Greyfields: A Mixed Use Dream?

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Milhaus Development

Guest Post by Greg McHenry, Development Assistant and Intern with Milhaus Development

Starting in the mid 1990’s, many enclosed malls began losing tenants because of low sales, causing many to completely shut down. The main reason for this was that Americans were finding other ways to shop besides driving miles to the nearest mall. These empty shells and expansive parking lots became known as “Greyfields“. These vacant malls are becoming a burden on their adjacent economies and communities (e.g. Cloverleaf Mall in Richmond, VA; Hawthorn Mall in Hawthorn, CA; or Lafayette Square Mall in Indianapolis). The website www.deadmalls.com emotionally documents the horror stories behind many dead malls.

A successful redevelopment of a community-plaguing Greyfield can become a mixed-use developer’s dream. Not only do are these areas low-priced (a true Greyfield will sell at the price of land minus expected demolition costs) but they have the ability to restore a community’s identity if developed right.

Greyfield redevelopments also make New Urbanists and Sustainable Developers happy. For one, these projects help reduce urban sprawl by promoting a more compact lifestyle instead of the commuter culture supported by malls. Also, these projects are shining examples of infill projects; reusing land that has outlived its original purpose. A large community of mixed-use is also a great chance for progressive planners to create active walkable communities. And since these malls are typically located near transportation channels, these communities can be very easily compatible with low-emissions transit. These Greyfields represent an ending of one American paradigm and the beginning of another. It is up to developers to bring this new built-world to life!

This entry was posted in Redevelopment, Retail, Sustainability

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