Retrofit Atlas

Malls · Kansas

The Great Mall of the Great Plains

Imported, unreviewedRedevelopedDemolishedOlathe, KS

Opened in 1997, closed in 2015, demolished 2016‑17; Garmin now controls the site pursuing office, retail, hotel, entertainment ongoing redevelopment. · summary, model-written

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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.

The Great Mall of the Great Plains
Exterior view of a shopping center with prominent signage and landscaping. · verified by a vision model. Photo: Mike Kalasnik from Charlotte, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Site profile14 elements · what this site is built with · tap a chip for the evidence

Former anchors
Dillard'sThis site: Dillard's wikipedia · all sites with this
Finance and pipeline
Website aliveThis site: …http://www.greatmallgreatplains.com overture / http check · all sites with this
Place
30,000+ vehicles a day on an adjacent roadThis site: 38,600 on 35 fhwa-hpms · all sites with this
High heat wave riskThis site: Relatively High fema-nri · all sites with this
High inland flooding riskThis site: Relatively High fema-nri · all sites with this
High tornado riskThis site: Very High fema-nri · all sites with this
High-income tract ($100k+)This site: $136,221 census-acs · all sites with this
Interstate or freeway within 600 mThis site: 35 fhwa-hpms · all sites with this
Tract house prices doubled in 10 yearsThis site: +147% fhfa · all sites with this
Strategy
RedevelopedThis site: …hotels and restaurants on the outskirts of the property extraction · all sites with this
New use
Entertainment and sportsThis site: …new_use field extraction · all sites with this
HotelThis site: …hotels and restaurants on the outskirts of the property extraction · all sites with this
OfficeThis site: …new_use field extraction · all sites with this
Retail (continued)This site: …new_use field extraction · all sites with this

All elements and lists · Trends

Now

StatusDemolishedextracted, unreviewed
documented
Demolition on the mall began on July 11, 2016, and was finished in January 2017.

en.wikipedia.org

StrategyRedevelopedextracted, unreviewed
documented
In January 2018, developers announced redevelopment plans that called for a small town center that would include a 4,000- to 5,000-seat arena, an ice rink, interactive golf, and rock climbing in addition to stores, restaurants, hotels, and office space.

en.wikipedia.org

New usesoffice, retail, hotel, entertainmentextracted, unreviewed reported
What is there nowhotels and restaurants on the outskirts of the propertyextracted, unreviewed
documented
In January 2023, Burlington Coat Factory closed, which left the entire site site completely vacant with the exception of the hotels and restaurants on the outskirts of the property.

en.wikipedia.org

History and original facts

Opened1997Wikidata reported
Closed2015extracted, unreviewed
documented
the mall closed on September 18, 2015.

en.wikipedia.org

Original developerGlimcher Realty Trust and Jordan Robert Perlmutter & Co.extracted, unreviewed
documented
Great Mall of the Great Plains was co-developed by Glimcher Realty Trust and Jordan Robert Perlmutter & Co.

en.wikipedia.org

AnchorsBurlington Coat Factory, Dillard's, Linens 'N Things, DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse), Eddie Bauer Outlet, Foozles Bookstore, Group USA Clothing Company, Kitchen and Co.
CountyJohnson County
Census division4 · West North Central
NotesWikipedia categories: Demolished shopping malls in the United States

Not yet recorded: acres, GLA, retrofit year. Know it? Tell us.

Planning

No zoning change, subsidy or policy tool recorded for this site.

Securitised debt and public filers

Filings (2001 to date) that name “The Great Mall of the Great Plains” and “Olathe” (48 hits, first 48 sampled, 1 other filers such as tenants left out). 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.

