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Florida Business Centre, formerly Florida Marketplace and Brevard Mall, is an enclosed office complex and former shopping mall in Melbourne, Florida, United States. A small, two-anchor mall, it was the first mall in Brevard County, Florida, and was the first mall built by The Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation in Florida. Tenants of the complex include Percepta, Collins Aerospace, and IHeartMedia.

History

Developed by the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation, Brevard Mall was announced in 1961. Anchor stores were to include a two-level Montgomery Ward and J. C. Penney, with space for 24 stores in between, at that time to include a McCrory's 5 & 10, a Food Fair, a savings and loan, two women's wear stores, two shoe stores, a men's shop, a restaurant, a child's clothing store, and a jewelry store. Construction for the mall began in early 1962, on a 32-acre site considered part of the Melbourne Airport, and previously housing a television & appliance store, and a miniature golf course. At this time, an opening date of Fall 1962 was announced, as well as new tenants including Eckerd Drugs, Winn-Dixie, and Kinney Shoes. Montgomery Ward announced a March 27, 1963 opening by January that year, with its auto center opening ahead of the main store, on March 18, 1963. The mall opened as planned on March 27, 1963, with a mix of national and local tenants.

The mall's Montgomery Ward was converted to Jefferson Ward in 1980, in a $2 million renovation. In 1981, plans were announced to greatly expand the mall; A joint venture by owners Jim Wilson & Associates with Homart Development Company and Mel Sembler Associates, it would add 125 stores to the mall, connecting it to an existing Sears and adding Ivey's as a fourth anchor. Plans collapsed however in March 1981, when anchor J. C. Penney announced it would not be renewing its lease, set to run out in 1983, in order to move to the new Melbourne Square Mall, followed shortly by Ivey's. JCPenney was re-tenanted in late 1984, when HomeOwners Warehouse, a subsidiary of Service Merchandise, renovated and opened in the space. Jefferson Ward anchor folded with the rest of the chain in 1986, and remained vacant until 1988, when Montgomery Ward returned to the mall alongside a $1.25 million renovation by new owners J.J. Gumberg Co. TJ Maxx was announced in 1987, taking over the former Winn-Dixie space as well as a few smaller tenants nearby.

In 1997, as part of their Chapter 11 Bankruptcy filing, Montgomery Ward closed 48 stores, including the location at the Brevard Mall, which closed in August. Also in 1997, the mall underwent renovations into the "Florida Marketplace", a mixed-use center including offices, retail, and a convention center space in the former Montgomery Ward space. By 2013, the complex had continued to house offices, and was renamed again to Florida Business Centre.

References

1. Directory of major malls. MJJTM Publications Corp. 1990. p. 143.
2. Karel, Frank (October 5, 1961). "Did Shopping Center Deal Jell". The Miami Herald. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
3. Karel, Frank (September 15, 1961). "Bigger Shopping Center?". The Miami Herald. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
4. Pyle, Homer (February 3, 1962). "Mall Sets Opening In Fall". The Miami Herald. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
5. "Construction Set On Brevard Mall". Orlando Evening Star. February 2, 1962. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
6. Robshaw, Walt (January 24, 1963). "New Store Opening March 27". Brevard Star. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
7. "MW Auto Store Set To Open". Brevard Sentinel. March 17, 1963. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
8. "Mall Shops To Open Doors Today". Brevard Sentinel. March 27, 1963. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
9. Hogan, Dave (April 20, 1980). "Brevard Retail Centers Undergo Expansion, Change". Florida Today. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
10. Hogan, Dave (February 7, 1981). "Two malls may battle for Melbourne". Florida Today. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
11. Cone, Marla (March 12, 1981). "J.C. Penney move ends 2-mall battle". Florida Today. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
12. Hodges, Dave (December 14, 1984). "Brevard Mall welcomes HomeOwners Warehouse". Florida Today. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
13. Carey, Chris (April 3, 1988). "Putting new faces on old shopping centers". The Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
14. "TJ Maxx plans store in Melbourne". Florida Today. November 18, 1987. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
15. Carey, Chris (July 12, 1987). "Ward leads mall recovery". The Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
16. "Montgomery Ward closings could leave 3,800 jobless". Florida Today. October 11, 1997. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
17. Worley, Dwight (December 5, 1997). "Mall launches new look in January". Florida Today. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
18. "Panel ponders new name for airport". Florida Today. February 19, 1998. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
19. http://brevardbusinessnews.com/ArchiveDocs/2013/2013-03-01/BBN-031113.pdf

• 1962 establishments in Florida
• Shopping malls in Florida
• Buildings and structures in Melbourne, Florida
• Shopping malls established in 1962
• Office buildings in Florida