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Eastfield Mall

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(Redirected from Springfield Crossing)

Eastfield Mall
Entrance to the mall
Map
LocationSpringfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
Coordinates42°08′30″N 72°29′12″W / 42.1416°N 72.4868°W / 42.1416; -72.4868
OpenedApril 1, 1968; 58 years ago (April 1, 1968)
ClosedJuly 15, 2023; 3 years ago (July 15, 2023)
DemolishedAugust 2023 – February 2024
DeveloperThe Rouse Company
ManagementMountain Development Corporation
OwnerMountain Development Corporation
ArchitectDaverman & Associates
Stores70+ (at peak)
4 (at peak)
Floor area825,000 square feet (76,645.0 m2)
Floors1 (2 in all anchors)

The Eastfield Mall was a shopping mall in Springfield, Massachusetts, that was developed in 1967 by the Rouse Company. At its peak, it was anchored by JCPenney, Macy's, Sears, and a Cinemark movie theater. Opened in 1968, it was the first enclosed mall in the Western Massachusetts region and the largest in Connecticut and Massachusetts until the opening of Holyoke Mall at Ingleside in 1979.[1]

The Eastfield Mall was sold in 1998 to Mountain Development Corporation, who managed the property. After the closure of the mall's anchor tenants in the 2010s, the Eastfield Mall was purchased by Onyx Partners in 2023 with the desire to redevelop the property. The Eastfield Mall closed in July 2023 and the building was demolished, with the exception of the separately-owned former Sears anchor.

The property was redeveloped into Springfield Crossing, an open air shopping center featuring anchor tenants BJ's Wholesale Club, Hobby Lobby, Chick-fil-A, and Target. The first phase of construction was completed in December 2025. In July 2026, Springfield Crossing was listed for sale.

History

[edit]
Indoor fountain in the Eastfield Mall

Development

[edit]

The Eastfield Mall was the 11th enclosed shopping mall developed by the Rouse Company[2] and the first enclosed mall in the Western Massachusetts region.[3][4][5] The chosen location was close to exit 7 of the Massachusetts Turnpike and accessible to several communities, including Springfield, Ludlow, Wilbraham, Longmeadow, and East Longmeadow.[6] Connecticut General Life Insurance Company agreed to $6 million permanent financing of the mall. Designed by Daverman & Associates, an architectural firm based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the mall featured fountains, kiosks, and tropical plants, and it had indoor air conditioning.[7] The mall opened with aviaries[7] that housed several birds, but they were later rehoused amid protests from animal rights activists. Stairs within the mall connected the anchor tenants to the structure.[8] Built in 1967,[9] the completed structure was 724,000 square feet (67,300 m2)[10] and cost $15 million.[2]

The Eastfield Mall opened on April 1, 1968,[8] with three anchor tenants: the local department stores Forbes & Wallace and Steiger's, along with Sears.[7][11] The anchor tenants owned their own stores and parking lots, an arrangement that continued after Forbes & Wallace and Steiger's closed.[11] In addition to its anchors, the mall opened with 64 retail tenants[2] and a twin cinemas movie theater.[2] To promote the mall, events were held to draw crowds to the novelty of the enclosed shopping mall, including a 'ball at the mall' at New Year's Eve and costumed characters during George Washington's birthday.[8]

In 1974, the Rouse Company planned to expand the mall, but the Springfield planning board voted against the expansion based on a 1972 policy that it would not approve development in outlying areas until downtown retail was revitalized. Expansion plans were scrapped.[2]

Forbes & Wallace closed in 1975, leaving the space vacant; it was eventually sold to JCPenney, which moved into the former space.[12][better source needed] In 1994, Steiger's closed following its acquisition by May Department Stores, which converted the store into its Filene's brand.[8][13] The store became Macy's in 2006 after May was purchased by Federated Department Stores, Macy's parent company at the time.[citation needed]

