Empire Mall Fountain
The Empire Plaza Mall 1975 - 1983
For less than a decade, the Empire Mall had a beautiful and unique fountain in the center court area of the mall.
At the time, malls in the United States had green spaces to act as a zen refuge from the hustle and bustle of retail excess.
The 22-foot-tall bronze fountain that once lived in the center of the Empire Mall was the creation of Clarence VanDuzer, a Cleveland-based artist who was hired by Des Moines architect Derwood Quade. VanDuzer, known by most as Van, was a tall, energetic man with a bright red beard and a matching mane of hair. Quade worked for General Growth Properties, the company responsible for many of the nation’s enclosed malls, including the Empire Mall.
The fountain was installed and running when the Sioux Empire Plaza, as it was called at the time, opened its doors in 1975. “It is a monumental, imposing sculpture within the environment of a fountain,” Van said of his creation. According to the Argus Leader, Quade chose the VanDuzer piece because, “the work utilizes the flow of water, controlled lighting, and the stationary brushed surface of heavy bronze.”
The structure was composed of three pylons measuring 22 feet tall within a cylindrical base. Water was pumped up the center of each pylon, then allowed to cascade down a corrugated panel, which composed one side of each structure. The water pool at the base was set up with jets of water that danced over colored lights. Van created an identical fountain, which was installed at the new Southridge Mall in Des Moines the same year.
Empire Mall shoppers enjoyed this feature in the center court, which was located at the crossroads of the hallways leading to the main entrance, Macy’s, JC Penney, and Younkers. The court had eight large trees, which provided some shade from the light streaming in from clerestory windows located on all sides of the courtyard’s elevated ceiling. The music of dancing water made this bright area a pleasant space to take a break from shopping and recharge for more. Kids who visited the mall enjoyed sitting at the edge of the fountain, amazed by the amount of pennies and other change contained within. Here the fountain remained for eight years.
In September of 1983, mall management determined that, instead of recharging by the fountain, light, and trees, shoppers might prefer to have pizza, potatoes, cookies, or other snacks. The fountain and eight large trees were to be removed to make way for a central food court and twelve small trees. The fountain was available to anyone who wanted it, according to Empire manager Mike Payton. He said fountains are generally more trouble than they’re worth; “They look pretty, but they’re an absolute maintenance nightmare.” He went on to say that the fountain needed more maintenance than anything else in the building.
The fountain was installed and running when the Sioux Empire Plaza, as it was called at the time, opened its doors in 1975. “It is a monumental, imposing sculpture within the environment of a fountain,” Van said of his creation. According to the Argus Leader, Quade chose the VanDuzer piece because, “the work utilizes the flow of water, controlled lighting, and the stationary brushed surface of heavy bronze.”
The structure was composed of three pylons measuring 22 feet tall within a cylindrical base. Water was pumped up the center of each pylon, then allowed to cascade down a corrugated panel, which composed one side of each structure. The water pool at the base was set up with jets of water that danced over colored lights. Van created an identical fountain, which was installed at the new Southridge Mall in Des Moines the same year.
Empire Mall shoppers enjoyed this feature in the center court, which was located at the crossroads of the hallways leading to the main entrance, Macy’s, JC Penney, and Younkers. The court had eight large trees, which provided some shade from the light streaming in from clerestory windows located on all sides of the courtyard’s elevated ceiling. The music of dancing water made this bright area a pleasant space to take a break from shopping and recharge for more. Kids who visited the mall enjoyed sitting at the edge of the fountain, amazed by the amount of pennies and other change contained within. Here the fountain remained for eight years.
In September of 1983, mall management determined that, instead of recharging by the fountain, light, and trees, shoppers might prefer to have pizza, potatoes, cookies, or other snacks. The fountain and eight large trees were to be removed to make way for a central food court and twelve small trees. The fountain was available to anyone who wanted it, according to Empire manager Mike Payton. He said fountains are generally more trouble than they’re worth; “They look pretty, but they’re an absolute maintenance nightmare.” He went on to say that the fountain needed more maintenance than anything else in the building.
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When Van was reached for comment, he said, “It’s unfortunate, but the artist has no control over it. If the owner wants to kill it, that’s his decision.” He himself had removed several of his older fountains and replaced them with newer creations. He was able to re-home most of them, but kept several for himself. “I’ve never had a work destroyed,” he said at the time.
The Empire’s fountain was taken in by the Civic Fine Arts Center, which sold it to Central Plains Clinic, then located on Kiwanis Avenue, to be used in the building’s atrium. The fountain enjoyed its new location for nearly a decade, at which point Central Plains Clinic moved to the Avera Campus. The old clinic was renovated to be used by other businesses, and the fountain was demolished. The salvage rights were given to Sioux Falls Construction. As this happened without fanfare, I’ve seen no record of Van’s response, if he even knew.
Clarence VanDuzen continued in his home and studio on the Cuyahoga River, teaching at the Cleveland Institute of Art until 1989. Upon retirement, he shifted his focus to painting vivid, layered works. He died on January 28, 2009, leaving a vast body of sculpted works and paintings.
The Empire’s fountain was taken in by the Civic Fine Arts Center, which sold it to Central Plains Clinic, then located on Kiwanis Avenue, to be used in the building’s atrium. The fountain enjoyed its new location for nearly a decade, at which point Central Plains Clinic moved to the Avera Campus. The old clinic was renovated to be used by other businesses, and the fountain was demolished. The salvage rights were given to Sioux Falls Construction. As this happened without fanfare, I’ve seen no record of Van’s response, if he even knew.
Clarence VanDuzen continued in his home and studio on the Cuyahoga River, teaching at the Cleveland Institute of Art until 1989. Upon retirement, he shifted his focus to painting vivid, layered works. He died on January 28, 2009, leaving a vast body of sculpted works and paintings.
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