Hillsdale Shopping Center

Shopping mall in California, United States

Hillsdale Shopping Center

Hillsdale as seen shortly after opening in the 1950s.

Location| San Mateo, California, United States
Coordinates| 37°32′15″N 122°18′01″W﻿ / ﻿37.53758°N 122.30031°W﻿ / 37.53758; -122.30031
Address| 60 E 31st Ave
Opening date| 1954; 71 years ago (1954)
Developer| David Bohannon
Management| Northwood Retail
Owner| Bohannon Development Co.
No. of stores and services| 130
No. of anchor tenants| 4 (2 open, 2 vacant)
Total retail floor area| 1,300,000 sq ft (120,000 m2) (GLA)
No. of floors| 2 (3 in Nordstrom, 4 in Macy's and former Sears)
Public transit access|  Hillsdale
SamTrans 57, 250, 251, 256, 292, 294, 295, 397, 398, ECR, KX
AC Transit M
Website| hillsdale.com

Hillsdale Shopping Center, or simply Hillsdale, is a shopping mall in San Mateo, California, United States, currently anchored by Macy's and Nordstrom. Featuring over 130 stores and restaurants, it is at the intersection of Hillsdale Boulevard and El Camino Real or CA-82, adjacent to the Hillsdale Caltrain Station and the former site of Bay Meadows Racetrack. It is owned by Bohannon Development Co.

## History

[edit]

Developer David D. Bohannon acquired 848 acres (343 ha) from Burleigh H. Murray in the Beresford (later called Hillsdale) neighborhood in 1939 to 1940[1] and began developing the area, starting construction on the Andrew Williams Grocery Store at the corner of Hillsdale Boulevard and El Camino Real in 1941.[1][2] Sears selected the Hillsdale site for one of its earliest suburban stores in 1948, and the Hillsdale Shopping Center master plan was completed in 1952;[2] Bohannon was reportedly inspired by the recently completed Westlake Shopping Center in Daly City.[3] In December 1954, Hillsdale Shopping Center opened as an open-air center,[4] featuring Sears (completed in 1949)[5] and the first suburban branch store of Macy's San Francisco,[6] later adding Emporium in 1962. Sculptures by Benny Bufano were commissioned for the mall in the 1950s. By 1970, Hillsdale had more than 150 stores.[1] Through the 1960s and 1970s, Hillsdale Shopping Center marked the northern end of a popular Friday night cruise route along El Camino Real for young drivers.[7]

Bufano sculpture

### Competition with Fashion Island

[edit]

In 1982, faced with competition from San Diego–based developer The Hahn Company's San Mateo Fashion Island shopping center less than two miles to the north, Hillsdale underwent a major renovation under the leadership of Bohannon's daughter, Frances Bohannon Nelson.[8] The outdoor shopping center was leveled and replaced with a modern two-level enclosed mall, encompassing Macy's and The Emporium along with two new anchors: Mervyn's[3] at the mall's north end and Northern California's first Nordstrom.[2][5]

Fashion Island struggled from inception and gradually lost tenants until its closure in 1996. Bridgepointe, an outdoor power center and office park, sits on the former Fashion Island site.[9][10]

### Changing anchors

[edit]

In 1995, the merger between Emporium parent company Broadway Stores and Macy's led to the closure of the mall's Emporium anchor. Sears traded its building across from the mall for the former Emporium building, and moved into the mall proper in 1996.[11]

The next major change for the property came in 2008 with the bankruptcy and subsequent liquidation of Mervyn's. The building was subdivided between three major tenants: The Cheesecake Factory and H&M on the building's ground floor, and Forever 21 occupying the building's second level and part of the first.[12] The mall's Crate & Barrel store, which had opened in 1996, became outmoded with the opening of larger stores in San Francisco and Palo Alto and shuttered in 2011.[13] Paul Martin's American Grill opened in the former Crate & Barrel in 2013.[14]

The former food court on the first level of the Sears Building north of 31st in 2014; the Sears Building was demolished in August 2016.

