Windsor Park Mall

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Windsor Park Mall
Windsor Park Mall
Location Windcrest, Texas, [a] United States
Coordinates 29°30′27″N98°23′38″W / 29.5076°N 98.3939°W / 29.5076; -98.3939
Address5000 Walzem Road
Opening dateJuly 29, 1976
Closing dateAugust 31, 2005
Developer Melvin Simon and Associates (as mall)
Rackspace (as office)
Industrial Commercial Properties (as business park)
ArchitectGordon Sibeck and Associates [1]
Stores and services135
Anchor tenants 5
Floor area 1,200,000 square feet (110,000 m2) [2]
Floors2

Windsor Park Mall was a shopping mall located on the northeast side of San Antonio, Texas, off Interstate 35 and Walzem Road. It was opened by Melvin Simon and Associates in 1976 as San Antonio's first four-anchor shopping center, adding a fifth anchor space in 1985. After Simon opened Rolling Oaks Mall in 1988 and the mall experienced a series of crime incidents in the 1990s, it declined. All of its anchors closed between 2001 and 2005, with the mall itself closing along with Mervyn's in 2005.

Contents

In 2007, the building, of which ownership was transferred to the suburb of Windcrest, Texas, became the new corporate headquarters of Rackspace, a Web hosting company. Their redevelopment of the mall structure, now known as "The Castle", sparked a redevelopment of the surrounding area. Rackspace remained in the area through 2022, when it announced its intention to vacate the property, which was underutilized due to increased remote work. In early 2024, the building was sold to Industrial Commercial Properties LLC, becoming known as the Windcrest International Business Park.

History

1976–2007: Windsor Park Mall

Melvin Simon and Associates announced their development plans for the mall in January 1974, [3] with Montgomery Ward, JCPenney, and Dillard's announced as anchor tenants. A fourth anchor was provided for in the mall plan, [4] which was announced as Joske's in June. [5] The mall's construction followed the growth of residential construction in northeast San Antonio; Simon touted the center as the largest enclosed mall in the market and the only one with four major anchors. [6] Windsor Park Mall and Dillard's and Joske's opened to the public on July 29, 1976; its other anchor stores opened at various other times (Montgomery Ward in October 1975, JCPenney in June 1976). [7] [8] In addition to the anchors, it housed 115 stores and services. [9] In 1979, Simon opened Ingram Park Mall, which like Windsor Park was designed by Gordon Sibeck and Associates of Dallas and had a similar appearance. [10]

In 1984, construction began on an expansion to the mall to add Mervyn's, building its first San Antonio store. [11] In 1987, Dillard's bought Joske's. It opted to return space in the Joske's stores at Windsor Park and Ingram Park to Simon for the construction of food courts, retaining a level to operate as a home store. The upper level was turned into a food court with space for twelve restaurants as well as additional retail space at a cost of $8 million ($22.1 million in 2024 dollars [12] ). [13] [14] Simon opened Rolling Oaks Mall, 10 minutes away and also in northeast San Antonio, in July 1988; [15] in conjunction with the new mall, Simon renovated Windsor Park between 1987 and November 1990. [16] The second phase of renovations gave the mall a Southwestern theme, adding skylights and an octagon-shaped stage, as well as marble floors and new fountains. At this time, Windsor Park had 135 tenants and an occupancy rate of 97%. [2]

In the 1990s, crime rose at Windsor Park Mall. In one of the first incidents, in February 1991, a 20-year-old man was stabbed with a knife and killed at the mall's VIA Metropolitan Transit park and ride. [17] In another, a teenager trying to shoot a rival gang member killed a 64-year-old woman when she came between the two at the mall's bus stop. [18] The incidents resulted in Simon terminating the leases of the VIA transit facilities at Windsor Park and its other San Antonio malls. [19] In 1994, an altercation inside the mall disrupted holiday shoppers when two teenagers got into an argument that escalated into gunshots; the victim died of his injuries. [20] [21] In 1995, the Bexar County Sheriff's Department announced it was opening an annex at the mall. [22] The crime and resulting safety concerns began to take their toll on the success of Windsor Park, and by 2001, Simon considered using the mall as a small business incubator. [23]

The national closure in 2001 of one of the more successful anchors of the mall, Wards, [24] marked the beginning of the end of Windsor Park's life as a shopping mall. Dillard's closed in January 2002, [25] a year in which mall occupancy dipped to 45% and the mall was sold by Simon to Whichard Real Estate of North Carolina. [26] The mix of occupants had become nontraditional: government agencies, social organizations, churches, a nightclub, [27] and a "bazaar" flea market were tenants in the mall's dying days; meanwhile, Whichard entertained the idea of converting Windsor Park to an outlet mall, commissioning Bruce Targoff, formerly of the Mills Corporation, to present a redevelopment plan. [23] JCPenney closed in 2004 in favor of opening at Rolling Oaks, [28] and Mervyn's, the last anchor, shut its doors on August 31, 2005, as part of that chain's closure of 62 stores, heralding the mall's closure. [29] [30]