With the opening of Holyoke Mall at Ingleside in 1979 and other malls nearby, the novelty of the Eastfield Mall wore off.[1][2][8] Criticism was directed towards the city's decision to deny the Eastfield Mall's expansion in 1974, stating that "the city's stand ultimately gave away tax revenue to Holyoke", according to The Republican.[2] The Eastfield Mall suffered in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as the Rouse Company was not willing to invest into the mall, according to BusinessWest and mall general manager Arlene Putnam.[1][8] A $6 million interior renovation in 1986 updated the mall and added a food court, built on the site of the original theater.[2][8] Brett Construction was awarded the project, entailing 15,000 square feet (1,400 m2) of new construction and about 90,000 square feet (8,400 m2) of renovation.[14]

Mountain Development Group

[edit]
Interior corridor

In 1998, the mall, which was around 50% leased at the time,[8] was purchased by New Jersey-based Mountain Development group, which also managed the mall through an internal division.[3] To keep up with competing malls like Holyoke Mall at Ingleside[15] and coinciding with residential growth in communities east of the mall, including Wilbraham, Monson, and Belchertown, Mountain Development invested $30 million into mall renovations. Additions included new restaurants, retail options,[1] and a 16-screen cinema in August 1999,[8][16] adding a fourth anchor tenant.[16] Originally Showcase Cinemas movie theater,[failed verification] the theater later became owned by Cinemark.[17][when?] The addition of a Steve & Barry's clothing store in 2006 put the mall at full occupancy for the first time since 1978. The store displaced nine smaller retail outlets, of which only two relocated within the mall.[18]

In 2004, the mall implemented a teen escort policy, stating that any customer under the age of 15 must be with an escort after 5:00 PM.[19][20]

The mall's four anchor tenants closed in the final years of the mall's operations. JCPenney was replaced by a Penney's outlet store[8] and closed in 2011 when JCPenney eliminated its outlet store division.[21] On January 6, 2016, Macy's announced that it would be closing their store as part of a plan to close 36 stores nationwide.[22] The location was 127,000 square feet (11,800 m2) and had two levels.[5] Mountain Development purchased both closed anchor tenants and their parking lots after their closing: JCPenney for $3.5 million in 2013, and Macy's for $1 million in 2017.[23] The structure was 125,000 square feet (11,600 m2).[6] On September 2, 2018, Sears closed its store as part of a plan to close 78 stores nationwide.[24] Its store was 97,000 square feet (9,000 m2).[11] In June 2020, Cinemark closed permanently[25] and dismantled the space to prevent a competitor from filling it, leading to a lawsuit between Cinemark and the Eastfield Mall was settled in February 2022.[17]

The vacant anchor tenant space was used intermittently after their stores' closures. While the city granted permission to destroy the former JCPenney in 2015, the space was used for a number of short-term tenants, including Spirit Halloween.[5][6] During the COVID-19 pandemic, a COVID-19 vaccination site operated in the former Macy's, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Court System conducted jury trials in three of the sixteen theaters of the shuttered Cinemark.[6]

Redevelopment plans and closure

[edit]

In 2018, Mountain Development hired the real-estate brokerage firm Cushman and Wakefield in a joint-venture partnership to redevelop the property into mixed-use development. The concept plan for the proposed complex, dubbed Eastfield Commons, included 23 residential buildings, retail, office, and services, along with maintaining the existing theater and food court. Mountain Development projected the redevelopment to cost $200 million.[3][4]

Following the closure of the mall's anchor tenants, Mountain Development tried new attractions to attract customers, including a flea market and pro-wrestling. According to manager David Thompson, "the rents were too low ... and when utility costs went up, it just wouldn't work".[4] In March 2023, it was reported that developers Onyx Partners, based in Needham, Massachusetts, had a contract in place to purchase the mall. The project was supported by Springfield mayor Domenic Sarno.[4] On April 5, 2023, the city of Springfield confirmed that the mall would shutter after almost 56 years. In an agreement with the city, Onyx Partners provided $500,000 to waive the rent and utilities fees for the mall's 43 remaining tenants until its closure.[4][9][26] The mall's last day of operations was July 15, 2023.[27] The structure was demolished starting August 2023[28] and was completed in February 2024.[29] The shuttered Sears and Sears Auto Center were the only structures retained from the mall, as they were sold in 2020 to Eastern Retail Properties.[30][28] As of June 2026, the shuttered Sears is still vacant.[31]

