Pair visits dead, dying malls

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | Friday, May 10, 2002 | Teresa F. Lindeman

[Willie Green]

Peter Blackbird has learned you can't argue with a dog. Messing with homeless people isn't such a smart idea either.

Still, braving the unknown is just part of the territory when your hobby is checking out dead and dying shopping centers.

[Willie Green]

I'm gonna add www.deadmalls.com to my bookmarks.

If you have a Dead Mall in your area, I would think that the webmaster would appreciate any information, digital photos, etc. that you would like to contribute.

[Marc Poor]

They should visit Buffalo. We are the dead and dying mall capital of the USA.

[Alberta's Child]

. . . often bulldozed to be replaced with big box stores.

Did you notice this little tidbit? When a 650,000 square foot shopping center is bulldozed and replaced with big box stores, it is hardly a sign of decline -- it is a sign of a changing type of marketplace.

[Dales]

Meanwhile, just down the road in Butler County and Cranberry Township, stores are being built and opening.

Think the tax-happy Democrats and the union workers here in the Burgh that reflexively vote for them will ever put two and two together?

[Lazamataz]

Northgate Plaza. Dewey Avenue, Rochester NY. Thriving in the 70's, struggling in the 80's, wheezing in the 90's, dead today.

[Willie Green]

We are the dead and dying mall capital of the USA.

Maybe Tom Ridge can buy them using part of his Homeland Defense budget.
They'd make great internment camps for illegal aliens.
(((sigh)))) Never happen. Just wishful thinking.

[Willie Green]

Cranberry Township = WalMart City

Who the heck wants to live at a mall?

[PJ-Comix]

How come the Dolphin Mall in Miami isn't mentioned? It opened last year to much fanfare and is now dying on the vine. Someone told me yesterday that the Dolphin Mall is now so desperate to keep its retail stores that it isn't even charge rent for the time being.

[Lazamataz]

When a 650,000 square foot

I just decided how big our house should be.

[Charles Henrickson]

Dearth Mall?

[PJ-Comix]

For many years the 163rd Street Shopping Center in North Miami Beach was very busy. Nowadays it's once open air layout has been coverted to look like an oversized, windowless, heavily fortified bunker blockhouse on the Normandy beach head. And the business there is going down the tubes.

[Clemenza]

Malls as a whole need to change or die. Strip malls still do well, however, as they are more convenient (drive to the store of your choice, go in, get out).

The mall of my youth (Green Acres-Valley Stream, New York) didn't die, so much as get taken over by thugs from the ghettos of Queens and Brooklyn. The better retailers moved out and the discounters moved in. Its a shame, as I really liked going there as a kid.

For me, its either old fashioned outdoor shopping districts (for enjoyment) or strip malls (for convenience).

BTW: Great site!

[jude24]

Yep. Sounds about right....

[Clemenza]

The 163rd Street Mall went ghetto after the Aventura Mall is built. Well, at least Laurenzo's is still nearby.

Dadeland, the oldest Mall in Dade County, is in the process of renovating, but from what I have seen of the other Simon renovations (Town Center in Boca Raton) they tend to make the malls being renvoated even more monstrous than they were.

[No Truce With Kings]

Who the heck wants to live at a mall?

You have never met my niece. Although I don't think she is interested in dead malls.

[Clemenza]

I live down the street from the Dolphin Mall. It was built to compete with Sawgrass for the "tourist shoppers" from Latin America, but it failed to get good anchor tenants. As a result, all they have are junk stores and an underutilized movie theatre (which makes it good for me as I frequently get near-private showings).

[Willie Green]

How come the Dolphin Mall in Miami isn't mentioned?

So many dead malls, so little time...
I'm sure the folks at www.deadmall.com would appreciate suggestions to add to their collection.

[SoothingDave]

Meanwhile, just down the road in Butler County and Cranberry Township, stores are being built and opening.

Only a stone's throw from the dying Greengate Mall are new shopping centers on either side of the highway. There is new development all around, even as old buildings sit idle. I can only imagine that the construction trade is the only beneficiary.

SD

[general_re]

Oh, hell yes. Summit Park in NF, Northtown on Sheridan Road, Southgate in West Seneca, Eastern Hills out on Transit. Heck, just look at it from the other end - the only malls in good shape I know of are Boulevard and Walden. ;)