Indy: Indoor Theme Park Part of Mall Revival Plan

[flightoffear4thtrain]

Just a few thoughts. This coming from someone who has visited Indy a few times, mainly for weekend getaways.

This looks like nothing more than a Dave&Busters or GameWorks and its funny they dont mention this so called mastermind who designed Universal, Epcot and SixFlags by name. Why not?

Secondly when I have come to Indy to go shopping we always head towards Castleton Square, Clay Terrace, or the Fashion Mall at Keyston, occasionaly downtown to Circle Center. Why would I as a visitor choose to go to Layfette Square? Trust me Im not taking my family there anytime soon.

I wouldnt expect this to last to long.

The gentlemen's name is Peter Alexander and he was the main designer and builder for Universal. He now owns a company called Totally Fun Company out of Tampa. Look at his web site. I have been to the facility and that area is on the rebound for sure. As far as the facility, there is nothing like it in the midwest. Very nice and I took my family there. Last night there was a shooting at Washington Square so the violence has moved to the east side. Dont knock it to you try it. It is no KI but very nice and entertaining for an Indoor space. Food was very good also.

Are you sure that area is on the rebound? I think not. They announce last week that Macys is going to be closing which is their last department store. Steve and Barrys just closed....

X-Scape is neat...but not neat enough to revitalize a dying area...

[The Interpreter]

Some thought Gamz was Amanda, but perhaps she is....Mary Clark!

QUOTE ..."People are running around saying, 'You shouldn't go to that mall because undesirables hang out there', this and that," said Lafayette Square Area President Mary Clark. "But here's the thing. It's a great mall."...

[The Interpreter]

Macy*s Closing Wounds Ailing Mall

Today was to be Sears last day, too:

http://cms.ibj.com/ASPXPages/6iframes/Fron...0&NoFrame=1

[westcoaster]

I've never been to the square in indy where this mall seems to be dying?? but wow???

It sounds like it needs a redevelopement for sure:

Maybe a fun tainment food tainment, will work for them???

[tigellinus]

^^That's why Xcape opened...bottom line is, in a capitalist system not *everything* will survive!!

For example, Eastgate Mall (on the east side of Indy) finally closed for good...I'll be surprised if Lafayette Square doesn't follow suit soon.

In addition, I drove past the recently redeveloped Glendale Mall on Saturday...vacancies everywhere!! That one isn't too long for the tooth eventually, but it's location is at least good, upscale neighborhoods within a 1 mile radius for starters.

[XGatorHead 8904]

My two favorite quotes from http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=9654155:

"Macy's is allowing this to fail in area of town where Macy's is most needed as an anchor," said shopper Mary Harrington. "And Macy's is running away."

Um...no. Macy's isn't allowing it to fail, the potential shoppers that are staying away are letting it fail. Macy's, like any business, doesn't want any part of itself to fail. But when a part does, that business has every right to cease operations. (Why am I reminded of the GL blame game argument?)

And another gem from Amanda Royalty:

"I'd like you to show me any other mall in the country that's opened two new stores this year. There's not one," said mall spokesperson Amanda Royalty. "You're going to have your ups and downs, but that's the economy."

So, not one other mall in the nation has opened two new stores this year? I know with the economy many stores are failing, but given the number of malls in the US, I'd think it statistically unlikely that at least one of them didn't open two new stores (note, she didn't say anchors, but stores... there's a difference). But I'm sure she did her research before stating this, just as she did when she said one person designed Epcot, Universal and Six Flags... and Xscape.

[tigellinus]

^I think she was referring to anchors, though, which even still I do question.

[RailRider]

Still shocked we have not seen Gamz around lately.

[indianapolisman]

Lafayette Square Mall is not coming back! I'm not saying that with any disregards or bad feelings to the area or the Mall. Believe me I've been a patron to this mall since way back. I once was an employee there, and spent alot of my youth there which made for good and bad memories. The reason I say there is no chance for it now is every store known to man has passed through it's gates. It's now a spot to host things as mass. liquidation sales, almost like a big flea market. Xtreme will really not help it's chances. I will still always remember a time when this mall was all we had around , and the line to see Santa Claus was an hour plus.

[The Interpreter]

Once replaced by not incredible pizza, now gone.

Any updates?

[RollerColt]

This is the last news piece I've found. Looks like they shut down for good after the incident:

 

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/theme-park-where-boy-injured-shut-down

[IndyGuy4KI]

I am on the west side, but almost to Avon/Plainfield. I have not been to LSM in a long time. The directory does not seem very promising.

 

http://www.shoplafayettemall.com/shops.html

[Gabe]

Nothing new, Terpster.  The mall is still owned by the same group (Askenazy Azquisition Corp.), who haven't done much besides provide security for the area, plow the snow and keep the parking lot lights on at night.  The former Incredible Pizza is still dark.  The Indianapolis City Council has earmarked some $ to improving the surrounding area, in an effort to turn it into an international marketplace (there are lots of minorities living in the area), but the mall itself hasn't seen much life at all.  Burlington Coat Factory and Shoppers World are your 'anchors',but aside from that and a few stores inside the mall, it's pretty bleak.

