Lakeside Mall

Lakeside Mall was a large shopping center in Sterling Heights, Michigan, located along the M-59 commercial corridor in the Detroit metropolitan area. It opened on March 2, 1976, as a joint venture associated with developer A. Alfred Taubman, Homart Development, and Dayton Hudson Corporation. Designed in the enclosed regional-mall style common to major suburban developments of the period, Lakeside combined department-store anchors, specialty retailers, restaurants, entertainment, and broad interior pedestrian circulation across two floors. At approximately 1,550,000 square feet of leasable retail space, Lakeside became one of Michigan’s largest shopping centers and was described as the state’s largest mall by leasable area when it closed. Its original anchor lineup consisted of Hudson’s, Sears, Crowley’s, and JCPenney. Lord & Taylor joined the center in 1978, strengthening its position as a destination for department-store shopping in the northern Detroit suburbs. The mall also developed a reputation for unusual experiential features. In 1984 it became the first mall in Michigan to install an indoor tubular waterslide, known as the Hydrotube, which occupied a prominent portion of the interior. The property changed ownership and operating affiliations several times. Rodamco acquired Homart’s interest in 1988 and later became the sole owner in 2000 after an exchange involving Taubman and Twelve Oaks Mall. The Rouse Company acquired Lakeside in 2002 through a transaction involving Simon Property Group and Westfield Group; Rouse was subsequently acquired by General Growth Properties. In 2017, Jones Lang LaSalle acquired the mall after General Growth Properties defaulted on a loan connected with the property. Lakeside was then sold in December 2019 to Out Of The Box Ventures, a Lionheart Capital division, for $26.5 million. The mall’s retail identity evolved as department-store and specialty-retail chains changed ownership or consolidated their names. Hudson’s became Marshall Field’s in 2001, and the Marshall Field’s locations were converted to Macy’s in 2006. Crowley’s former space was incorporated into Hudson’s and later Macy’s operations. Lord & Taylor expanded and reconstructed its store in 2003. H&M opened its first Michigan location at Lakeside in 2006, while other tenants included Steve & Barry’s, FYE, MC Sports, Jeepers!, and Macy’s Backstage at different points in the mall’s history. Like many traditional enclosed malls, Lakeside faced anchor closures and changing consumer patterns. Sears closed in September 2018, followed by Lord & Taylor in September 2019. The ownership group began considering redevelopment plans by 2018, seeking to reposition the site and surrounding properties rather than maintain the existing enclosed-mall format. On May 1, 2024, the owners announced that Lakeside would permanently close on July 1, 2024. JCPenney and Macy’s were initially expected to remain during redevelopment, although Macy’s later announced that both of its Lakeside stores would close in March 2025. After closure, the property was slated for transformation into Lakeside City Center, a mixed-use project combining new forms of commercial and potentially other urban uses. Construction was expected to begin in 2026, with JCPenney planned to remain open during construction. The future of the remaining mall structure was described as demolition at an undetermined date. Lakeside therefore represents the transition of a major late-20th-century enclosed shopping center from a department-store-led retail destination into a redevelopment site.

Lakeside Mall opened in Sterling Heights, Michigan, on March 2, 1976. Its development was associated with A. Alfred Taubman, Homart Development, and Dayton Hudson Corporation. The center was planned as a major enclosed suburban mall along the M-59 corridor and opened with Hudson’s, Sears, Crowley’s, and JCPenney as its four anchor stores. Lord & Taylor was added in 1978, creating a five-anchor department-store configuration. The property’s early identity combined conventional department-store retail with prominent experiential attractions. In April 1984, Lakeside became the first Michigan mall to feature an indoor tubular waterslide. Called the Hydrotube, the attraction covered a substantial area of the mall and helped distinguish Lakeside from more conventional regional shopping centers. A Toys “R” Us store opened across from the mall in 1983, further contributing to the area’s family-oriented retail concentration. Ownership changed during the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Rodamco acquired Homart’s stake in 1988 and became a joint-venture partner with Taubman. In 2000, Rodamco became the sole owner through an interest exchange involving Twelve Oaks Mall. The Rouse Company acquired Lakeside in 2002 through a joint venture involving Simon Property Group and Westfield Group. General Growth Properties acquired Rouse two years later, bringing Lakeside into the General Growth portfolio. The mall’s tenant mix and anchor names changed substantially over time. After Crowley’s entered bankruptcy, Hudson’s acquired the Crowley’s building in 1999 and used it for men’s clothing and home goods. Hudson’s stores were renamed Marshall Field’s in 2001 as part of a corporate nameplate consolidation. Lord & Taylor reconstructed and expanded its location in 2003. FYE moved to a smaller store in 2006, and H&M opened its first Michigan location at Lakeside in June of that year. Marshall Field’s locations were converted to Macy’s in 2006 after Federated Department Stores acquired the relevant Marshall Field’s parent company. A renovation plan announced in 2007 proposed approximately $3 million in improvements, including updated signage and better pedestrian access; exterior work began in late 2008. Additional tenant changes followed. MC Sports occupied part of the lower-level Sears wing in 2014, but closed in 2017 after the chain entered bankruptcy. Jeepers! opened in 2016 after relocating from Great Lakes Crossing Outlets. Macy’s Backstage opened in part of the main Macy’s store in 2017. That same year, Jones Lang LaSalle acquired the mall after General Growth Properties defaulted on a loan connected with the property. The center entered a more pronounced decline as department-store anchors departed. Sears announced its Lakeside closure in May 2018, and the store closed on September 2 of that year. Lord & Taylor announced its departure in June 2019 and closed on September 15. Redevelopment discussions were already underway by 2018. In December 2019, Out Of The Box Ventures, a division of Miami-based Lionheart Capital, purchased the mall for $26.5 million and proposed an enhanced development encompassing the mall and nearby properties. On May 1, 2024, the owners announced that Lakeside Mall would permanently close on July 1, 2024. At closure, the property contained approximately 1,550,000 square feet of leasable retail space across two floors and was described as Michigan’s largest mall by leasable area. The property was slated to become Lakeside City Center, a mixed-use redevelopment. Construction was expected to begin in 2026, with JCPenney planned to remain open during construction and the rest of the mall expected to be demolished at an undetermined time. Macy’s, initially expected to remain during the redevelopment, later announced the closure of both of its Lakeside stores; those stores closed on March 23, 2025.

