This post comes one day after the announcement that current owner JT Klein is set to demolish this property and construct a major new mixed-use facility in its place. The mall had previously been owned by grocery chain Hy-Vee, who also maintains a location nearby.
Like many early malls, Westgate Mall opened in 1960 as an unenclosed strip mall, but was later enclosed. It received a $2 million facelift in 1996, marking the first time it had been updated since the early 1970s. Early tenants included S.S. Kresge Co., J.C. Penney, and Piggly Wiggly. At the time of my visit in November of 2018, only a small handful of stores remained, including the perpetually-successful Wisconsin Craft Market and a T.J. Maxx. Current plans for the 9-acre lot forego traditional retail in lieu of multi-family housing and an office building.
Name: Westgate Mall
Location: Madison, WI
Developer: ?
Year Completed: 1960
Square Footage: 240,000 sq ft
Owner: JT Klein
