Highland Mall

Highland Mall was a regional shopping mall in north Austin, Texas, located on Airport Boulevard near Interstate 35 and north of U.S. Route 290. It opened on August 4, 1971, as Austin's first enclosed suburban shopping mall and became an important retail destination for the city and surrounding communities. The development was created by Austin Malls, Inc., a subsidiary of The Rouse Company, and originally featured JCPenney, Austin department-store chain Scarbrough's, and San Antonio-based Joske's as its principal anchors. The mall operated during a period when enclosed regional shopping centers were becoming major civic and commercial destinations in growing American cities. Its location gave it access to central and eastern Austin, the University of Texas area, and neighborhoods along the Interstate 35 corridor. Over time, however, the competitive environment changed. Newer shopping centers, including Barton Creek Square and The Domain, attracted customers with newer facilities, updated tenant mixes, and more affluent or rapidly growing surrounding trade areas. Highland Mall's own customer base and neighboring demographics changed less quickly, contributing to declining occupancy and reduced regional appeal. Its anchor history reflected broader department-store consolidation. Joske's became part of Dillard's in 1987, and the former Joske's location was renovated and operated as a Dillard's store. Dillard's also opened a second location in 1992 in the former Scarbrough's space, later dividing its offer between women's and men's departments. JCPenney, an original anchor, closed in 2006. Foley's became Macy's in September 2006 following Federated Department Stores' acquisition of May Department Stores, and Macy's later closed in 2011. Dillard's closed its remaining Highland Mall store in 2009. By 2008, two of the mall's seven retail sectors were closed, and local reporting characterized the property as being in decline. The mall also faced a highly publicized dispute with Dillard's over the condition of the property and the retailer's lease obligations. In addition, Highland Mall became associated with controversy surrounding the Texas Relays, an annual track-and-field event that brought large numbers of predominantly young Black visitors to Austin. In 2009, management closed the mall earlier than usual during the event, prompting criticism from the local NAACP and discussion of a possible boycott. The episode generated allegations that mall management viewed the visitors as unwelcome, although the accounts described the issue as a dispute over crowd control, safety, and perceived racial discrimination rather than establishing a final legal finding. Ownership and redevelopment plans changed repeatedly during the mall's final years. General Growth Properties and Simon Property Group jointly owned the property until 2011. In 2012, General Growth Properties transferred Highland Mall and other underperforming assets into Rouse Properties, a newly separated real-estate company. Rouse Properties filed for bankruptcy protection later that year. Austin Community College purchased the mall site in 2012 and began converting it into an education and workforce-development campus. The first phase of ACC Highland Campus opened in fall 2014 with classrooms, laboratories, study areas, a library and media center, student commons, and a technology-supported 600-station learning facility known as the ACCelerator. Highland Mall officially closed on April 30, 2015, after 44 years of retail operation. The former mall has since been repurposed primarily for education, with planned or proposed facilities for digital and creative media, information technology, culinary and hospitality programs, advanced manufacturing, workforce innovation, health sciences, and business incubation. In 2018, plans were announced to convert the former Dillard's building into a two-level television studio for Austin PBS affiliate KLRU and Austin Community College's television operations. Parts of the former parking area have also been used for apartments, retail, and St. John's Encampment Commons, an urban park recalling the site's earlier African-American institutional and community history. Highland Mall therefore survives mainly as a redevelopment and place identity rather than as an operating shopping center.

The Highland Mall site has a layered history that predates its retail use. The property was formerly associated with the St. John's Industrial Institute and Home for Negro Orphans, which burned in the 1940s. In the late twentieth century, the land was selected for a large enclosed shopping center as Austin expanded along the Airport Boulevard and Interstate 35 corridors. Austin Malls, Inc., a subsidiary of The Rouse Company, developed Highland Mall. The mall opened on August 4, 1971, becoming Austin's first enclosed suburban shopping mall. Its initial anchor lineup consisted of JCPenney, Austin-based Scarbrough's, and San Antonio-based Joske's. These department stores gave the property a broad regional draw, while smaller specialty tenants filled the enclosed corridors between them. The anchor lineup changed as the American department-store industry consolidated. Dillard's acquired the Joske's chain in 1987 and renovated the former Joske's location in 1993. In 1992, Dillard's opened another store in the former Scarbrough's space. JCPenney remained an original anchor until closing in 2006. The former Foley's store became Macy's in September 2006 after Federated Department Stores acquired May Company, but Macy's left the property in March 2011. Dillard's closed its remaining store in May 2009. Highland Mall's decline reflected both internal and external pressures. By 2008, two of its seven retail sectors were closed. Newer Austin-area centers, including Barton Creek Square and The Domain, competed for shoppers, while the city's growth shifted commercial activity toward newer and more affluent development nodes. The mall remained relatively close to the University of Texas at Austin, but many students and other consumers chose competing venues. Reports also pointed to stagnant conditions in nearby neighborhoods and a weakening tenant base. The property became especially visible in 2009 because of a dispute involving the Texas Relays. The event brought large crowds, including many young African-American visitors from outside Austin. After management shortened operating hours during the 2009 Relays, the local NAACP criticized the decision, and the episode prompted allegations of racial bias and calls for a possible boycott. The controversy formed part of a broader debate about how Austin institutions treated the event's largely Black audience. Separately, Dillard's sued the owners over the mall's condition and declining activity, while the owners countersued and disputed the retailer's interpretation of its lease obligations. Ownership shifted during the property's final years. General Growth Properties and Simon Property Group jointly owned Highland Mall until 2011. In January 2012, General Growth Properties placed Highland Mall and other underperforming properties into Rouse Properties, a separate company. Rouse filed for bankruptcy in September of that year. Austin Community College purchased the mall site in 2012 with the objective of creating a regional campus rather than preserving the property as a conventional enclosed mall. The first phase of ACC Highland Campus opened in fall 2014. It introduced classrooms, laboratories, study areas, a library and media center, student commons, and the ACCelerator, a technology-supported learning laboratory with 600 stations. Highland Mall's retail operation ended on April 30, 2015, after 44 years. Surrounding retail spaces continued under separate ownership and management arrangements, while the former mall buildings and parking areas were progressively incorporated into the college and mixed-use redevelopment. Subsequent plans included programs and facilities for digital and creative media, information technology, culinary and hospitality education, professional incubation, advanced manufacturing, workforce innovation, and regional health sciences. A proposed Rackspace office in a former Dillard's anchor space did not proceed after the company changed ownership. In 2018, a different adaptive-reuse plan was announced for a television studio serving KLRU and Austin Community College. Former parking areas have also received apartment and retail projects, while St. John's Encampment Commons was created as an urban park referencing the site's earlier African-American institutional and community history. Highland Mall is therefore no longer an operating shopping mall. Its continuing significance lies in its role as a landmark of Austin's suburban retail history and as a prominent example of adaptive reuse, in which a declining regional mall was converted into an education-centered urban campus with supporting private development.

