Dimond Center

Dimond Center is a regional shopping mall in south Anchorage, Alaska, positioned at the southwest corner of East Dimond Boulevard and the Old Seward Highway. Opened in 1977, it developed alongside the growth of south Anchorage and the commercial expansion associated with Alaska's population and economic boom during the Trans-Alaska Pipeline era. The center is the largest enclosed shopping mall in Alaska by building area, although the open-air Tikahtnu Commons in northeast Anchorage has a larger gross leasable area. The mall encompasses approximately 728,000 square feet and contains more than 200 stores, restaurants, entertainment venues, and service businesses. Its current anchor and destination tenants include Best Buy, Dave & Buster's, and a nine-screen Regal Cinemas theater. The property also includes a six-story office tower at its southeastern corner. The lower level of that tower incorporates a smaller food court, a bowling alley, a health club, and an ice-skating rink, giving the complex a mix of retail, leisure, food-service, and community-oriented uses rather than relying solely on conventional shopping. Dimond Center originally opened with Safeway and Pay 'n Save as its principal anchor stores. A major expansion followed in 1981, including a replacement Pay 'n Save drugstore and additional retail space. The mall's competitive environment changed in the 1980s when a proposed development known as Great Northern Mall was announced across the Old Seward Highway. Anchorage's real-estate downturn prevented that project from being built as originally envisioned, but the surrounding area was gradually filled during the 1990s with large-format retailers and other commercial uses. These developments reinforced the Dimond Boulevard and Old Seward Highway area as a major shopping destination serving a broad portion of Anchorage and nearby communities. The property has also served institutional and media functions. An Anchorage Public Library branch, the Samson-Dimond Library, was an original mall tenant but closed at the end of 2010 because of municipal budget reductions. The office tower has housed the Anchorage operations of iHeartMedia, formerly Clear Channel Radio, including studios associated with several local radio stations. A hotel was later constructed on the mall's southwest corner, with substantial financing from the Seldovia Native Association, Inc. Dimond Center has continued adapting its tenant mix and amenities to changing consumer habits and local needs. Later additions and tenant changes included electric-vehicle charging stations, lululemon, and Cinnabon. Its role remains that of a large, enclosed, multipurpose retail and entertainment center for Anchorage, combining national chains with services and facilities intended for the Alaskan community.

Dimond Center emerged from the commercial development of south Anchorage along the Old Seward Highway. The road originally carried traffic south from Anchorage toward the rural settlements of Rabbit Creek and Potter. After a newer four-lane highway was built slightly to the east, the older route became known as the Old Seward Highway and remained an important commercial corridor serving residential subdivisions, homesteads, and highway travelers. Early south Anchorage commerce concentrated around the intersections of the Old Seward Highway with Dowling Road and O'Malley Road. The area around Dimond Boulevard changed significantly after Larry Carr and Barney Gottstein acquired and developed substantial Anchorage acreage, initially in connection with expanding the Carrs grocery business. Their first major south Anchorage retail activity was located across Dimond Boulevard from the future mall site. Land that had originally been considered for industrial purposes increasingly shifted toward retail use, helped by the population and construction boom connected with the Trans-Alaska Pipeline during the 1970s. Dimond Center opened in 1977 with Safeway and Pay 'n Save as its anchor stores. The mall expanded substantially in 1981, adding a replacement Pay 'n Save drugstore and other retail space. Its development occurred during a period when enclosed shopping centers were important regional destinations, particularly in Alaska's dispersed urban environment. The mall's location at the junction of major south Anchorage routes allowed it to draw customers from a broad geographic area. Competition and surrounding development became important issues during the following decade. In 1982, a separate project called Great Northern Mall was announced for land across the Old Seward Highway. A severe real-estate downturn affected Anchorage through much of the middle and late 1980s, and the proposed project was only partially realized. During the 1990s, the tract was developed more fully with big-box stores and related commercial uses near the Dimond Boulevard and New Seward Highway intersection. Rather than displacing Dimond Center, this broader retail district helped establish the area as a major destination for shoppers. The center also experienced a serious safety incident on May 20, 1991, when a refrigerant leak at its skating rink caused the death of the rink's assistant manager and injured 33 other people. Six victims required hospitalization. The mall expanded its leisure and entertainment role when a movie theater was added in 1996. A hotel was subsequently built on the southwest corner of the property, with much of its financing provided by the Seldovia Native Association, Inc. Dimond Center's office and civic functions have been part of its identity as well. A six-story office tower occupies the southeastern corner, and its lower level contains additional food, recreation, and fitness facilities arranged around the skating rink. The tower has housed iHeartMedia's Anchorage branch, formerly operated as Clear Channel Radio, along with studios for several local radio stations. The Samson-Dimond Library, an Anchorage Public Library branch and one of the mall's original tenants, closed at the end of 2010 because of municipal budget cuts. By 2020, the center was continuing to refresh its tenant mix and facilities in response to changes in shopping, mobility, and leisure patterns. Electric-vehicle charging stations were added, while newer tenants such as lululemon and Cinnabon joined the property. The mall remains an active regional retail and entertainment complex and is described as Alaska's largest enclosed mall by physical area, even though another Anchorage shopping center has a larger gross leasable area.

