Posted on 02/08/2025 12:10:12 PM PST by DallasBiff
While many U.S. malls face anchor store closures and empty parking lots, some are finding new life by becoming housing. Real estate developers are building housing inside of or next to shopping malls as department stores like Macy’s, JCPenney and Sears shrink or cease to exist. At least 192 U.S. malls planned to add housing to their footprint as of January 2022. Dozens of apartment projects at malls are underway in California, Colorado, Florida, Arizona and Texas. The trend not only helps to chip away the housing shortage in the U.S., but also brings people closer to the remaining retail and restaurant spaces in shopping centers. CNBC visited a Macerich housing project at Flatiron Crossing Mall in Broomfield, Colorado as well as the Arcade Mall in Providence, Rhode Island to find out what it is like to live inside a mall
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
They’ve been trying to turn malls into residential. The building type doesn’t convert eqsily. Cheaper to tear down and build new.
I hope the number is that small.
LOL! I see you are familiar with a big aspect of modern American life!
What’s causing the ‘housing shortage’ in the US?
I’ve long suggested that these dead malls be turned into Senior Living apartments.
You are correct.
So then, Cinnabon for breakfast, Sbarro’s for lunch and Panda Express for dinner?
They have been converting old elementary/middle schools across NY for years. Always start off as senior housing. Guess what happens next?
I think it’s true. Sunk cost fallacy
Always start off as senior housing. Guess what happens next?
Is it for lower income seniors?
I can only guess what happens next. The same thing that usually happens to low income housing projects.
Luxury Senior Living apartments is what I had in mind - think more of an upscale Del Webb project ... with med facilities, in addition to shopping/restaurants/gym, etc, as part of the development.
But....I just watched the vid and ... unfortunately ... most of these dead malls are zoned specifically for commercial retail ... so, no stoves/ranges means to cook, in these micro apartments (in vid), so....it might also be the case for any Senior Luxury apartments.
Also ... many of these showcased units (in vid) are rented out as Air BnB’s .... no, thanks!
Old people die. Section 8 replacements await.
The answer to my previous question ... What is causing the 4.5 M housing shortage in America?
Primarily population growth.
What is causing America’s population growth? Buried in many of the AI linked articles ....
FOREIGN “MIGRATION”.
Well, that’s being fixed, thankfullly/FINALLY.
So....there goes the 4.5 MILLION housing shortage ... so much for all of these MASSIVE apartment buildings being built all across the USA.
Adios! 好买 and अच्छी खरीद
How does Del Webb (and other senior living developments) get away with no Sect 8??
DOGE needs to look into the vouchers .... blue states participate in greater numbers....
https://www.governing.com/community/if-congress-cuts-section-8-housing-these-states-will-suffer
“”also brings people closer to the remaining retail and restaurant spaces in shopping centers””
Who wrote this? There isn’t anything remaining in these malls after the anchor stores and others close up...Went to a Macy’s a week ago - slated for closing - and all access from there to the remainder of the mall was completely CLOSED OFF - nothing there - inside OR out!!! No shopping center - just lots of empty parking lots while haggling goes on about “what do we do with it now?”
Please do. Humbly asking.
“The big compromise is that one’s only window is open to the concourse”
And I wonder how much the developer greases palms in the Building Department to get around the requirement for two doors and/or windows for emergency egress.
I would never live in a place with only one way out.
I would like to see a floorplan of a portion of the section where apartments are. (I’ve a fixation on floor plans since I was about 10.)
There are two kinds of malls, according to Chris Rock:
1. The malls the white people go to.
2. The malls the white people used to go to.
When we lived on Maui, we visited the Kaahumanu Mall about twice a week. It was beautiful in the ‘90s but don’t know its status now.
“I visited was on Oahu when I lived in Lani Kai years ago. Only went to get tools at one of the last remaining Sears stores.”
Tim Allen had to best routine about Sears and Craftman’s Tools (Ahhhh Ahhhh Ahhhhh)
“most of these dead malls are zoned specifically for commercial retail”
Every Planning and Zoning meeting acts on requests for rezoning. It seems that a convincing developer could have the area rezoned. Or a zoning variance.
Good, anything that puts downward pressure on an overvalued real estate sector, sets up a better future for younger people already eating higher costs & premium asset valuations.
There was a 10 year lag in building after the 2008-2009 economic meltdown which needs to be rectified.
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