New food court, straddling 31st (2019)

### North block reconstruction

[edit]

The next renovation at Hillsdale started with a March 2013 planning document, filed with the city of San Mateo, detailing plans to replace Sears with a three-story 174,000-square-foot (16,200 m2) Target, adding a nine-screen luxury cinema, and relocating the food court from its location in the Sears/Cost Plus Building north of 31st Street to the second-story bridge over 31st; the bridge links the north Sears Building with the main mall building between 31st and Hillsdale.[15][16] The plans also included a new building at the northwest corner of El Camino and 31st, to be built when a tenant was secured.[15] In December 2013, however, Bohannon put the proposed project on hold, citing changing market conditions.[17] Although Sears stated they had no plans to close the store at the time, the plans were made public in 2013,[15] the company later announced that they would close the Hillsdale store in April 2016.[18][19]

Because Target pulled back from the 2013 proposal, which would have reused the existing Sears building north of 31st, it was re-imagined and re-introduced in November 2014.[20] Also partly in response to public and official feedback, Bohannon presented a modified version of the 2013 plans in February 2015, dropping the idea of building a three-story Target in favor of a bowling alley and fitness center, as the mall sought to be an experiential destination, pivoting away from retail space, in the face of competition from online shopping.[21] Planning officials asked Bohannon to consider incorporating housing as a mixed-use project, but a spokesman for the company said San Mateo's height restrictions made it unfeasible.[22] The plans were approved in March 2016.[23] Sears closed in April 2016.[24] Demolition of the former Sears building started on August 25, 2016.[25]

New North Block under construction (Oct 2018)

Construction on the replacement North Block buildings, which are planned to achieve LEED Gold certification, was expected to continue through fall 2018. The luxury cinema opened in late 2017.[23] Estimated completion dates were updated to spring 2019 in March 2018, with the new dining area opening on November 17, 2018.[26]

Hillsdale remained independently owned by the Bonhannon family until late 2021, when real estate firm Northwoods Investors took a stake in the property with the intent of remaking the mall into a mixed-use project.[27]

## Anchors

[edit]

* Macy's (246,175 sq ft (22,870.4 m2))
* Nordstrom (150,000 sq ft (14,000 m2))

### Former anchors

[edit]

* Mervyn's (80,000 sq ft (7,400 m2)) – closed in October 2008
* Sears (206,000 sq ft (19,100 m2)) – closed in April 2016

