Dead Malls

[kevinb1994]

Hopefully the nearby Avenues in the Avenues area won't become yet another dead mall (see the Regency area for a good example of one, the Regency Square Mall, which killed off traffic from earlier-built malls such as Roosevelt, Normandy, Philips, and Gateway (this one in particular, as it WAS our city's largest and most notable mall before the Regency Square Mall's opening and subsequent expansion)), despite the fact that it is slated to lose its Sears. At least it doesn't have the perception of being in a declining area like the Regency Square Mall was known to be, starting in about 1999-2000, and peaking in 2004 (though the mall itself would continue to decline through the Great Recession to today, unlike the other restaurant/retail/shopping developments surrounding the mall itself, which have actually come back to life following the Great Recession).

[LM117]

When you said "Northgate Mall," I initially thought of the one in Durham, North Carolina, just off I-85. Its future is highly uncertain with both Macy's and Sears gone. It wasn't all that great in the mid-1990s during my time in the area and it's gone steadily downhill since except for a brief revival when South Square closed (this because the other mall that replaced South Square is a lot further away).

Northgate just bit the dust.

https://www.wral.com/northgate-mall-closing-from-financial-struggles-worsened-by-covid-19/19083621/

[ErmineNotyours]

The Shoppes at Riverside near Aberdeen, Washington has a big hole in it.  Street View.

[GenExpwy]

The Shoppes at Riverside near Aberdeen, Washington has a big hole in it.  Street View.

Quite a few malls built in their heyday had a "pad"  reserved for a potential extra department store.

[ErmineNotyours]

The Shoppes at Riverside near Aberdeen, Washington has a big hole in it.  Street View.

Quite a few malls built in their heyday had a "pad"  reserved for a potential extra department store.

The original concept drawings for Southcenter (Tukwila, Washington) showed another anchor right across the aisle from J. C. Penny's, even though all the other anchors were spread out a bit.  The first pamphlet maps showed an empty pad there and the wall was just open window.  When they finally developed that part for Mervyn's, they built out a length of mall shops to give Penny's some space.  Now it's a Sea Food City, bringing practical shopping back to Southcenter which is otherwise a luxury mall with a Sears and Penny's.

[spooky]

a luxury mall with a Sears and Penny's.

I'll take "words you don't expect to be spoken together" for $1000.

[Tonytone]

a luxury mall with a Sears and Penny's.

I'll take "words you don't expect to be spoken together" for $1000.

Sheesh not even a Macys Penny's mix. Just a Sears & Penny's? Atleast that was luxury for middle class in 1995


iPhone

[ErmineNotyours]

a luxury mall with a Sears and Penny's.

I'll take "words you don't expect to be spoken together" for $1000.

Sheesh not even a Macys Penny's mix. Just a Sears & Penny's? Atleast that was luxury for middle class in 1995


iPhone

Sears, Penny's, Nordstoms and Macy's.  What I meant to say is that they tried to upgrade to a luxury mall, but they didn't want to get rid of two of their anchor stores.

[Bruce]

Cascade Mall in Burlington, WA (the only enclosed shopping center from Marysville to Bellingham) will be closing at the end of the month. They only had one anchor tenant left (TJ Maxx), and a few on the periphery.

https://www.goskagit.com/news/local_news/cascade-mall-to-close-at-end-of-june/article_fe336545-6c50-575a-854d-9eb6b5b8b94b.html

[D-Dey65]

I think Paddock Mall in Ocala is dead. If not, it must be dying.

[Roadgeekteen]

Wonder if covid will accelerate the death of many malls.

[Takumi]

Near Richmond the old Cloverleaf Mall has been closed for years now.

Something was supposed to be done to the property but I have not heard much about it lately.

According to a now-dead link on Deadmalls a church tried to buy it in 2005. More recently I'd heard it was supposed to become a housing development. It was demolished late last year.

Cloverleaf hasn't been fully demolished yet, apparently some deal regarding use of the land has stalled, and so the pace of the demolition has slowed.

It's less than 50% demolished today, there is a tremendous amount of work to dismantle those steel-framed buildings, and to remove and recycle acres of asphalt parking lots.

Here's what is planned --

Revitalization Office - Cloverleaf Mall Project
http://www.chesterfield.gov/content.aspx?id=2772

This has been around for a few years now, and looks to be doing very well.

[1995hoo]

Sears is the last remaining business at Landmark Mall in Alexandria, although the old Hecht's is being used as a homeless shelter. That Sears store's impending closure was finally announced this week.

The mall itself will appear in the upcoming Wonder Woman movie.

[Bruce]

Wonder if covid will accelerate the death of many malls.

Already has. Cascade Mall in Burlington, WA closed a few days ago due in part to the COVID shutdown.

[Ned Weasel]

Wonder if covid will accelerate the death of many malls.

