[JayCT]

Originally Posted by dazzleman

I hear that Stamford Town Center isn't doing too well right now. Did I hear right?

If so, it seems like a bad time to raise parking rates, and discourage people from coming there.

Malls in general are not as popular as they once were. Competition from dis counters, big box stores and online retailers have cut into sales. Still though malls do a decent sized business and I am sure Stamford Town Center does well enough. The question will be will it keep doing well once the proposed upscale mall is built in Norwalk. Jay

[CTbrooktrout]

It may become an opportunity for Stamford Town Center to think outside the box a bit and think of possible attractions rather than your typical Macy's, Pottery Barn, or Reebok/Nike store. More restaurants, bars, maybe a gym, and additional entertainment venues. I've seen some malls doing things like an indoor go-kart racing track. The property next door, the big hole in the ground, is supposed to have something like 600+ apartment units. The mall has an opportunity and should think of putting in place things to attract people every day to the building.

[wtby4000]

Landmark Square, right next to the mall, used to have a skating rink and a gym. It didn't work out for either of them.

There is a movie theater as well as an adjacent Veterans Park that is a popular meeting place for local children. Perhaps an indoor arcade like the one at New Roc City in New Rochelle, NY will attract even more well-behaved scholars.

[AntonioR]

I went to the mall and ironically forgot about this. That's why I roamed around the parking garage trying to find a parking space with an "unbroken parking meter." They put something over the parking meters that gave the impression they were broken.

They put the number of each parking space underneath the old parking meters. Now people form lines at the pay stations (they appear to be at every entrance), and that feels somewhat weird and annoying. Hopefully its a matter of getting used to this, because I'm used to putting money on the old meters and heading into the mall rather quickly.

And yes, it now costs a dollar per hour.

Yesterday's evening the mall had a decent amount of visitors/shoppers. The parking garage seemed quite full.

[CTbrooktrout]

What would be those closest free parking lot that one could park and walk to the mall comfortably? Just curious.

[AntonioR]

Free parking garages? In downtown? That's unheard of.

Street parking in downtown becomes free after 6pm (it hurts to see some people put money in the parking meters after that time.) I'm not sure if this applies to the city-owned parking garages in downtown too. Street parking is also free on Sundays too.