KindFilerFilingsDatesForms
Public owner (strong)GLIMCHER REALTY TRUST472001-03-16 to 2012-02-2410-Q 25, 10-K 13, 8-K 6, 10-Q/A 3

Site context

FEMA flood zoneX · AREA OF MINIMAL FLOOD HAZARDFEMA NFHL
EPA-regulated facilities within 500 m4: CLUB CARWASH 14910 S HARRISON ST. - OLATHE; OLATHE MEDICAL CENTER (AIR); OMC-OB/NICU & KITCHEN PLAN; UNKNOWNEPA FRS
Census tract 200910536033,499 people, 237 per sq mi; median household income $136,221; median gross rent $3,501; 22% renters; 14.1% vacant units; 0.0% commute by transitACS 2023 5-year
Within a 10–15 minute walk (800 m)3 of 6 daily needs: 0 grocers, 0 schools, 63 parks or playgrounds, 10 health, 0 civic, 8 food and drink; 1 cycleway segments, 61 sidewalk-tagged segmentsOpenStreetMap
Opportunity ZonenoHUD
Housing permits, Johnson County (KS), 2024798 units in 5+ unit buildings, 183 in 2–4, 1,733 single-family; 2023: 1,632 in 5+Census BPS
Social vulnerability (CDC SVI 2022, tract)overall percentile 0.56; socioeconomic 0.18; housing and transport 0.84; 12% below 150% of poverty; 14% of households with no vehicleCDC/ATSDR
Other atlas sites nearby0 within 10 km, 7 within 25 kmcomputed
Overture Mapsplace The Great Mall of the Great Plains (shopping_mall, confidence 0.92, from Foursquare, Overture, Overture-signals); building footprint 7,317 m², 6.46176 mOverture (CDLA-Permissive 2.0)
Website and socialwww.greatmallgreatplains.com (alive); archived 1998–2026 (Wayback)Overture / Internet Archive
Attention: Wikipedia page views112,962 since 2015; 8,815 in the last 12 months (-1% vs the prior 12); peak 2016-07 with 2,444Wikimedia
Tract change 2013–2023tract boundary changed between the 2010 and 2020 census; no 2013 comparisonCensus ACS
Natural hazard risk (FEMA National Risk Index, tract)relatively moderate overall (score 81.1); expected annual loss $2.6M; high: tornado, inland flooding, heat wave, hail, winter weather, ice storm, lightning; community resilience relatively highFEMA NRI
Tax-credit housing within 1 kmnoneHUD LIHTC
Retail trade in the county, 2025 (BLS QCEW)37,008 jobs in 1,806 establishments; average annual pay $40,991; employment location quotient 1.01; employment +0.0% on the yearBLS QCEW 2025, NAICS 44-45, private
Jobs located in the tract, 202210,108 jobs; 516 in retail trade, 304 in accommodation and food (workplace blocks summed to tract 20091053603)Census LEHD LODES8 WAC 2022
Upward mobility (Opportunity Atlas, 2010 tract)children of low-income (25th percentile) families reached the 43rd income percentile as adults; 3.1% incarcerated at the 2010 count (447 children in the sample); born 1978–83, measured 2014–15Opportunity Insights
Food access (USDA FARA 2019, 2010 tract)low-access at 1 mile, not low-income; 29% of residents more than 1 mile from a supermarket; poverty rate 15.6%; median family income $81,563; 284 SNAP householdsUSDA ERS
SchoolsOlathe Unified School District 233 (PK-12); 0 public schools within 1 mileNCES EDGE
Elevation1,044 ft above sea level at the site pointUSGS 3DEP
Storm events in the county, 2016-2025425 county-logged events: 219 thunderstorm wind, 176 hail, 17 flash flood, 7 tornado; $760,000 property damage reported; forecast-zone events (most flood, winter and heat) not countedNOAA Storm Events
Homes for sale in ZIP 66061, 2026-09median list price $598,350 (-5.1% on the year); 228 active listings; median 46 days on market; 16% with a price cutRealtor.com Research
Retail trade in the county, 2012 to 20231,857 establishments (-1%); 37,595 jobs (+4%)Census CBP
Housing market in the countytypical home value $458,265 (+5% 1 yr, +28% 5 yr); typical rent $1,760/mo (+3% 1 yr), 2026-09Zillow Research
House price index, tract, 2024402 (2000 = 100), +66% 5 yr, +147% 10 yrFHFA
Traffic on the busiest road within 600 m (2024)38,600 vehicles a day on 35 (Interstate, 6 lanes); 14,990 trucks; 25 counted segmentsFHWA HPMS

Summary, model-written

Opened in 1997 as the largest outlet mall in Kansas with over 150 stores and ten anchors, the Great Mall of the Great Plains drew early crowds but later faced declining traffic. After years of struggle linked to the economic downturn and shifting shopping habits, it closed in September 2015. Demolition ran from July 2016 to January 2017, and the site has since been earmarked for a mixed‑use redevelopment.

