Many of the malls in my area have been torn down and then built up with fancy stores and restaurants on the first floor and condos up top.
But the roads between the various buildings are narrow and lots of pedestrians, and very little parking. I think they are designed more for the residents of the condos than for “outsiders”.
I can’t stand them because they are so crowded and confined. Most of the inhabitants are Asian it seems, so they probably view it as quaint with their 2,000 sf condos in 5-story buildings crammed together rather than their former living conditions with a 400 sf home in a 50-story building crammed together.
Sounds very European..................