Said to be the first Suburban mall in the US, Dixie Square Mall has been abandoned for 32 years (longer than any mall I know), and twice as long as it was in operation. Built in 1965 at the cost of 5 million, Dixie opened with 68 stores including two anchor stores; JC Penny & Montgomery Ward. By mid 70's, the mall undertook some minor renovations to keep visitors coming back.
Like other dead-malls, it is characterized by high vacancy rates and the increasing crime in the surrounding area, people stopped shopping there and the stores slowly closed up, which led to its closure with 20 stores remaining in 1978.
Though the mall was only vacant for a few months before JC Penny and
Walgreens and a couple other stores re-opened back up for a brief
period of time to sell the remaining store merchandise and store
shelving.
Shuttered and Hollywood Use:
Shortly after the mall closed, plans were in the works to demolish the mall, though the plans were halted due to economical and political issues in Harvey. The only parts of the mall that have been fully demolished are the central energy plant, the former Woolworth anchor (destroyed by a major fire), and the former Montgomery Ward building.
Then John Landis rented the mall to shoot the Blues Brothers chase scene there. Though technically the mall was vacant, several stores were setup to act as though it was a fully operational mall, with actors as the shoppers. Faux storefronts were setup for the former tenants that did not want to appear in the film, Walgreens did not want a part of the film so they became a faux storefront as "Toys R Us".
Pic above: Scene where Illinois Law Enforcement chases the Blues Brothers thru the Block C & A.
Though the chase scene destroyed most of the interior of the mall, most of the mall was left in poor condition after the film wrapped up. Because of this, Harvey Dixmoor school (which occupied part of the mall - attempted to sue Universal Pictures for the $87K damages done to the inside of the mall, which was never repaired. Eventually they vacated the mall, leaving it shuttered. For Good.
Abandoned
As soon as the film was completed, the mall was boarded up and initially left to decay for 32 years. From the 80's to 2011, vandals & scrappers continued to damage the mall to resell metals and other various findings.
Today, the inside is nothing more than heavily damaged ceiling, water standing at least 2in, young trees and weeds growing though the concrete and piles of rubble laying everywhere. It looks nothing like it did in its hey-day.
This mall displays the kind of heavily economically depressed Harvey
really is. Several attempts have been made to convert it to other uses
or to plain demolish the structure. Though the efforts have failed,
leaving the mall to decay and fall apart.
Dixie's Future
On our visit, fencing was installed, not that that remotely indicates any plans whatsoever, but to simply keep scrappers from driving out with scrap - which Harvey should have taken better security measures a long time ago.
As of today Aug 2011, Dixie Mall is 70% standing, Block A, B and C is still there,as it appears on this
map. I think the mall will collapse due to natural process or by human ignorance. I don't think this mall will be around much longer.
Overall Review of the mall
This mall stands out in my book due to the film. It is the first location explored that was involved in something as big as playing a part of a movie. I only wish I could have gotton there a decade ago when the mall was half-way intact. But Other than that, it was an awesome explore. Future visits may occur.
Dixie Mall
