WASHINGTON PRIME GROUP INC. Columbus, OH - November 1, 2021 - Washington Prime Group is excited to announce that DeBartolo Commons is now open at Southern Park Mall in Boardman, Ohio, showcasing the premier destination in the Greater Mahoning Valley. The grand opening was marked with Community Day on Oct. 23, a day-long celebration that brought the community together for free and socially distanced outdoor activities, including live music, princess and superhero appearances, a petting zoo and pony rides, yard games, inflatables, food trucks and more.
DeBartolo Commons is a four-acre athletic and entertainment green space and experiential event center designed to be a gathering space for the Boardman community. It connects to the local hike and bike trail, has seating areas for the public and is open from dawn to dusk. Plans were thoughtfully put together with the Boardman community and Trustees, surrounding communities, and existing tenants.
The Community Day celebration marked the culmination of more than two years of redevelopment and transformation at Southern Park Mall. DeBartolo Commons is the centerpiece of a major $30 million dollar renovation of Southern Park Mall that coincided with its 50th anniversary in 2020. This investment will strengthen Southern Park Mall as the hub of retail, dining and entertainment in the area. Southern Park Mall also celebrated the impending opening of The Bunker, Double Bogey's Bar & Grill, and Steel Valley Brew Works, which all overlook and connect to DeBartolo Commons, collectively forming a go-to outdoor space for community members to connect with one another.
DeBartolo Commons was developed in partnership with the DeBartolo-York family and was built in honor of the legacy of Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr. and the DeBartolo-York family. Southern Park Mall will further honor the legacy of Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr., and the DeBartolo-York family through a permanent exhibit, as part of the town center's redevelopment efforts. The exhibit educates Southern Park Mall's guests and the community about the DeBartolo family's tremendous impact in the Boardman/Youngstown community, and its iconic place in the retail and professional sports worlds.
The ever-present exhibit highlights photographs, artifacts and tokens representing key moments in the family's history, with the themes of legacy, community and heritage. Large panels illustrate the story of the DeBartolo family, from historical timelines to little-known facts.
"In addition to DeBartolo Commons, it's been an honor to collaborate with Mrs. Denise DeBartolo-York and her team on the DeBartolo retrospective, which commemorates Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr. and the family's significant impact through dynamic storytelling that transcends decades. The exhibit was concepted and designed with discovery top of mind and features artfully executed visuals, original publications and video, hand-selected photos, articles and treasures from the family's personal archives. We're excited for our guests and the Boardman and broader Youngstown/Mahoning Valley community to experience their dynasty in a way their story hasn't been told," said Jennifer Moretti, Senior Vice President and Chief Activation Officer of Washington Prime Group. "We placed the exhibit in the heart of the center, adjacent to DeBartolo Commons, to emphasize the importance and pay homage to the DeBartolo-York family's legacy in the community. Southern Park Mall is a perfect place to memorialize the DeBartolo family."
Ahead of the grand opening of DeBartolo Commons, Southern Park Mall commissioned a 200-foot, one-of-a-kind mural by local artist and firefighter Patrick McGlone of Overall Paint Co. The mural highlights the strength and resiliency of the community with the message, "You can't break a city built from steel."
In addition to the DeBartolo-York family, other partners who supported the creation of this one-of-a-kind venue are Boardman Township and its park district. DeBartolo Commons will serve the approximately 565,000 individuals who call the Greater Youngstown area home.
The transformation at Southern Park Mall will strengthen its position as the hub of retail, dining, and entertainment in the area. Washington Prime Group has worked with the Boardman community and existing tenants throughout the redevelopment project, which was made possible with the support of the staff and elected officials serving Boardman Township, the Boardman Local Schools, Mahoning County and the Western Reserve Port Authority. In addition, Washington Prime Group is proud to partner in executing the Southern Park Mall project with local tradespeople affiliated with Ironworkers Local 207, LIUNA Local 125, Roofers Local 71, Carpenters Local 171, Concrete Finishers Local 179, Electrical Workers Local 64, Sprinkler Fitters Local 669, Sheet Metal Workers Local 33, Operating Engineers Local 66, Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 396, and Cement Masons & Plasterers Local 179.
About Washington Prime Group
Washington Prime Group Inc. is a recognized leader in the ownership, management, acquisition and development of retail properties. The Company combines a national real estate portfolio with its expertise across the entire shopping center sector to provide new opportunities to retailers looking for growth throughout the U.S. Washington Prime Group® is a registered trademark of the Company. Learn more at www.washingtonprime.com.
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Kimberly Flaherty, VP, Communications & Public Relations: Media.Relations@washingtonprime.com
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Washington Prime Group Inc. published this content on 02 November 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 15 November 2021 12:00:08 UTC.
