[1] Lazarus, already open since 1851, was made one of the original anchor stores by connecting it with the mall via an enclosed bridge across High Street.

[4] Though its opening had a much more devastating effect on the nearby Westland Mall, Tuttle presented an attractive alternative for upscale shoppers in the surrounding area who would have otherwise shopped at City Center.

Located near the intersection of the I-270 Outerbelt, I-670, and SR-161 on the northeast side of Columbus, Easton presented a unique mixed-use format that was instantly successful.

In conjunction to driving significant retail traffic away from downtown, Easton also hastened the downfall of nearby Northland Mall.

To make matters worse for City Center, Glimcher Realty Trust opened Polaris Fashion Place in October 2001.

[5] Shortly after the Lazarus closing, Mills Corporation, through a 50/50 partnership with General Motors, purchased a large portion of Taubman's holdings, including Tuttle and City Center.

[6] Mills, with extensive experience in converting aged malls into revitalized structures emphasizing fresh entertainment and dining options, was seen by many to be the new hope for City Center's future.

However, excitement quickly faded as Mills announced significant financial difficulties in 2006, including accounting irregularities and earnings restatements going back several years.

[7] On July 31, 2007, the City of Columbus filed a lawsuit to evict the management company, Simon Property Group, which held the lease on the underlying land, to gain control of the mall.

The city alleged that mall management grossly neglected the property, allowed it to fall into disrepair, did not pay real estate taxes for some time, and failed to make a rent payment for the land in excess of $200,000.

[8] In the last minutes before eviction was to take place, the city was able to negotiate a purchase agreement to buy the property from Simon and take over full control.

The redevelopment, now complete, converted the building to a format suitable for office space, academic research, arts, and dining.