The Beltway Plaza mall is located in Greenbelt, Maryland. It was developed by Sidney J. Brown and First National Realty, opening on October 17, 1963. It was originally composed of a massive S. Klein department store separated by a large parking lot from an A&P Supermarket located in a strip shopping center along with a barbershop, single screen movie theater, and Drug Fair store. By 1972-73, a small indoor mall was created, situated between the strip shopping center and the S. Klein store, that included a 6-screen theater, steakhouse (Emerson's Steakhouse), a branch of George's appliance store chain, an ice cream shop, and in-house catalog store.
Within a few years of the S. Klein closing in 1975, the mall underwent major renovations. In the course of renovations, the space occupied by S. Klein was split up to create new spaces for different stores. Small fountains were added. The renovations included an additional 8 screen cinema and a Giant supermarket that was added to one wing of the former shopping strip.[1] The renovation also enclosed the area from the original mall to the supermarket.
The mall has 115 stores and restaurants and anchors include a Giant supermarket, Burlington Coat Factory, Marshalls, JoAnn Fabrics, Target, Shoppers World, and TJ Maxx (opened May 2014). (Shoppers World and the former Big Lots replaced a space formerly occupied by Value City until 2010.) The Target cannot be reached from the mall without going outdoors, though it shares a common roof.
Historyedit
On July 15, 1962, The Washington Post and Times-Herald published a sketch of the 320,000-square-foot (30,000 m2) department store of the S. Klein chain, to be constructed in the Beltway Plaza Regional Shopping Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. At the time the two-story and basement structure would be the largest Washington suburban department store and was expected to open the following Easter. Maryland Governor J. Millard Tawes witnessed the signing of the 30-year lease (the store would last only 13) between the plaza developer and S. Klein.
The store opened on Oct 17, 1963.[2] The Beltway Plaza property is home to some perilous slopes that have periodically given way. During construction of the store, in December 1962, five men died and 11 were injured in a basement earth slide and the mall was forced to close for a short period in 1966.[3] S. Klein was at Beltway Plaza until 1975, when the chain decided to close the store. The Washington Post of Feb 6, 1975 (p. G14) reported:
S. Klein Department Stores, a New York retailer that was a pioneer in the discount business, is closing its two big Washington area stores within six weeks, industry sources said yesterday. Officers of the company, a subsidiary of McCrory Corp., refused to conform [sic] or deny the reports.
In the weeks prior to September 11, 2001, all five of the terrorists who hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 and flew it into the Pentagon had frequently visited Beltway Plaza mall, including Giant Food, Gold's Gym, and Burlington Coat Factory.[4]
Referencesedit
^"New Paint, More Space for Area Malls," by Alison O'Neill, The Washington Post, Oct 18, 1982, p. W1.
^"S. Klein Opens First Store in D.C. Area," The Washington Post and Times-Herald, Oct 18, 1963, p. D6.
^"County Moves to Close Store Periled by Slope," The Washington Post and Times-Herald, Apr 1, 1966, p. A27.
^Sellin, Erik (2016). The Preparation for Flight 77. Classic CD Books. ISBN9781935513049.
External linksedit
Beltway Plaza Mall website
December 15, 2023
beltway, plaza, mall, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, augus. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Beltway Plaza Mall news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Beltway Plaza mall is located in Greenbelt Maryland It was developed by Sidney J Brown and First National Realty opening on October 17 1963 It was originally composed of a massive S Klein department store separated by a large parking lot from an A amp P Supermarket located in a strip shopping center along with a barbershop single screen movie theater and Drug Fair store By 1972 73 a small indoor mall was created situated between the strip shopping center and the S Klein store that included a 6 screen theater steakhouse Emerson s Steakhouse a branch of George s appliance store chain an ice cream shop and in house catalog store Beltway PlazaBeltway Plaza Mall logoLocationGreenbelt Maryland United StatesCoordinates38 59 57 8 N 76 54 29 3 W 38 999389 N 76 908139 W 38 999389 76 908139Opening dateOctober 17 1963DeveloperSidney J Brown and First National RealtyManagementQuantum CompaniesNo of stores and services100Total retail floor area900 000 square feet 84 000 m2 No of floors2 2nd floor is small Public transit accessTheBus 16 Metrobus C2 G14 R12 RTA Central Maryland bus 302Websitebeltwayplazamall wbr comWithin a few years of the S Klein closing in 1975 the mall underwent major renovations In the course of renovations the space occupied by S Klein was split up to create new spaces for different stores Small fountains were added The renovations included an additional 8 screen cinema and a Giant supermarket that was added to one wing of the former shopping strip 1 The renovation also enclosed the area from the original mall to the supermarket The mall has 115 stores and restaurants and anchors include a Giant supermarket Burlington Coat Factory Marshalls JoAnn Fabrics Target Shoppers World and TJ Maxx opened May 2014 Shoppers World and the former Big Lots replaced a space formerly occupied by Value City until 2010 The Target cannot be reached from the mall without going outdoors though it shares a common roof History editOn July 15 1962 The Washington Post and Times Herald published a sketch of the 320 000 square foot 30 000 m2 department store of the S Klein chain to be constructed in the Beltway Plaza Regional Shopping Center in Greenbelt Maryland At the time the two story and basement structure would be the largest Washington suburban department store and was expected to open the following Easter Maryland Governor J Millard Tawes witnessed the signing of the 30 year lease the store would last only 13 between the plaza developer and S Klein The store opened on Oct 17 1963 2 The Beltway Plaza property is home to some perilous slopes that have periodically given way During construction of the store in December 1962 five men died and 11 were injured in a basement earth slide and the mall was forced to close for a short period in 1966 3 S Klein was at Beltway Plaza until 1975 when the chain decided to close the store The Washington Post of Feb 6 1975 p G14 reported S Klein Department Stores a New York retailer that was a pioneer in the discount business is closing its two big Washington area stores within six weeks industry sources said yesterday Officers of the company a subsidiary of McCrory Corp refused to conform sic or deny the reports In the weeks prior to September 11 2001 all five of the terrorists who hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 and flew it into the Pentagon had frequently visited Beltway Plaza mall including Giant Food Gold s Gym and Burlington Coat Factory 4 References edit New Paint More Space for Area Malls by Alison O Neill The Washington Post Oct 18 1982 p W1 S Klein Opens First Store in D C Area The Washington Post and Times Herald Oct 18 1963 p D6 County Moves to Close Store Periled by Slope The Washington Post and Times Herald Apr 1 1966 p A27 Sellin Erik 2016 The Preparation for Flight 77 Classic CD Books ISBN 9781935513049 External links editBeltway Plaza Mall website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Beltway Plaza Mall amp oldid 1102357875, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
