When John and Esther Berkebile first requested to have their 21-acre agriculturally zoned property along the Conewango Creek rezoned to business transitional in February 1972, many local retailers viewed the request as a possible threat to local business.
Attorney William M. Hill Jr., represented 50 retailers in downtown Warren and voiced several concerns they shared before the property had been sold to George Zamias of Johnstown.
During a county commissioners meeting Hill said rezoning the property would encourage "fragmentation of retailing," and did not see new job growth, "rather a reapportionment of retail jobs will take place."
"Nor is a healthy economic outlook seen for the retail stores of the area who are, and have been, taxpayers to the county. The downtown will still be the major source of retail sales and services, even though left in a weakened condition. It would only weaken the strength, so to speak, just as it has in almost every area where malls have been created."
The request to rezone the Berkebile property was granted by the commissioners in March of that year.
Ground was officially broken on November 16, 1977,. "Warren County has finally come of age," said Zamias. A completion date of late 1978 or early 1979 was anticipated.
Montgomery Ward was the first store to open at the mall on Sept. 13, 1979, and the Warren Mall officially opened for business when the opening ribbon was cut on Oct. 5, 1979. (4/2/2011)
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