Death Of MetroCenter (Scottsdale, Peoria: live, gym, malls)

[grmi66]

So I ran over to the MetroCenter area to go to my gym on Black Friday. Went around the loop that circles the mall and could not believe how dead Metro is. There is more traffic on a regular weekday when people who work in the area head over to Metro for lunch. I remember when it would take multiple light changes to get through the intersection of Dunlap or Peoria and I-17 during the holidays, even within the past decade. Pulled into MetroCenter and there were 3 cars heading into the mall from the Dunlap entrance at lunchtime last Friday.

Remember when MetroCenter was the crown jewel of Arizona malls. Had friends that worked retail and they told me that at one point in time a promotion to MetroCenter meant working at the busiest store in the country. It was considered a perk to be able to work at MetroCenter, now it would be considered a demotion.

Might almost be better to bulldoze the mall and all of the empty strip centers that circle the mall and start fresh.

[imartin26]

I use to like to go over and watch friends play hockey when they had a hockey rink in the mall. It use to be a nice mall but haven't been down to check in out in a couple decades... god I am old..

[azdr0710]

Metrocenter in 1988...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6xFA5uE-XE

[Juram]

Even as recent as 2004 the place was still pretty hopping but its been rapidly going downhill since.....it really fell off the cliff in 2007 and I don't see any going back.

[NYorkFeinix]

Even Metro Sportz bar was empty during the weekend geez

[CodyW]

It's changed hands a couple of times and I believe is now owned by someone other than Westcor who is trying to figure out what to do with it. It's sad, I remember it being such a fun, busy place when I was little.

I would really like to see them sell some of the empty parking lots to Castles n Coasters so they can expand (if they have the funds, that is).

[Bondurant]

The old malls rot and fade away. It's a natural cycle of life.

[Stefan_from_Germany]

Originally Posted by Bondurant

The old malls rot and fade away. It's a natural cycle of life.

Doesn't have to be. Scottsdale Fashion Square is older, yet very succesful.

Moscow's GUM is MUCH older, yet very pretty. Just two examples of many.

I find it sad that this attitude of "everything is disposable" is so widesprad these days.

I do however realize that Metro Center's demise has more to do with what happened to the area in the recent past as opposed to its age. I remember it well from when I lived close to it in the 90s. Was a decent enough area then.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Stefan_from_Germany

Doesn't have to be. Scottsdale Fashion Square is older, yet very succesful.

Moscow's GUM is MUCH older, yet very pretty. Just two examples of many.

I find it sad that this attitude of "everything is disposable" is so widesprad these days.

I do however realize that Metro Center's demise has more to do with what happened to the area in the recent past as opposed to its age. I remember it well from when I lived close to it in the 90s. Was a decent enough area then.

The decline of the area has a lot to do with no one wanting to come in and expand or remodel Metrocenter as was done with Fashion Square. And, because it's a traditional indoor mall, it can't be "repurposed" as easily as was Park Central or redesigned in more of a power center mode as Tower Plaza, or combination repurposed and redesigned as was the Colonnade (which still has one BIG empty space where Mervyn's was). As the population spread north and northwest (and northeast) the newer centers were built and took the business, and the anchor stores, away. The land is still valuable, but I don't see it ever being revived in its present structure.

[rambrush]

Yep Metro used to be the place, we used to cruise the loop then do the downtown Central cruise on weekends. Course that was a few years back when Bell Rd. was way North.
Those days are gone......