I'm almost certain of it.  Spread of the virus favors indoor environments, especially ones with air conditioning systems lacking the necessary filtration to minimize the spread.  Being outdoors is much safer, although it's still best to wear a mask and stay at least six feet away from people as much as possible.

It's sad.  Architects probably couldn't have anticipated this any better than they could have anticipated the eventual rise of Walmart and Amazon.

For what it's worth, has anyone here read Alex Wall's book on Victor Gruen: "From Urban Shop to New City?"  It's a fascinating read on the thoughts and work of the person who gave us the malls we knew and loved.

[dfilpus]

Wonder if covid will accelerate the death of many malls.

Already has. Cascade Mall in Burlington, WA closed a few days ago due in part to the COVID shutdown.

Northgate Mall in Durham, NC is another victim to COVID. It was dying before the pandemic, so this was just the coup de grace.

[Flint1979]

Fashion Square Mall in Saginaw, Michigan is quickly declining. This mall had all their anchors filled until Sears closed last October and the Macy's in this mall doesn't seem to be doing the best but I'm not sure there. There are several storefronts vacant in the mall I would say it's around 40% filled now. Saginaw had another mall called Fort Saginaw Mall which is on the dead mall site and was demolished in 2009, this mall was older than Fashion Square and closed in the 1990's. A Kmart that was attached hung on until 2004.

[Bruce]

It's sad.  Architects probably couldn't have anticipated this any better than they could have anticipated the eventual rise of Walmart and Amazon.

Developers did start pivoting towards lifestyle centers with outdoor sections, though, and those look to be safer than a traditional indoor mall. Three of the local malls with outdoor areas have reopened and seem to be busy.

[Ned Weasel]

Death watch for the elephant in the room: https://www.archpaper.com/2020/07/the-future-doesnt-look-so-bright-for-new-jerseys-american-dream-mall/

I disagree with Christie's opinion on the aesthetics, but I think the project has always had a big "WHY!?" dangling over it from the start.

[roadman65]

In Lakeland, FL we have Lakeland Square that is not what it used to be while another mall died decades ago and actually became a non denomital church.

[SectorZ]

Death watch for the elephant in the room: https://www.archpaper.com/2020/07/the-future-doesnt-look-so-bright-for-new-jerseys-american-dream-mall/

I disagree with Christie's opinion on the aesthetics, but I think the project has always had a big "WHY!?" dangling over it from the start.

I remember the first time I drove by that en route to the mid-Atlantic. I knew nothing about it, and had a huge WTF moment seeing it. That ski jump is the true cherry on that turd sundae.

[thenetwork]

Death watch for the elephant in the room: https://www.archpaper.com/2020/07/the-future-doesnt-look-so-bright-for-new-jerseys-american-dream-mall/

I disagree with Christie's opinion on the aesthetics, but I think the project has always had a big "WHY!?" dangling over it from the start.

I remember the first time I drove by that en route to the mid-Atlantic. I knew nothing about it, and had a huge WTF moment seeing it. That ski jump is the true cherry on that turd sundae.

I have this huge new mall out in the swampland I'd like to sell you...

[AlexandriaVA]

Sears is the last remaining business at Landmark Mall in Alexandria, although the old Hecht's is being used as a homeless shelter. That Sears store's impending closure was finally announced this week.

The mall itself will appear in the upcoming Wonder Woman movie.

No signs of life for redevelopment of the property, however. Howard Hughes corporation backed out of the idea a few months ago (before COVID). Maybe Sears will sell their parcel and allow for a wholesale overhaul.

Hard to envision what goes there. It's too far from the Van Dorn metro station (although it will be along a future Bus Rapid Transit line on Van Dorn st).

[dvferyance]

Cascade Mall in Burlington, WA (the only enclosed shopping center from Marysville to Bellingham) will be closing at the end of the month. They only had one anchor tenant left (TJ Maxx), and a few on the periphery.

https://www.goskagit.com/news/local_news/cascade-mall-to-close-at-end-of-june/article_fe336545-6c50-575a-854d-9eb6b5b8b94b.html

Did Burlington even need a mall? It has less than 10,000 in population. While it's true malls have been on the decline for years I am amazed at how many we had. I thought they were only in larger cities.

[Brandon]

Cascade Mall in Burlington, WA (the only enclosed shopping center from Marysville to Bellingham) will be closing at the end of the month. They only had one anchor tenant left (TJ Maxx), and a few on the periphery.

https://www.goskagit.com/news/local_news/cascade-mall-to-close-at-end-of-june/article_fe336545-6c50-575a-854d-9eb6b5b8b94b.html

Did Burlington even need a mall? It has less than 10,000 in population. While it's true malls have been on the decline for years I am amazed at how many we had. I thought they were only in larger cities.

I suspect it was built to attract customers from Vancouver, BC.