Anyone?? The funding was approved in 2021 but it took a while for the state to develop grant guidelines. The potential developer is aware of the citys comprehensive plan, including the area plan for the South Gilmore/Mack Road area., Chris Anderson, Forest Parks director of community development said they havent met with Hillwood recently, but as far as I know everythings moving along, a little slower than we thought but still moving.. I was living in Corryville at the time and had already been drinking so I didn't want to drive. However, I sometimes go to the one at Cincinnati Mall because my brother works in Fairfield, so I can meet him for lunch. Forest Fair Mall / Cincinnati Mills / Cincinnati Mall - Cincinnati Mills Drive - Forest Park, Ohio. I thought it was a nice mall, only went there a couple of times-where liveliness go ? Owing to an economic downturn and financial considerations, the new Bass Pro Shops store was never built. The mall still seems most commonly refered to as Cincinnati Mills. I had to check the places I recalled being at when I was a kid. Cookie Notice Boyer, Mike. View our Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy & Cookie Settings. By the early 2000s, all of the anchor stores original to the mall had closed except for Bigg's Hypermarket. I left the conversation with a promising understanding that an extension would occur, Geisler told the Journal-News. Bass Pro Shops, Showcase Cinemas, Kohl's, and Burlington Coat Factory later moved into the mall to replace the original anchor stores. While I may have been young in the early 90s, I don't really see my mother taking her three young children into the war zone you describe. Can't find any reference to "warzone" on my article, but this is what I wrote: "By this point, crime in the center was so rampant that a police substation was installed adjacent to the parking garage.". ), You also forget that in the winter of 1992, 2 rival gangs went to the Forest Fair Mall and started a, Forest Fair Mall / Cincinnati Mills / Cincinnati Mall, http://www.labelscar.com/ohio/forest-fair-mall-cincinnati-mills-cincinnati-mall-cincinnati-ohio. It was projected that the proposal would create 2,000 jobs. The agriculture museum might have potential, but I don't quite understand the concept. I like the fact that there is nothing in there. Today 10:00AM-9:00PM . The interior of the mall is (by my estimate) about 95% empty. Day Hours Time; Today: Apr 28: 10:00AM-9:00PM: Saturday: Apr 29: 10:00AM-9:00PM . Forest Fair Mall chronology. Cincinnati Enquirer 29 Oct. 2000. Forest Fair Mall was constructed by L.J. I remember the first time I went there was when The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course came to theaters back in 2002 ago. Follow Us: About Us; Contact Us; Hours; WestShore Plaza, 250 WestShore Plaza, Tampa . Hooker in 1986, with the east wing of the mall opening in July 1988 with Biggs hypermarket and value-oriented inline tenants. Is this now Metropolis? By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Apr. It's a good article and a good recap story how that place never panned out, but I think the statement on crime is quite a big exaggeration. It later became the place my friends and I came to call our favorite place to go on the weekends Bourbon Street night club. 26The city of Fairfield discussed plans this week for what it wants to happen with the former Forest Fair Mall, known currently as Forest Fair Village. Some malls are using space for academic uses, as well as office space, which is always at a premium. Never said it was a warzone. Metropolis was opened in November of 2000 at this new location, after the closure of Bourbon StreetFormer Ruby Tuesday then MargaritasThe 2nd of the 2 anchors left. this would be a fun place! Or R20^llin? The mall sits in the northern suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio. p. 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOREST FAIR VILLAGE By the Numbers. This cinema has been closed since 2014Entries #2 and #8 and Steve & Barrys. For more information, please see our Um, on second thought, maybe that wasnt such a good idea. I merely said that was the kind of picture your article and your comments on here were painting the mall as, that's the vibe I got. Boyer, Mike. Not so, now. Why else would it be worth mentioning? Hard to connect it up other than that. CincyImages, First you talked about rampant crime in the mall, then you further went on to post about gangs and violence. It was sandwiched in between two other oversized malls in an area that wasn't that densely populated. While these malls don't have substations, they do have a constant police presence. Bear_Salary6976 2 mo. Forest Fair Village, formerly Forest Fair Mall, The Shops at Forest Fair, Cincinnati Mills and Cincinnati Mall was a two-level shopping mall 25.1 miles (40.4 km) southeast of downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, between Cincinnati Mills Drive, Forest Fair Drive, South Gilmore Road and Interstate 275 in Fairfield, a suburb of Cincinnati. Closed in 2006, Escalator up to the entertainment district Bourbon Street. There are more, but the NewsBank is giving me fits right now. Official MapQuest website, find driving directions, maps, live traffic updates and road conditions. Privacy Policy. I think the incident you're referring to is when a gun was pulled and there was a huge response from the Fairfield and Forest Park police. 