Gateway Mall sold

[bigbuglf]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

This link is related to the thread. Speaking of the mall, Gateway looks worse than it did two years ago. Maybe convert it into a university or college? Expand Yavapai College campus into Gateway Mall when it completely closes down? The former retail stores could be classrooms.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money...lls/683158002/

I like your idea, but I'm not sure they have the student demand to do it.

How about a YMCA, with a pool, along with some YC classes and maybe community ed. classes too?

[infocyde]

I always thought it would make a great condo spot. From the land there you have great views.

[Trying hard not to recommend a California inspired senior living condo complex, a Geriatrics college, and America's first over 65 YMCA...]

[bigbuglf]

Originally Posted by infocyde

I always thought it would make a great condo spot. From the land there you have great views.

It would, but I'd hate to see it go private. I like to go up there and take pictures sometimes.

Originally Posted by infocyde

[Trying hard not to recommend a California inspired senior living condo complex, a Geriatrics college, and America's first over 65 YMCA...]

LOL! I was thinking along the same lines, but managed to restrain myself.

[mrshowtime3]

Malls are just done everywhere. My mall locally here in PA has been a barren wasteland for years but they still keep the lights on for the 3 stores left. Id hate to see Gateway suffer the same drawn out fate with new owner after new owner thinking they can save it.

[Granite60]

Currently there are not enough stores or restaurants to pull people into the mall. Making it a entertainment mall.

[Travelin Mann]

Gateway Mall got off to a shaky start in the shaky (retail) months following 9/11. Through the vagaries of timing, it lost the Harkins Theater mulitiplex to Prescott Valley's "Entertainment District." This one factor weakened both locations in the long run, as witnessed by P.V.'s difficulty in establishing a Saturday night hub AND in Gateway's trouble drawing large numbers of people.


Gateway gamely tried, promoting itself in its early years with free Thursday afternoon outdoor musical events in the summers and other marketing gambits -- as did P.V.'s District.



A big blow was losing Barnes & Noble booksellers, an anchor store that brought people into the mall's restaurant / shopping matrix. A potent combo was B&N with Wildflower Bread across the street, a perfect weekend morning tandem destination (for this writer, at least!). But now Wildflower is defecting, opting for a pad next to the mall entrance, where they plan to open by Aug 1, 2018, as I understand it.



I doubt Wildflower can beat the ambience on the mall's inner traffic circle, by the way, with outdoor dining among the growing deciduous trees and weekend walkers, and cannot see it thriving as well, in full sun and overlooking the busy highway.



Nevertheless smart management could still turn it around. Multi-use is probably the answer, and ironically the mall began that way. Does anyone remember the satellite local library branch just inside the Sears entrance? Heck, didn't the main Prescott Branch rent a storefront while the downtown library was under remodeling?

[Hschlick84]

Another suggestion to keep Gateway Mall alive, build more apartment complexes just to the south Gateway Blvd. There's plenty of land available for more residential development.