Mall at 163rd Street
1205 NE 163rd St, Miami, FL 33162
1205 NE 163rd St, Miami, FL 33162
Monday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Tuesday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Wednesday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Thursday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Friday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Saturday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Sunday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
The Mall at 163rd Street stands as a fascinating piece of South Florida's retail history, though its current reality tells a complex story of decline and potential renewal. Located at 1205-1421 NE 163rd Street in North Miami Beach, Florida 33162, this shopping center has witnessed dramatic changes over nearly seven decades, evolving from a bustling community hub to its current state of transition.
Historical Foundation and Evolution
Originally opening its doors on November 1, 1956, as the "163rd Street Shopping Center," this retail destination was initially conceived as an open-air shopping experience. The center was anchored by a Raymond Loewy-designed Burdines department store and featured forty-nine outlets, including notable retailers like Food Fair, JCPenney, Walgreens, and Woolworth. What made this shopping center particularly special was its family-friendly atmosphere, complete with kiddie rides in the center court and even a go-kart track in the north parking lot.
Between 1980 and 1982, the property underwent a significant transformation that earned it the nickname "The Miracle on 163rd Street". The shopping center was converted into a climate-controlled enclosed mall, featuring colossal metal arches and a white, translucent, Teflon-coated fiberglass roof. This renovation represented the property's attempt to compete with emerging regional malls and adapt to changing consumer preferences.
Current Property Specifications
Today, the Mall at 163rd Street encompasses 342,385 square feet of gross leasable area according to Brixmor Property Group's property listings. The center operates as a hybrid between traditional enclosed mall space and a power center format, reflecting its gradual transformation over the decades. The property maintains a total building square footage of 371,363 square feet with 1,043 parking spaces spread across 54.95 acres.
As of recent data, the mall maintains a 76.8% occupancy rate, which, while concerning for traditional retail standards, reflects the broader challenges facing enclosed malls across America. The property generates an annual base rent (ABR) of approximately $3,097,000, translating to $12.83 per square foot.
Current Anchor Tenants and Retail Mix
The mall's current anchor lineup reflects its evolution toward a power center model. Walmart Supercenter serves as the primary anchor, having opened in September 2005 after a major redevelopment that demolished approximately one-third of the original enclosed mall structure. Other significant tenants include The Home Depot, which replaced the original movie theater outparcel in 1996, and Ross Dress for Less.
Additional retailers currently operating include GameStop, Foot Locker, and various smaller specialty stores. However, visitor reviews and local reports consistently indicate that a significant portion of the mall remains vacant, with many describing it as largely abandoned with limited foot traffic.
Strategic Location and Demographics
The Mall at 163rd Street benefits from a strategically advantageous location within the densely populated Miami-Dade County area. The property serves an extremely dense population of 452,736 residents within a five-mile radius, supported by a substantial daytime population of 371,590 people. The location experiences significant daily traffic flow, with approximately 61,500 vehicles traveling along 163rd Street daily.
The mall's proximity to the Golden Glades Interchange, just 1.9 miles away, provides excellent connectivity to major transportation arteries throughout South Florida. This accessibility factor has historically been one of the property's strongest assets, though it hasn't been sufficient to maintain the mall's competitiveness against regional powerhouses like Aventura Mall.
Challenges and Market Position
The mall's decline began in earnest during the 1990s, coinciding with the opening of Aventura Mall in 1983, which drew significant retail traffic away from the area. The loss of major anchor stores, including Jordan Marsh in 1991 and Burdines in 1999, accelerated the property's downward trajectory. These departures left substantial vacant anchor spaces that proved difficult to backfill with comparable retailers.
Local community discussions and reviews paint a picture of a property that has struggled to maintain relevance in an increasingly competitive retail landscape. The surrounding neighborhood's demographic changes and increased competition from both regional malls and online retail have compounded these challenges.
Future Redevelopment Plans
Recent developments offer hope for the property's future. The mall was sold to new ownership in 2024, marking a potential turning point in its evolution. The new owners have announced ambitious plans to transform the property into a mixed-use development that will combine residential and retail components. This redevelopment strategy aligns with broader trends in retail real estate, where traditional mall properties are being reimagined as integrated lifestyle destinations.
The planned 2025 retail redevelopment represents an opportunity to capitalize on the property's excellent location and transportation access while addressing the changing needs of the local community. Current leasing information indicates that spaces ranging from 1,467 to 170,000 square feet are available, suggesting flexibility for various retail, medical, and service-oriented tenants.
