The Summit (Wheatfield, New York)

Former shopping mall outside Niagara Falls, New York

The Summit

Location| Wheatfield, New York
Opening date| 1972
Closing date| 2009 (whole mall)
September 2017 (Save-A-Lot)
August 2018 (last 2 anchor stores)
Developer| Forest City Enterprises
Owner| Zoran Cocov
No. of stores and services| 0 (98 at peak)
No. of anchor tenants| 5 (all vacant)
Total retail floor area| 800,000 square feet (74,322.4 m2)
No. of floors| 1

The Summit, formerly Summit Park Mall, was an enclosed shopping mall in Wheatfield, New York.[1] Opened in 1972, the mall became largely vacant by the late 1990s. It underwent renovations in 2004 and 2005 which added new anchor stores and tenants, but after the mall's developers filed for bankruptcy protection in 2009, the complex was closed except for three anchor stores: Sears, The Bon-Ton and Save-A-Lot, with two more vacant anchors last occupied by Steve & Barry's and a Macy's closeout store. As of September 2017, Save-A-Lot has closed permanently, leaving only Sears and The Bon-Ton still open in the mall. On April 18, 2018, it was announced that The Bon-Ton would be closing in August 2018. as it is going out of business leaving Sears as the only tenant left.[2] On May 7, 2018, Sears announced that would also be closing in August 2018.[3] In December 2019, within Sears' old location, The Niagara International Sports & Entertainment facility opened.[4] [5] In 2020, a plan was proposed to revitalize the location, converting part of the mall into mixed use spaces, as well as offering lodging for visitors. Developers plan to expand the project to eventually include ice rinks, shops, and eateries.[6]

The Summit was located on Williams Road, south of US 62 (Niagara Falls Boulevard) and north of NY 265/NY 384 (River Road).

## History[edit]

The original anchor stores of Summit Park Mall were Sears and three local department stores: AM&A's (bought out by The Bon-Ton in 1995), Hens & Kelly, and Jenss, with other major tenants including Child World and McCrory. Hens & Kelly moved out in 1982,[7] and remained vacant until October 1992, when Macy's opened its first closeout store in the space.[8]

Also in 1992, Child World closed its store,[9] which was converted to a Toys "R" Us by year's end.[10] The Macy's closeout store closed in 1995 and was never replaced by another anchor.[11] By the late 1990s, the mall was 40% vacant, and its owners had expressed interest in converting portions of it to office space.[12] Jenss closed in 1998.[13]

In 2004, a local developer purchased the mall for $5 million, with plans to rename the complex Destination Niagara USA.[14] At that point, the mall was 65% vacant.[15] The mall was then renamed The Summit, and new tenants were added, including a Steve & Barry's, which opened in 2005 in the former Jenss space,[13] a children's play center in the former McCrory[15] and the Niagara Aerospace Museum, although this institution later moved to the former Niagara Falls International Airport's old terminal on Niagara Falls Boulevard.[16] The mall's sales increased by 18% in 2007.[17]

Toys "R" Us closed its store in early 2006 as part of the chain's reorganization plan.[18] Two years later, a Save-A-Lot grocery store opened in half of the Toys "R" Us building.[19] Steve & Barry's closed in 2008.[13]

In May 2009, the mall's owners, Oberlin Plaza One, announced that the mall would close on June 6 following the company's filing for bankruptcy protection. At the time, twenty-five stores operated within the mall.[20] The mall was allowed to stay open beyond this date after the U.S. Bankruptcy Court decided to extend the deadline for closure, although many of the twenty-five remaining tenants relocated.[21] By August 2009, the mall's last three inline tenants moved out, leaving only Sears, The Bon-Ton and Save-A-Lot operational until its closure.[22][23][24]

In January 2013, the mall building was flooded with up to six inches of water from a pipe, in what was believed by Niagara County police to be an act of vandalism.[25][26] In March 2014 Zoran Cocov purchased the mall for 4.2 million dollars. Cocov revealed plans in late 2014 to revive the space adding stores, museums, a sportsplex, wine tasting center, and a business incubator. Cocov also received tax breaks for 700,000 dollars for five years for renovations to revive the space.[27]

In 2016, it was announced that a brewery project was to be added to the current mall project.[28]

