Malls · Florida
Colonial Plaza
Opened 1956. Reinhabited in 1995.
Status nowOperatingextracted, unreviewed
What it becameretailextracted, unreviewed reported
Site size20 acresextracted, unreviewed
documented
Overall, the center had a total of 20 acres (8.1 ha) of shop space at the time
Retrofit year1995extracted, unreviewed reported
Walkability17.7 of 20 · 15-minute 4 of 6EPA, OpenStreetMap
Rail within 800 mYes · Opportunity ZoneOpenStreetMap, HUD
Ask who owns this Download dossier (PDF) · early access Download record (JSON) API Share LinkedIn Correct this recordhttps://retrofitatlas.org/malls/fl/orlando-colonial-plaza/
Solid = from the authors' map · outlined = public source · dashed = model-written, not yet reviewed by a person. Tap any value's source label to see where it came from. documented = a quoted excerpt (click to read it) · reported = a source named, no excerpt yet · no source.
Site profile15 elements · what this retrofit is built with · tap a chip for the evidence
Former anchors
Belk
This site: Belk wikipedia · all sites with thisDillard's
This site: Dillard's wikipedia · all sites with thisJordan Marsh
This site: Jordan Marsh wikipedia · all sites with thisFinance and pipeline
On Facebook
This site: …https://www.facebook.com/180722161968331 overture · all sites with thisWebsite dead or redirecting
This site: …https://www.expedia.com/Colonial-Plaza-Mall-Orlando.d6239784... overture / http check · all sites with thisPlace
Bike network nearby
This site: 48 ways openstreetmap · all sites with thisCounty permitting 2,000+ apartment units a year
This site: 3,133 units, Orange County census-bps · all sites with thisFast-growing county (8%+ 2018–23)
This site: 9% census-acs · all sites with thisGrocery within 800 m
This site: 3 stores openstreetmap · all sites with thisOpportunity Zone
This site: 12095018400 hud-oz · all sites with thisRail within 800 m
This site: Colonial Plaza SuperStop openstreetmap · all sites with thisTract income up 60%+ since 2013
This site: +76% census-acs · all sites with thisWalkable block group (EPA ≥ 12)
This site: …index 17.7 epa-walkability · all sites with thisStrategy
Reinhabited
This site: A renovation between 1995 and 1996 restructured the complex into an open-air power center. extraction · all sites with thisNew use
Retail (continued)
This site: …een 1995 and 1996 restructured the complex into an open-air power center. extraction · all sites with thisNow
| Status | Operatingextracted, unreviewed |
|---|---|
| Strategy | Reinhabitedextracted, unreviewed documentedA renovation between 1995 and 1996 restructured the complex into an open-air power center. |
| New uses | retailextracted, unreviewed reported |
| What is there now | A renovation between 1995 and 1996 restructured the complex into an open-air power center.extracted, unreviewed documentedA renovation between 1995 and 1996 restructured the complex into an open-air power center. |
| Retrofit year | 1995extracted, unreviewed reported |
Securitised debt and public filers
Filings (2001 to date) that name “Colonial Plaza” and “Orlando” (204 hits, first 100 sampled). Common name: these matches are unreliable. No commercial-mortgage trust names this mall in the sample, which does not rule out a securitised loan. Text matches, not a title search. Open the search · all trusts.
| Kind | Filer | Filings | Dates | Forms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public owner (strong) | WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS /TX/ | 47 | 2001-04-26 to 2021-02-23 | 8-K 40, 8-K/A 4, 10-Q/A 2, 10-Q 1 |
| Public owner (weak) | COLONIAL PROPERTIES TRUST | 40 | 2001-03-30 to 2012-04-26 | 8-K 32, 10-K 4, 10-K/A 2, 8-K/A 2 |
| Public owner (weak) | COLONIAL REALTY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP | 17 | 2001-03-30 to 2012-04-26 | 8-K 11, 10-K 5, 10-K/A 1 |
| Public owner (weak) | KIMCO REALTY CORP (KIM, KIM-PL, KIM-PM, KIM-PN) | 4 | 2023-02-24 to 2026-02-20 | 10-K 4 |
| Public owner (weak) | Kimco Realty OP, LLC | 4 | 2023-02-24 to 2026-02-20 | 10-K 4 |
| Public owner (weak) | COUSINS PROPERTIES INC (CUZ) | 3 | 2001-03-27 to 2002-03-27 | 10-K 2, 10-Q 1 |
Site context
| Transit within 800 m | Colonial Plaza SuperStop (rail); 9 bus stops within 400 mOpenStreetMap |
|---|---|
| Motorway junctions within 2 km | 101A-B, 101C, 101D, 11BOpenStreetMap |
| FEMA flood zone | X · AREA OF MINIMAL FLOOD HAZARDFEMA NFHL |
| EPA-regulated facilities within 500 m | 24: BANK ATLANTIC AT FASHION SQUAR; BUMBY AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS PROJ; COLONIAL PLAZA CLEANERS; COLONIAL PLAZA CLEANERS; CONCORD COMMONS TOWNHOMESEPA FRS |
