The Falls (mall)

The Falls is an open-air shopping mall in Kendall, Florida. The mall has over 110 stores. The mall's anchor store is Macy's. Bloomingdale's was an anchor at this mall but closed on March 20, 2020, and it was replaced by Life Time Fitness center, which opened on August 4, 2023.[1] This mall also features a movie theater, which is called Regal Entertainment Group (United Artists Falls 12), and is currently managed and 50% owned by the Simon Property Group.

History

Developed by the Columbia, Maryland-based Rouse Company and designed by M. Gerwing Architects[2], The Falls opened in 1980 as an upscale, open-air plaza. As its name implies, the center is designed around a lushly landscaped man-made lagoon featuring numerous pools, waterfalls and bridges accented with modern sculpture pieces and decorative lighting.[3]

In April 1982, the first anchor store, Bloomingdale's, was announced[4], and had its grand opening on August 12, 1984.[5] Bloomingdale's closed its two-story store temporarily in September 1992 after the store was severely damaged by Hurricane Andrew. It was repaired and later reopened in late 1993 as a three-story Bloomingdale's.[6] Macy's opened at The Falls in October 1996[7] following a $61 million expansion in September that doubled the size of the shopping center by adding 54 stores.[8]

In May 1997, The Rouse Co., which was converting into a real estate investment trust, announced that it would sell The Falls to Bloomfield Hills, Michigan-based Taubman Centers[9], which was completed in December of that year.[10] Taubman then sold its ownership in ten shopping centers, including The Falls, to General Motors Pension Trust (GM Pension Trust) in August 1998.[11]

In August 2004, GM Pension Trust's shares of the mall were acquired by the Arlington, Virginia-based Mills Corporation as part of a $1.03 billion deal.[12] In April 2007, Simon Property Group and Farallon Capital Management acquired The Mills for $1.64 billion and subsequently assumed management of The Falls.[13]

On January 6, 2020, Bloomingdale's parent company, Macy's, Inc., announced that it would permanently close its doors at The Falls on January 11 after over 30 years of operation.[14] This left Macy's as the only anchor store at the mall. Two days after, Simon Property Group announced that the former Bloomingdale's building would be demolished and replaced with a Life Time Fitness resort center, originally expected to open in 2022.[15] However, it opened on August 4, 2023.[1] In May 2024, new stores were announced to open at the mall, including JD Sports, LoveSac, G by GUESS, Tous, and Lululemon. More stores were announced in late August 2024.[16] In the summer of 2025, the mall's Regal UA Falls movie theater was renovated.[17]

See also

• Sawgrass Mills
• Bayside Marketplace
• The Pointe at Harbour Island
• Aloha Tower Marketplace
• Columbus City Center

External links

• The Falls Official Website