OSHKOSH – Enclosed shopping mall. Repurposed office spaces. Now security electronics integrator headquarters?
The only constant in life is change, and no Oshkosh entity has embodied that notion over the last six decades quite like the old Park Plaza mall through all its major transitions from 1967.
The changes aren’t done yet, either, with the mall’s “City Center” era set to come to an eventual end after the city of Oshkosh agreed to acquire the 17-acre riverfront property for $12.5 million last month.
For residents, the question now is what Oshkosh will do with one of its most visible riverfront properties — and how much of it could become green space, housing or new commercial development.
The immediate future of the site still isn’t known, with the city only floating concept designs of green space, commercial lots and new housing to this point.
Accurate Controls, a Ripon-based design security systems integrator, has expressed interest in moving its headquarters to be a part of the property that currently houses 4imprint.
But there’s been no word on a finalized deal, and that lot at 101 Commerce St. only accounts for around 30% of the entire property, fueling further speculation about what’s to come.
Here are some key dates detailing the history of the old Park Plaza mall.
1965
Miles Kimball co-founder Alberta Kimball and President Ted Leyhe commission architect Welton Becket to design Oshkosh’s first enclosed downtown mall on the river.
January 1968
Demolition of the more than 20 existing buildings at the future Park Plaza site begins.
Oct. 29, 1970
The $16 million Park Plaza has its grand opening with close to 50 stores, anchored by department chain stores Sears and H.C. Prange Company. The mall included 450,000 square feet of retail space and a two-level parking tower.
1980
Park Plaza adds Maxam Photo, Naturalizer Shoes, Dartmouth Direct Clothing, Two Plus Two Jelwery, Orange Julius, Coe Drug, Candy Crate, Hearthstone Gallery, Thinke Jewelers and Pet World as new stores.
1986
Kohl’s grocery store closes its Park Plaza location while the mall adds new stores such as Vanity, Page Jewelers, Tees and Sweats, Baskin-Robbins and Sterling Optical.
1987
A deal to sell Park Plaza mall to a California developer falls through.
1988
Promotional merchandise marketer 4imprint moves its North American headquarters to the 101 Commerce St. lot.
1991
A Chicago-based firm specializing in revitalizing enclosed malls, Erie Development Co., is hired as a leasing agent for Park Plaza.
The mall opens an 11,000-square-foot food court, replacing Grey Fox and Pearl’s restaurants. Park Plaza Video also opens in the spot once held by Kohl’s grocery store.
1992
H.C. Prange closed its store at Park Plaza when the company dissolved.
1993
Sears announces it was closing its store at the mall, prompting Park Plaza to hold talks with Winnebago County about moving its human services departments into the vacated space.
Polacheck Property Management Corp. was selected as the mall’s new manager and leasing agent.
1998
Sporting goods and apparel retailer Eastbay opens a call center at Park Plaza mall following its corporate expansion in Wausau.
Late 1990s
J.C. Penney closes its store at Park Plaza.
2000
Listing Jeff Pauly as its registered agent, City Center Associates LLC acquires the lot at 201 Pearl Ave. for $2 million.
Planet Perk opens at City Center.
2001
Bayshore Development II LLC, with Kurt Koeppler as its registered agent, purchases the lot at 101 Commerce St. for $800,000.
2005
Silver Star Brands moves its administrative offices into City Center.
2008
Becket’s restaurant opens at City Center.
2022
Silver Star Brands moves out of City Center after adding a second floor to its warehouse facility at 2155 S. Oakwood Road to consolidate staff and operations under one roof.
April 2023
Foot Locker closes the Eastbay call center at City Center.
May 2024
The city of Oshkosh lists City Center as a catalyst site in its Downtown Redevelopment Plan.
July 2024
Bayshore Development II LLC’s registered agent Kurt Koeppler applied for a zone change at 400 City Center to accommodate converting office space into indoor storage units.
October 2025
TJ Rogers, CEO of Ripon-based security electronics integrator Accurate Controls, physically tours City Center with a team of architects, engineers and planners.
Oshkosh Common Council begins the first of many closed sessions centered around potenitally acquiring the 101 Commerce St. and 201 Pearl Ave. lots that comprise City Center.
Kris Larson announces his immediate resignation from Common Council, saying he wants to avoid a potential conflict of interest as the owner of Becket’s restaurant.
November 2025
4imprint announces plans to leave City Center by September 2026.
March 2026
The city of Oshkosh creates a survey seeking community input regarding the potential redevelopment of City Center.
May 2026
Common Council narrowly approves a $12.5 million purchase agreement for the lots at 101 Commerce St. and 201 Pearl Ave. comprising City Center.
June 2026
TJ Rogers says Accurate Controls is evaluating Oshkosh as a potential option for its corporate office headquarters after sources revealed the city hopes to secure a letter of intent from Accurate Controls to purchase the 4imprint building at 101 Commerce St.
Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@usatodayco.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @justinmarville.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Timeline traces Oshkosh mall from Park Plaza to City Center
Reporting by Justin Marville, Oshkosh Northwestern / Oshkosh Northwestern
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Justin Marville, Oshkosh Northwestern | USA TODAY Network
