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Comment by chaosbutters314 | Hacker News Reader

multi level parking, 2-3 story housing built over existing mall, build high rise housing in unnecessary parking areas, put some grass/parks in. not sure why this is complicated.

starts with rezoning

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To start, malls tend to be built on highways removed from a municipality's center. Many of the people in this area will need certain amenities (for example, schools) and will have commutes. The entire surrounding area would have to be redesigned before you can plop 2,000 new residents in an empty lot.

I'm not saying it can't be done, but making something more desirable is more complicated than just rezoning. And making something less desirable could be absolutely dystopian.

The mall is perfectly suited to adapt to 2000 new residents; shift one store to a grocery, one to a daycare, and you're 90% of the way to rebuilding a nice little town center that lets people live most of their lives without a car.

The real problem is the planning profession, which has taken to such micromanagement of central planning that there's no way to dynamically adjust spaces to better uses. In my local downtown area, there are extremely strict rules about which type of retail are allowed where. And how close to which corners. It's a disaster.

> for example, schools

I know of at least two malls near a place I lived a few years ago that have been partially converted into schools.

In areas I've seen, the older malls are effectively closer in due to decades of sprawl. If one converts those, the effect isn't as stark.

They're trying to do that with a local mall. One of the main objections of the city council is that new residents cost them money in terms of necessary services like schools, whereas the mall itself is a cash cow because of the sales tax, with minimal city services for the mall.

It's taken as a given that housing is generally too expensive for the mall workers to live nearby...

> not sure why this is complicated

IMHO, if you're presenting a solution with the length and grammar of a telegram, it's probably more accurate to say, "however, this is surely more complicated than I understand."

I'm currently looking out the window at a shopping center with exactly this format.

It's very nice, and not really any more complex than regular zoning and planning.

> I'm currently looking out the window at a shopping center with exactly this format.

FWIW, I don't think the op was actually describing a shopping center.

It's not technically complicated, but it is politically complicated, because you're fighting against vested interests who desperately and selfishly want to stop you.

> you're fighting against vested interests who desperately and selfishly want to stop you.

There are no such vested interests and this is a YIMBY fantasy. People would be overjoyed if it were easy to convert malls into neighborhoods.

> not sure why this is complicated.

I wish this made people less inclined to have a strong opinion.

Yeah my local mall is doing this. If they can pull together some tasty and healthy-ish options at the food court the mall could get a lot of traffic just from lazy people trying to get an easy dinner.

The roof of most malls probably can't hold much more weight than AC units. It would probably be cheaper to just demolish the entire site and restart.

> not sure why this is complicated.

And here's your answer;

> starts with rezoning

Not to mention, who's going to build all of this?

That would probably require demolishing or substantially remodelling existing buildings. At which point it's probably cheaper to build on an empty lot.

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