Springfield Lessons for Regency

[thelakelander]

Norwood (Gateway Mall) and Normandy (Normandy Mall) are two good examples of where Regency is headed if the central anchor (the mall) does not receive a makeover.  Winter Park's Winter Park Village (former Winter Park Mall) is a good example of what can happen with a makeover.

Winter Park Mall (1960s)


Winter Park Village (current)

[heights unknown]

Norwood (Gateway Mall) and Normandy (Normandy Mall) are two good examples of where Regency is headed if the central anchor (the mall) does not receive a makeover.  Winter Park's Winter Park Village (former Winter Park Mall) is a good example of what can happen with a makeover.

Winter Park Mall (1960s)


Winter Park Village (current)

Roosevelt Mall, though smaller and less influential to it's area and surroundings, is another example of what can happen to Regency Mall.

Heights Unknown

[Bativac]

I don't know if anyone has been in this mall recently, but my fiancee and I were in Regency yesterday. We stopped in on the way to the JU/ODU football game to grab her brother (ODU's 3rd string quarterback aka "Bench Warmer") a birthday gift. The place has gotten much worse than it was just a few months ago.

We strolled up and down the mall and there are more empty places and "entrepeneurial" stores than there are well-known shops. The independently-owned places were almost totally empty. Sears was like a clearance center - are they an outlet now? Some of the sotrefronts were really kind of weird -- one was a church, and one was some kind of indoor blacklight mini-golf type of thing... I guess they're trying, but with zero advertising......

It reminded me of the Market Square mall. I don't see Regency coming back unless and until a new owner steps in, but even then, I don't know that it will help, the Arlington crowd being what it is. We drove over to Target, and it was packed. I think your average Jacksonville mall customer (middle-classers with disposable income and an eye for fashion) are done with Regency and are about done with the Avenues. The value-minded people are at Target and Wal-Mart and the fashion-minded people are at SJTC.

Maybe they should bulldoze it and rebuild Mountaisia. That would be awesome.

[iMarvin]

^^Does anyone know when that is supposed to happen? Does the company have money? Are they actually pursuing the project? I haven't heard anything new about this project.

[thelakelander]

^That's not a real project, so never, as long as General Growth Properties is in possession of it.

[iMarvin]

Oh ok. I actually thought this was really happening, but it honestly doesn't surprise me that it's just a dream.

[thelakelander]

A blast from the past...

[coredumped]

I don't think regency & springfield are the same. Springfield was mostly empty for many years, Arlington is one of Jacksonvilles most dense areas:
http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/gallery/9562820_3WdxxK#1625860251_LP9z6fN-A-LB
The problem is the town center opened and major stores moved (Toys r us, barnes and noble) plus the area lost other outlets due to the economy (car dealership at the big corner of atlantic & SS, circuit city).

Sears announced yesterday that they're closing 120 stores, (out of their 2,250), while they haven't announced which locations will close, if it includes the one in regency that half of the mall will be done.

Something needs to happen with regency. A good start would be to convince sears to move to the other half of the mall, and level the west side of the mall. Moving all the stores between JCP & Belk the mall would be full.

[thelakelander]

I believe the context makes Springfield (revitalizing mixed-use urban core neighborhood) and Regency's (aging low density suburban commercial strip) problems somewhat different but they do have one similar issue that they must ultimately overcome.  That's COJ. 

I'm of the belief that COJ may be negatively impacting both.  For example, it appears our code enforcement situation, rolling fines and misuse of NSP funds are stumbling blocks for those wanting to invest in Springfield.  When it comes to the Regency area, our love for subsidizing sprawl is literally sucking it dry as the same businesses are simply moving three miles east to Atlantic and Kernan.

In this sense, COJ can either be their best friends for rebirth or their worst enemy in their destruction.

[Jaxclarks]

The last time I went to Regency was years ago to buy specific sneakers at a shop and despite the fact that I had my two young daughter's with me the F-bomb was spoken loudly and often.  I decided then to never go back.  It has become a dump and a hangout for people that don't know how to behave in public, and there is a lot of loitering, begging and criminal activity.  It was no surprise when and why Underwoods left and why everyone else prefers to avoid the area.  And if other shopping areas don't control their private property I will just use Amazon.

[mtraininjax]

The last time I went to Regency was years ago to buy specific sneakers at a shop and despite the fact that I had my two young daughter's with me the F-bomb was spoken loudly and often. 

Sounds like a Welcome to Rockville show at Met Park!