Century III Mall remains on the market.
Wisconsin-based home improvement retail company Menards has confirmed to Pittsburgh Independent that they will not purchase the former West Mifflin mall property.
“Back in August, 2022, we obtained an option to purchase the property from the current owner," wrote Jeff Abbott, spokesperson for Menard, Inc.
"This meant that we would have the right to inspect, analyze, study and review the potential development of the property. Since August of 2022, the economic health of our great nation has steadily declined. For example, continuing inflation, major bank failures, high interest rates and the government’s continuing obstruction of our every independence and the list goes on and on, but the bottom line is that it doesn’t seem like the ideal time for a family-owned business like ourselves to make a large investment in fixed assets.”
Abbott's statement comes after West Mifflin Mayor Chris Kelly posted to a community Facebook group, saying in part that "Menards has withdrawn their bid at the 11th hour."
Headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Menards has over 350 locations across 15 states, none in Pennsylvania.
Calls to West Mifflin Borough Manager Brian Kamauf were not immediately returned.
The once-bustling mall Century III Mall, built atop a former slag heap, closed in 2019 after 40 years in operation.
In 2021, Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh included the mall in its annual list of ‘Top 10 Buildings to Save.’
Allegheny County property records list the property owner as "Century III Mall PA LLC," an entity which court records show maintains the same address as Moonbeam Capital Investments LLC. The Pittsburgh Business Times previously reported Century III Mall PA LLC as "an affiliate of Las Vegas-based Moonbeam Capital Investments."
Calls and emails to Moonbeam Capital were not immediately returned.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