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Fredericks, Darold (April 2, 2012). "Hillsdale and David Bohannon". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
2. ^ a b c "Timeline". Bohannon Companies. 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
3. ^ a b Fredericks, Darold (January 19, 2015). "Super malls in the county". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
4. ^ On Film Inc (1957). "In the Suburbs". Redbook Magazine. Retrieved July 10, 2017 – via Internet Archive. \- promotional film
5. ^ a b Morch, Al (May 19, 1995). "Downtown San Mateo: Everything's waiting for you". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
6. ^ Bohannon Companies (2011). "Bohannon Companies History". Bohannon Companies. Archived from the original on September 20, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
7. ^ Buchanan, Paul D. (March 25, 2002). "Cruising the history of the El Camino Real". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
8. ^ Lempert, Sue (May 4, 2015). "OPINION: The legacy of Frances Bohannon Nelson (1922-2013)". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
9. ^ Wilson, Marshall (December 1, 1997). "Building on Fashion Island Failure / San Mateo's Bridgepointe attracts host of major stores". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
10. ^ Hartlaub, Peter (January 14, 2011). "Never mind the Bullock's: A tribute to Fashion Island in San Mateo". The Poop [parenting blog], San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
11. ^ Wilson, Marshall (September 13, 1997). "Book Smarts / San Mateo chains competing for readers, turf". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
12. ^ Silverfarb, Bill (May 16, 2011). "The Cheesecake Factory coming to Hillsdale". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
13. ^ Wilcox, Barbara (February 17, 2011). "Hillsdale Mall Pins Hopes on Remodel, New Tenants". San Mateo Patch. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
14. ^ Dudnick, Laura (July 1, 2013). "Paul Martin's to Open at Hillsdale Shopping Center". San Mateo Patch. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
15. ^ a b c Pender, Kathleen (March 25, 2013). "Target may edge out Sears in San Mateo". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
16. ^ Silverfarb, Bill (March 28, 2013). "Cinema, Target in works for Hillsdale Shopping Center". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
17. ^ Durand, Michelle (December 2, 2013). "Hillsdale postpones shopping center renovation plans: Mall expansion halted for further economic review". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
18. ^ Dowd, Katie (February 10, 2016). "Local Sears, Kmart stores among dozens to be closed nationwide". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
19. ^ Weigel, Samantha (January 27, 2016). "Sears to close as Hillsdale revamp proceeds: San Mateo Planning Commission to consider future of shopping center". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
20. ^ Weigel, Samantha (December 23, 2014). "New proposal for Hillsdale Shopping Center: Bohannon Development Company wants luxury movie theater, bowling alley, gym". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
21. ^ Weigel, Samantha (February 12, 2015). "Hillsdale seeking fresh look: San Mateo officials, public respond favorably to revisions for proposed movie theater, bowling alley, other improvements". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
22. ^ Weigel, Samantha (October 29, 2015). "Hillsdale set for high-end renovations: Planners and community seek housing in shopping center redevelopment proposal". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
23. ^ a b Weigel, Samantha (March 9, 2016). "Hillsdale Shopping Center getting revamp: San Mateo approves redevelopment, tearing down Sears". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
24. ^ Sears confirms closing date for San Mateo store
25. ^ "End of an era". San Mateo Daily Journal. August 26, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
26. ^ Schuessler, Anna (March 31, 2018). "Hillsdale revamp takes shape". Retrieved April 2, 2018.
27. ^ "Hillsdale mall in San Mateo brings big real estate investor on board". December 7, 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* "Hillsdale Center". mall hall of fame. September 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
* Bohannon Pitches A New Vision for North Block of Hillsdale Mall - February 2015
* 1957 SHOPPING CAN BE FUN HILLSDALE MALL SAN MATEO, CA on YouTube
* San Mateo County History Stories - 17 - Bohannon on Vimeo

* v
* t
* e

San Mateo, California

Companies|

* Franklin Templeton Investments
* GoPro
* SolarCity
* Sony Interactive Entertainment
* YouTube

Education|

* San Mateo-Foster City School District
* San Mateo Union High School District
* Aragon High School
* Hillsdale High School
* San Mateo High School
* Junípero Serra High School
* San Mateo County Community College District
* College of San Mateo
* Draper University

Events|

* Maker Faire

Libraries|

* Peninsula Library System
* San Mateo County Libraries

Landmarks|

* Bay Meadows Racetrack
* Bridgepointe Shopping Center
* Hillsdale Shopping Center
* Skylawn Memorial Park
* X-100

Media|

* San Mateo Daily Journal
* San Mateo Focus Podcast

Parks|

* Central Park
* San Mateo Arboretum
* Coyote Point Park
* CuriOdyssey

Transit|

* AC Transit
* Caltrain
* San Mateo
* Hayward Park
* Hillsdale
* samTrans

This list is incomplete.

* v
* t
* e

Shopping in the San Francisco Bay Area

North Bay|

* Northgate Mall, San Rafael
* Town Center at Corte Madera
* The Village at Corte Madera
* Solano Town Center, Fairfield

Oakland/East Bay|

* 4th Street, Berkeley
* Abella Center, San Pablo
* Bayfair Center, San Leandro
* Bay Street Emeryville
* Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek
* El Cerrito Plaza
* Grand Lake, Oakland
* Hilltop Horizon, Richmond
* Jack London Square, Oakland
* Macdonald 80 Shopping Center, Richmond
* Montclair Village, Oakland
* NewPark Mall, Newark
* Oakland City Center
* Pacific Commons, Fremont
* Pacific East Mall, Richmond
* Piedmont Avenue, Oakland
* Point Richmond Historic District
* Rockridge Market Hall, Oakland
* Skywest Commons, Hayward
* Solano Avenue, Albany and Berkeley
* Somersville Towne Center, Antioch
* Southland Mall, Hayward
* Stoneridge Shopping Center, Pleasanton
* Sunvalley Shopping Center, Concord
* Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley
* The Streets of Brentwood, Brentwood
* Union Landing Shopping Center
* Uptown Oakland
* Westgate Center, San Leandro
* The Willows Shopping Center, Concord

