More than 50 years after developers broke ground on what was then called Foothills Fashion Mall, the shopping center's fourth owner plans to unveil a reimagined shopping center in the heart of Midtown Fort Collins.

In many respects, the mall's redevelopment will epitomize the journey U.S. shopping malls have endured in the past half-century.

Foothills, at 215 Foothills Parkway, has gone from a state-of-the art shopping center on the edge of Fort Collins to a somewhat failed redevelopment in the heart of Midtown as consumer habits have changed and the internet has made shopping as easy as a click of the mouse.

With its next iteration set to be revealed to the public during a public open house held at the mall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 15, here's a look at Foothills' history from its very early days.

Foothills mall timeline in Fort Collins

• September 1972: Everwest, a partnership between Everitt Enterprises of Fort Collins and Westcor, a Phoenix development company, breaks ground on new regional shopping mall located on the southern edge of the city.

• August 1973: The 80,000-square-foot Sears at Foothills Fashion Mall becomes the largest retail store in the city.

• Nov. 1, 1973: The 336,000-square-foot Foothills Fashion Mall opens with anchors Sears, The Denver and May D&F.

• 1980: JCPenney builds a 62,000-square-foot expansion at the mall.

• 1989: Foothills grows from 450,000 square feet with 60 to 65 stores and one hallway to 600,000 square feet, 120 stores and multiple hallways as part of a $40 million redevelopment plan that adds Mervyns to the south side.

• January 1993: May department stores merge with Foley's, and all 11 Colorado stores are renamed.

• December 2003: Mall is sold to General Growth Partners, which promises major renovations. Gart Sports announces September 2005 closure. California-based Mervyn's announces it will close all but one of its 11 Colorado stores by the end of January, including its Foothills location.

• September 2006: J.C. Penney moves to a freestanding store on South College Avenue, the former Shopko building (J.C. Penney closed in Fort Collins in 2020).

• May 2007: City Council approves tax incentives for Foothills redevelopment under GGP ownership.

• November 2008: City Council pulls the plug on mall tax incentives, citing lack of development progress.

• April 2009: GGP files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

• March 2010: City unveils a draft of a consultant's report on redevelopment of Midtown Corridor, including Foothills Mall, at a public meeting.

• November 2010: GGP emerges from bankruptcy and renews talks with Fort Collins city officials about redevelopment.

• December 2010: The vacant J.C. Penney store at the mall is razed. City unveils preliminary timetable for redevelopment and plans to bring Dillard's to the mall.

• February 2012: GGP officials visit Fort Collins for talks with city. Mall applies for building permit from city of Fort Collins to erect three partitions in preparation for decommissioning the mall's back hallway.

• July 2012: General Growth Properties sells mall to Alberta Development Partners LLC for $40 million.

• November 2013: Tres Margaritas shuts down to clear the way for the first phase of Foothills redevelopment.

• January 2014: City approves $53 million financing agreement with mall developers. Mall developers agree to deed back the Foothills Activity Center and build an underpass beneath College Avenue.

• 2014: The Corner Bakery closes and is razed just three years after opening in a new building.

• October 2014: Sears closes its anchor at the mall after months of negotiations with Alberta. It reopened months later with a 10,000-square-foot appliance-only store.

• October 2015: Nordstrom Rack, H&M and Cinemark Movie Bistro and XD open.

• November 2015: Foothills mall holds its inaugural holiday kickoff with big crowds.

• March 2016: The city-owned Foothills Activity Center opens in the enclosed mall.

• Summer/fall 2018: Dick's Sporting Goods and Loft Next Door open inside the mall. Dick's fills junior anchor position after Sports Authority filed for bankruptcy and closed all of its stores.

• December 2020: Developers miss key payment; court puts property into receivership. Foreclosure proceedings begin.

• February 2021: McWhinney signs a purchase-and-sale agreement with the property's receivers.

• June 1, 2021: McWhinney and Prism Places close on the purchase of the mall and surrounding shops.

• March 2023: Macy's closes its doors after mall owners buy out the store's lease to make way for redevelopment.

• April 15, 2023: Foothills owners to unveil new concept for the interior mall.

Source: Coloradoan research

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Foothills mall's timeline in Fort Collins as redevelopment looms