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Bobby
March 25th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
I know I’ve seen Sonic in food courts before, and at least one Checkers. I forget where, though.
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Judy Reply:
June 30th, 2010 at 11:20 am
@Bobby, Stonebriar Center in Frisco TX has a Sonic in the food court. I’m sure there are more here in the DFW area.
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Panda
March 25th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
What a beautiful mall! It is truly a work of art that I can appreciate, being a fan of the type of artistry that is displayed in this mall. It’s also refreshing to see you guys do articles on both dead AND living malls. So many other sites focus so much on the dead malls, it kind of helps people forget about the ones that are still alive and still truly beautiful. Well done, guys!
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Alpha
March 26th, 2009 at 12:20 am
Wow! It wears its age with pride and doesn’t fall in to the retro-nostalgia crap trap. Why can’t all malls be this tasteful? (Phipps Plaza I’m looking at you….)
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SEAN
March 26th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Kind of reminds me of South Coast Plaza with those skylights.
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M.C.
March 26th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
The NorthPark Center is a success story as malls go and it’s no surprise that it is still so wildly popular. It’s right next to the Park Cities area, where most of Dallas’ elite live, and nearly any time of day it’s pretty busy. I used to work nearby, and on occasion would go with coworkers to eat at the food court, which was always packed. I think the combination of tenants is perfectly matched to the residents of Highland Park and University Park, with upscale shops and anchors like Neiman’s, Barney’s, and Nordstrom. This is a mall that has been well planned, and well managed over the years. Other mall owners should study how NorthPark has kept its offerings consistent with its customers’ needs and they’d probably be more successful. Rather than trying to fill spaces with just anyone that will pay rent, they’ve done well with keeping tenants that go with their plan. This mall is a great example of how to match a mall to its surroundings.
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M.C.
March 26th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Oh, and fans of the artwork should know that those big steel cutout guys move! They’re motorized and they swing their hammers and stuff, it’s pretty cool but also slightly cheesy at the same time. Either way, it’s very unique. The ParkCities have this type of art throughout, in shopping centers and other public areas.
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AceJay
March 26th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Oh wow, that’s pretty funny that they used the same firm/designers for the expansion. But seriously, a Sonic in a food court, awesome.
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SEAN
March 26th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Is the location of the AMC the former sight of Lord & Taylor ? That’s what I recall reading some time ago.
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Paul
March 26th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Barney’s took over most of the Lord & Taylor space. The rest went to Robb & Stucky, the furniture retailer
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Bobby
March 26th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
I think someone forgot to shrink the thumbnails again. This page took over a minute to load, and i have cable.
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TrickyNicky
March 26th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
I love how seemless the expansion is in design to the original mall. If only other malls followed this pattern. (That means you, oh glorious Natick Collection!) The white bricks are quite an unusual feature, and I love how they sort of create a frame effect around each retailer with the crowns (right terminology ?) Anyway, this mall is beautifully retro, modern, and classic all at the same time if thats possible, with the incorporation of the white bricks to add a historical touch to the minimalistic design. I’d love to go visit the mall someday.
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SEAN
March 26th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Thanks Paul.
I went to the Rob & stucky location @ town Square Las Vegas last October to look around. They have nice room settings for the most part, but I’m more a Crate & Berrel guy. Having said that it should be noted that Rob & Stucky is the home furnishings vender for the City Center development, as one of the sales persons told me. It has been tough on them do to lack of condo sales, & this was last year before AIG & all that finantial bullshit came down.
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Jeremy
March 26th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Retro yet up to date. I’ve read about this mall previously to being posted here on labelscars, but never seen inside. More retail should follow what NorthPark Center has done.
a) family owned
b) retro, with modern elements
c) pieces of art inside, and integrated through seamless architecture.
Sonic seems a bit weird to be in a food court, but keep in mind the Houston Galleria has one as well, and both centers are in Texas. As for anywhere else in a food court, I am unaware.