The vacant Montgomery Ward, then owned by Graham Weston, the chairman and co-founder of Rackspace, was used in 2005 to shelter 3,300 victims of Hurricane Katrina [31] and some 3,000 refugees of Hurricane Rita. [32]

2007–2024: Rackspace ownership

Rackspace entered the picture again in 2007. The company was rapidly outgrowing its newly leased corporate headquarters, which were in a building formerly used by Datapoint on the northwest side of San Antonio; seeking even more space, Rackspace bought the mall for $27 million. As part of its acquisition of Windsor Park, the city boundaries of San Antonio were modified to place 221 acres (89 ha) of land, including the former mall, into the suburb of Windcrest; that city had lost $100,000 in taxes each year since the mall's closure in 2005. [33] Rackspace hired architect and urban planner Andrés Duany [34] and renovated the former mall (now known as "The Castle") for more than $100 million, having received a $22 million grant from the state of Texas. [35] Renovations also added environmentally friendly features such as a rainwater cistern and dual flush toilets; in 2009, The Castle received LEED Gold certification. [36] By 2012, 3,200 employees worked at the former mall site. The redevelopment of Windsor Park has attracted retail and multi-family residential development geared to the higher incomes of Rackspace employees (on average $69,000 a year, compared to $37,000 a year, the local average), and Rackspace developed a neighborhood park around the site. [34]

Among the features of The Castle were a two-story slide, 80 conference rooms, cable car-type gondolas repurposed from the closed Sky Ride at Brackenridge Park, [37] a coffee shop and fitness center [36] and art installations. The Castle also integrates the neon Food Court sign from the mall that was added in the 1987 renovations. As of 2013, 525,000 square feet (48,800 m2) of the 1,200,000 square feet (110,000 m2) former mall has been renovated. In addition, in one of the escalator wells, there is a word search that held the Guinness World Record for world's largest word search at the time of its creation. [36] The perimeter road around the center, which was added by Rackspace on a new route, was known as Fanatical Place (in reference to the company's value of "Fanatical Support"); another access road was named Racker Road, after the nickname for Rackspace employees. [38]

2024–present: Windcrest International Business Park

The shift to remote working induced by the COVID-19 pandemic reduced Rackspace's need for office space. In 2022, Windcrest mayor Dan Reese was given a tour by Rackspace; he told San Antonio Report that "there were, in essence, 20 people in the building". Shortly after, the company opted to relocate to smaller headquarters. [39] Rackspace paid a $9 million lease termination fee, which the North East Independent School District contended was owed half under the 2007 agreement that brought Rackspace to the site, but the city of San Antonio contended it was the sole beneficiary of that amount. [40]

In early 2024, the building was sold to Industrial Commercial Properties LLC, becoming known as the Windcrest International Business Park. [41] The firm, which had experience in converting malls and office campuses, [42] received a tax exemption as part of a sale deal with the city of Windcrest and Bexar County. [43]

Former anchors

Notes

  1. ↑ The former mall was located in San Antonio from 1976 to 2007; the property was transferred to Windcrest as part of the redevelopment

