Enclosed malls may be on the way out, but their structures aren’t going anywhere. A new report from The Atlantic details how creative developers are turning malls that were once filled with shoppers into medical centers, elementary schools, colleges, and churches.
The report cites research by architect and Georgia Tech professor Ellen Dunham-Jones which shows that approximately one-third of the country’s 1,200 enclosed malls are “dead or dying” due to the overbuilding done by developers in the 20th century.
The good news is that a sizable portion of that building stock is being repurposed. According to Dunham-Jones, who maintains a database of mall retrofit projects across the country, there are 211 enclosed malls currently being retrofitted in some form or fashion, reports The Atlantic.
One of those projects is the Highland Mall in Austin, Texas, where developers transformed the structure into a mixed-use community education center after it was purchased by Austin Community College. Now, with the help of Barnes Gromatzky Kosarek Architects, the once derelict mall is a thriving operation, with 604 computer stations, 200,000 sf of instructional space, a library, and offices.
In September 2014, BD+C reported on one of the nation’s most successful mall conversion projects, the Vanderbilt Medical Center at One Hundred Oaks Mall, which transformed a former 1960s-era indoor shopping mall in Nashville, Tenn., into a 880,000-sf, mixed-use medical office center for Vanderbilt University.
Related Stories
Sustainability | Mar 9, 2021
First-of-its-kind Starbucks built in just six days
The store is set to open in Canada in mid-March.
Retail Centers | Mar 2, 2021
Retail expectations vs reality in 2021
The reality of retail success in 2021 is proving to be based on a formula of mixing digital with the physical in pursuit of convenience.
Market Data | Feb 24, 2021
2021 won’t be a growth year for construction spending, says latest JLL forecast
Predicts second-half improvement toward normalization next year.
Healthcare Facilities | Feb 18, 2021
The Weekly show, Feb 18, 2021: What patients want from healthcare facilities, and Post-COVID retail trends
This week on The Weekly show, BD+C editors speak with AEC industry leaders from JLL and Landini Associates about what patients want from healthcare facilities, based on JLL's recent survey of 4,015 patients, and making online sales work for a retail sector recovery.
Reconstruction Awards | Jan 30, 2021
Repositioning of historic Sears Roebuck warehouse enlivens Boston’s Fenway neighborhood
Developer Samuels & Associates asked Elkus Manfredi Architects to reimagine the former Sears Roebuck & Co. warehouse in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood as a dynamic mixed-use destination that complements the high-energy Fenway neighborhood while honoring the building’s historical significance.
Reconstruction Awards | Dec 29, 2020
The reenvisioned Sazerac House: A delectable cocktail that's just perfect for the Big Easy
The 51,987-sf Sazerac House is an interactive cocktail museum, active distillery, corporate headquarters, and event venue, all under one roof, next to the historic French Quarter of New Orleans.
Giants 400 | Dec 16, 2020
Download a PDF of all 2020 Giants 400 Rankings
This 70-page PDF features AEC firm rankings across 51 building sectors, disciplines, and specialty services.
Giants 400 | Dec 2, 2020
2020 Retail Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. retail building sector
Gensler, Jacobs, and PCL Construction top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest retail sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Retail Centers | Nov 17, 2020
The coming automation of retail brick and mortar
The demise of retail brick and mortar is overstated and unwarranted - we see digital transformation offering brick and mortar a path forward for the physical store.