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Jonah Norason
March 26th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
My local mall has a Sonic, but it’s kind of overpriced, limited, and recently shut down temporarily due to health violations. Like The Galleria, NorthPark Center, etc., the mall is in Texas, too. I was going to submit it eventually (the mall is POST OAK MALL)
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Steven Swain
March 26th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
So beautiful…one of my favorite mall designs.
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kris-alyx devereux
March 27th, 2009 at 1:34 am
wow i mean a library in a mall just really good the best we have is a barnes and noble in a crummy mall that you ought to be looking at chesterfield towne center in chesterfield va i mean it’a a good candiite for a dead mall or close to it, with at least three ancher stores closed the first one’s a former profitts store retro-fitted into a dilards now closed, the second one’s a former leggets-belk retro-fitted into yet another dillards also closed & the piece de restance an abonded circuit city store just closed down a few weeks ago.
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Bobby
March 27th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Kris-Alyx-whatever. Libraries aren’t too rare in malls. Genesee Valley Center in Flint has had one for yerars.
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Jake
March 27th, 2009 at 11:43 pm
This page has been referenced by a local news site: http://www.pegasusnews.com/blogs/pegasusnewsblog/2009/mar/26/northpark/
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Matt from WI
March 28th, 2009 at 3:06 am
Usually with most malls that expand, one can usually tell where the original section ends, and the newer areas are. While the building materials and internal workings may be different, it’s amazing that they were able to keep the same architectural style going, 40 years later.
That’s what sticks out most to me. A job well done by the builders and architects who worked on the 2005 expansion. Besides that, this sort of ‘look’ has made somewhat of a comeback, so it made perfect sense to make the expansion continue the original 1965-era structure.
It won’t happen in the foreseeable future for me, but if I were ever in the area where this mall is, I’d be paying a visit for sure.
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Gary
March 28th, 2009 at 4:13 am
I love how the bricks border each store, but I wonder if that design prohibits a store to take two spaces side by side, since that would require a renovation of the brick wall in the mall concourse.
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Jonah Norason
March 28th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Anchor History, courtesy of Mall Hall of Fame.
The original anchors of the “L”-shaped mall were JCPenney, Neiman Marcus, and Titche-Goettinger, in 1965. In 1974, near Neiman Marcus, a two-level wing with Lord & Taylor was built. This made the mall a lop-sided “U”. In 1979, Titche-Goettinger was rebranded as Joske’s. Joske’s was rebranded as Dillard’s in 1987. JCPenney left in the early 1990s and Foley’s demolished and rebuilt space. Foley’s opened in 1997. Then in 2005, Lord & Taylor closed and became Robb & Stucky and Barneys New York.
Finally, it should live oaks and native Texas flora, not fauna. No wild animals (not even squirrels) inhibit the central park. Also, was a Kroger in or around the mall in the 1960s.
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Marianne Reply:
June 18th, 2010 at 10:30 am
@Jonah Norason,
Nice summary of the mall history. I was there when they had their grand opening with my mom. Because it was such a large compound by standards of that time, there were shuttle carts to transport shoppers from the parking lot to the mall. That seems funny now. As an art student then, I was thrilled to see the public art. One memorable former indoor piece was by Henry Moore – a huge reclining nude. Outdoors, there is a geometric, rusted steel and grass panel sculpture by a famous female artist I cannot recall. It is still exists in an entry driveway on the Northwest Hwy. side. The center has become more upscale with new renovations. It is still a fun place to see major art installations, people watch and, of course, shop.
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Kirb
March 28th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
FYI, I believe that Fayette Mall in Lexington, KY has a Sonic in the food court. That mall would actually be an excellent review for labelscar, because the mall is divided by a Sears store. In other words, you have to walk through the Sears to get from one half of the mall to the other.
As to this mall, absolutely beautiful. I want to visit.
