I was distressed to read that the Woodville Mall is once again up for sale.Having grown up in Northwood, I spent many days there with my friends and family. The fact that the only mall east of the Maumee River is once again up for sale speaks more about the unimaginative, lackluster performance by its most recent California owners.The Woodville Mall was the first mall in the Toledo area and should be considered a historic landmark. With a reported 40 percent vacancy rate and only a handful of stores that attract customers, I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised to read that some are calling for it to be completely razed for additional green space or to make way for a new outdoor retail space.But these would be costly mistakes.The Woodville Mall is a historic landmark on the East Side. It just needs to be adapted to meet the needs of the 70,000 people residing in its retail area.
Instead of attempting to lure new stores to a mall that currently sees fewer customers than a single Wal-Mart, it would be wise to bring the people back to the mall first, and then entice the retailers.
That means mixed use, community space that engages and invites the community. At the current vacancy rate, more than 300,000 square feet could be set aside for community use, i.e. for concerts, community tutoring and outreach initiatives, library extensions, community college or trade school training, senior citizen activity programs, and other family and local school targeted events.
Where many see revitalization as hopeless, I see potential.
Justin Draeger – Washington D.C.
Originally published in the Toledo Blade on Sunday, May 20.
The Woodville Mall has great potential (The Toledo Blade)
May 21, 2007 · Leave a Comment
I was distressed to read that the Woodville Mall is once again up for sale.Having grown up in Northwood, I spent many days there with my friends and family. The fact that the only mall east of the Maumee River is once again up for sale speaks more about the unimaginative, lackluster performance by its most recent California owners.The Woodville Mall was the first mall in the Toledo area and should be considered a historic landmark. With a reported 40 percent vacancy rate and only a handful of stores that attract customers, I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised to read that some are calling for it to be completely razed for additional green space or to make way for a new outdoor retail space.But these would be costly mistakes.The Woodville Mall is a historic landmark on the East Side. It just needs to be adapted to meet the needs of the 70,000 people residing in its retail area.
Instead of attempting to lure new stores to a mall that currently sees fewer customers than a single Wal-Mart, it would be wise to bring the people back to the mall first, and then entice the retailers.
That means mixed use, community space that engages and invites the community. At the current vacancy rate, more than 300,000 square feet could be set aside for community use, i.e. for concerts, community tutoring and outreach initiatives, library extensions, community college or trade school training, senior citizen activity programs, and other family and local school targeted events.
Where many see revitalization as hopeless, I see potential.
Justin Draeger – Washington D.C.
Originally published in the Toledo Blade on Sunday, May 20.
Categories: Editorials & Commentaries · Published Work