Photo: Craig Cunningham
Instead of the familiar sight and rushing sound of the center court waterfall, mall visitors are now seeing the guts that have always existed beneath the beauty -- rusted steel beams and exposed plumbing.
"After 22 years, the atrium waterfall is being revised to be a bubbling first level fountain," said Lisa McCracken, spokeswoman for the mall.
"I haven't had the response you might imagine," said McCracken. "I think people just assume we are just doing a little remodeling to it."
The waterfall, which pumped 12,000 gallons of water per minute, was beyond simple repairs, she said.
"The structure and plumbing were in very poor condition and in need of significant renovations," she said. "We were having significant water damage.
"We would have needed to completely rebuild it, and it would have been a very extensive and expensive project."
The waterfall was a focal point and used to dramatically symbolize the grand opening at a formal gala in November 1983.
"It was a very special part of the preview and opening and has been a very special part of the mall ever since," said McCracken.
Over the years, mall officials have received both praise and complaints about the stunning waterfall.
"Folks love it, but some people felt it was awfully loud," McCracken said. "Even at Starbucks, which shares center court -- they love the waterfall but their customers at the tables found it a bit too noisy.
"We'll all miss it," she said. "For the city and the mall it has been an architectural landmark we all enjoyed. There were photographs shot in front of it and children throwing coins into it.
"But it will still be a wonderful water feature for center court," she said. "All of the structure on the first floor will remain. It will still have wonderful movement and sounds, but it the sound will be greatly reduced."
McCracken said work to take down the waterfall began last month and should be completed by the end of April. Then, the water will be turned back on for the new feature.
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