Rivercenter Mall, San Antonio, TX

An extant asset

-UPDATE BELOW-

13 July 2024

(Source)

San Antonio was another one of those cities with which I almost instantaneously fell in love. I first flew down on an old Delta 727 from Dallas after a several hour delay on Christmas Eve 1998. I was there to spend the holiday with family located near Lackland and the old Kelly Air Force Base. The latter of these facilities was home to most of the military branch's Lockheed C-5 fleet. So there were huge airplanes, one thing that I love. First point secured. Then we made the trip downtown where I got to experience the vibrant nightlife and the festive atmosphere of the Riverwalk. Another point awarded. And right smack in the middle of it all was a large, urban shopping facility integrated onto and, in places, above the San Antonio River. Point three. I was in love.

-UPDATE-  1 to 3- The Rivercenter under construction in downtown San Antonio.  4 to 6- The Rivercenter in the eighties.  (Source for all)

The Rivercenter and downtown as a whole made quite the impression on me. The waters of the San Antonio River actually ran through the building, which was adorned in the colors and the styles of the southwest. The promenades created a serpentine maze of both indoor and outdoor plazas where the mall met the water, with the cobblestone walkways and arched crossings integrated seamlessly into the design of the complex.

Rivercenter Mallmanac ca. 1998. View the full PDF version here.

During the daytime, there was more of a family atmosphere as my nephew joined us for the standard tourist fare, which included a long walk along the river's banks and the required gondola tour. But at night, the area took on a completely different personality. Bars and dance clubs lined the previously family friendly environs of the riverwalk while multi-colored Christmas Lights cascaded from the top of the trees nearly all the way down to the water. 

-UPDATE-  1 to 3- The exterior of the Rivercenter in its earlier days.  4 to 6- The interior in the eighties.  (Source for all)

The Rivercenter opened in 1988 featuring Dillard's and the city's first Lord & Taylor. The building housing Dillard's was the half million square foot, century old flagship store for San Antonio based Joske's. Just before the mall opened, however, and as renovations were being completed that would join the older building to the new mall, Dillard's took over all of the venerable old San Antonio stores' locations. But only about half of the Joske's space was used by its new owners, allowing the rest of the historic building to be turned into additional mall space and an AMC Cineplex.

Rivercenter Mallmanac ca. 2011. View the full PDF version here.

Since the Rivercenter's opening, Foley's has taken over the Lord & Taylor spot before being acquired by and renamed Macy's while Dillard's closed their mall store in 2008. Today, the entire building that once housed Joske's is slated for redevelopment. This could include a luxury hotel to complement the existing 1000 room, 38 story Marriott located at the other end of the mall.

The Rivercenter in the late nineties.

I'm normally one who avoids kitschy tourist spots that most usual travelers like to frequent. In fact, I've made it a point to avoid places like San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf and Chicago's Navy Pier despite their popularity. But there are some spots that may fall into that kitschy category which still have to be seen. One, in my opinion, is the Las Vegas Strip. Another is here, San Antonio's Riverwalk.

-UPDATE- Rivercenter pamphlet ca. 2021. View the full PDF version here.

-UPDATE-

-26 December 2021

1- The atrium looking out into the San Antonio River.  (Source)  2- The newly laid out interior of the former Joske’s.  (Source)  3- H&M’s mall entrance.  (Source)  4- The exterior of the former Macy’s store, once Foley’s and Lord & Taylor before that.  (Source)

Up to this point, the Rivercenter has avoided the fate of other city center located vertical malls such as MacArthur Center and Horton Plaza and actually continues to remain as a viable retail destination.  The redevelopment of the former Joske's store was completed in 2016.  With its opening, the names H&M, Dave & Busters and Starbucks, among others, were added to the lineup.

The Shops at Rivercenter Mallmanac ca. 2024. View the full PDF version here.

Unfortunately, what is now named the Shops at Rivercenter did lose its final remaining traditional department store anchor when Macy’s, formerly Foley’s, announced their withdrawal in 2021.  However, the newest owners of the facility are looking at possible conversions to residential or office spaces.  The developers hope that these types of changes will bring more local shoppers back into the facility that currently attributes about seventy-five percent of its sales being from visitors originating from somewhere other than Bexar County.

1- Where the San Antonio River meets the Rivercenter.  (Source)  2- The former Joske’s under redevelopment.  (Source)  3- The exterior of the former Joske’s and Dillard’s after its renovation was complete.  (Source)  4-  Rivercenter surrounding the historic St. Joseph Catholic Church.  (Source)

The Shops at Rivercenter official website