- published: 05 Jul 2014
- views: 150
Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza (BHCP) is a shopping mall (the first post-war retail complex in California), whose first two stores opened in October and November of 1947. The original open-air complex, known as the Broadway-Crenshaw Center, was located in Los Angeles, California. When it opened in 1947, the retail hub was anchored by a The Broadway department store, a May Company department store, Woolworth variety store, and Von's supermarket. It consisted of 550,000 square feet (51,000 m²) and 13 acres (53,000 m2) of parking.
The complex underwent a massive renovation, which got underway in the mid-1980s. Much of the original inline store space was razed. A two-level, fully enclosed mall structure was built, which was anchored by the existing The Broadway and May Company stores and included a new Sears as a third anchor. The shopping hub, now known as Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, was officially dedicated in November 1988. BHCP encompassed 850,000 square feet (79,000 m²).
After a series of rebrandings of the two original department stores, BHCP is anchored by the state's only three-story Wal-Mart (in the old The Broadway building), Macy's (in the old May Company structure), Sears, and an Albertson's supermarket. The mall contains an additional 115 retail and specialty shops on over 40 acres (160,000 m2) of land which is located in one of the most densely populated areas in the United States. BHCP also serves as a community center for the Baldwin Hills and Crenshaw communities. The mall maintains its cultural roots with a Museum of African Art located on the third level of Macy's.