Plaza Las Américas

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Plaza Las Américas

Coordinates: 18°25′19″N 66°4′28″W / 18.42194°N 66.07444°W / 18.42194; -66.07444

Plaza Las Américas

Location	San Juan, Puerto Rico
Opening date	April 12, 1968
Management	Empresas Fonalledas, Inc.
Owner	Empresas Fonalledas, Inc.
No. of stores and services	300 (approx.)
No. of anchor tenants	3
Total retail floor area	2.173 million ft²
Parking	11,000 (approx.)
No. of floors	3 (excluding office bldg.)
Website	http://www.plazalasamericas.com

Plaza Las Américas is a shopping mall in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, located at the intersection of Routes 18 and 23. It is near the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, the Hiram Bithorn Stadium, and the WKAQ-TV's studios. "Plaza", as it is known to many Puerto Ricans, was the first indoor mall built in Puerto Rico^{[citation needed]}. It is the largest shopping mall in the Caribbean and the third largest in Latin America^{[citation needed]} and the twelfth largest in the United States.

History

1918

The brothers Jerónimo, Rosa, Gerardo and Jaime Fonalledas acquire 527 acres of land previously known as “Las Monjas”. This land was property of Don Pablo Ubarri Capetillo, the Count of Santurce.

1920

Little by little cane harvesting was eliminated with the intention of using the land for the creation of Milk Company, eventually known as "Vaquería Tres Monjitas".

1950

The metropolitan area of San Juan was growing rapidly. The Planning Board begins to project the ordered development of the lands. It is then, that the Fonalledas brothers come up with the idea of establishing a Regional Shopping Center in the “Las Monjas” property. The Planning Board includes in its development plan a space of 15 land cords for a Shopping Center.

1962

The plans for the construction of a Shopping Center and the negotiations with tenants begin.

1967

In the month of April the construction of Plaza las Americas begins, under the direction of the engineer Peter Jacobson.

1968

Plaza the Americas opens September 12 of that year. This was the first enclosed shopping center in Puerto Rico and the biggest of Latin America. The project was inaugurated with a total of 79 establishments, two movie theaters and parking 4,000 vehicles. The 100% of the space were rented and nearly 2,000 people where employed in the new Mall.

1969

The architectonic design of Plaza las Americas wins the URBE Prize to commercial arquitecture^{[citation needed]}.

1979

First expansion of the Shopping Center. New stores were added, for example the North American chain Sears. The “Terraza de Plaza”, the first food court to be established in the island, is also inaugurated.

1992

The new Development Plan for the second great expansion of Plaza las Americas is published.

1994

The expansion of Plaza las Américas and also the remodeling of “La Terraza” are completed. The quantity of restaurants was augmented from 19 to 24, and the movie theaters from 5 to 10. The construction of the “Torre de Plaza” is finished at a cost of $15 million. The Tower added 146,000 square feet of profitable space to the shopping Center”

1996

Plaza las Americas announces its largest expansion and remodeling at a cost of more than $246 million.

1997

The advertising campaign of Plaza las Americas “Menos mal que está Plaza” gains the Maxi Award Prize which is granted by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).

1999

The overpass bridge on the De Diego Expressway is inaugurated, offering better access to the Shopping Center.

2000

Remodeling and expansion of the Shopping Center is completed. Now it offers a new facade and a total of 2.1 million square feet, occupied by over 300 stores. The legendary department store Macy’s opens as one of the anchor stores of the shopping center. A thirteen (13)-screen multiplex is completed. A concept of “public” art is created in the shopping center, which includes pieces by local artists.

2008

Plaza las Americas commemorates its 40th anniversary.

Notable attributes

One of the main entrances to the mall.

• Considered by many to be the Caribbean's leading shopping center,^{[citation needed]}.
• It is the third largest shopping center in Latin America.
• The RadioShack store in Plaza is the busiest and highest grossing RadioShack store in the world.
• The largest JCPenney store in the world (a full 4 stories) is located at the mall.
• The largest Big K-Mart store in the Caribbean is located at the mall.
• The first Macy's store to open outside of the continental U.S. is located at the mall.
• The mall produces approximately 8,000 local jobs and has a local economic impact of approximately $268 million.
• The mall has approximately 11,000 parking spaces.
• The Highest grossing Borders & Music store is located in the mall.
• The Sephora and Forever 21 stores located in the mall were the first stores that each chain opened in Latin America.
• It holds 2 police station (PRPD and San Juan Police), also it haves a small fire department post in the lower parking complex, right next to the police station.

Anchor Stores

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• JCPenney (350,000 sq.ft)
• Sears (329,000 sq.ft)
• Macy's (255,000sq. ft)
• Big K-Mart (249,000sq.ft)

See also

• Jaime Fonalledas

External links

• Plaza Las Américas Official Homepage (Spanish)

Categories:

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Shopping malls in Puerto Rico

Buildings and structures in San Juan, Puerto Rico