Mall repurposing

[HelloHound]

American malls are very large open buildings increasingly becoming obsolete in modern times. No longer are they common hangout spots for bored teenagers and many have closed down much of their area or entirely.
Such a large space is then left mostly as is, with the owners content to let such massive dinosaurs rot until they're able to change hands for a reasonable price, which is extremely wasteful in my opinion.
What would you propose to an owner of a flagging mall to repurpose or revitalize a mall? How do you suppose it would work or what would have to change in order to make it work?
(Obviously every building is different so I suggest either options or using broad strokes to describe the situation)

 

[Assurbanipal_II]

American malls are very large open buildings increasingly becoming obsolete in modern times. No longer are they common hangout spots for bored teenagers and many have closed down much of their area or entirely.
Such a large space is then left mostly as is, with the owners content to let such massive dinosaurs rot until they're able to change hands for a reasonable price, which is extremely wasteful in my opinion.
What would you propose to an owner of a flagging mall to repurpose or revitalize a mall? How do you suppose it would work or what would have to change in order to make it work?
(Obviously every building is different so I suggest either options or using broad strokes to describe the situation)

Depending on the country, they are prime real estate for apartments or offices.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

Movie location for zombie movies.

 

[SRB]

Make a giant zoo out of the thing.

Or a murder maze. One of the two.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

Museums if there is not already a museum. To be honest, many teenagers are not caring about this stuff anymore. Turn them into offices or apartments like Assu said. A murder maze would be cool, too.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Airsoft field.

 

[SRB]

Airsoft field.

That's actually a very good idea.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Also cultural centers.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

Mixed use is best in terms of environmental sustainability. Keep a few shops, a place for children to play, toss in a grocery store, maybe a library, maybe a museum, maybe a cultural center, and use the upper levels for apartments. Ideally, the people living in the apartments will also work on the first floor so they don't have to get in a car to go to work.

Also, I once went to a medical facility that looked like a repurposed mall.

 

[Deleted member 1244]

Libraries, free community event spaces, auditoriums, bookable meeting rooms, maker space tinkering workshops.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

Mixed use is best in terms of environmental sustainability. Keep a few shops, a place for children to play, toss in a grocery store, maybe a library, maybe a museum, maybe a cultural center, and use the upper levels for apartments. Ideally, the people living in the apartments will also work on the first floor so they don't have to get in a car to go to work.

Also, I once went to a medical facility that looked like a repurposed mall.

Dang, that's something I wouldn't have thought of.

 

[georgelee5786]

Shooting ranges

 

[Theirl]

American malls are very large open buildings increasingly becoming obsolete in modern times. No longer are they common hangout spots for bored teenagers and many have closed down much of their area or entirely.
Such a large space is then left mostly as is, with the owners content to let such massive dinosaurs rot until they're able to change hands for a reasonable price, which is extremely wasteful in my opinion.
What would you propose to an owner of a flagging mall to repurpose or revitalize a mall? How do you suppose it would work or what would have to change in order to make it work?
(Obviously every building is different so I suggest either options or using broad strokes to describe the situation)

depend on the desing of the mall if is a one store high but super large mall u can repurpose it as a huge storage center either for shipping or anything else actually ig its one of those multi-floor one is actually trickier, but maybe u can try to make it an office to.rent and use the lower floors to be gym, and sell food

 

[2wordsperminute]

As someone who used to live real close to a dying mall, I'd say hosting events or renting out the space would bring more people in. The one I lived near sometimes had a circus or a festival in its parking lot.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

Indoor pickleball courts.
Indoor sports places.
Community events.

 

[Deleted member 1244]

Most ppl work during the day, so evening events, like between 6 to 9.30. Is a possibility.

 

[QuercusMalus]

Turn the multi floored ones into an indoor BMX/skateboard rink.

 

[ConansWitchBaby]

Community center.

 

[melchi]

Some of these ideas are economically viable. I think the big department stores used to bring in something like $100,000 a day. A quick google search shows that leasing prices of a mall range from $18 to $30 per square foot. Some malls are hundreds of thousands to millions of square feet. So any idea needs to bring in that kind of money.

Some kind of pubic owned place would just put a really big drain on the city's budget.

Mixed use is a possibility but the property is already zoned commercial leases for commercial places are much higher. Also, there are some engineering problems that would need to be solved. Each room in a residential area needs to have egress. This is usually done by having an exterior window. Maybe the top floor can be converted but there could be a cost issue there as well. Tenements originally were large buildings converted to house lots of low income people in squalid conditions. Mixed use residential needs to be designed in a way to avoid this. Who would want to buy an apartment in a mall that has a skate park in the atrium?

As for environmentally friendly space. Most mall have huge parking lots. If the city didn't think someone could buy the property and in turn pay taxes on it, letting nature reclaim it after making it safe to function as a park would be an option.

The best option for the city would for the lot to function as some kind of commercial lot though.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

Dang, that's something I wouldn't have thought of.

I majored in this stuff, so yeah.

As for environmentally friendly space. Most mall have huge parking lots. If the city didn't think someone could buy the property and in turn pay taxes on it, letting nature reclaim it after making it safe to function as a park would be an option.

I could see a big reduction in parking being part of a mixed use plan. Residents wouldn't have much need for cars. One parking space per unit plus a few for visitors to businesses should do it.

Mixed use is a possibility but the property is already zoned commercial leases for commercial places are much higher. Also, there are some engineering problems that would need to be solved. Each room in a residential area needs to have egress. This is usually done by having an exterior window. Maybe the top floor can be converted but there could be a cost issue there as well. Tenements originally were large buildings converted to house lots of low income people in squalid conditions. Mixed use residential needs to be designed in a way to avoid this. Who would want to buy an apartment in a mall that has a skate park in the atrium?

Housing prices are through the roof. Any investments should be well worth the cost.

People who like skate parks, that's who. Seriously, though, the amenities should be tailored to the people expected to live there.