{an aerial view of Jamestown Mall}
Jamestown Mall has seen better days and more than one redevelopment idea has come and gone. Now, St. Louis County is paying the Urban Land Institute $120,000 to study what area residents would like to see. After working with focus groups and consulting other stakeholders the ULI will host a public meeting 9 a.m., Friday, September 25 at the Shalom Church City of Peace in Florissant. The mall was recently purchased for just $3.3M.
The several voices in the recent Post-Dispatch story called for more outdoor shopping. While outdoor shopping malls are the standard large retail form across the country these days, there is some evidence that the trend is waning. In my opinion new outdoor malls in places like Pheonix and Boston are already looking an enclosed futures. Who wants to shop outside in 112-degree heat or do their Christmas shopping in a foot of snow and a 10-degree windchill in Foxboro?
Of the St. Louis area has not seen a large outdoor mall development and this may be an attractive solution, offering a unique shopping experience. I think in this case it may be best that St. Louis is behind a national trend. I hope we’re far enough behind to realize the trend’s shortcomings and avoid it altogether.
So what type of development plan is needed for Jamestown Mall?