San Francisco/Peninsula|

* Bridgepointe Shopping Center
* Chinatown, San Francisco
* San Francisco Centre
* San Francisco Ferry Building
* Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
* Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco
* Hillsdale Shopping Center, San Mateo
* Metreon, San Francisco
* Serramonte Center, Daly City
* The Shops at Tanforan, San Bruno
* Stonestown Galleria, San Francisco
* Union Square, San Francisco
* Westlake Shopping Center, Daly City

San Jose/South Bay|

* Eastridge Center, San Jose
* Great Mall of the Bay Area, Milpitas
* Downtown Los Gatos
* Milpitas Square
* Pruneyard Shopping Center, Campbell
* San Antonio Shopping Center, Mountain View
* Santana Row, San Jose
* Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto
* Vallco Shopping Mall, Cupertino
* Westfield Oakridge, San Jose
* Westfield Valley Fair, San Jose
* Westgate Center, San Jose

* v
* t
* e

Shopping malls in California

Northern California

| Alameda|

* Bay Street Emeryville
* Bayfair Center
* Eastmont Town Center
* Fremont Hub
* NewPark Mall
* Oakland City Center
* Pacific Commons
* Rockridge Market Hall
* Southland Mall
* Stoneridge Shopping Center
* Union Landing Shopping Center

|

Contra Costa|

* Abella Center
* Broadway Plaza
* El Cerrito Plaza
* Hilltop Horizon
* Macdonald 80 Shopping Center
* Pacific East Mall
* Somersville Towne Center
* Sunvalley Shopping Center
* The Streets of Brentwood
* Willows Shopping Center

Fresno|

* Fashion Fair
* River Park

Marin|

* Northgate Mall
* Town Center at Corte Madera
* Village at Corte Madera

Monterey|

* Carmel Plaza
* Del Monte Center
* Northridge Mall

Sacramento|

* Arden Fair
* Country Club Centre
* Downtown Commons
* Florin Towne Centre
* Sunrise Mall
* Town & Country Village

San Francisco|

* Metreon
* San Francisco Centre
* Stonestown Galleria
* Union Square
* Union Street Stores

San Mateo|

* Bridgepointe Shopping Center
* Hillsdale Shopping Center
* Serramonte Center
* Shops at Tanforan
* Westlake Shopping Center

San Joaquin|

* Sherwood Place
* Weberstown Mall
* West Valley Mall

Santa Clara|

* Eastridge
* Great Mall of the Bay Area
* Mayfield Mall
* Pruneyard Shopping Center
* San Antonio Shopping Center
* Santana Row
* Stanford Shopping Center
* Sunnyvale Town Center
* Vallco Shopping Mall
* Westfield Oakridge
* Westfield Valley Fair
* Westgate Center

Sonoma|

* Coddingtown Mall
* Montgomery Village
* Santa Rosa Plaza

Elsewhere|

* Bayshore Mall
* Capitola Mall
* Chico Marketplace
* Solano Town Center
* Vintage Faire Mall
* Visalia Mall
* Westfield Galleria at Roseville
* Yuba Sutter Marketplace

Southern California

| Los Angeles|

| L.A. Central Area|

* ARCO Plaza*
* Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza
* Beverly Center
* Beverly Connection
* The Bloc Los Angeles
* Broadway & 87th Street*
* Crossroads of the World
* Eagle Rock Plaza
* El Mercado de Los Angeles
* Farmers Market
* FIGat7th
* Grove at Farmers Market
* Japanese Village Plaza
* Los Angeles Mall
* Midtown Crossing & Sears-Pico
* Ovation Hollywood
* Town & Country Market*
* Weller Court
* West Hollywood Gateway

|

Westside|

* Airport Marina Hotel*
* Brentwood Country Mart
* Edgemar
* Malibu Country Mart
* Palisades Village
* Platform, Culver City
* Promenade at Howard Hughes Center
* Santa Monica Place
* Third Street Promenade
* Westfield Century City
* Westfield Culver City

