Today, The Mall at Steamtown is a vital economic force in Lackawanna County, home to over one hundred retail stores that employ and serve thousands of our neighbors and friends. But it hasn't always been that way. 

Back in 1981, Boscov’s indicated that they might open a store in Scranton. A number of buildings and properties were offered up as development options, but none proved to be a really good fit.

In May 1986, Steamtown USA made the first major commitment to the project by generously donating 10 acres of property. With a location in hand, the search for funding began in earnest.

Occasional setbacks were all but forgotten when, in the Fall of 1986, U.S. Representative Joseph McDade proposed funding for the creation of Steamtown National Historic Site. Eventually, President Ronald Reagan signed the proposal into law.

In 1987, plans were approved that connected The Mall at Steamtown and the National Historic Site. This was also a year of turbulence as property acquisitions caused the initial cost estimate of the project to increase from $65 million to $85 million. At this point, Arnold Praver and Shopco joined Al Boscov and his team to build a dream, The Mall at Steamtown.

Development Research, Inc., did a feasibility study in 1988 and found that building a mall in downtown Scranton would greatly enhance and encourage the revitalization of the area. After this research was released, the City Planning Commission and The Redevelopment Authority supported the Urban Renewal Plan. This was a long, drawn-out process, fraught with many pitfalls.

By October 1991, the new projection for the mall's development exceeded $100 million. But that didn't deter the visionaries. This was the year they showed the people of Scranton that "the dream" of The Mall at Steamtown was about to become a reality. Demolition started on October 7, 1991. In November 1991, Governor Casey committed the state to occupying the Samter Building. On December 19th, officials unveiled renderings of The Mall at Steamtown and the renovation of the Oppenheim Building. The implosion of the properties on Lackawanna Avenue occurred on April 5, 1992. Crowds gathered to witness the historic event. It was also broadcast live by local stations and aired internationally on CNN. This heralded the beginning of construction that would last through October 1993.

The Mall at Steamtown hosted a much-anticipated Grand Opening on October 23, 1993.

Almost a decade in the making, the mall's developers struggled to see their dreams become a reality. The mall was one of only five in the country to open in 1993. Of the five, it was unique because it was built in a location to help revitalize a once bustling downtown area and was the only enclosed mall to open in the Northeast during those financially-troubled times.

The financing for the project came from a variety of sources, none of which were banks. Due to the position and risk they took to aid in the revitalization of downtown Scranton, Scranton Mall Associates were able to draw on non-traditional financing sources. Some of the eventual sources for financing included an Urban Development Action Grant from the Federal Government, a financial commitment from the state in recognition for the potential economic rebirth of Scranton and the Northeast, the Public Employees Retirement Board, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers from its pension fund to finance construction.

As mentioned earlier, one very unique feature about The Mall at Steamtown is its connection to a National Historic Site via a pedestrian bridge. This insight on the part of the developers provides access to the center for visitors of the park, which at the time of the project's development was estimated to be 500,000 a year.

The Mall at Steamtown opened with 65 retailers and 3 anchors: Boscov's, Montgomery Ward and The Globe. The Globe, an historic Scranton retailer, was connected to the mall via the bridge space. Unfortunately, the struggling anchor closed its doors in 1995. The building has since been redeveloped and is now known as Metro Tech Center, home of Diversified Information Technologies.

The Mall at Steamtown is currently managed by Prizm Asset Management Co. and boasts 88 retailers with 4 anchors: The Bon-Ton, Boscov's, Steve & Barry's University Sportswear and Marquee Cinema 8 Plex.