Springfield Crossing

[edit]

The Eastfield Mall property was acquired[32] and redeveloped by Onyx Partners into Springfield Crossing, an outdoor shopping center.[33] In October 2023, Western Mass News reported a billboard had been erected at the old site, advertising the opening of the new development in Summer 2025.[34]

To help support development costs, the Springfield city council unanimously approved $8 million in funding on June 2, 2025, to establish a 34-acre (14 ha) development district on the project's land using Massachusetts's District Improvement Financing.[30][35] Springfield Crossing originally had a planned completion date of summer 2025,[33] and it was originally proposed as a mixed-use project.[30] The Springfield city council worked with Onyx Partners to dedicate opportunities for small businesses in the new shopping center, like those that had been present at the Eastfield Mall.[36][30] A $50 million loan was secured for the project in early 2025.[37]

Development occurred in phases, the first of which was valued at $77 million and the full project at $146 million, according to Onyx.[35] Construction on the BJ's Wholesale Club store, its first store in Springfield, began in July 2025.[38]

A ribbon cutting ceremony for the completion of the mall's phase 1 of construction was held on December 15, 2025, attended by Springfield mayor Domenic Sarno as well as other state officials.[30] The mall held its grand opening on December 17.[39] The shopping center contains 386,727 square feet (35,928.1 m2) of shopping space and 1,627 parking spaces.[30] Anchor tenants include BJ's Wholesale Club, Hobby Lobby, and Chick-fil-A.[40] A second phase introduced several retailers, including Springfield's first Target location as an anchor store,[16][41][42] under construction as of July 2026.[37]

