malls in Lansing

[MJLO]

hey kids doing research, need to know thought you all could help, I know for sure Lansing has to indoor shopping centers, Meridian, in Okemos, and then of course Lansing Mall, are there any other INDOOR shopping centers in Lansing? I know that there is a new mall like place off 127, but from what I understand it's outdoor, I've heard it's real nice.

[RustTown]

Nope, only two indoor malls that anchor each side of the metro. Then you have Frandor (which used to be indoors, I remember it when it was) and Eastwood that are the major outdoor ones. And then countless suburban shopping centers around the Metro (Edgewood, Delta Center, Central Park Place...)

I liked Frandor when it was enclosed. It was such an interesting little mall. I've even heard that it was one of the first indoor malls in the country, among the first batch with places like Northland in Detroit.

[hood]

Nope, only two indoor malls that anchor each side of the metro. Then you have Frandor (which used to be indoors, I remember it when it was) and Eastwood that are the major outdoor ones. And then countless suburban shopping centers around the Metro (Edgewood, Delta Center, Central Park Place...)

I liked Frandor when it was enclosed. It was such an interesting little mall. I've even heard that it was one of the first indoor malls in the country, among the first batch with places like Northland in Detroit.

I liked Frandor enclosed too, it was much nicer. I also heard it was one of the first indoor shopping malls in the country, I heard it was like the second.

[GR8scott]

where is this Frandor, I never herd of it, is it still open?

[TenPoundHammer]

where is this Frandor, I never herd of it, is it still open?

Frandor is at the corner of Grand River and US-127 between Lansing and East Lansing. It's open as a strip mall; I have no idea how the enclosed section was laid out. The strip mall looks relatively popular, with such tenants as Kroger, Linens & Things, Jo-Ann Etc., and Hallmark. Right next to it is the only Sears in the Lansing area; I'm surprised Sears never went into Meridian or Lansing malls.

Speaking of Meridian, I'd like to hear others' memories on that mall. Seems like every five years they change something there.

[hood]

My only memories of the malls that vary from the way they are now is Montgomery Wards and the food court at the Meridian Mall was MUCH better than the new one. I try to avoid the malls if possible.

[RustTown]

Same here.

I'm surprised at how far Lansing Mall has come in the last few years. Just maybe even 5-6 years ago, the place was so dumpy and vacant. Whoever took on that project really did a great job. It's still bad, though, to see the former AMC 6 next door to the mall literally rotting away.

BTW, I try to avoid Lansing and Meridian, in particular, and frequent Frandor. Eastwood traffic has just become ridiculous, and shows just how much the new East Lansing sprawl is feeding it. Lake Lansing is like a zoo in the evenings, now.

[hood]

Here is some info I got off the Meridian malls website:

130 inline stores

Gross leasing area- 977,085 sq ft

Parking spaces- 4,640

The only thing I could find on the Lansing mall is that it has 110 stores

Delta Twp, Assesor says that the mall is 537,328 sq ft, but I that doesn't seem right.

[TenPoundHammer]

My only memories of the malls that vary from the way they are now is Montgomery Wards and the food court at the Meridian Mall was MUCH better than the new one. I try to avoid the malls if possible.

Meridian never had a Monkey Wards that I know of. It's had just about everything else for an anchor in its long history though.

[TenPoundHammer]

Here is some info I got off the Meridian malls website:

130 inline stores

Gross leasing area- 977,085 sq ft

Parking spaces- 4,640

The only thing I could find on the Lansing mall is that it has 110 stores

Delta Twp, Assesor says that the mall is 537,328 sq ft, but I that doesn't seem right.

500K sounds about right for Lansing Mall, it's definitely smaller than Meridian.

For those who want to know, here's a quick rundown of each mall's history. (Both malls opened in 1969.)

Lansing Mall

Original anchor stores - Federal's (demo'd for expansion; it was roughly in the middle of the present mall), Knapp's (now JC Penney), The Fair (later Montgomery Ward, now Younkers)

Hudson's (now Marshall Field's - I mean, Macy's) was added in the 1970's; the food court came in the 1980's, followed by the Mervyn's wing. (Mervyn's is now empty.)

Current anchor stores - JCPenney, Macy's, Younkers. Former Mervyn's is empty.

