# Military Circle Mall

Norfolk, VA · mall · tier: draft · Retrofit Atlas record `m-9ee025dc38` · release 2026-10-20

Canonical: https://retrofitatlas.org/malls/va/norfolk-military-circle-mall/  
JSON: https://retrofitatlas.org/data/records/m-9ee025dc38.json · Provenance: https://retrofitatlas.org/data/records/m-9ee025dc38.provenance.json · API: https://retrofitatlas.org/api/v1/sites/m-9ee025dc38

## Facts

| Field | Value | Provenance |
|---|---|---|
| Status | closed | documented · model extraction, unreviewed |
| What is there now | abandoned enclosed shopping mall | documented · model extraction, unreviewed |
| Opened | 1970 | reported · Wikipedia |
| Closed | 2023 | documented · model extraction, unreviewed |
| Original developer | The Rouse Company through its subsidiary, Rouse-Military Circle, Inc. and Harvey Lindsay Jr. | documented · model extraction, unreviewed |

## Quoted support

- **year_closed**: “The mall permanently closed to the public on January 31, 2023.” — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Circle_Mall
- **original_developer**: “Military Circle Mall opened in 1970, developed by The Rouse Company through its subsidiary, Rouse-Military Circle, Inc. and Harvey Lindsay Jr.” — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Circle_Mall
- **after_notes**: “is a soon to be demolished abandoned enclosed shopping mall in Norfolk, Virginia.” — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Circle_Mall
- **status**: “is a soon to be demolished abandoned enclosed shopping mall in Norfolk, Virginia.” — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Circle_Mall

## Anchors

Ross Dress For Less, Optima Health, Movement Mortgage

## Timeline

- 1970: Opened (Wikidata)
- 1970: Opened
- 1998: Belk vacated former Leggett building
- 1999: Urban Retail renovation added Sears
- 2000: 18-screen Cinemark opened
- 2002: Thor Equities bought mall, renamed to The Gallery at Military Circle
- 2004: Ross Dress for Less opened
- 2012: Sears closed
- 2014: JCPenney announced closure
- 2014: Norfolk Economic Development Authority bought vacated JCPenney anchor
- 2015: Property placed under foreclosure and put up for auction

## Background (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0, shortened)

Military Circle Mall, known as The Gallery at Military Circle Mall from 2002 to 2015, is a soon to be demolished abandoned enclosed shopping mall in Norfolk, Virginia. The mall opened in 1970. In October 2016, the Virginia Beach City Council rejected plans for an oceanfront arena. This vote triggered discussions for the Military Circle area to include the construction of a 20,000 seat multi purpose arena. However, rising city debt and other priorities appear to negate any near-term plans for a new arena to the area. The anchor stores are Ross Dress for Less, Optima Health, and Movement Mortgage. There are 3 vacant anchor stores that were once Cinemark, Sears, and Macy's.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Circle_Mall

## Sources

- Quoted support for year_closed — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Circle_Mall

## Cite

Retrofit Atlas (2026). "Military Circle Mall, Norfolk, VA." Record m-9ee025dc38, release 2026-10-20, tier draft. https://retrofitatlas.org/malls/va/norfolk-military-circle-mall/ (accessed 2026-10-20).

```bibtex
@misc{retrofitatlas_norfolkmilitarycirclemall,
  title = {Military Circle Mall, Norfolk, VA},
  author = {{Retrofit Atlas}},
  howpublished = {\url{https://retrofitatlas.org/malls/va/norfolk-military-circle-mall/}},
  year = {2026},
  note = {Record m-9ee025dc38, release 2026-10-20, tier: draft. Built on the Retrofitting Suburbia map (Dunham-Jones and Williamson) and the sources listed on the record. Accessed 2026-10-20}
}
```

Licence: research use only; terms undecided with the authors (https://retrofitatlas.org/licence/). Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0. Tiers: curated = from the authors' public map, not reviewed by them; draft = imported or model-extracted, unreviewed.