Century III Mall

Century III Mall is an abandoned three-level shopping mall located 10.3 miles (16.6 km) northwest of downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the suburb of West Mifflin. The mall originally opened with two anchor stores, JCPenney and Kaufmanns, and later added three more over the next decade: Sears, Gimbels, and Montgomery Ward.
== Mall History ==
Century III Mall opened on October 24, 1979, with two anchor stores, JCPenney and Kaufmann's, and later added three more in the following decade: Sears, Montgomery Ward, and Gimbel's. Unfortunately, Montgomery Ward closed down in 1986, just six years after the mall's opening. The empty space was quickly taken over by Horne's the same year. However, two years later, Gimbel's also closed down, prompting the mall to transform the upper level into Marshalls and the lower level into TJ Maxx.
In 1994, Horne's was rebranded as Lazarus, a common change for most Horne's stores at the time. Unfortunately, Lazarus lasted only five years and closed its doors in 1999. The space left behind by Lazarus was eventually converted into a Kaufmann's Furniture Gallery.
However, in 1996, Marshalls also closed down, and the space remained empty for a year until Wickes Furniture moved in during 1997. Then, a year later, TJ Maxx underwent a transformation and became TJ Maxx 'N More, a smaller version of the original store.
Overall, Century III Mall enjoyed great success throughout the 80s, thanks to its anchor stores and popularity among shoppers in the Pittsburgh area.
== Decline ==
In 1996, the mall was acquired by Simon Property Group following its merger with the DeBartolo Corporation. To improve the shopping experience, the company invested $8 million in a renovation project that included the addition of skylights in common areas and the removal of the sunken-stage area at the center court. This renovation project was completed in 1997 and helped modernize the mall.
Despite the renovation efforts in the late 1990s, Century III Mall began to decline, facing increased competition from newer shopping destinations like The Waterfront in Homestead, which opened in 1999, and the major renovation of South Hills Village in Bethel Park, which included a larger food court that attracted more shoppers away from Century III.
In 2003, TJ Maxx 'N More closed, and the space was eventually taken over by Steve & Barry's. A year later, Wickes Furniture closed and was replaced by Dick's Sporting Goods. Unfortunately, by the late 2000s, several key retailers filed for bankruptcy, resulting in additional vacancies and further weakening the mall's appeal.
In September 2006, both the Kaufmann's store and the furniture gallery were rebranded as Macy's. However, Macy's Furniture Gallery closed three years later in 2009. The former Ruby Tuesday space was occupied by La Hacienda in 2010, which eventually closed and remained vacant for five years before being replaced with Old Mexico Restaurant in 2015.
In 2011, Simon Property Group sold Century III Mall to Jones Lang LaSalle for $78 million. However, the mall faced continued decline, and in 2013, it was sold to Moonbeam Capital Investments LLC. Despite several attempts to revitalize the mall, including plans to build a medical center and senior living facility, the mall's fate remained uncertain, and it officially closed in 2019.
Despite efforts by new ownership to revive the mall, Century III continued to decline. Sears closed in December 2014, leaving a significant vacancy that remained unfilled. In January 2016, Macy's also closed its Century III location, which further reduced the mall's occupancy. By December 2017, the mall's occupancy had plummeted to only 10 percent.
The once-bustling food court, which was home to over 20 eateries, was completely vacant by July 2017. The last remaining restaurant, Old Mexico, closed in April 2018, leaving the mall completely devoid of dining options.
Century III Mall, once a bustling shopping destination in the Pittsburgh area, was permanently closed on February 12, 2019, after being deemed "unsafe and uninhabitable" by the West Mifflin fire code due to safety concerns. Despite efforts by previous owners to revitalize the mall, declining foot traffic and increased competition from newer shopping centers led to a steady decline in occupancy. By the time of its closure, the mall had lost most of its tenants, with only JCPenney remaining. However, even JCPenney closed its doors on October 26, 2020, leaving Century III completely vacant and abandoned.
On April 2, 2021, documentary channel Bright Sun Films uploaded a video discussing the history of the abandoned Century III Mall, shining a light on the mall to a new audience and its history.
On September 14, 2021, urban exploration influencer Steve Ronin shared a video on Facebook showing Century III Mall in a state of disrepair. In the video, debris and puddles of water can be seen on the floor of the mall.
In March 2023, home improvement chain Menards reportedly declined on its offer to purchase Century III Mall.
As of early 2023, the water has been shut off in the section of the mall where it was previously kept running.
On April 11, 2023, a fire broke out in the mall on the third floor above the food court area at 6:15 AM, the fire was later extinguished around 9:40 AM. The cause of the fire was determined to be arson. Power to the mall was also shut off.
In the week following the fire, all entrances and exits to the mall have been barricaded and the parking lot is completely inaccessible to the public.
On June 3, 2023, a teenage boy fell through the roof of the mall's former Macy's location. The teenager was promptly taken to UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh in critical condition.
A hearing was held on June 14, 2023 to condemn the mall following numerous complaints from city officials. Moonbeam Capital CEO Shawl Pryor attended the hearing, receiving criticism for the property's decline since 2019. Pryor alleges that the company ceased funding towards maintenance in 2022 as the graffiti and damage was too expensive to clean.
On June 19, 2023, 23-year old YouTuber Brody Lones was arrested with two other individuals after the trio had broken into the mall and begun filming themselves destroying multiple decorations around the building. Lones was later charged with felony trespassing.
On July 18, 2023, West Mifflin Borough Council voted 6-0 to condemn the abandoned Century III Mall.
In August 2023, local media reported that a portion of the roof collapsed on the mall's third floor. West Mifflin officials suspect that the fire that occurred in April may have been a factor.
On March 26, 2024 demolition of the mall began with the attached external parking garage structure.
== Disaster Strikes ==
On April 12th, 2023, a fire broke out in the old food court, prompting over 15 different counties of fire officials to respond. The fire was reported at 6:32 A.M., with smoke pouring out of the vents above the former food court. Fire Captain McCullough stated that the structure is unsafe and people should not enter. The mall has been vandalized and is in bad shape, with broken glass and debris scattered throughout.
At 9:43 A.M., the fire was reported to be out, and the structure was deemed okay, with only minor damage to the food court. However, the cause of the fire was arson. 
== Aftermath ==
Since the fire broke out, all entrances and exits to the mall have been barricaded and the parking lot has become completely inaccessible. It has been a week since the incident and the area remains closed off to the public.
== See Also ==
Creator Ace's Adventures Published The Final Look At Century III Mall Before Demolition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9tVb5ke4g8
Category:Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Category:Pittsburgh Area Malls
Category:Malls in the United States
Category:Malls in Pennsylvania
Category:Dead Malls
Category:Malls that opened in 1980
Category:Edward J. DeBartolo
Category:JCPenney-anchored Malls
Category:Abandoned malls
Category:Malls that closed in 2019
Category:Filming locations
Category:Former Wards-anchored Malls
Category:Former Gimbels-anchored Malls
Category:Former Marshalls-anchored Properties
Category:Former T.J. Maxx-anchored Properties
Category:Former Steve & Barry's-anchored Malls
Category:Former Dick's-anchored Malls
Category:Former Kaufmann's-anchored Malls
Category:Former Macy's-anchored Malls
Category:Former JCPenney-anchored Malls
Category:Former Horne's-anchored Malls
Category:Former Lazarus-anchored Malls
Category:Moonbeam Mall