The old Metrocenter Mall JCPenney store is now a self-storage center

By Christina Estes
Published: Saturday, October 2, 2021 - 7:53am
Updated: Saturday, October 2, 2021 - 7:54am

chairs and counters in lobby
Cecelia Martinez
Life Storage at the former Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix features wine lockers and climate-controlled parking for cars, boats and RVs.

The first large commercial redevelopment has been completed at the site of Phoenix’s former Metrocenter Mall.  

The former JCPenney store, once filled with clothes, appliances and other household items, can now hold wine, boats and RVs.

Denver-based Southwestern Property bought the former anchor store and turned it into a climate-controlled Life Storage facility. The 157,000-square-foot building offers small lockers, storage units and parking spaces.

exterior of former jcpenney store
Cecelia Martinez
The JCPenney store at the former Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix was converted to a climate-controlled self-storage facility in September 2021.

In June 2019, the property manager for Metrocenter Mall, Capital Asset Management, was hopeful the mall could become a sports and entertainment hub.

Metrocenter Mall officially closed in June 2020, but the JCP store, which was not part of mall ownership, had closed earlier.

When Metrocenter opened in 1973, it was Arizona’s first two story mall and attracted shoppers from across the region. It was believed to be the first mall west of the Mississippi River to have five department stores.

It’s the second recent redevelopment for big box stores around Metrocenter. Adelante Healthcare transformed the former Sports Authority store into a community health center.

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