The corporate headquarters is in downtown Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in a building designed by architect Michael Graves.
The company's name was changed to Crown American in 1972 and in 1979, it acquired the Hess's department store chain.
The shopping mall portion of the company became a publicly held real estate investment trust, Crown American Realty Trust, and Crown American Hotels controlled the company's hospitality businesses.
At its peak, Crown American operated 30 shopping malls, the Hess's department store chain (with 73 locations), and 20 hotels and motels.
In 2003, the shopping mall development and management unit, Crown American Realty Trust, was sold to * PREIT.