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Alan
March 29th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Very beautiful mall. So elegant yet simple at the same time.
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towski
March 30th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
“They’re motorized and they swing their hammers and stuff, it’s pretty cool but also slightly cheesy at the same time.”
____
Erm, Jonathan Barofsky, cheesy?
http://www.nashersculpturecenter.org/object.aspx?ObjectID=6
Huge in scale, with head bent and motorized arm continuously moving up and down, Hammering Man signifies both the drudgery and heroism of labor. The artist himself has stressed that the figure has an overlay of personal, political, and social meaning: “the Hammering Man is a worker, and I idolize the worker in myself. At the same time, it seems that the boring, monotonous repetition of the moving arm implies the fate of the mechanistic world.”
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towski
March 30th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Borofsky. Fat fingers.
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Big Lee
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:00 pm
My favorite mall in Dallas. Such a simple, classic design that has withstood the test of time. I remember when the mall didn’t have the theater and food court and it felt a lot more intimate and exclusive. This mall is a textbook example of how a mall should be expanded.
Lenox Square would be the most comparable mall here in Atlanta in terms of standing the test of time. Lenox’s additions and renovations back in the mid 90′s gave the mall a timeless look, but it sometimes feels sort of dated in its own way (not as much as Phipps, which is nice, but VERY 90s). The court/plaza area was finally remodeled last year, but before then, it was WAY outdated, very 70s/80′s looking. But now I kind of miss it.
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Allan
April 7th, 2009 at 12:11 am
I will just completely echo Matt from WI’s post here in loving how the look of the expansion was faithful to the original wing’s design. It’s funny how the interior of this mall reminds me of the nice interior design of the main building of the Chicago Botanical Garden in the north suburbs of Chicago, and what I really enjoy(interior design) about this mall.
How come too many Macy’s stores, anyway, have signs that are the tiring black and red design(sorry to anyone who disagrees, but I won’t hide here how much I dislike the colors used on signs of their stores when they converted from May-owned department store chains), and are not a nicer single color, such as what Federated used for their North Park store? It’s too bad this is one of the very rare stores I’ve ever seen outside of Macy’s stores in the northeast region, where Macy’s(Federated) was smart enough to use a single color for the interior and exterior signage. Federated really should go back to the old way Macy’s signs were like, pre-Federated/May merger. *sigh!*
Would love to check this mall out for myself, if I ever someday(and though I expect it’ll be many years before ever having any opportunities to do this) make it to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
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M.C.
April 8th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
@ towski: Yes, cheesy. Or maybe just not my thing, but I’d much prefer the work without the movement. A man holding a raised hammer would imply the intention to swing it, in my mind. I don’t need a mechanical display to show me what a man swinging a hammer looks like.
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Lemastre
May 10th, 2009 at 10:23 am
NorthPark’s expansion strikes me as a rebirth and has brought many new customers to the mall’s shops. Of those shops, I believe Neiman-Marcus and Florsheim are the only original tenants left, although Zales may have been there at the outset. Wyatt’s cafeteria and El Fenix restaurant were in on the beginning and had long runs, too, but both closed in the last few years.
I’ve been scanning the Internet for a list of all the shops who’ve ever occupied NorthPark space, but no luck. I expect only the NorthPark offices could provide it. One stimulus for this search is that another Internet forum claims there was a Kroger grocery in NorthPark early on, but I don’t recall it.
The original L-shaped NorthPark offered one boutique-y wing, with Neiman’s at the far end, while the other wing was a bit downscale, with a Lerner’s dress shop, a Woolworth’s, and a drugstore, etc. J.C. Penney was the terminus of that wing, and I suppose Kroger would have been along there somewhere. The Neiman’s wing smelled differently from the other wing, as I recall, and I’ve always supposed that was an effect achieved intentionally by adding some odorant to the air. Or maybe it’s a natural emanation from Neiman’s.
