Jordan Creek Town Center

History

Proposal 1995 - 2004

Around 1995, the family of local businessman Art Wittern proposed the "Village at Oakbrook" to the city of West Des Moines on the 200 acre site that the Witterns owned at 74th Street (later renamed Jordan Creek Parkway) and E.P. True Parkway. The village would have contained a mixture of commercial, residential, and office development that was intended to attract upscale retailers similar to those at Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. In 1999, following the success of Coral Ridge Mall in eastern Iowa, General Growth Properties chose the Wittern site for its proposed "town center" concept.

General Growth unveiled plans for Jordan Creek Town Center in May 2000. Two of the Des Moines metropolitan area's existing malls, Merle Hay Mall and Valley West Mall, promptly sued the city of West Des Moines, claiming that it was illegal to use public money from tax increment financing to make improvements around the mall. The Iowa Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit on February 27, 2002, allowing construction of the $200 million complex to begin later that year.

2004–present

Jordan Creek Town Center opened on August 4, 2004, attracting nearly 17 million shoppers in its first year. Jordan Creek led to short-term sales declines at the three existing regional malls in the Des Moines area (Merle Hay, Valley West, and Southridge) while accounting for nearly 37 percent of taxable sales at the four malls during the last three months of 2004. Jordan Creek also affected sales tax revenues in Dallas County, which jumped from $16.7 million in fiscal 2004 to $33.7 million in fiscal 2006. It has also spawned other new commercial developments in West Des Moines such as the West Glen Town Center near Interstate 35 and a new Wells Fargo office complex south of the mall.

In May 2007, Iowa State University economists David Swenson and Liesl Eathington released a study showing that retail sales in the Dallas County portion of West Des Moines had increased by over $310 million, or 503.7 percent, during Jordan Creek's first two years of operation. At the same time, sales in the city of Des Moines decreased by nearly $194 million (5.2 percent) while sales in the Polk County portion of West Des Moines decreased by $22 million (2.4 percent). Smaller Dallas County cities like Adel and Perry also experienced declines in retail sales during this period.

In February 2018, Iowa-based department store Von Maur announced it would construct a new location at the mall, with a planned opening in 2022. In April 2018, the parent company to the mall's Younkers department store announced it would cease operations and close all stores. The Jordan Creek store closed on August 29, 2018.

On June 10, 2021, a 2-story H&M would open right next to the main atrium.

On November 5, 2022, Von Maur opened in the former Younkers location.

References

References

1. "Store Directory".
2. "Jordan Cree Town Center Information".
3. "Jordan Creek Town Center".
4. "What’s in a name? {{!}} Iowa Living Magazines".
5. Erb, Gene. (2000-06-19). "Mall's size takes some by surprise". [[The Des Moines Register]].
6. Iowa Supreme Court. (September 2010). "Supreme Court Opinion".
7. Johnson, Patt. (2005-07-31). "Jordan Creek redirects competition". The Des Moines Register.
8. Johnson, Patt. (2005-05-27). "Jordan Creek provides retail spark". The Des Moines Register.
9. Bzdega, Sarah. (2007-02-25). "Jordan Creek area shows no signs of slowing". Des Moines Business Record.
10. "Recent Trade Shifts in the Des Moines/West Des Moines Metropolitan Region".
11. Johnson, Patt. (2007-05-19). "Study: Shoppers bypass D.M.". The Des Moines Register.
12. Patt Johnson. (February 7, 2018). "Von Maur bucks retail trend, plans new store at Jordan Creek mall". Des Moines Register.
13. "Department-store chain Bon-Ton is going out of business — here's the list of the 212 stores that will close". Business Insider.
14. Aaron Smith. (April 19, 2018). "Every Bon-Ton department store is closing". CNN.
15. "H&M opens Jordan Creek Town Center location".
16. "Von Maur sets opening date at Jordan Creek Town Center".