| Census tract 12095018400 | 2,236 people, 939 per sq mi; median household income $69,978; median gross rent $1,270; 44% renters; 8.4% vacant units; 0.0% commute by transitACS 2023 5-year |
| Walkability (EPA, block group) | index 17.7 of 20; 299 intersections per sq mi; nearest transit stop 527 m; land-use mix 0.9; 125,779 jobs within 45 min by car, 93,738 by transit; 35% of households without a carEPA Smart Location |
| Within a 10–15 minute walk (800 m) | 4 of 6 daily needs: 3 grocers, 0 schools, 9 parks or playgrounds, 0 health, 7 civic, 37 food and drink; 48 cycleway segments, 304 sidewalk-tagged segmentsOpenStreetMap |
| Opportunity Zone | yes, tract 12095018400 (rural)HUD |
| Housing permits, Orange County (FL), 2024 | 3,133 units in 5+ unit buildings, 109 in 2–4, 4,810 single-family; 2023: 4,082 in 5+Census BPS |
| Social vulnerability (CDC SVI 2022, tract) | overall percentile 0.45; socioeconomic 0.48; housing and transport 0.54; 14% below 150% of poverty; 16% of households with no vehicleCDC/ATSDR |
| Other atlas sites nearby | 1 within 10 km, 5 within 25 km: Winter Park Mall (5.9 km)computed |
| Overture Maps | place Colonial Plaza (shopping_mall, confidence 1.00, from Overture, Overture-signals, meta); building footprint 13,610 m², 7.487403869628906 mOverture (CDLA-Permissive 2.0) |
| Website and social | www.expedia.com (down or redirecting, status 429); archived 1996–2026 (Wayback) · social: facebookOverture / Internet Archive |
| Attention: Wikipedia page views | 33,029 since 2015; 3,100 in the last 12 months (-13% vs the prior 12); peak 2018-10 with 5,290Wikimedia |
| Tract change 2013–2023 | population +4% (2,141 → 2,236); median income +76% ($39,688 → $69,978); renters 43% → 44%; median home value +161% ($147,900 → $385,800)Census ACS 5-year |
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA National Risk Index, tract) | relatively low overall (score 24.5); expected annual loss $1.1M; high: strong wind; community resilience relatively lowFEMA NRI |
| Tax-credit housing within 1 km | noneHUD LIHTC |
| Retail trade in the county, 2025 (BLS QCEW) | 85,211 jobs in 5,472 establishments; average annual pay $44,971; employment location quotient 0.90; employment -1.3% on the yearBLS QCEW 2025, NAICS 44-45, private |
| Jobs located in the tract, 2022 | 9,133 jobs; 1,850 in retail trade, 1,090 in accommodation and food (workplace blocks summed to tract 12095018400)Census LEHD LODES8 WAC 2022 |
| Upward mobility (Opportunity Atlas, 2010 tract) | children of low-income (25th percentile) families reached the 37th income percentile as adults; 1.2% incarcerated at the 2010 count (227 children in the sample); born 1978–83, measured 2014–15Opportunity Insights |
| Food access (USDA FARA 2019, 2010 tract) | not a low-access tract at 1 mile; 9% of residents more than 1 mile from a supermarket; poverty rate 18.8%; median family income $61,250; 133 SNAP householdsUSDA ERS |
| Schools | Orange County School District (PK-12); 3 public schools within 1 mile: HILLCREST ELEMENTARY; CENTRAL FLORIDA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY CHARTER; ORLANDO GIFTED ACADEMYNCES EDGE |
| Elevation | 104 ft above sea level at the site pointUSGS 3DEP |
| Storm events in the county, 2016-2025 | 147 county-logged events: 65 thunderstorm wind, 45 hail, 10 funnel cloud, 8 tornado; $224,193,350 property damage reported; 2 direct deaths; forecast-zone events (most flood, winter and heat) not countedNOAA Storm Events |
| Homes for sale in ZIP 32803, 2026-09 | median list price $567,250 (+12.6% on the year); 90 active listings; median 55 days on market; 25% with a price cutRealtor.com Research |
| Retail trade in the county, 2012 to 2023 | 5,161 establishments (+10%); 89,299 jobs (+16%)Census CBP |
| Housing market in the county | typical home value $400,964 (-1% 1 yr, +22% 5 yr); typical rent $1,933/mo (+1% 1 yr), 2026-09Zillow Research |
| House price index, tract, 2025 | 518 (2000 = 100); -10.1% 1 yr, +43% 5 yr, +96% 10 yrFHFA |
| Traffic on the busiest road within 600 m (2024) | 11,700 vehicles a day (major collector, 3 lanes); 5 counted segmentsFHWA HPMS |
Summary, model-written
Colonial Plaza opened in 1956 as Florida's largest retail development and underwent expansions in 1961, 1973 and 1983. After anchor losses and rising vacancy in the early 1990s, the property was renovated between 1995 and 1996 into an open‑air power center. It has remained operating since, under Weingarten Realty ownership since 2001.
Why. The record shows anchor losses (Ivey's sold to Dillard's in 1990) and a vacancy increase with anchor closures in 1991 as the primary pressures that prompted the renovation. No explicit mention of debt, demolition or broader competition is provided.