• 2018

  Television-studio redevelopment proposed

  [1]Highland Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Plans were announced to reuse the former Dillard's building for KLRU and Austin Community College television facilities.

• 2015

  Retail operations end

  [1]Highland Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Highland Mall closed permanently on April 30 after 44 years of operation.

• 2014

  ACC Highland Campus phase one opens

  [1]Highland Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The first educational facilities opened in fall 2014.

• 2012

  Austin Community College acquires the site

  [1]Highland Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The property was purchased for conversion into a regional education center.

• 2009

  Mall enters a period of public decline and controversy

  [1]Highland Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Retail sectors were closed, Dillard's pursued litigation, and management's Texas Relays operating-hours decision triggered criticism.

• 2006

  JCPenney departs

  [1]Highland Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The original JCPenney anchor closed on September 30.

• 1992

  Dillard's opens a second anchor store

  [1]Highland Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Dillard's opened a second location in the former Scarbrough's anchor space.

• 1987

  Joske's becomes part of Dillard's

  [1]Highland Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Dillard's acquired the Joske's chain, changing the identity of one of Highland Mall's original anchor locations.

• 1971

  Highland Mall opens

  [1]Highland Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall opened on August 4 as Austin's first enclosed suburban shopping mall, anchored by JCPenney, Scarbrough's, and Joske's.

Historically positioned as Austin's first enclosed suburban regional mall and a convenient shopping destination for central and eastern Austin; after closure, the site has been repositioned primarily as a community-college, workforce-development, media, and mixed-use redevelopment campus.

• Shopping mall · 1971

  Enclosed regional shopping mall

  Highland Mall's principal offering was a climate-controlled enclosed retail environment serving Austin and nearby communities. The property combined department-store anchors with specialty shops, services, food outlets, and mall common areas. Its original role was as a regional destination rather than a single-store retail brand.

• Department-store retail · 1971

  Department-store anchor program

  The mall's anchor offer evolved through JCPenney, Scarbrough's, Joske's, Dillard's, Foley's, and Macy's. These stores provided apparel, home goods, accessories, and general merchandise and were central to the mall's original regional positioning.

• Education and workforce development · 2014

  ACC Highland Campus

  After the retail closure, the site was repurposed primarily as Austin Community College's Highland Campus. Facilities include classrooms, laboratories, study areas, a library and media center, student commons, and technology-supported individualized learning space.

• 2009

  Texas Relays crowd-control controversy

  Highland Mall closed several hours early during the 2009 Texas Relays. The decision was criticized by the local NAACP and associated with allegations that management held a discriminatory or unwelcoming attitude toward the event's predominantly young Black visitors. The available reference material does not establish a final legal determination.

  Source

• 2009

  Dillard's lease litigation

  Dillard's sued the owners over the mall's deteriorating condition and declining occupancy. The owners countersued, arguing that the retailer was attempting to use the dispute to leave its lease early.

  Source

Read more

• 2015

  End conventional mall operationsStrategy

  Background

  Highland Mall had lost major anchors and experienced prolonged decline in occupancy and regional retail relevance.

  Action taken

  The mall officially closed on April 30 after 44 years of operation.

  Aftermath

  Former mall buildings and parking areas were progressively reused for Austin Community College, media facilities, housing, retail, and public space.

  Source

• 2012

  Convert the mall site into an education campusStrategy

  Background

  Declining occupancy, department-store departures, competition from newer Austin shopping centers, and wider redevelopment pressure weakened the conventional retail model.

  Action taken

  Austin Community College purchased the site and planned a regional campus with academic, technical, media, and workforce-development functions.

  Aftermath

  The first phase opened in 2014, and the retail mall closed permanently in 2015. The property subsequently became an education-centered mixed-use redevelopment.

  Source

1. 1Highland Mallen.wikipedia.org