12 Nov. 2008. Following up on the incredible Volkswagen graveyard, this junkyard is far smaller with only a handful of vehicles but every bit as photogenic. Carryout read more, This Fathers Day weekend order up one of our BBQ packages. read more, We are open for limited dining on our patio and in our read more. The remains of the mall, and its only current tenant (an arcade), features in YouTuber Adam the Woos daily vlog #1490 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZaTbToRWNw). The three times that I went there in the past year were at night, and during the time when the club was open, and it was very uncomfortable to walk anywhere near the car and not be followed, or see general sh!t happen. Forest Fair Village aka Forest Fair MallAs everyone knows I love exploring dilapidated areas and buildings, so I wanted to photograph one of my favorite malls. ^It was called Bourbon St. http://www.southlandstone.com/projects/Forest_Fair_Mall.pdf, I saw an article that stated the nightclub at Cincinnati Mills will be closing. Also, Sharonville is not a surrounding suburb of Cincinnati Mills. Forest Fair Mall was constructed by L.J. The mall currently has two open anchors which are Bass Pro Shops . Tri-County Mall | Barge Photography , 2023 Cincinnati Wedding Photographer | West Chester Photographer | Cincy Bride | ProPhoto Custom Blog by NetRivet Blogs. Kent, Jennifer. Maybe drop ceilings were there? According to the Butler and Hamilton county auditors websites, the properties have not been sold. In January 1991, Hookers seven lenders took over the malls operation as FFM Limited Partnership. Cincinnati Mills hopes sparked. Cincinnati Enquirer 6 Feb. 2007. She looked at me, barely saying thank you or anything, and simply stated in a very snotty voice that "things like that don't happen at Kenwood." Crab Du Jour offers experience-driven seafood dining in a fun, communal atmosphere, perfect for friends and family. This mall was built in 1988, and it was there when I moved into my first apartment that I furnished it with everything from the senior anchor, Biggs Hypermarket. 12 Nov. 2008. We played, ate, went to the dollar movie theater. site has almost 2,000 feet of . The remainder of the money was to be awarded on a first come first served basis. That mall was a financial disaster from the get go. Find nearby businesses, restaurants and hotels. This mall is very modern for a dead mall. Thats my unprofessional real opinion, I was there. Cincinnati Mills sold again. Cincinnati Enquirer 2 Jan. 2009. The Journal-News reached out to the Ohio Department of Development and Gov. The gangs were not walking around the other malls like they were at Forest Parks, Forest Fair Mall. I've never heard of a shooting in the mall and only know of a couple instances of significant fights at the mall. be connected to Supervalu. The . "Did you know that MS-13 roamed the mall back, and in the surrounding suburbs of Sharonville and Winton Woods?". And as an aside, Winton Woods is not a suburb, it is a school district and a park. I visited it back in the summer, You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. There was a huge CompUSA next to the Bigg's, but it didn't have an entrance inside the mall. I think its SM City Cincinnati by Henry Sy owned!!! I'll concede that it is entirely possible that gang members went to the mall but the idea that it was a threatening or dangerous place is ludicris. Yes, Bub City offers both delivery and takeout. Even the Tot Lots went up there to Metropolis on occasion! Cincinnati Mall works on debt plan., Baverman, Laura. . They are thinking about the name Forest Fair Village, stating they dont want to considered a mall. Its a gateway to the community so were concerned with what plans and what companies want to bring to us., Fairfield Economic Development Manager Nathaniel Kaelin told the Journal-News there have been discussions about keeping the Kohls store intact and they expect the developer will work with Kohls to determine how they fit into a redevelopment project.. Bourbon Street was closed down in 1999 and replace with Burlington Coat Factory, My VIP card. Powered by Invision Community. When Rookwood was built it hurt it a little but they both exist and well with each other. You also forget that in the winter of 1992, 2 rival gangs went to the Forest Fair Mall and started a violent indoor gang war, that included shootings, robberies and the like. Though it was the coolest one of the three I frequented in my mall rat years in the 90's . and our Fairfield, Ohio bordered with Forest Park, Ohio | Forest park, Butler county, Hamilton county Travel Destinations US Destinations Uploaded to Pinterest Bourbon Street nightclubs at Forest Fair Mall. Youre lucky the lights are kept on! It will most likely never be a mall again in the sense that it was before, but as a multi use facility, especially academic and office space, it can work. Copyright 20042023 Yelp Inc. Yelp, , and related marks are registered trademarks of Yelp. put stuff in there for teens and kids to do like ice skating roller skating the movie theater bowling jump zone games dance room! events and such there. Former Media Play entrance. Northgate? Sadly all the buckets you see are for leaks in the ceiling. The newspaper