Why. The record attributes the decline to the economic downturn and changes in customer shopping habits; no explicit mention of anchor loss, debt, or competition is provided.

Where it stands. The mall was demolished 2016‑2017 and the site is now controlled by Garmin Ltd., which acquired it in 2021 and is pursuing a mixed‑use redevelopment.

For a planner

  • Redevelopment strategy announced 2018 targeting office, retail, hotel, and entertainment uses.
  • After‑notes indicate hotels and restaurants already exist on the property’s outskirts, suggesting compatible land‑use context.
  • County population grew 5.0% 2018‑23, providing a demand signal for new development.

For a developer

  • Site size and exact parcel boundaries are not specified in the record.
  • Current owner is Garmin Ltd. (since 2021); entitlement stage appears to be post‑announcement (2018) with no further approvals detailed.
  • Context‑layer constraints (floodplain, transit access, environmental conditions) are not recorded, and market signals are limited to county growth and an opp_score of 35.

What we do not know yet

  • Exact land area and parcel configuration are missing.
  • Current zoning, entitlement approvals, and any environmental review status are not provided.
  • Flood‑plain, wetland, or hazardous‑material conditions are unknown.
  • Details on financing, phasing, or tenant commitments for the proposed office/retail/hotel/entertainment mix are absent.
  • The record’s verification status is "draft," indicating some facts may be model‑extracted and unreviewed.

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.

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Multifamily screen

  • closed or demolished site (sourced)
  • county grew 5.0% 2018–23

Inputs: record fields (size, status) and county Census ACS 2018–2023 figures (growth, rent). How the points work. Not a recommendation.

Background

The Great Mall of the Great Plains was a shopping mall located in Olathe, Kansas, United States. Opened in 1997, it was the largest outlet mall in the state of Kansas, and boasted over 150 stores and 10 anchors, laid out in a half-mile racetrack pattern. Amenities included indoor glow-in-the-dark miniature golf course, a food court, a Game Zone arcade, and a Dickinson Theatres movie theater with sixteen screens. Great Mall of the Great Plains was owned & managed by Glimcher Properties Trust until January 2009. Although the mall attracted one million customers during its first few months of operation, it struggled due to the economic downturn and changes in customer's shopping habits. After years of decline, the mall closed on September 18, 2015. Demolition on the mall began on July 11, 2016, and was finished in January 2017. While developers announced in January 2018 that a redevelopment called Mentum would replace the old mall, this never happened. In October 2021, Olathe-based company Garmin Ltd. indicated that it acquired the property, likely to expand its company's headquarters.

Excerpt from Wikipedia (authors and history), CC BY-SA 4.0. May be older than the record above.

Timeline

  1. 1997 Opened (Wikidata)
  2. 1997 Opened
  3. 2015 Closed
  4. 2016 Demolition began
  5. 2017 Demolition finished
  6. 2018 Redevelopment announced
  7. 2021 Garmin acquisition
  8. 2023 Burlington Coat Factory closed

Sources

  • Wikipedia: The Great Mall of the Great Plains · supports: after notes, original developer, status, strategy, year closed
    12 quoted sentences
    the mall closed on September 18, 2015.
    Great Mall of the Great Plains was co-developed by Glimcher Realty Trust and Jordan Robert Perlmutter & Co.
    In January 2023, Burlington Coat Factory closed, which left the entire site site completely vacant with the exception of the hotels and restaurants on the outskirts of the property.
    Demolition on the mall began on July 11, 2016, and was finished in January 2017.

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