The complex was placed for sale online in July 2026.[37]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 O'Brien, George (May 30, 2005). "Re-storing a landmark". BusinessWest. 22 (3): 6–8 – via EBSCO host.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Lunt, Dean (November 14, 1993). "Malls leave stamp on WMass retail". [[The Republican (Springfield, Massachusetts)|]]. p. D1 – via NewsBank.
  3. 1 2 3 O'Brien, George (October 16, 2018). "A New Vision Is Emerging for the Eastfield Mall". BusinessWest. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Kinney, Jim (March 1, 2023). "Eastfield Mall buyers Onyx Partners plan demolition". Mass Live. Archived from the original on March 2, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 Kinney, Jim (February 24, 2017). "Macy's selling closed Eastfield Mall location in Springfield". Mass Live. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 O'Brien, George (April 14, 2021). "Eastfield Mall Converts Some Luck, Creative Thinking into Needed Momentum". BusinessWest. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 "CG agrees to finance new Springfield mall". Hartford Courant. July 19, 1967. p. 6. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 O'Brien, George (September 29, 2008). "Memories that register". BusinessWest. 25 (10): 9–10, 62 – via EBSCO host.
  9. 1 2 DeForge, Jeanette (April 5, 2023). "Springfield's Eastfield Mall to close in July; rent waived while tenants search for new location". Mass Live. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Area retail complexes". BusinessWest. 16 (3): 91. July 1999 – via EBSCO host.
  11. 1 2 3 Kinney, Jim (June 1, 2018). "Eastfield Mall: Sears closing clears way for redevelopment". Mass Live. Archived from the original on November 20, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  12. ↑ Dimaio, Nicholas M. (April 30, 2007). "The Caldor Rainbow: Eastfield Mall; Springfield, Massachusetts". The Caldor Rainbow. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Steiger's may sell stores, reports say Scenario has May Co. buying seven Steiger's may sell stores, reports say". Hartford Courant. January 6, 1994. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Business journal Mall contract". Business. The Providence Journal. May 9, 1986. p. C5 – via NewsBank.
  15. ↑ O'Brien, George (June 1999). "Road to recovery". BusinessWest. 16 (2): 32 – via EBSCO host.
  16. 1 2 3 Cox, Abby (May 7, 2026). "Five New Tenants to Join Springfield Crossing in Western Massachusetts". Shopping Center Business. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Eastfield Mall reinvents itself in aftermath of pandemic". The Reminder. May 4, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  18. ↑ Blomberg, Marcia (April 25, 2006). "Steve & Barry's fills out mall". MassLive.com. Archived from the original on April 4, 2012. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  19. ↑ "Springfield mall implements its own teen escort policy". The Providence-Journal. August 3, 2005. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  20. ↑ Miller, Sara B. (August 11, 2005). "At shopping malls, teens' hanging out is wearing thin". USA Today. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  21. ↑ Kinney, Jim (January 24, 2011). "J.C. Penney will close its Springfield Eastfield Mall location". Mass Live. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Macy's to close 3 Western Mass. Department stores". January 7, 2016.
  23. ↑ Kinney, Jim (June 1, 2018). "Eastfield Mall: Sears closing clears way for redevelopment". Mass Live. Archived from the original on November 20, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Sears closing stores in Springfield, Peabody". May 31, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Cinemark closes Eastfield Mall cinema in Springfield for good; trashes screens and speakers". June 30, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Eastfield Mall expected to close this summer". WWLP. April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  27. ↑ Maria Wilson (July 5, 2023). "Longtime customer speaks out following the closure of Eastfield Mall in July". Western Mass News. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  28. 1 2 Shook, Ashley; D'Amours, Kristina (September 1, 2023). "Demolition begins at Eastfield Mall in Springfield". WWLP. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  29. ↑ Simmons, Nicole (February 15, 2024). "Eastfield Mall is officially gone — building stands no more". Mass Live. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Heinonen, Sarah (January 7, 2026). "Springfield Crossing 'open for business' at former mall site". The Reminder. Hampden County, Massachusetts. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  31. ↑ Fergus, Patrick; Hunter-Gasperini, Kayleigh (June 9, 2026). "Springfield property remains empty for 7 years, state rep. demands change". Western Mass News. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Project of the Month: Onyx Partners' Springfield Crossing transforms former Eastfield Mall into Western Mass.' premier retail destination". Nerej. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  33. 1 2 Damas, Richard (February 16, 2024). "'Springfield Crossing' development project underway at former Eastfield Mall". Spectrum News 1. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  34. ↑ Loughrey, Raegan; Rosario, Erik; Trowbridge, Ryan (October 23, 2023). "Springfield city councilor discusses plans for new development at former Eastfield Mall site". Western Mass News. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  35. 1 2 Feyre, Ryan (June 11, 2025). "Springfield City Council approves $8M public subsidy for Springfield Crossing project". The Reminder. Hampden County, Massachusetts. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  36. ↑ Smith, Taylor; Trowbridge, Ryan (May 10, 2024). "New tenants revealed as work continues at Springfield Crossing site". Western Mass News. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  37. 1 2 3 Loughrey, Raegan (July 14, 2026). "Springfield Crossing up for sale less than a year after grand opening". Western Mass News. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  38. ↑ White, Matt; Guidry, Hanna (July 8, 2025). "Major retailer breaks ground at Springfield Crossing". Western Mass News. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  39. ↑ Antonakas, Nick; Areta, Odiah (December 17, 2025). "Springfield Crossing to open at old Eastfield Mall site on Boston Road". WWLP. Archived from the original on December 17, 2025. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  40. ↑ Overton, Claire (July 15, 2026). "Springfield Crossing shopping center listed for sale". WWLP. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  41. ↑ Cox, Abby (May 7, 2026). "Five New Tenants to Join Springfield Crossing in Western Massachusetts". Shopping Center Business. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  42. ↑ O'Keefe, Julia (December 19, 2024). "New plans set for the old Eastfield Mall location". WWLP. Archived from the original on January 4, 2025. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
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