reports that the zone will take up 180,000 square feet. 3. It takes quite a while to get all your ducks in a row when youre talking about a project that massive. This cinema has been closed since 2014, Entries #2 and #8 and Steve & Barrys. I encourage you to stop by there and take a walk through this unique work of art before it is shuttered. Greater Cincinnati mall under contract; demo and $150M project planned.. Can't make it to us? 12 Nov. 2008. Hi Brittney, No offense, but some people are way too young to remember anything significant that occurred there during the early 1990s. The mall underwent two major renovations since its debut. * Perception that under Forest Fair management, the mall had become a gang hangout. They tore that club down, built a store, and the moved the club to a different area I think near Kohls. What's the status on Cincinnati Sports Zone and the new "Forest Fair Village" name? Butler County officials are confident they will be able to get an extension to June 2024 to preserve an $8 million state grant to down the old Forest Fair Mall, but some Fairfield officials arent wild about what might come next. It had games and some movies for sale. . . Forest Fair? Also supposed to be opening are Arcade Legacy (opened Feb 12), Extreme Baseball Academy, Bee Active Adventure Zone, Universal Fitness, Brain Freeze Treats and Grill, and Body of Influence. Grill (Fairview Mall) 4.5 (200+ ratings) Fast food More info There was a rumor that there were gang wars inside Forest Fair during the 1990s, guess it was true after all? Unsafe?!?! Cincinnati Mall, formerly known as Forest Fair Mall and Cincinnati Mills, is an ailing shopping center in Fairfield, Ohio. Mall struggles to find niche. Cincinnati Enquirer 12 July 2006. Hope to see you in soon! more. The place certainly had it's problems back in the day and there was crime. To enter Metropolis you have to park in a completely different parking structure than that of the main mall, why were you parked there and who was following you? They even had a Virtual Reality place there. It really puts things into perspective. Country, Dance, and I forget the other two. Mall cinema shuts down. Cincinnati Enquirer 2 March 2010. A mall of this size, and in its location (which was a poor idea to start with) simply wont work. ?Center Court elevatorFormer Media Play entrance. [], [] https://abandonedonline.net/location/cincinnati-mall/ BACKGROUND MUSIC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQyzEyIf7P0&t=254s []. 115K subscribers in the cincinnati community. If you have a link to an article on this, I'd love to read it. Officials have estimated it could take 12 to 18 months to down such a massive development. I had a lot of fun at this mall when it opened. I remember going there in the late 90's/early 2000's and security not letting you walk around in large groups (they also had this policy at Northgate and Tri-County when I worked there), but I can't find any information on an indoor shooting war. The deadline to apply for funding was last February but the awards with the May demolition completion deadline werent announced until October. Hopefully a new buyer will come in and restore it, and find some kind of entertainment use for this gem of a place. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers. Bourbon Street was closed to make way for construction. The point of the substation at Cincinnati Mall/Forest Fair was supposed to be some educational thing done between the Fairfield and Forest Park police, since the mall fell into both of their jurisdictions. 9 By September, only 56% of the mall was leased, including 60% of the anchor space and 47% of the inline retailer space. Dont do anything with it and just allow it to be a landmark. Get the inside scoop (and a chance at a $1,000 shopping spree) today. The development also will include a restaurant, a sports bar and a volleyball court. (813) 287-9772 Sign Up For Email. 12 Nov. 2008. The prior summer saw a major brawl at a McDonalds - where a security firm was hired just for the parking lot on the weekends. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 1 10 It thrived with three anchors, 145 inline tenants, several themed restaurants and nightclubs, and two movie theatres, and boasted an occupancy rate of 93%. Hopefully a new buyer will come in and restore it, and find some kind of entertainment use for this gem of a place. Learn how your comment data is processed. It's a statement that noted the gangs not only thrived in Forest Park, but in other suburbs (of Cincinnati). Found this out firsthand, the management will try anything to keep it out of the papers. Most of what you talked about is rumor, as others have said. I remember it well. 18 The idea never came to fruition. There is a lot of you connecting dots and then saying that you never did. Welcome back to where it all started, FOREST FAIR MALL, to celebrate 1,000 subscribers with a newly re-rerecorded, re-shot, re-mastered, re-booted edition. I seen this place from beginning to end. The Cottrill Opera House in Thomas, West Virginia opened in 1902 and closed in the 1970s. Biggs, as a chain, is actually holding its own right now and is doing pretty well from what I've seen. As everyone knows I love exploring dilapidated areas and buildings, so I wanted to photograph one of my favorite malls. 