The Death Of A Shopping Mall

[Timkin]

I think it may be that they do not want to expend monies to make the place inviting.  One of the Anchor Stores, JCP is doing some upgrading.. other than that, I don't see anything special happening at Regency.

Looks to me like its declining and that the owners don't intend to do anything about it.

[neptunebeach]

Perhaps they are waiting for the market to recover so they can redevelop in a form similar to the Arlington/Beaches Vision Plan,  page 36 as numbered:
http://www.coj.net/departments/planning-and-development/docs/community-planning-division/plans-and-studies/0736-ar-final-vision-4-small.aspx 

There's considerable profit potential in that degree of intensification, especially if your replacing a mall that' no longer viable.

[I-10east]

Maybe Im just weird, but the mall doesnt look outdated to me. It actually looks pretty good for the last major remodel to had been done like 20 years ago.

I agree that Regency's 'state of being outdated' is overblown. Regency's (infrastructure) is very similar, and in some ways even more updated (particularly in the food court) than the Oaks Mall in Gainesville; The main difference between the two is that Regency is in a downtrodden area as of late, with shopping competition galore from the other area malls, and the fledgling Oaks Mall is the only big mall in G-ville, just right down the road from UF. 

[spuwho]

The Death of Regency is not just a Jacksonville thing.

If you go to www.deadmalls.com you will see a healthy list of malls at or near decline. You will see that 3 listed in Florida are in Orlando. Regency hasn't made the list because it still has 3 of its anchors.

You want to see a major "dead" mall? Try Dixie Square Mall in Harvey, Illinois!

http://deadmalls.com/malls/dixie_square_mall.html

This is where the movie "The Blues Brothers" was shot when they drove through the mall shortly after it was closed. In fact, much of the damage inside the mall was from the making of the movie when the stuntmen would lose control of the cars. Suburban flight in Harvey was so rapid and happened so quickly, that the mall closed without many of the stores even getting boarded up.

They tried to tear it down this year (finally!) but stopped when the contractors didn't get paid and they couldn't locate the developer.

Cleveland's Randall Park Mall when it opened in 1976 killed off the Southgate Mall. However due to suburban flight in the 80's, Randall Park started its decline as well. Urban infill has now revived Southgate, but Randall Park Mall only has a Macy's. The rest of the mall is closed. Many trace the downfall to a shooting in the mall in 1989, but it was actually suburban migrations that was its downfall.

So I wouldn't blame your mall operators so much as blame your city fathers who allow malls to be built too closely to one another and are too desperate to drink from the trough of sales taxes at any cost.

[birdilicious]

Is there a reason to shop at Regency Square Mall when you have so many better stores surrounding it?  I'd rather go to Target, Wal-mart or anywhere but inside the mall. And they are close enough to avoid the mall anyways.

[fsquid]

I love looking through that Dead Mall website.

[Overstreet]

Personnally I have no reason to go to the Regency Mall. I live near the Avenues and don't go there unless I have to.  To get to Regency I come close to the Avenues and Town Center. I do go to Town Center.............well to West Marine. 

[duvaldude08]

As I ve said before its personal perfernece. Im a big guy so there is no store I can shop at at the The Avenues or Town Center except Amercian Eagle (and they mostly sale their big sizes online). If I go to REgency, there are enough store to suite my needs. Its all personal perference. I also like Regency is more laid back. I can go with basksetball shorts on and Tshirt and dont have to worry about anybody turning their nose up at me.

[thelakelander]

I don't really go to any of the malls. I can't stand the environment. My mom killed that by dragging me to nearly every mall in the east coast to shop when I was a kid. I burnt a lot of time in Lerner, Burdines, Maas Brothers and Petite Sophisticated during the 1980s. At least the stops included a trip to Morrisons Cafeteria back then. Occasionally, I'll go to a Piccadilly for old times sake but most of those have closed now. However, I did stop by the SJTC McDonald's for a free coffee last week.

[spuwho]

However, I did stop by the SJTC McDonald's for a free coffee last week.

Lake! You sinner! <sarcasm>

[funwithteeth]

I've never been comfortable with indoor malls. Too many people in too tight a space (this being less a problem at Regency, but still), too many teenagers, etc. The SJTC, for all its faults, is preferable.

[thelakelander]

However, I did stop by the SJTC McDonald's for a free coffee last week.

Lake! You sinner! <sarcasm>

I was leaving UNF's campus, it was free coffee week and that was the closest Micky D's!

[coredumped]

I never understood how a shopping center with a dollar store is considered up scale.

[I-10east]

^^^Yup, because most modern US upscale shopping centers have everything 100% all upscale, just like you are in Milan, or Paris somewhere; Regular fast food restaurants, and department stores are far too low class for an upscale mall.  

[coredumped]

^^^Yup, because most modern US upscale shopping centers have everything 100% all upscale, just like you are in Milan, or Paris somewhere; Regular fast food restaurants, and department stores are far too low class for an upscale mall.  

Milan? millennium mall in Orlando, considered upscale doesn't have dollar stores. Anyone who thinks TSJTC is upscale hasn't left cowford.