86: Malls.

Malls could be dubbed the mascot of suburban life. They cater to vehicles, providing enough parking to accommodate the Christmas eve retail-rush, the busiest shopping day of the year. Usually there are not sidewalks leading up to the concentration of retail, making walking undesirable or impossible, even to your car. Stonestown is the closest example to a suburban mall in SF, which seemed doomed until the recent opening of a Trader Joes. Serramonte, a mall in Daly City, not only has a Target inside, but just in case that location doesn't have the right lawnmower attachment, you can mosey over to the other Target across the street.

There are over 1,500 Mall locations in the US. The Minnesota Mall of America is the poster child for (Suburban) Mall culture. There are 520+ stores, an amusement park, space for a cheerleading competition, and a chapel. I'm sure there have been many wedding receptions in the food-court. The US is at the brink of a recession; people are being frugal, and these concentrations of retail are beginning to feel the burn. The America and the Mall could be nearing the end of its 50-year marriage between .


Part Deux.

COLUMBUS, OHIO. Proposal Mall Replacement.

So if the love affair between US and Malls is nearing its close, some cities are mending its wounds with green space. Columbus, Ohio is considering replacing its failed downtown mall with a large park. However, due to poor land use, the park might go unused. The park would cater to business employee's or retail shoppers, but local residents would have no way to get to it without driving, because like many cities, Columbus lacks dependable public transit. Yikes.



Mall Article
Columbus Park