2. Enjoy thisForest Fair Village Forest Fair Mall Cincinnati Mills Mall Cincinnati Mall photography provided byBargePhotography offeringnature and skyline nature photography in theCincinnati metro area and the entire country. Nearest MBTA Station: Orange & Red Lines / Downtown Crossing Station . The majority of the mall property is in Hamilton County, but those officials had already submitted demolition applications to the state so Hillwood came to Butler County for help. She covers Butler County including all elected office holders, departments and independent boards; Liberty, Ross and West Chester townships. Several articles from August 1998 about a series of gang-related robberies in the area malls, including Forest Fair, that are violent and involve guns. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. In February 2022, Hillwood Construction Services began negotiations to purchase the site with the goal of tearing down the 1.9-million-square-foot shopping center and redeveloping the site with 1.5 million square feet of light industrial buildings at the cost of $150 million. The three times that I went there in the past year were at night, and during the time when the club was open, and it was very uncomfortable to walk anywhere near the car and not be followed, or see general shit happen. The plan calls for three ice rinks to be used for hockey, figure skating and recreational skating. Recently we uploaded a video about Forest Fair Mall the state it is in now, Here is a video of what the mall looked like with the original asteadics and Time. Now the Monroe Outlet Mall. that gives me the hee bee gee bees!! They didn't put a substation there to curtail crime, it had always been there. Sherman, I grew up in Fairfield and was often at Forest Fair Mall but do not ever remember feeling unsafe inside. * Changes to the dress code is "racial profiling," notes several African-Americans in the article (their quote, term). Entry #7Only Bass Pro and Kohls are openMall entry #6 looking into the old Biggs HypermarketEast end of the mall. I was around when the Forest Fair Mall came into fruition, which was the only way (at the time) that the mall area could have been saved. The only reason I even go there these days is for the Babies 'R Us store, but now there is one near Kenwood Mall. Biggs in Forest Park to close. Cincinnati Enquirer 14 May 2008. Sorry, I just felt the need to point that out. and our And I remember accessing it from within the mall via a escalator. I'll never forget being amazed by the indoor Ferris wheel and all the games. The Forest Fair Mall was opened in 1989 and originally featured Bigg's Hypermarket, Bonwit Teller, B. Altman, Elder-Beerman, Parisian, and Sakowitz as anchor stores. The extension will modify the current end date of grant agreements from May 31, 2023 to June 30, 2024.. The second and latest was in January this year. Boyer, Mike. I use to go there in the early 90s when it was call Super Savor Cinemas 8. After that is was called Danberry Dollar Saver Cinemas and then lastly The Screens at Cincinnati Mall This is just 1 of 2 cinemas, that was located at the mall. Seeking to turn around its flagging fortunes, FFM rebranded the mall as Malls at Forest Fair in May 1992 as part of a $25 million project which included dividing the concourses into four retail themes centered around entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, and value. Place 2 B Night Club has signed a five-year lease for more than 29,000 square feet of space at the Forest Park center, according to a news release from Cincinnati Mall. It is a high crime and drug related area with violence and theft much higher than upper class Tri-county Mall which is 5 minutes away. The big mistake was putting in such high dollar stores initially. I was shocked to find out that so much of the mall had been shut down that it was nearly impossible to actually walk from the store to Chipotle. The Castle: Inside Rackspace's Headquarters, When you visited the mall, was the arcade type store already closed? The music venue is beautiful and the food as always is so so good. 1 / 14. Are you kidding me? And you are correct, Winton Wood is not a suburb or a CDP, but a school district. I miss the good times from early 90s in that mall. Its crazy to think this mall is still standing after all these years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_-cBLQlB-A. Finally called them and they said they were next to the food court which was completely closed except for an unpatronized Japanese restaurant. 1 like. It was always a curious thing. 24 25 Hillwood pledged to match $2.6 million toward demolition costs that were estimated at $10.5 million. When the mall was renovated to "Cincinnati Mills," the substation was moved down by the food court. Did you know that MS-13 roamed the mall back, and in the surrounding suburbs of Sharonville and Winton Woods? That was unheard of at the time. Fasig, Lisa Biank. I just walked around there yesterday, and there are no stores open except for the anchors, the Danberry movie theatre, and one restaurant in the food court. LOL!!!!!!!!!!! From the website, Metropolis looks like its still open. They had ties for 300!! I picked them up and walked down to where my friend was, and after their final exchange, I handed her the watches, explaining I wasn't sure if she knew they had been left out.