Looking Back: Worcester’s Galleria Mall gives way to Fashion Outlets
EVENT: The Worcester Common Fashion Outlets — formerly the Galleria Mall — opens in October in time for the holiday shopping season.
RECAP: The outlets opened to a big marketing push, especially from actress Judith Light, who served as spokesperson on billboards and in radio advertising. There were about 70 stores and eateries following a $50 million remodeling project. About 55 additional stores were expected to be open by the holiday season while the site's owners negotiated a tax increment financing deal with the city.
FAST FORWARD: The reincarnation slowly lost momentum and, by 2004, the 22-acre site was all but vacant. Under pressure from Mayor Timothy Murray, the property's owners, Cigna Investments, sold to Berkeley Investments of Boston. That paved the way for the mixed-use CitySquare development, which is taking shape today as part of a downtown transformation.
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