Imagining a Future for the Mall That Wasn’t
Elk Grove's abandoned mall may be an eyesore, but the area around it is ripe for economic development.
Editor's note: The author is chairperson of Elk Grove Coalition Advocating Proper Planning.
What’s to become of Elk Grove’s mall? Most don’t even call it by the name it was given by now-bankrupt developer General Growth Properties, "The Elk Grove Promenade." Most still refer to it as “Lent Ranch Mall” for Bob Lent’s famous nearby barn where many an event is held.
With Governor Jerry Brown wanting to put an end to redevelopment agencies, and Elk Grove City Councilmember Sophia Scherman stating emphatically at the council’s January 26 meeting, “I don’t want to hear another thing about the mall,” we are left to wonder if our mall is dead even before it lived.
As one exits off the beautiful Grant Line Interchange, the site of the mall is extremely depressing. So what do we do? Can we even imagine a mall there in the future? Louis Bucksbaum, former vice president of development for General Growth, is no longer with the company, so we can’t go back and ask him to make good on the promises he made standing at the podium for two hours the night the council approved the mall’s design.
Other cities have malls that are dying because of the economy. So what are they doing? The New York Times recently ran an article entitled, “New Lives for Dead Suburban Malls.” This is just one excerpt:
“Failed malls offer an unparalleled opportunity to bring services to suburban neighborhoods,” [professor of architecture at Georgia Institute of Technology] Ellen Dunham-Jones says. “The idea is to demolish a dead mall and build the downtown area a suburb never had,” she said. “Three or four stories of apartments above the retail on the ground floor, providing an option where people can walk to most of their daily needs. And they have more opportunities for social interaction. They get a more urban lifestyle, but in a familiar place.”
Many a citizen has approached the city council at public comment with the same idea. We really have some visionaries in our city that pay attention and bravely come forward with their suggestions for the council to consider.
What we do know is that the land around the mall is earmarked for a big-box mecca. Will those developers actually deliver now that the mall sits like an albatross? Would it be a big gamble on their part? Let’s hope the city council can make the developers realize that we need those stores along with a high- tech business park.
Industry will be changing drastically over the next decade. The mall area is also ripe for a state-of-the-art, master planned industrial business park. This way we can attract diverse business and industrial users.
But first, we need to get on with the big box stores slated for that area: a Wal-Mart Supercenter, maybe a Costco, a Sam’s Club, some outlet stores and restaurants.
Elk Grove must become an ideal place for business, industry and commerce. But before we can do that, they must have a place to go. Elk Grove has a highly skilled workforce and we owe it to all of us to get started now. We cannot wait for the big debate over whether or not the city should expand its Sphere of Influence or annex more land.
We can’t forget about the mall. We cannot "let it be." It is there, and something needs to be done. Our leaders are reminded every day and most assuredly, they need to hear your ideas.
Carolyn Walther
7:42 pm on Monday, February 28, 2011
A Costco would be great there. I was actually looking forward to the mall with the "Napa" feel. Needs to be creative and different to draw people in. Gas is high so locals need somewhere to go that is like a little "holiday close to home". But please locals, keep supporting our Old Towne. I know the parking is awful but not every City has a quaint town like this. Take a day and just stroll the shops and eat at one of the restaurants instead of jusr driving by. You will have a fun day. The new SPA "true salon and spa" is great by the railroad tracks. They offer all services.
TIM CARRILLO
9:22 pm on Monday, February 28, 2011
ELK GROVE CITY COLLEGE, EDUCATION CENTER,TOWN CENTER FOR EAST ELK GROVE,ELK GROVE MEDICAL CENTER. TURNING THESE BUILDING IN TO SUSTAINABLE FACILITIES GREEN STRATEGY. ADDING SOLAR ENERGY USE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN . FOR THE CITYOF ELK GROVE
Elk Grove Laguna Forums
10:48 pm on Monday, February 28, 2011
Wasn't part of the plan including the mall to have a some sort of a business park on the periphery of the mall? The last thing we need is anymore apartments or anything like that. Chances are the mall would have been built and open much earlier if there were not lawsuits that delayed it so long. The economy is going to turn around eventually and developers are already positioning themselves to jump in all over the central valley for when it does. The City of EG knows they must develop more of the land in Madeira to add more homes to make the mall more attractive to the mall builders and prospective tenants. The last thing we need is advice on what to do with a mall and the land from people who are against development of any kind. Some want to turn it into a park or trail area, some want it left vacant. There is room over by the Waterman and Grantline area for a business park or around the mall for that matter.
I think too much is made of Scherman's comments. The city can't do anything about the mall. It's privately owned. People keep asking about the mall, but the city can't do anything about it. I think that's where her comments came from. Rehashing them over and over and acting like it was something more than it was is not doing any good or going to fool anyone.
michelle
12:30 am on Tuesday, March 1, 2011
time to learn the demographics and make choices that will bring a positive light to the community and its residents.