References

  1. ↑ Bailey, Alan (January 11, 1974). "Northeast S.A. To Get Huge Mall". San Antonio Express. p. 1A. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Windsor Park Mall readies 're-grand opening'". San Antonio Express-News. November 29, 1990.
  3. ↑ "Windsor Mall Unveiled". San Antonio Light. January 11, 1974. p. 2-A. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Center To Get Ultra-Modern Stores". San Antonio Express. January 11, 1974. p. 8-D. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Joske's to Open New S.A. Store in Windsor Park". San Antonio Light. June 13, 1974. pp. 2-A. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  6. ↑ Little, Ken (August 17, 1975). "New retailing center about to give birth". San Antonio Express-News. p. 1-G. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Grand Opening Set for Windsor Park Mall". San Antonio Light. July 28, 1976. pp. 1, 18 . Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Setting it straight". San Antonio Express. July 28, 1976. pp. 3-A. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Windsor Park Mall Will Feature Big-Four". San Antonio Light. July 13, 1976. pp. 6-D. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Ingram Park opens Thursday". San Antonio Express. March 1, 1979. p. 14-A. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  11. ↑ Stanush, Michelle (June 16, 1984). "Mervyn's moving into S.A." San Antonio Express-News. p. 2-D. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  12. ↑ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–" . Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  13. ↑ Leibold, Bob (June 10, 1987). "114-plus Joske's workers will lose jobs". San Antonio Express-News. p. 2-E. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  14. ↑ Boisseau, Charles (February 5, 1988). "Menu set for Joske's space: Old stores to become food courts, retail stores". San Antonio Light. pp. C1, C5 . Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Getting the mall rolling: David Gremar is manager of city's newest shopping center". San Antonio Express-News. July 17, 1988. pp. 1-K, 8-K . Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  16. ↑ Lesli, Hicks (November 17, 1990). "Business". San Antonio Express-News.
  17. ↑ Hendricks, Bill; Webre, Jim (February 12, 1992). "Dad knew knifing of son at mall was fatal". San Antonio Express-News.
  18. ↑ Edwards, Thomas (January 6, 1992). "Teen charged in gang slaying: 'Totally innocent bystander' slain in gun battle, police say". San Antonio Express-News.
  19. ↑ Bower, Tom (February 28, 1992). "Three malls ousting VIA bus-stop sites". San Antonio Express-News.
  20. ↑ Arthur, Santana (December 18, 1994). "Blaze of gunfire ruins yule spirit at Windsor. WeddPark". San Antonio Express-News.
  21. ↑ Edwards, Thomas (December 19, 1994). "Man dies from injuries in Windsor Park Mall shooting". San Antonio Express-News.
  22. ↑ Gibbs, Kristi (June 14, 1995). "Sheriff's annex moving to mall". San Antonio Express-News.
  23. 1 2 Silva, Tricia Lynn (March 26, 2014). "What might have been for Windsor Park Mall — now home to Rackspace". San Antonio Business Journal. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  24. ↑ Monroe, Melissa; Day, Bill (December 30, 2000). "Wards closure to leave malls with big void". San Antonio Express-News.
  25. ↑ Pesquera, Adolfo (December 7, 2001). "Dropping shopping - Dillard's delivers another blow to Windsor Park Mall". San Antonio Express-News.
  26. ↑ Pesquera, Adolfo (April 18, 2002). "Windsor Park tenants informed of mall's sale". San Antonio Express-News.
  27. ↑ McCollough, Chuck (December 3, 2003). "Windsor Park seeing revival - New investments, school rebuilding are positive changes". San Antonio Express-News.
  28. ↑ Monroe, Melissa (June 22, 2004). "J.C. Penney to leave Windsor Park Mall - Store is relocating to upgraded Rolling Oaks Mall in October". San Antonio Express-News.
  29. ↑ "Windsor Park loses Mervyns, one of 28 stores closing statewide". San Antonio Express-News. September 8, 2005.
  30. ↑ Castillo, Mariano (August 2, 2005). "Search center seeking new home as mall closes". San Antonio Express-News.
  31. ↑ Bower, Tom (September 7, 2005). "Mall sheltering evacuees faces lawsuit for back taxes". San Antonio Express-News.
  32. ↑ Wilson, Ron (September 27, 2005). "Some who fled storm wait for all-clear to go home". San Antonio Express-News.
  33. ↑ McCollough, Chuck (August 15, 2007). "Officials hope deal revives area". San Antonio Express-News.
  34. 1 2 Murphy, Kate (October 30, 2012). "Revitalizing a Dead Mall (Don't Expect Shoppers)". The New York Times. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  35. ↑ Lorek, L.A. (August 3, 2007). "State kicking in $22 million for Rackspace move". San Antonio Express-News.
  36. 1 2 3 Mirel, Diana. "Mall makeover: Rackspace has transformed a vacant mall in San Antonio into a hub of high-tech growth". Journal of Property Management. No. March/April 2013.
  37. ↑ Lucio, Valentino (February 4, 2012). "Sense of fun pervades Rackspace HQ". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  38. ↑ Goddard, Dan (March 21, 2013). "Storming The Castle: Inside Rackspace Headquarters". San Antonio Business Journal. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  39. ↑ Biediger, Shari (September 29, 2023). "Windcrest deal could turn Rackspace HQ into industrial complex". San Antonio Report. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  40. ↑ Collier, Dillon; Saunders, Joshua (May 20, 2025). "'I'm pretty frustrated': NEISD superintendent calls on City of San Antonio to resolve multi-million dollar dispute". KSAT . Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  41. ↑ "Industrial Commercial Properties buys Windcrest Business Park for major overhaul". WOAI-TV . March 22, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  42. ↑ Iszler, Madison (September 22, 2023). "Rackspace lands a deal to sell its former headquarters to Cleveland-based industrial developer". San Antonio Express-News. Archived from the original on July 26, 2025. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  43. ↑ Iszler, Madison. "New owner closes deal for former Rackspace HQ, will turn the Windcrest property into industrial park". San Antonio Express-News. Archived from the original on September 3, 2025. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
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