Malls · Pennsylvania
Washington Mall
Washington Mall opened 1968, lost anchors, declined to two stores by 2024, demolition began 2025, under construction for retail redevelopment. · summary, model-written
Solid = from the authors' map · outlined = public source · dashed = model-written, not yet reviewed by a person. Tap any value's source label to see where it came from.
Site profile9 elements · what this retrofit is built with · tap a chip for the evidence
J. C. Penney
This site: J. C. Penney wikipedia · all sites with thisAttention fading (Wikipedia views −40% y/y)
This site: 4,370 views, -47% wikimedia · all sites with thisRetrofit in the pipeline
This site: …under construction extraction · all sites with this30,000+ vehicles a day on an adjacent road
This site: 46,755 on SR 0070 SH fhwa-hpms · all sites with thisGrocery within 800 m
This site: 2 stores openstreetmap · all sites with thisInterstate or freeway within 600 m
This site: SR 0070 SH fhwa-hpms · all sites with thisTract income up 60%+ since 2013
This site: +71% census-acs · all sites with thisRedeveloped
This site: By early 2024, only two stores remained open—Grand China Buffet and Harbor Freight Tools—both accessible only from the exterior. extraction · all sites with thisRetail (continued)
This site: …new_use field extraction · all sites with thisNow
| Status | Under constructionextracted, unreviewed |
|---|---|
| Strategy | Redevelopment, under constructionextracted, unreviewed |
| New uses | retailextracted, unreviewed |
| What is there now | By early 2024, only two stores remained open—Grand China Buffet and Harbor Freight Tools—both accessible only from the exterior.extracted, unreviewed |
Site context
| Transit within 800 m | no rail stationOpenStreetMap |
|---|---|
| Motorway junctions within 2 km | 18, 19, 20, 38OpenStreetMap |
| FEMA flood zone | X · AREA OF MINIMAL FLOOD HAZARDFEMA NFHL |
| EPA-regulated facilities within 500 m | 9: BUCYRUS; CLEVELAND BROS MINING BERRY RD FAC; GIANT EAGLE 57; HOME DEPOT STORE 4129; IMPERIAL CLEANERSEPA FRS |
| Census tract 42125755100 | 4,575 people, 803 per sq mi; median household income $68,929; median gross rent $995; 49% renters; 4.1% vacant units; 0.0% commute by transitACS 2023 5-year |
| Walkability (EPA, block group) | index 9.3 of 20; 60 intersections per sq mi; no transit stop within the EPA search radius; land-use mix 0.77; 35,935 jobs within 45 min by car; 38% of households without a carEPA Smart Location |
| Within a 10–15 minute walk (800 m) | 3 of 6 daily needs: 2 grocers, 0 schools, 8 parks or playgrounds, 0 health, 0 civic, 9 food and drink; 0 cycleway segments, 21 sidewalk-tagged segmentsOpenStreetMap |
| Opportunity Zone | noHUD |
| Housing permits, Washington County (PA), 2024 | 35 units in 5+ unit buildings, 0 in 2–4, 415 single-family; 2023: 10 in 5+Census BPS |
| Social vulnerability (CDC SVI 2022, tract) | overall percentile 0.47; socioeconomic 0.40; housing and transport 0.60; 19% below 150% of poverty; 20% of households with no vehicleCDC/ATSDR |
| Other atlas sites nearby | 1 within 10 km, 2 within 25 km: Washington Crown Center (4.5 km)computed |
| Overture Maps | no place match; building footprint 39,160 m²Overture (CDLA-Permissive 2.0) |
| Attention: Wikipedia page views | 53,226 since 2015; 4,370 in the last 12 months (-47% vs the prior 12); peak 2016-06 with 1,614Wikimedia |
| Tract change 2013–2023 | population +7% (4,279 → 4,575); median income +71% ($40,409 → $68,929); renters 52% → 49%; median home value +74% ($136,700 → $238,400)Census ACS 5-year |
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA National Risk Index, tract) | relatively low overall (score 29.9); expected annual loss $714,960; high: lightning; community resilience very highFEMA NRI |
| Tax-credit housing within 1 km | noneHUD LIHTC |
| Retail trade in the county, 2012 to 2023 | 636 establishments (-8%); 8,802 jobs (+2%)Census CBP |
| Housing market in the county | typical home value $235,765 (+2% 1 yr, +15% 5 yr); typical rent $1,270/mo (+5% 1 yr), 2026-09Zillow Research |
| House price index, tract, 2025 | 208 (2000 = 100); -1.7% 1 yr, +34% 5 yr, +35% 10 yrFHFA |
| Traffic on the busiest road within 600 m (2024) | 46,755 vehicles a day on SR 0070 SH (Interstate, 4 lanes); 12,303 trucks; 40 counted segmentsFHWA HPMS |
Summary, model-written
Washington Mall opened in 1968 as an enclosed shopping center and later underwent a two-level expansion in 1987. Over time it lost key anchors—JCPenney closed in 2007 (returned briefly in 2008), Toys R Us departed in 2018, and Staples closed in 2024—leaving only two exterior stores by early 2024. Demolition began in 2025 and the site is currently under construction for a retail redevelopment.