Chita
8:19 am on Tuesday, March 1, 2011
I could agree more with Ellen Dunham-Jones statement; one could only look at some of the apartment/condo's in Honolulu where retail stores, clinics, etc. are on the ground floor, why can't we not do it on the unfinished mall?
Felicia Mello
9:08 am on Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Hmm, so given that the mall is privately owned--as Elk Grove Laguna Forums points out--what are some ways that community members could make their voices heard on the subject?
Sarah Johnson
10:15 am on Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Time to let go of the "if it haven't been for that years ago lawsuit, the mall would have been built". Not helpful, does not contribute to a solution.
Mixed use (residential above retail/commercial/office) is something that makes tremendous sense and something we should have had in our zoning code from the beginning. We do have something called Mixed Use, but it does not include residential. Wouldn't it be ironic if the delay in the mall caused us to end up with a much better functioning outcome?
Connie Conley
11:46 am on Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Yes, the the mall is on private property and we have may have no say so, except public comment. (There was lots of it the night the mall was approved.)
That is until City Manager Laura Gill announced that the mall was now included in the city of Elk Grove's application for a redevelopment agency. I don’t believe Governor Brown has eliminated redevelopment agencies as yet.
Redevelopment agencies are funded by property tax revenues generated when property values rise as a result of the new investment. “Tax increments” kick in and the Elk Grove City Council will oversee the redevelopment agency – all accountable to the public. At that point, there will be strong citizen input as to what happens next.
Regarding Sophia Scherman’s comment, at a long so long ago council meeting, Ms. Scherman flipped on her microphone during council comments, which is a reporting, as required by law of what has occurred since the last council meeting, unsolicited Ms. Scherman stated, “Soon I will have a major announcement about the mall.” When she saw the reaction of her co-council members, along with city staff, she clammed up and stated, “I can’t say anything more than that. But soon.”
The local papers picked up on Scherman’s statement. However, we never heard what the “major announcement” was, just her current comment.
Bottom line, hopefully we can all agree that we want something built out there that will stimulate our ecomonic development.
Elk Grove Laguna Forums
11:56 am on Tuesday, March 1, 2011
With all due respect Sarah, I think it is a part of the discussion because the same general group who was against the mall from the outset has been critical of the fact it is not finished and is an eyesore. If those people want to criticize the fact it is not done and try to blame the city, then they need to accept responsibility.
Felicia, I think we can make our voices heard all we want, I don't think it will change anything in this instance. If there was a poll taken on what should be done with mall among city residents I think the people would vote to keep it as a mall. http://www.elkgrove-laguna.net/forums/showthread.php?2453-Poll-on-the-mall-what-should-be-done-wih-it
JJ Johnson
2:25 pm on Tuesday, March 1, 2011
I am thankful that people are provided with this opportunity to vent. Consider it an outlet, which is what that mall will become. An outlet mall is fine with me because then I can get socks at 50% off and I can tell Connie Conley and Elk Grove Laguna Forums to put a sock in it. This is Elk Grove, and the way this Detrick/Cooper/Davis-run City Council operates is to cause the mess and then blame someone else because they haven't fixed it.
Elk Grove Laguna Forums
2:48 pm on Tuesday, March 1, 2011
JJ, it's not the fault of those you mentioned or the city council. Your comment makes no sense.
JJ Johnson
3:07 pm on Tuesday, March 1, 2011
EGCAPP is only interested in "proper" planning provided it doesn't interfere with their interests.
The mayor and Ford were co-founders of EGCAPP, and Dweebtrick got involved in politics because he didn't want a Wal-Mart in his backyard. He knows the council members sitting to his immediate left and right give him the majority. Actually, he probably doesn't understand it, but he was still elected.
The city manager has said the infrastructure for the mall is near completion, but Ford -- and, by extension, Conley -- by writing this article has declared the mall to be dead. I'm more inclined to believe a city manager who knows what she is doing than black-hearted people whose only joy is to delight in the potential shortcomings of others.
Sarah Johnson
3:23 pm on Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Elk Grove Laguna Forums, I meant no disrespect. If that is your view, you have every right to hold it. The point I was trying to make was that so much time has gone by and so much has happened, both locally and nationally, that it seems counterproductive to dwell on all that stuff from so long ago. To me it sounds similar to "blame the County" that we have heard for so long. We need to find a way to move forward and that may require at least some measure of consensus. In any case, it will require a fresh vision of what it is we want there.
JJ Johnson
3:27 pm on Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Here, here!
Elk Grove Laguna Forums
3:55 pm on Tuesday, March 1, 2011
JJ, in case you didn't know I am a supporter of the mall and disagree with the author.
Sarah, thanks. I am all for moving forward. It's just when people who were against the mall talk about it being a failure then we need to bring up the history. We can talk about options but what a few people want is going to be irrelevant. The developer is not in a rush. It's going to be some type shopping mall.