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harmonicpies Reply:
June 3rd, 2009 at 7:28 pm
@Lemastre “Or maybe it’s a natural emanation from Neiman’s”,
Yes, I believe that’s the smell of Money.
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Dallasite
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:45 am
Nice post. If y’all are ever in Dallas during Christmas, this is definitely the mall to visit. The mall has a giant train set it sets up in the mall and an old school scrooge puppet show. They used to have a giant old animated clock set up next to Macy’s, but I haven’t seen it in the past two years (might be under repair).
The Nasher family is known for its love of the arts. During Thanksgiving, artists will create works of art using canned goods and other non-parishable foods. The mall typically has some sort of “art competition” and the displays will be promoted throughout the mall. A rare thing about Northpark is that it doesn’t have any of the “cart retailers” who set up shop in the walkways of malls. Makes the mall feel a lot more open than it actually is and you don’t have to deal with annoying sales people trying to force you to buy cell phones or hair extensions. Also, Susan G. Comen Race for the Cure offices are in the mall and the mall is heavily involved in the race.
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B Chan
May 22nd, 2009 at 11:25 am
My dad was a member of the construction team that built NorthPark in 1965. I was born the same year; you might say the mall and I grew up together.
It’s the only mall at which I will shop. Security is tight but unobtrusive, and ghetto antics are not permitted, allowing one to shop in peace.
The best part is the turtle pond in front of Tiffany. I love NorthPark.
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David Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 10:31 am
@B Chan,
The good news is that if you’re missing the ghetto antics, you can catch them nearby at Valley View Mall or at Town East Mall in Mesquite. ;-D
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Lemastre
June 4th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
The NorthPark trains are owned by model-train enthusiast Ban Bywaters, and their annual appearance at NorthPark has become involved enough to require its own professional management staff. There are 1.5 miles of track, and the display, including the elaborate diorama, takes 16 days to set up. The Bank of Texas sponsors the installation, and the money from ticket sales goes to Dallas’ Ronald McDonald House, constituting more than half that establishment’s income.
I believe the Dallas chapter of the American Institute of Architects ran the designing-with-cans competition, in which various firms dreamed up designs and constructed them with food cans of appropriate size and shape. This is apparently AIA’s way to publicize its drive to collect canned goods for charity (I guess this is why the rules forbid building with dogfood cans).
Lately, various builders and designers have been involved in NorthPark’s playhouse auction, which features wooden playhouses large enough for habitation by small children. The highest bidders get the houses, and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for children) gets the money.
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David
June 22nd, 2009 at 4:54 pm
The Nasher family is well known for their support of the Arts in Dallas. Back in the 80′s they owned a bank next to the mall that had original Warhol’s as decor. Old school, old money Dallas.
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Misty
August 7th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
This mall is truly amazing. In one place, you get great shopping, some great food (and not just at Sonic
) and some fabulous art throughout the entire mall.
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Rantanamo
May 23rd, 2010 at 12:26 am
As great as the review was, it didn’t mention the lawn area in the middle of the mall. What a great outdoor space.
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Paste Pot Pete
August 13th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Originally, in the 1960s, NorthPark had three outlying elements across the parking lot(s) from the main “L” shaped enclosed mall.
1) A two-screen theatre, North Park Cinema I & II operated by General Cinema Corp, was in the upper west side of the property backing on Boedecker Drive to the west.
2) A large gasoline station (Mobil? Texaco?) was situated in the extreme northeast corner of the property at the corner of Park Lane and the North Central Expressway access road.
3) A short strip shopping center ran along the far north edge of the property, backing on Park Lane. It was a straightforward design, but executed in North Park’s virtually trademarked white brick. I believe this is where the Kroger grocery was located, along with a U.S. Post Office, a Centennial Liquor store, and a few other retailers. (Centennial also maintained a more upscale space within the mall about halfway between Titche’s and Neiman-Marcus.)
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