Plaza de Diego Mall was an enclosed shopping mall formerly located in the Paseo de Diego area of Río Piedras, Puerto Rico.
History
Opening and success: 1980s
On November 5, 1983, the 90,000 square foot Plaza de Diego Mall would inaugurate with three levels. The first two levels would count with 13 stores, and the third would count with 13 food establishments. It would be developed by then owners Plaza de Diego Shopping Center, Inc., and designed by Huyke, Colón y Asociados.
In January 1984, a Pearle Vision Center would open at the second level of the mall.
On May 12, 1984, it was reported that at the Capri Stores in Río Piedras, a woman was seen loitering shortly before a fire broke out in the fabric department of said store. Damages totaled $600. There were also two attempts done in the women's bathroom at Plaza de Diego Mall, adjacent to the Capri stores. All the fires were extinguished almost instantly, by employees of the establishments.
In August 1984, it was announced that the mall had plans to expand its facilities to add some 40 stores to the already existing 17 stores at the mall had and create a family entertainment center that, in addition to its then area of 14 fast food restaurants at its food court “El Comedor”, would include three cinemas and a bowling alley. The expansion of the mall, which would cost about $14 million, would also include the construction of a seven-story parking garage with room for 700 cars, according to the vice president of Plaza De Diego, Inc., Rafael Figueroa. With these improvements, Plaza De Diego hoped to capture the support of the 100,000 people who, according to studies, passed daily through the center of Río Piedras, in the area of Paseo De Diego up to Vallejo Street, in front of the Plaza del Mercado. Figueroa explained that the potential market was enormous at the time because Río Piedras was an exceptional commercial area. Regarding the expansion project of Plaza de Diego, Figueroa said he expected it to be completed by mid-1986. Preliminary plans, drawn up by the architectural firm Huyke, Colón y Asociados, call for Plaza de Diego to consist of four levels, possibly with a 40,000-foot department store, panoramic elevators and some bridges that would link the parking building to the mall. Figueroa pointed out that the project would be financed by Caguas Federal Savings, which would contribute about $10 million. Another $4 million in UDAG funds was expected to be raised. They were currently in the stage of renting the commercial premises, which would also raise something in advance to finance the project. The construction work on the project was expected to begin in June 1985.
In February 1985, a “Arias” men's clothing store would come to the mall.
In May 1985, Plaza de Diego would advertise its new expansion with 40 new spaces in between 500 and 10,000 square feet for new businesses. In addition, it would advertise two spaces one being 20,500 square feet, the other 41,500 square feet, and 8 office spaces in between 1,000 and 6,000 square feet. In January 1987, Bankers Finance Mortgage Corp., granted $11 million to finance the construction of a new expansion for the mall. Chase Manhattan Bank and City Federal provided the interim loan for the construction of the expansion. The permanent loan was granted by City Federal and the Caguas Central Federal Bank.