This document summarizes a student project about the growth of shopping centers around the Fashion Outlet Mall in Niagara Falls, New York since it opened in 1982. The student took photos of the shopping centers constructed around the mall over time, including Tops (early 1990s), Wegmans (1997), Target (1996), Walmart Supercenter and Sam's Club (2009). A map shows how business has flourished within walking distance of the outlet mall, with the mall serving as the symbol and driver for business growth in the area.

1. Shopping Mall
Salvatore Vilardo Student of Dr. Johnson SOC 270-Community Studies

2. • The topic that I chose for this project is from the chapter five “Metro
and Edge City Growth”, of the class text “The Urban World” by J. John
Palen.
• The part of this chapter I focused on was the section labeled, “Malling
of the Land” on page 98.

3. • I chose this topic because after reading this section of the text I
immediately thought of Military road and Niagara Falls Boulevard in
Niagara Falls.
• On page 98 of the text Palen states, “The dominant symbol for the
early decades of the twenty-first century is the shopping mall. As
expressed by Kowinski, “more than locations for consumption, malls
have become the signature structure for the age.”
• The Fashion Outlet mall opened in 1982, and since then business has
grown all around the mall.

4. • For this project I traveled down Military road and Niagara Falls
Boulevard and took pictures of the different shopping centers that
have been constructed around the mall and researched the year they
were built.
• To understand where everything is located the next slide has a map of
the area.

5. Map of Military Rd and Niagara Falls Blvd
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Military+Rd,+Niagara+Falls,+NY/@43.1111706,-
78.9906716,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89d367ec9a1ddd13:0x8dbf2f5741f10db4!8m2!3d43.1111706!4d-
78.9884829

6. Fashion Outlet Mall (1982)

7. Tops (Early 1990’s)
Though there has been a Tops in the area since the 1950’s. Tops relocated to this location in the early 1990’s which is
directly behind the Outlet Mall.

8. Wegmans (1997)

9. Target (1996)
Target is part of the plaza Tops is located in.

10. Walmart Supercenter (2009)

11. Sam’s Club (2009)
Both Walmart and Sam's Club were also previously located in Niagara Falls approximately 3.6 miles from the
Outlet Mall. The new location is walking distance from the Mall and their parking lots are connected.

12. Walmart Supercenter Plaza (2009)

13. Map of the Area
I really like this map I found online of the area. It gives a good representation of not only all of the shopping
centers that have developed around the Fashion Outlet mall, but also all of the homes surrounding the area.
http://www.benchmarkgrp.com/commercial/retail-space-mil-pine-plaza/

14. • As you can see, since the Mall was built in 1982 business in the area
has flourished.
• By choosing the topic “Malling of the Land” I better understand how a
shopping mall can be the symbol for business growth, in which the
Outlet Mall in Niagara Falls is a prime example.
• Looking at the map on the previous slide you can see that business
has grown all around within walking distance of the Outlet Mall.

15. Works Cited
• Palen, J. John. The Urban World. 10th ed. New York: Oxford University
Press, 2015.
• Zugger, Kevin. “Niagara Falls, NY - Mil-Pine Plaza.” Benchmark
Management Corp, www.benchmarkgrp.com/commercial/retail-
space-mil-pine-plaza/.