 

Of more concern is downtown's Circle Centre Mall, which is owned by various entities but for all intents is run by Simon.  In the last 2 months, the mall has lost California Pizza Kitchen Johnny Rockets, Gap, Gap Kids, American Greetings, Johnston and Murphy, and a couple of smaller stores.  Johnny Rockets opened with the mall in 1990.  The sole anchor tenant left, Carson's, recently renegotiated its lease with the City for what were very favorable terms (City pays 1/2 the rent, along with some of the taxes and keeps a bigger portion of its sales).  The Mall was responsible for the revitalization of downtown an serves as a hub when large events are in town.  Simon and the City announced last fall that together, a $20M investment would be made in the mall over the next few years which could include transforming some mall space into apartments.  A couple of new restaurants have or will be opening soon (Yard House, Nada and Primanti Bros, which is replacing CPK), but the overall health of the mall is fair at best. 

[RollerColt]

I am on the west side, but almost to Avon/Plainfield. I have not been to LSM in a long time. The directory does not seem very promising.

 

http://www.shoplafayettemall.com/shops.html

I just tried accessing their website, thexscape.com. Looks like they just lost their domain last month. Hmm...

[IndyGuy4KI]

 

I am on the west side, but almost to Avon/Plainfield. I have not been to LSM in a long time. The directory does not seem very promising.

 

http://www.shoplafayettemall.com/shops.html

I just tried accessing their website, thexscape.com. Looks like they just lost their domain last month. Hmm...

 

Yeah, I did the same and noticed that myself.  

[CoasterDirected]

I've lived in Indy for the past 14-15 years and have never heard of this honestly 

[Diamondback96]

I've lived in Indy for the past 14-15 years and have never heard of this honestly 

Might partially explain why it failed.

[IBEW_Sparky]

 

I've lived in Indy for the past 14-15 years and have never heard of this honestly 

Might partially explain why it failed.

 

Let me just say.... location, location, location.... and thats NOT a location I would voluntarily put myself.

[Diamondback96]

 

 

I've lived in Indy for the past 14-15 years and have never heard of this honestly 

Might partially explain why it failed.

 

Let me just say.... location, location, location.... and thats NOT a location I would voluntarily put myself.

 

Which is what the "partially" is hinting at.

 

The area has really declined even since the time lasting memories started forming for me (in about 2000). These days, I will only pass through that section of Lafayette Road closest to the mall and all of 38th Street from 65 to 465. Even then, there's only a few places east of 65 on 38th Street I'd visit: IMA, the Fairgrounds, and possibly Crown Hill (despite its status as a cemetery, it has become quite a popular park for pedestrians and bicyclists.). The Saraga international grocery seems interesting, and the Walmart shopping complex actually is a lot better than the rest of the area, never really hear anything happening there. Other than those things, I tend to avoid those areas. Lafayette Road north of 65 and 38th Street west of 465 are generally decent areas. Wouldn't want to live in them, but I would be fine going to those areas. Hell, one of my favorite Mexican restaurants is at 56th and Lafayette Road and my eye doctor is at that Methodist health complex.

 

The area directly surrounding Lafayette Square is the worst though. And as for the mall itself, I don't see how it's even survived. I guess if Forest Fair Mall/Forest Fair Village/Cincinnati Mills/Cincinnati Mall/whatever they're calling it now can survive all this time with fewer than 5 stores, now 2 or 1 (did Bass Pro Shops move yet?), then Lafayette Square has another 5-10 years, unfortunately.

 

Speaking of that Cincinnati mall, I'm sure Kohl's is actively looking at new locations. 

[rcwizard13]

I heard Tri-County was courting Kohl's.

And the new Bass Pro Shops has yet to start construction.

[Oldiesmann]

 

 

 

I've lived in Indy for the past 14-15 years and have never heard of this honestly 

Might partially explain why it failed.

 

Let me just say.... location, location, location.... and thats NOT a location I would voluntarily put myself.

 

Which is what the "partially" is hinting at.

 

The area has really declined even since the time lasting memories started forming for me (in about 2000). These days, I will only pass through that section of Lafayette Road closest to the mall and all of 38th Street from 65 to 465. Even then, there's only a few places east of 65 on 38th Street I'd visit: IMA, the Fairgrounds, and possibly Crown Hill (despite its status as a cemetery, it has become quite a popular park for pedestrians and bicyclists.). The Saraga international grocery seems interesting, and the Walmart shopping complex actually is a lot better than the rest of the area, never really hear anything happening there. Other than those things, I tend to avoid those areas. Lafayette Road north of 65 and 38th Street west of 465 are generally decent areas. Wouldn't want to live in them, but I would be fine going to those areas. Hell, one of my favorite Mexican restaurants is at 56th and Lafayette Road and my eye doctor is at that Methodist health complex.

 

The area directly surrounding Lafayette Square is the worst though. And as for the mall itself, I don't see how it's even survived. I guess if Forest Fair Mall/Forest Fair Village/Cincinnati Mills/Cincinnati Mall/whatever they're calling it now can survive all this time with fewer than 5 stores, now 2 or 1 (did Bass Pro Shops move yet?), then Lafayette Square has another 5-10 years, unfortunately.

 

Speaking of that Cincinnati mall, I'm sure Kohl's is actively looking at new locations. 

 

 

 

I heard a rumor a while back that they were going to be moving across the street and down the road a bit to the old K-Mart spot. I haven't heard anything else since then.

 

And Bass Pro has not moved yet. According to the Journal-News (a local newspaper/website covering Butler County and specifically Hamilton and Middletown), construction hadn't even started on the new store as of December 21st.

[RingMaster]

Meanwhile, Cabela's enjoys steady business just up the road from the proposed location of the future Bass Pro (the old & busted Streets of West Chester versus the new hotness of Liberty Center).