Friday, April 17, 2009
Southwest Center Mall Urban Land Institute Use Study announced to nervous tenants
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On Thursday, tenants at Southwest Center Mall were briefed about the Urban Land Institute Use Study commissioned by the Dallas City Council last week. The city will pay $120,000 to try to figure out what to do with the struggling retail outlet.
Edna Pemberton lead the meeting of current and future tenants. Some of those in attendance were getting nervous about rumors circulating that the mall was about to shut down. Many of them, like African-Imports and Mr. Pretzels, have been at the mall for years.
Pemberton did open up about some of the malls more tedious moments: pleading with an Oncor worker at the meter with his hand on the switch about to shut the mall’s power off. And a similar episode when the waters was about to be turned off.
Edna Pemberton
But it’s been the City of Dallas and Councilman Tennell Atkins who’ve thrown lifelines out to the mall to help keep it afloat. Mr. Atkins recounted some of the history that landed the trouble mall in the hands of a bankruptcy court.
Both Pemberton and Atkins were hopeful about the mall’s future, though the councilman curbed Ms. Pemberton’s enthusiasm on at least two occasion when she seemed to suggest that the mall will continue to exist in the same or similar capacity after the study.
Atkins also urged the group to start looking towards the 2010 Bond Package when the mall and community could request that funds for sorely needed infrastructure improvements are included.
Councilman Tennell Atkins
As the meeting concluded, they announced a number of events planned for the near future:
* Next Thursday April 23rd there will be a formal kickoff announcing the Urban Land Institute that will include Mayor Tom Leppert, Deion Sanders and others.
* On May 6, a breakfast is scheduled to recognize National Small Business Appreciation Month. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis (who the members from SWC met with on a trip to Washington) has been invited to speak at the breakfast.
* May 16, the mall plans to recognize the accomplishments of current U.S. Trade Representative and former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk who is scheduled to deliver the commencement address at U.T. Arlington the day before.
* Labor Day Festival September 5-7 produced by CWhatsPoppin.com that will include a Gospel and Soul Concerts, Bike/Car Exhibits, Comedy Shows, Purple Carpet Fashion Show, 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament and more.
Ms. Pemberton acknowledged the contributions of a number of members of the community who have supported the mall through its uncertainty, including Rev. Tommy Brown who she called “The Mall’s Pastor” and Danielle Ayers, Minister of Justice at Friendship-West Baptist Church. Dallas South will continue to update the progress of the mall.
Pegasus News content partner - Dallas South
Shawn Williams publishes Dallas South Blog; his e-mail address is shawn@dallassouthblog.com.
Related stories
- Southwest Center Mall sold, community is skeptical (Oct. 6, 2009)
- Southwest Center Mall issues are all about the neighborhood (June 29, 2009)
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Comments
Chris Kidd Verified
Just knock the dang thing down, Domain the surrounding area and turn it into a huge urban park, something everyone in the area can be proud of...
6 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Michael Davis Verified
Chris - you do realize that the SW Center mall and the surrounding parcels generate millions in property taxes along with the BPP tax revenue of the businesses, right?
6 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Howard Wen Verified
In case any Dallasite readers here aren't aware, SWC Mall was formerly known as Red Bird Mall. It's becoming afflicted with dead mall syndrome, hence the concern over its future in this economic environment (that has been challenging for all malls, as news this week about the bankruptcy of the second largest mall properties owner attests).
6 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Howard Wen Verified
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwes...
6 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
momzilla Anonymous
They might consider knocking it down and building an urban farm like the one proposed for downtown Detroit.
6 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
JW Richard Verified
I understand the amount of property taxes paid by the mall and surrounding properties, however the shopping experience at SWC is a woeful one. Nothing but a string of empty spaces, dollar stores, knock-off art and gospel tapes, and cell-phone accessory peddlers now. I remember when this mall was really kicking. Now, it's just sad.
6 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Chris Kidd Verified
Michael, yes I do, as im originally from the duncanhood. When Red Bird was built, it was a pretty cool place. Then, the proginy of idiot hoodrats and thugs took over the place and ran off all the business. Now, its a shell and something along the lines of a hiroshima-level flattening would be the best for it. Turn into a huge community park, with greenspace, trees, hike/bike paths and maybe even a greek theather-style open amphitheather(http://tinyurl.com/cbfevq) or our version of the hollywood bowl, Something that the whole area and region would be proud of and hold high as a crown jewel.
6 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Michael Davis Verified
Who's going to pay $5-8 million to demo a mall, more money to dig up the ashphalt and then find the millions in tax $ that needs to be made up? The mall needs to be redone, and I have been calling for that for years.
However, the mall and the outparcels provide hundreds of jobs and turning it into a park doesn't make sense right now.
6 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Chris Kidd Verified
Mike, no offense, but the places surrounding the mall arent attracting the large tax base it has in the past. I look at it in two ways: Feasibility and civic pride. I know theres plenty of people in So. Dallas that feel the same way about the mall property. It only has one proper anchor (sears) and nothing much else. All the plans to improve the mall have failed over the last decade. Maybe its time to level the place and start something different.
6 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
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