• 2020

  Amenities and tenants refreshed

  [1]Dimond Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Electric-vehicle charging stations and newer tenants, including lululemon and Cinnabon, are cited as examples of the center's continuing evolution.

• 2010

  Samson-Dimond Library closes

  [1]Dimond Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The mall's Anchorage Public Library branch closes at the end of the year because of budget cuts.

• 1996

  Movie theater added

  [1]Dimond Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The property adds a movie theater, broadening its entertainment offering.

• 1991

  Skating-rink refrigerant leak

  [1]Dimond Centeren.wikipedia.org

  A refrigerant leak kills the skating rink's assistant manager and injures 33 others.

• 1982

  Great Northern Mall proposal announced

  [1]Dimond Centeren.wikipedia.org

  A competing shopping development is announced across the Old Seward Highway, although the Anchorage real-estate downturn later limits its construction.

• 1981

  Major expansion

  [1]Dimond Centeren.wikipedia.org

  A substantial expansion adds a replacement Pay 'n Save drugstore and additional retail space.

• 1977

  Dimond Center opens

  [1]Dimond Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The mall opens in south Anchorage with Safeway and Pay 'n Save as its principal anchor stores.

A large enclosed regional shopping and entertainment center serving south Anchorage and a wide surrounding area, with a combination of national retail anchors, dining, leisure facilities, services, offices, and community-oriented amenities.

• Shopping · 1977

  Retail stores

  Dimond Center contains more than 200 stores and service businesses across categories such as apparel, consumer electronics, general merchandise, health and beauty, and specialty retail. The tenant mix combines national chains with local services and is designed to serve both routine shopping and destination visits.

• Food and beverage · 1977

  Dining and food services

  Restaurants, food-court facilities, and branded food tenants form a substantial part of the center's offer. The complex has included a lower-level food court in the office tower and later welcomed tenants such as Cinnabon, supporting both shopping trips and longer entertainment visits.

• Entertainment · 1996

  Entertainment and recreation

  The center's leisure facilities include a nine-screen Regal Cinemas theater, Dave & Buster's, an ice-skating rink, and a bowling alley. These attractions give Dimond Center a broader regional-destination role than a conventional enclosed retail property.

• Commercial real estate · 1977

  Office and community facilities

  A six-story office tower occupies the mall's southeastern corner. Its lower level contains food, recreation, and fitness facilities, while the tower has also housed iHeartMedia's Anchorage branch and local radio studios. The property historically included the Samson-Dimond Library, which closed in 2010.

• 2020

  Refresh the property for changing customer needsStrategy

  Background

  The center was adapting to changing shopping habits, mobility requirements, and demand for lifestyle and experience-oriented tenants.

  Action taken

  Dimond Center added electric-vehicle charging stations and introduced tenants including lululemon and Cinnabon.

  Aftermath

  These changes illustrate the property's continuing effort to combine conventional retail with lifestyle, food, and infrastructure amenities.

  Source

• 1996

  Add a movie theaterProduct launch

  Background

  Dimond Center operated as a large regional shopping destination and continued to broaden its mix of non-retail attractions.

  Action taken

  A movie theater was added to the property.

  Aftermath

  The theater strengthened the center's role as an entertainment and leisure destination.

  Source

• 1981

  Expand the original shopping centerStrategy

  Background

  The mall had opened in 1977 with Safeway and Pay 'n Save as major anchors, and south Anchorage was developing as a regional commercial area.

  Action taken

  Dimond Center undertook a major expansion that included a replacement Pay 'n Save drugstore and additional stores.

  Aftermath

  The expansion increased the mall's retail capacity before later competition and surrounding big-box development reshaped the wider district.

  Source

1. 1Dimond Centeren.wikipedia.org
2. 2Dimond Center official websitedimondcenter.com