Where it stands. Colonial Plaza is currently operating and is owned by Weingarten Realty, which has held the property since 2001.
For a planner
- Renovation to open‑air power center (1995‑96) demonstrates a reinhabit strategy adaptive reuse precedent.
- County population grew 9.0% 2018‑23, indicating regional growth pressure.
- Median rent $1,675 suggests market strength for retail.
- Open questions include long‑term tenant mix and potential need for further repositioning.
For a developer
- Site size is 20 acres, providing a substantial development footprint.
- Controlled by a single owner (Weingarten Realty) since 2001, simplifying negotiations.
- Entitlement stage appears post‑retrofit; the retrofit is already built per the opp_reasons field.
- Market signals show county growth of 9.0% 2018‑23 and median rent $1,675, indicating steady demand.
What we do not know yet
- Current anchor tenant mix and lease terms are not specified in the record.
- Financial details such as debt, operating expenses, or recent vacancy rates are absent.
- Environmental constraints (flood zone, wetlands, contamination) and transit access are not described.
- The ownership status is indicated only by a start year (2001) with no end year, leaving current control uncertain.
- Many fields are marked as extraction and the record is flagged as 'verified: draft', indicating possible unreviewed model‑extracted data.
Generated by nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b on NVIDIA API via Hermes CT from the fields, parcels, deals and context layers on this page, with no outside knowledge. It is regenerated when the record changes and has not been checked by a person. How it is made.
Similar sites
- Palm Center, Houston, TX · Malls · similar size (26 acres); opened 1955; same strategy: reinhabit
- Winter Park Mall, Winter Park, FL · Malls · same strategy: reinhabit; also in FL; 6 km away
- Chinese Cultural Center, Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ · Malls · similar size (26 acres); same strategy: reinhabit
- Indian Hill Mall, Pomona, CA · Malls · opened 1955; same strategy: reinhabit
Elsewhere on the web
Retail history: Colonial Plaza Mall on DeadMalls.com photos, field notes and visitor memories since 2000; matched by name and city; nothing copied here
Pages with photos
- Driving around Colonial Plaza in Orlando, Florida youtube.com
- Interior of the Colonial Plaza Mall - Orlando, Florida. floridamemory.com
- 2410-2606 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32803 - Colonial Plaza | LoopNet loopnet.com
- The Mall At Colonial Plaza Shopping Center Orlando, FL cardcow.com
- Jordan Marsh Colonial Plaza Orlando FL flickr.com
- ✨Vintage, Arts, Architecture (1900-1980)✨ danismm.tumblr.com
- Photos at Colonial Plaza - Shopping Plaza in Colo… foursquare.com
Search images: Google · Bing · Commons · references: ULI case studies · Google Scholar
Multifamily screen
- retrofit already built
- 20 acres
- county grew 9.0% 2018–23
- median rent $1,675
Inputs: record fields (size, status) and county Census ACS 2018–2023 figures (growth, rent). How the points work. Not a recommendation.
History and original facts
| Opened | 1956extracted, unreviewed |
|---|---|
| Acres | 20.0extracted, unreviewed documentedOverall, the center had a total of 20 acres (8.1 ha) of shop space at the time |
| Original developer | R. M. Thompson Co.extracted, unreviewed documenteddevelopment, construction, contracting, and engineering were handled by the R. M. Thompson Co. of Clearwater. |
| Architect | Morris Lapidus |
| Anchors | Dillard's, Belk, Jordan Marsh, Ivey's |
| County | Orange County |
| Census division | 5 · South Atlantic |
| Notes | Wikipedia categories: Demolished shopping malls in the United States |
Not yet recorded: GLA. Know it? Tell us.
Background
Colonial Plaza is a shopping mall in Orlando, Florida, United States. Opened in 1956, it was the largest retail development in the state of Florida at the time of its construction. The original complex included two supermarkets and two variety stores, plus a Belk department store. It underwent multiple expansions in its history, the first of which added a Jordan Marsh department store and an enclosed mall concourse. Further expansion in 1973 added a second enclosed wing and a relocation of Belk, while Ivey's was added in 1983 and sold to Dillard's in 1990.
Excerpt from Wikipedia (authors and history), CC BY-SA 4.0. May be older than the record above.
Timeline
- 1954 Groundbreaking began
- 1956 Opened for business
- 1961 First expansion
- 1973 Second expansion
- 1983 Ivey's added
- 1990 Ivey's sold to Dillard's
- 1991 Vacancy increase and anchor closures
- 1995 Renovation to open-air power center
- 2001 Weingarten Realty ownership
Sources
- Wikipedia: Colonial Plaza · supports: acres, after notes, original developer, status, strategy, year opened
15 quoted sentences
Colonial Plaza opened for business on January 31, 1956.
Overall, the center had a total of 20 acres (8.1 ha) of shop space at the time
development, construction, contracting, and engineering were handled by the R. M. Thompson Co. of Clearwater.
A renovation between 1995 and 1996 restructured the complex into an open-air power center.
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