Comments on: The End of the Mall? http://www.creativeclass.com/creative_class/2008/12/03/the-end-of-the-mall/ The source on how we live, work and play Mon, 22 Mar 2010 03:43:48 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: David J. Miller http://www.creativeclass.com/creative_class/2008/12/03/the-end-of-the-mall/comment-page-1/#comment-8076 David J. Miller Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:09:34 +0000 http://www.creativeclass.com/creative_class/?p=5119#comment-8076 Lets not forget that malls offer one thing many of us support -- density. A well planned mall (including location) with strong retailers and a the right mix of providers can prove to be an efficient use of space, energy, and time. Good malls allow people to go to one place, walk around for hours, people watch, spend some money, eat, maybe catch a movie, and then return home. and btw, 'Tysons' is not, in my mind, a well planned 'mall'. Lets not forget that malls offer one thing many of us support — density. A well planned mall (including location) with strong retailers and a the right mix of providers can prove to be an efficient use of space, energy, and time. Good malls allow people to go to one place, walk around for hours, people watch, spend some money, eat, maybe catch a movie, and then return home.

and btw, ‘Tysons’ is not, in my mind, a well planned ‘mall’.

]]> By: hayden fisher http://www.creativeclass.com/creative_class/2008/12/03/the-end-of-the-mall/comment-page-1/#comment-8061 hayden fisher Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:21:15 +0000 http://www.creativeclass.com/creative_class/?p=5119#comment-8061 I vote to bulldoze them and plants trees or make them parks. Suburbia could use more green space. I vote to bulldoze them and plants trees or make them parks. Suburbia could use more green space.

]]> By: Swordsman http://www.creativeclass.com/creative_class/2008/12/03/the-end-of-the-mall/comment-page-1/#comment-8056 Swordsman Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:12:17 +0000 http://www.creativeclass.com/creative_class/?p=5119#comment-8056 I don't know. I think perhaps some malls have declined as their surrounding areas have declined. Most smaller malls with under 150 stores are struggling in Houston because they are no longer "destination" retail locations. But the Galleria here, with 350 stores, is going strong, because going there is an event in and of itself. Picking up the slack are the big box retail giants in the strip malls, but if gas once again becomes expensive, who knows. I do think that really BOTH retail models are eventually going to be superseded by the idea of having mixed-use mid-rise zoning where the bottom floor is retail, the next floor or two are offices, and the top floors are residential condos or apartments. To me, that is the most efficient and futuristic design, but that might just be wishful thinking on my part. Our sociopathic city council has passed laws requiring huge setbacks for most new development, guaranteeing sprawl and monster parking lot eyesores. I don’t know. I think perhaps some malls have declined as their surrounding areas have declined. Most smaller malls with under 150 stores are struggling in Houston because they are no longer “destination” retail locations. But the Galleria here, with 350 stores, is going strong, because going there is an event in and of itself.

Picking up the slack are the big box retail giants in the strip malls, but if gas once again becomes expensive, who knows. I do think that really BOTH retail models are eventually going to be superseded by the idea of having mixed-use mid-rise zoning where the bottom floor is retail, the next floor or two are offices, and the top floors are residential condos or apartments. To me, that is the most efficient and futuristic design, but that might just be wishful thinking on my part.

Our sociopathic city council has passed laws requiring huge setbacks for most new development, guaranteeing sprawl and monster parking lot eyesores.

]]> By: Michael Wells http://www.creativeclass.com/creative_class/2008/12/03/the-end-of-the-mall/comment-page-1/#comment-8054 Michael Wells Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:50:19 +0000 http://www.creativeclass.com/creative_class/?p=5119#comment-8054 Interesting. In Portland The Galleria, one of the first downtown malls, has rented its top (5th) floor to a cooking school, 3 other floors are being remodeled for offices, and the ground floor is struggling retail. The downtown Macy's building was recently completely remodeled, with the top nine floors being made into a luxury hotel. We went to the big downtown three block Pioneer Place mall the day after Thanksgiving and it didn't seem crowded, except for the Apple store (which is where we were going.) The suburban malls, I'm not sure. I almost never have a reason to go there. I wonder where all of the suburbanites are shopping though? Interesting. In Portland The Galleria, one of the first downtown malls, has rented its top (5th) floor to a cooking school, 3 other floors are being remodeled for offices, and the ground floor is struggling retail. The downtown Macy’s building was recently completely remodeled, with the top nine floors being made into a luxury hotel. We went to the big downtown three block Pioneer Place mall the day after Thanksgiving and it didn’t seem crowded, except for the Apple store (which is where we were going.)

The suburban malls, I’m not sure. I almost never have a reason to go there. I wonder where all of the suburbanites are shopping though?

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