Why. The record shows anchor tenant closures (JCPenney, Toys R Us, Staples) as the primary drivers of decline; no explicit mention of competition, debt, or other causes is provided.
Where it stands. The mall is under construction for redevelopment, with ownership shared among 79/70 Associates, J. J. Gumberg Co., and Chapman Business Properties.
For a planner
- Redevelopment strategy approved and new use designated as retail.
- No specific policy tools or incentives are cited in the record.
- Open questions include timing of construction completion, financing structure, and community impact assessments.
For a developer
- Site size and exact ownership percentages are not specified in the record.
- Control is split among three parties; entitlement stage is under construction (demolition began 2025).
- Context-layer constraints (flood, transit, environment) and tract‑level market signals are not provided.
What we do not know yet
- Site acreage and parcel boundaries are unknown.
- Detailed ownership breakdown and any existing liens or debt are not stated.
- Environmental conditions, flood‑zone status, and transit access are not described.
- Exact progress of demolition and construction schedule are unspecified.
- Fields marked as 'extraction' and the record's 'draft' verification status indicate potential data quality issues.
Generated by nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b on NVIDIA API via Hermes CT from the fields, parcels, deals and context layers on this page, with no outside knowledge. It is regenerated when the record changes and has not been checked by a person. How it is made.
Similar sites
- Highland Mall, Austin, TX · Malls · opened 1971; closed 2015; same strategy: redevelop
- Summit Park Mall, Wheatfield, NY · Malls · opened 1972; closed 2018; same strategy: redevelop
- Raleigh Springs Mall, Memphis, TN · Malls · opened 1971; closed 2016; same strategy: redevelop
- Whitehall Plaza, Whitehall Twp., PA · Malls · opened 1966; same strategy: redevelop; also in PA
Elsewhere on the web
Pages with photos
- From mills to malls: Rosenbergers to redevelop Washington County ... bizjournals.com
- Washington Mall Rubble Clears Way For Giant Cost… hoodline.com
- Washington Mall being demolished for redevelopment: Costco and C… yahoo.com
- Washington Mall abandonedonline.net
- South Strabane supervisors approve Washington Mall … heraldstandard.com
Search images: Google · Bing · Commons · references: ULI case studies · Google Scholar
Multifamily screen
- already in play: under construction, approved, or sold to a developer with housing plans
Inputs: record fields (size, status) and county Census ACS 2018–2023 figures (growth, rent). How the points work. Not a recommendation.
History and original facts
| Opened | 1968Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Closed | 2014extracted, unreviewed |
| Stores at peak | 45extracted, unreviewed |
| Anchors | G. C. Murphy, J. C. Penney, Thorofare Grocery Store, Giant Eagle |
| County | Washington County |
| Census division | 2 · Mid-Atlantic |
| Notes | Wikipedia categories: Demolished shopping malls in the United States |
Not yet recorded: acres, GLA, original developer, retrofit year. Know it? Tell us.
Background
Washington Mall was an enclosed shopping mall located in South Strabane Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, just outside the city of Washington. The property was managed by J. J. Gumberg Co. and later by Chapman Business Properties. It was owned by 79/70 Associates, a local developer with numerous holdings throughout Washington County.
Excerpt from Wikipedia (authors and history), CC BY-SA 4.0. May be older than the record above.
Timeline
- 1968 Opened (Wikidata)
- 1968 Mall opened
- 1987 Two-level expansion built
- 1996 Staples under construction
- 2007 JCPenney closed and relocated
- 2008 JCPenney returned
- 2014 JCPenney announced closure
- 2014 Jo-Ann Fabrics departed
- 2018 Toys R Us closed
- 2024 Staples closed
- 2025 Demolition began
Sources
- Wikipedia: Washington Mall · supports: after notes, status, strategy, year closed
14 quoted sentences
In July 2014, Jo-Ann Fabrics departed Washington Mall for the nearby Washington Crown Center. This marked the end of Washington Mall's active interior, as Jo-Ann Fabrics had been the last remaining interior tenant.
By early 2024, only two stores remained open—Grand China Buffet and Harbor Freight Tools—both accessible only from the exterior.
Following asbestos removal, demolition began in July 2025, with a Costco planned for the site.
In February 2025, plans to demolish the mall were announced. The former Toys R Us section was planned for renovation and conversion into a car dealership. Following asbestos removal, demolition began in July 2025, with a Costco planned for the site.
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