Over the last twenty years or so, the indoor mall seems to have lost favor. The number of new malls has decreased significantly, and there is only one set for construction in 2009. Until recently, malls have been placed away from residential areas only. For all the convenience they may offer, one would have to travel some distance to get there. With the environment clearly on everyone’s mind, malls are being scrutinized for excessive parking lots and unused space. Developers are starting to see new potential here: make it more like home.

In the last several years, any malls that have been built are leaning more toward open air models of old time downtown cities. These have been built closer to residential living areas and are called “lifestyle centers,” as they are designed with a more welcoming style. Many boast restaurants, movie theaters, etc. in an attempt to bring more people there for a lazy Saturday. More recently, as many investors are realizing how much space can be utilized, developers are looking for ways to bring housing right into the mall. In Colorado, this has already been successfully achieved. In 2003, a mall was created with 1300 apartments, 200 condos, and single family housing attached to a 106 acre lifestyle center. This is similar to the mixed use properties currently being built in Austin and has had great occupancy rates.

Many developers are seeing now that the potential for housing is a tremendous gain. Building vertically to accommodate living or office space helps the environment as well. It seems when the mall was first created in the mind of Victor Gruen, he envisioned such a place. He saw a small town that was free from cars, but offered a small town feel with day cares, shopping, and eating all right there. Who wouldn’t want to live there?