• 2025

  Macy’s stores close

  [1]Lakeside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Macy’s closed both of its Lakeside stores on March 23.

• 2024

  Enclosed mall closes

  [1]Lakeside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Lakeside permanently closed on July 1, ending its operation as an enclosed shopping mall.

• 2019

  Out Of The Box Ventures purchases Lakeside

  [1]Lakeside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Lionheart Capital’s Out Of The Box Ventures acquired the mall and promoted a surrounding redevelopment concept.

• 2017

  Jones Lang LaSalle acquires the property

  [1]Lakeside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Jones Lang LaSalle acquired Lakeside after General Growth Properties defaulted on a loan connected with the mall.

• 2006

  Marshall Field’s becomes Macy’s

  [1]Lakeside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall’s Marshall Field’s locations were converted to Macy’s stores.

• 2002

  Rouse acquires Lakeside

  [1]Lakeside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Rouse Company acquired the mall through a transaction involving Simon Property Group and Westfield Group.

• 2000

  Rodamco becomes sole owner

  [1]Lakeside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Rodamco obtained sole ownership through an interest exchange involving Twelve Oaks Mall.

• 1988

  Rodamco acquires Homart’s interest

  [1]Lakeside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Rodamco became a joint-venture partner with Taubman after acquiring Homart’s interest.

• 1984

  Hydrotube opens

  [1]Lakeside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall introduced an indoor tubular waterslide, described as the first of its kind in a Michigan mall.

• 1978

  Lord & Taylor becomes a fifth anchor

  [1]Lakeside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Lord & Taylor joined the mall’s original four-anchor lineup.

• 1976

  Lakeside Mall opens

  [1]Lakeside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Lakeside opened on March 2 with Hudson’s, Sears, Crowley’s, and JCPenney as anchor stores.

Former super-regional enclosed shopping mall serving suburban Detroit and the northern Macomb County retail corridor.

• Retail anchor · 1976

  Department-store retail

  Lakeside’s principal offering was a department-store-led retail environment. Over its history, anchor tenants included Hudson’s, Marshall Field’s, Macy’s, Sears, Crowley’s, Lord & Taylor, and JCPenney. These stores provided apparel, accessories, home goods, beauty products, seasonal merchandise, and other broad household categories.

• Shopping mall retail · 1976

  Specialty retail

  The mall hosted a changing mix of specialty retailers, including apparel, media, sporting goods, toys, electronics, and family-oriented businesses. Examples mentioned in its history include H&M, FYE, Steve & Barry’s, MC Sports, Toys “R” Us in the surrounding retail area, and Macy’s Backstage.

• Entertainment attraction · 1984

  Hydrotube

  The Hydrotube was an indoor tubular waterslide introduced at Lakeside in April 1984. It occupied a conspicuous portion of the mall and served as an experiential attraction alongside the center’s retail and dining functions.

• Mixed-use redevelopment

  Lakeside City Center

  Lakeside City Center is the planned redevelopment of the former mall property. The concept is intended to replace the enclosed-mall format with a mixed-use development. Construction was expected to begin in 2026, while JCPenney was planned to remain open during construction.

• 2024

  Permanent closure and conversion to mixed-use redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  After years of anchor closures and redevelopment planning, the owners determined that the enclosed shopping mall would no longer continue as a conventional retail center.

  Action taken

  The owners announced the mall would close permanently on July 1, 2024, with the property planned for redevelopment as Lakeside City Center.

  Aftermath

  The enclosed mall ceased operations. JCPenney was expected to remain open during construction, while the rest of the mall was planned for demolition at an undetermined date.

  Source

• 2019

  Sale to Out Of The Box VenturesM&A

  Background

  Lakeside faced anchor-store departures and broader pressure on the enclosed-mall model. A new ownership group acquired the asset while redevelopment discussions were underway.

  Action taken

  Out Of The Box Ventures, a Lionheart Capital division, purchased the mall and announced plans encompassing the mall and surrounding properties.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition established the ownership platform that later announced the mall’s closure and the Lakeside City Center redevelopment.

  Purchase price. $26.5 million (December 2019)

  Source

1. 1Lakeside Mallen.wikipedia.org