BETA
Chapter 1
The socialist dream of the mall
Chapter 2
The golden age of suburban culture
Chapter 3
The great retail apocalypse
Chapter 4
The strange modern rebirth
YOUR GOAL
Master of The American mall story
Ch 4 · The strange modern rebirth
marcus Pop the shopping bubbles to discover how American malls rose, fell, and are being reborn.
marcus American Mall Rebirth
Empty malls are changing, it's a surprising new spree, With apartments, clinics, and campuses for all to see.
marcus Modern successful malls, like American Dream in New Jersey, focus on indoor ski slopes and theme parks rather than shopping.
marcus The historic Arcade Providence in Rhode Island was converted into micro-apartments, showing a new way to reuse retail space.
Fun Fact
Oldest mall apartments: America's oldest indoor shopping mall, the Arcade Providence built in 1828, now houses 48 micro-loft apartments.
Glossary
adaptive reuse (noun)
The process of reusing an existing building or structure for a purpose other than its original design. In 2013, developers converted the historic Westminster Arcade in Rhode Island into micro-apartments, pioneering modern mall repurposing.
The process of reusing an existing building or structure for a purpose other than its original design. In 2013, developers converted the historic Westminster Arcade in Rhode Island into micro-apartments, pioneering modern mall repurposing.
Quiz
What type of healthcare facilities are increasingly moving into vacant mall anchor stores?
Quiz
Which of the following is a key environmental benefit of repurposing an old mall instead of building new?
Quiz
What is the name of the massive Minnesota mall that still thrives by combining retail with an indoor theme park?
Quiz
Which historic Rhode Island shopping center was successfully converted into micro-apartments?
Quiz
Which rapidly growing racket sport has taken over many empty mall spaces across America?