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I read an article last year with a story about auto dealers leasing space in dead/dying malls. The typical mall setting is perfect for office space and it attracts younger buyers, some of whom feel nostalgic (LOL!) about being in the mall because it reminds them of their carefree school days. Plenty of parking for the cars of course.
We have a large mall near us that just had one their Macy’s close down. (They had 2 of them as anchors). Anyway, I was wondering what would happen to that huge space. Turns out, it is being turned into the largest entertainment center in the U.S. Scene 75 is the name of it. Something like 220,000 sq. feet of go karts, laser tag, arcades, escape rooms, restaurants, bars, etc. Very interesting concept. Should be opening up in about 6 months.
When I hear mall I think Woodbridge center which is still open as far as I know. It's in it's own area mostly surrounded by highways and roads.
A lot of malls are dying. There was one in my last city that was all but dead. All of the major stores had closed down and basically all that was left was an outlet of a major store and a movie theater. I passed by a dying mall a few miles from my current apartment over the weekend- same issue. There is still a Sears there, but I think most of the major stores are gone because the other main department store is closing all of its branches. It seems like the indoor ones do poorly but the outdoor ones, many of which do have nearby apartments and office space, tend to do better.
The first dead mall I saw was turned into an office park (I worked in the office park). Then another one was just demolished and turned into a training center for an NFL team.
The land would probably be valuable. It probably would be cheaper to build something designed to be residential units rather than try to retrofit a mall, IMO. If it became apartments, who would pay for the AC and heating needed for the large walking area in the center of the mall? Or would that be split up into even more apartments?
I like the idea of living in a former mall, though, especially if some stores were still there. I could run down to a store and never worry about the weather!
A lot of malls are dying. There was one in my last city that was all but dead. All of the major stores had closed down and basically all that was left was an outlet of a major store and a movie theater. I passed by a dying mall a few miles from my current apartment over the weekend- same issue. There is still a Sears there, but I think most of the major stores are gone because the other main department store is closing all of its branches. It seems like the indoor ones do poorly but the outdoor ones, many of which do have nearby apartments and office space, tend to do better.
The first dead mall I saw was turned into an office park (I worked in the office park). Then another one was just demolished and turned into a training center for an NFL team.
Malls were big in the 80s. Now with so much online shopping I doubt they do well.
A big issue I see is that the vast majority of these malls are not in the central business district of a city, so there won't be that many employment opportunities in walkable distance. Sure, the one in Providence worked because it was a 200 year old building that the rest of the city had grown around. If Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market in Boston or South Street Seaport hadn't already been successfully redeveloped, locations like those could work. But the dying malls aren't in places like those.
I could see the convenience of microliving in a converted mall if it included the convenience of a quick walk to work. But if I still had to maintain a car and drive back and forth to work every day, not so much.
A big issue I see is that the vast majority of these malls are not in the central business district of a city, so there won't be that many employment opportunities in walkable distance. Sure, the one in Providence worked because it was a 200 year old building that the rest of the city had grown around. If Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market in Boston or South Street Seaport hadn't already been successfully redeveloped, locations like those could work. But the dying malls aren't in places like those.
I could see the convenience of microliving in a converted mall if it included the convenience of a quick walk to work. But if I still had to maintain a car and drive back and forth to work every day, not so much.
I don't see that as a problem, as developers are building townhomes and apartment buildings everywhere in suburbia within a decent commute to a city (<1 hour).
The land would probably be valuable. It probably would be cheaper to build something designed to be residential units rather than try to retrofit a mall, IMO. If it became apartments, who would pay for the AC and heating needed for the large walking area in the center of the mall? Or would that be split up into even more apartments?
I like the idea of living in a former mall, though, especially if some stores were still there. I could run down to a store and never worry about the weather!
It isn't as difficult as it sounds. Many old factories in Brooklyn were converted into loft apartments past 20 years. I like the idea of having a food court, bars, lounges, restaurants, a Walgreen, a supermarket, a real gym, a large pool, a movie theater right within walking distance from my apt, and indoors.
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