Most of Mall of Mainland to close early 2014

TEXAS CITY – Most interior space of the 450,904-sf Mall of the Mainland, at 10000 Emmett F. Lowry Expy., will close on February 1, 2014. The retail center opened in 1991.

The closure won’t affect Sears, which owns its own store, Palais Royal or the Cinemark movie theater.

Leases with the interior stores, except for Palais Royal and Cinemark, will be terminated January 31, 2014.

Coastline Retail Center Inc. gained control of the shopping center as a result of a foreclosure action and related litigation in 2012. Closure of the 450,904-sf mall could be the first step in a future owner’s redevelopment of the troubled property, which has been on the market for months.

Closure of the mall would allow redevelopment of nearly 80 acres with a lot of surrounding infrastructure.

The closure marks the end of a retail era for Texas City. The opening a year ago of the 90-store Tanger Outlet Center on 55 acres west of I-45, south of Holland Rd., has pulled the city’s center mass west across I-45 and is acting as a magnet for development that will bring retail and restaurants.

About a dozen tenants including Bath & Body Works, Claire’ s and Foot Action remain.

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