In 2018 both the Sears and Bon-Ton anchor locations at the mall began liquidation sales due to declining sales locally and nationally. This represented the final ceasing of the mall as an operating retail complex pending other plans.[29][30]

The Niagara International Sports and Entertainment Center project was estimated to finish by the fourth quarter of 2018. However, recent site revision complications, such as the anchor store closings, have delayed or potentially altered some of these plans.[31][32]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Larry Ransom - Blog — This is The Summit Park Mall in Wheatfield, NY in..." Larry Ransom - Blog. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
2. ^ "Department-store chain Bon-Ton is going out of business — here's the list of the 212 stores that will close".
3. ^ "Sears to close store at Summit Mall".
4. ^ "Sports, entertainment complex revitalizing Summit Park Mall".
5. ^ "NISE Center Niagara Falls".
6. ^ "$2.2B conversion of Summit Mall into 'stop-and-stay' destination begins".
7. ^ Thad Komorowski (January 30, 2005). "Summit Park Mall reinventing itself yet again". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on June 9, 2011.
8. ^ "Macy's closeout store opens in Wheatfield". The Buffalo News. October 24, 1992. Archived from the original on June 9, 2011.
9. ^ "Child World plans to shut 2 area stores, files bankruptcy petition". The Buffalo News. May 8, 1992.
10. ^ James T. Madore (January 24, 1993). "Building on a strong season, retailers are counting a rise in consumer confidence". The Buffalo News.
11. ^ Thomas J. Prohaska (April 1, 1998). "Niagara aerospace museum to open in Summit Park Mall on Armed Forces Day". The Buffalo News.
12. ^ Sharon Linstedt (July 15, 1998). "Summit Park Mall's new owners may add office spaces at site". The Buffalo News.
13. ^ a b c Caitlin Murray (November 20, 2008). "Wheatfield: Steve & Barry's to close at The Summit". Niagara Gazette.
14. ^ Lisa Haarlander (January 27, 2004). "Summit Park Mall is getting local ownership, new name". The Buffalo News.
15. ^ a b Kevin Purdy (March 22, 2004). "Family Entertainment Center at Wheatfield, N.Y. Mall to Offer Kids' Play Area". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012.
16. ^ Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (1999). The AOPA Pilot: voice of general aviation. Vol. 42\. p. 50.
17. ^ Hill, Dave (January 18, 2008). "Climbing The Summit". Tonawanda News. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
18. ^ Kevin Purdy (January 11, 2006). "Toys "R" Us in Summit mall to close". Tonawanda News.
19. ^ Dave Hill (January 16, 2008). "Wheatfield: Save-A-Lot opens at The Summit". Tonawanda News.
20. ^ Aaron Besecker and Denise Jewell Gee (May 6, 2009). "The Summit mall is closing by June 6". The Buffalo News.
21. ^ Mark Scheer (June 6, 2009). "Wheatfield: New Life for the Summit". Niagara Gazette.
22. ^ Aaron Besecker (August 30, 2009). "The Summit hits new depths". The Buffalo News.
23. ^ "Save-A-Lot". Foursquare. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
24. ^ "Wheatfield Save-A-Lot - CLOSED - Niagara Falls, NY". Yelp. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
25. ^ "wivb.com". WIVB.com. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
26. ^ "Burglar may have caused massive flood in former Summit mall - City & Region - The Buffalo News". BuffaloNews.com. January 27, 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
27. ^ "Summit Mall to be sold to Canadian company". March 5, 2013.
28. ^ Mia Summerson. "Summit Park Mall brewery project moves forward with grant". Niagara Gazette. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
29. ^ "Wheatfield official laments closing of Sears store at Summit".
30. ^ "It's official: Bon-Ton to close Aug. 31". April 18, 2018.
31. ^ "NISE Project". NISEEvents.com. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
32. ^ David Yarger (February 9, 2018). "Summit Mall project estimated to finish in late 2018". Niagara Frontier Publications. Retrieved June 5, 2018.

## External links[edit]

* Summit Park Mall at deadmalls.com

Coordinates: 43°05′17″N 78°56′17″W﻿ / ﻿43.088°N 78.938°W﻿ / 43.088; -78.938

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