San Fernando Valley|

* Americana at Brand
* Burbank Town Center
* Commons at Calabasas
* Fallbrook Center
* Glendale Fashion Center
* Glendale Galleria
* NoHo West
* Northridge Fashion Center
* Panorama Mall
* Promenade (Woodland Hills)*
* Sherman Oaks Galleria*
* Universal CityWalk
* Valley Plaza*
* Westfield Fashion Square
* Westfield Topanga

San Gabriel Valley|

* Eastland Center
* El Monte Shopping Center*
* El Rancho Santa Anita
* Indian Hill Mall*
* The Paseo
* Plaza West Covina
* Pomona Mall*
* Puente Hills Mall
* Shops at Santa Anita

South Bay|

* Del Amo Fashion Center
* Fisherman's Village
* Hawthorne Plaza Shopping Center
* Old Towne Mall*
* Peninsula Center
* Promenade on the Peninsula
* South Bay Galleria
* SouthBay Pavilion

Southeast L.A. Co.|

* Los Cerritos Center
* Cerritos Towne Center
* Citadel Outlets
* Lakewood Center
* La Mirada Mall*
* Plaza México
* Promenade at Downey
* Quad at Whittier
* Santa Fe Springs Mall*
* Santa Fe Springs Shopping Center*
* Shops at Montebello
* Stonewood Center
* Uptown Whittier
* Whittier Downs*
* Whittwood Town Center*

Long Beach|

* Long Beach Plaza
* Long Beach Towne Center
* Los Altos Center
* Marina Pacifica Mall

Northern L.A. Co.|

* Antelope Valley Mall
* Valencia Town Center

Orange|

* Anaheim GardenWalk
* Anaheim Plaza
* Anaheim Town Square
* Anaheim Towne Center
* Asian Garden Mall
* Bella Terra
* Brea Mall
* Buena Park Downtown
* Downtown Disney
* Fashion Island
* Honer Plaza*
* Irvine Spectrum
* La Habra Fashion Square*
* Laguna Hills Mall
* MainPlace Mall
* The Market Place
* Orange County Plaza*
* Orangefair Mall*
* Outlets at Orange
* Shops at Mission Viejo
* South Coast Plaza
* Village at Orange
* Westminster Mall

Riverside|

* Desert Fashion Plaza
* Galleria at Tyler
* Hemet Valley Mall
* Indio Fashion Mall*
* Main St. pedestrian mall, Riverside
* Moreno Valley Mall
* La Plaza (Palm Springs)
* Promenade In Temecula
* Riverside Plaza
* Shops at Palm Desert

San Bernardino|

* Barstow Mall
* Carousel Mall
* Citrus Plaza
* Citrus Village
* Inland Center
* Mall of Victor Valley
* Montclair Plaza
* Ontario Mills
* Redlands Mall
* Victoria Gardens

San Diego|

* Chula Vista Center
* College Grove
* Escondido Village*
* Fashion Valley
* Grossmont Center
* Horton Plaza
* La Jolla Village Square
* Las Americas Premium Outlets
* Linda Vista Shopping Center (demolished)
* Mission Valley
* North County Mall
* One Paseo
* Otay Ranch Town Center
* Parkway Plaza
* Seaport Village
* Shoppes at Carlsbad
* South Bay Plaza
* Westfield Plaza Bonita
* Westfield UTC

Santa Barbara|

* La Cumbre Plaza
* Paseo Nuevo
* Santa Maria Town Center

Ventura|

* Collection at RiverPark
* Esplanade
* The Oaks
* Pacific View Mall
* Simi Valley Town Center

Elsewhere|

* Imperial Valley Mall, El Centro
* Valley Plaza Mall, Bakersfield

See also: History of retail in Southern California –  History of retail in Palm Springs — Note: starred (*) listings indicate former regional mall now site of strip-style community center with new name
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