Meridian Mall

Original anchor stores - Knapp's (now JCPenney), Woolco (now site of Younkers), and possibly Federal's (if this mall had one, it was in the middle, about where the food court is now); there were also a grocery store and a theater in the mall originally (can anyone confirm the grocery store? My first guess would be Kroger. I do know that the grocery later became another theater)

Woolco has been a lot of other anchors. When the chain went under in 1982, the store was split between the original food court and a Service Merchandise. In the late 1990's, Service Merchandise went bankrupt and their store was demolished for a Jacobson's. (Jacobson's moved from East Lansing.) Around the same time, the food court also moved to its present location. Jacobson's lasted only two years before being replaced with Younkers. The Hudson's wing (again, now Macy's) was added in the mid 1970's; Mervyn's wing (Mervyn's is now closed too) came in the 1980's, and Bed Bath & Beyond and Schuler's Books came around 2000, as did Galyan's (now Dick's Sporting Goods) and the new food court. *whew* Oh yeah, the twin theaters closed in the 1990's; the theater in the parking lot is still open.

Current anchor stores - JCPenney, Macy's, Younkers, Dick's Sporting Goods, Schuler's Books, Bed Bath & Beyond. Former Mervyn's is also empty.

[TenPoundHammer]

Here is some info I got off the Meridian malls website:

130 inline stores

Gross leasing area- 977,085 sq ft

Parking spaces- 4,640

The only thing I could find on the Lansing mall is that it has 110 stores

Delta Twp, Assesor says that the mall is 537,328 sq ft, but I that doesn't seem right.

500K sounds about right for Lansing Mall, it's definitely smaller than Meridian.

[RustTown]

It's smaller, but not by nearly half. It just can't be. BTW, if you're going to list Schulers Book Store for the Meridian Mall, than you can list Borders for the Lansing Mall which has quite an interesting facade at the front of the mall.

[TenPoundHammer]

It's smaller, but not by nearly half. It just can't be. BTW, if you're going to list Schulers Book Store for the Meridian Mall, than you can list Borders for the Lansing Mall which has quite an interesting facade at the front of the mall.

You mean Barnes & Noble. Yeah, I forgot that Lansing Mall has a B & N.

[dtown]

JLO, what exactly are you doing research for?... youve been asking alot about malls lately

[dtown]

triple post

[dtown]

triple post

[RustTown]

Doing a little more research on Frandor, I find that it was originally constructed as an outdoor mall in 1954, enclosed in the 1970's, and returned to its original outdoor status in the late 1990's. It now has 450,000 square feet. I really wish they would break up the parking lot with at least a few restaurants or outlets, or even just some vegetation barriers. It can look really ugly at times:

Like most of Lansing, Frandor was built on wetlands/swamps.

[hood]

I guess one way that the Meridian Mall could be so much larger than the Lansing Mall is that it has so many more large stores, that arent considered anchors, like Dick's, Bed, Bath and Beyond and Barnes & Noble, also some of those are two floors.

[TenPoundHammer]

I guess one way that the Meridian Mall could be so much larger than the Lansing Mall is that it has so many more large stores, that arent considered anchors, like Dick's, Bed, Bath and Beyond and Barnes & Noble, also some of those are two floors.

I don't think that any of Meridian's anchors are two story. The Dick's, maybe. Also, keep in mind that the Marshall Field's/Macy's at Meridian, while only one story, is VERY spread out.

I don't know if any of Lansing Mall's anchors are two story either; perhaps their Field's/Macy's is.

[TenPoundHammer]

Doing a little more research on Frandor, I find that it was originally constructed as an outdoor mall in 1954, enclosed in the 1970's, and returned to its original outdoor status in the late 1990's. It now has 450,000 square feet. I really wish they would break up the parking lot with at least a few restaurants or outlets, or even just some vegetation barriers. It can look really ugly at times:

Like most of Lansing, Frandor was built on wetlands/swamps.

Sears is mis-labeled in that pic - Sears is really the HUGE building at the back. Also, Big Lots and Office Depot no longer exist. (Note, too, that they call US-127 "M-127". Here's a site plan (facing the opposite direction from the photo): http://www.lormaxstern.com/pics/info/frandor_site.pdf

I think the enclosed portion was in the middle, making the property shaped like an H. It looks like there is still a small enclosed portion near CompUSA.

[jaredw]

There is no enclosed portion near CompUSA. There is a small alleyway next to Krogers that usually just holds their shopping carts.

There is a small enclosed portion on the other side by Fashion Bug with some offices and a barber shop in the basement.

[hood]

I always wondered what was down there anymore, was the bookstore down there before it finally closed.

[RustTown]

Are you talking about Community News? Because they are still growing strong. That part (east side) did use to be enclosed. In fact, the site slopes, and I remember they had a sloped walkway in the mall.

BTW, the Merdian Mall does have a two-story store, and in fact, it's a very tall two stories. It's the Dick's, and has a rockwall that rises the full length of the atrium.

[hood]

Younkers is also two floors, it seems like there is another one too.

[RustTown]

Is it Galyon's? I haven't been out to the Meridian in quite a long time, though I drive by, sometime. I take it Hammer hasn't been by since the renovation?