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How Shopping Malls Are Being Transformed Into Apartments In The U.S.
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- Published on Nov 13, 2025
- While many U.S. malls face anchor store closures and empty parking lots, some are finding new life by becoming housing. Real estate developers are building housing inside of or next to shopping malls as department stores like Macy’s, JCPenney and Sears shrink or cease to exist. At least 192 U.S. malls planned to add housing to their footprint as of January 2022. Dozens of apartment projects at malls are underway in California, Colorado, Florida, Arizona and Texas. The trend not only helps to chip away the housing shortage in the U.S., but also brings people closer to the remaining retail and restaurant spaces in shopping centers. CNBC visited a Macerich housing project at Flatiron Crossing Mall in Broomfield, Colorado as well as the Arcade Mall in Providence, Rhode Island to find out what it is like to live inside a mall.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:13: Chapter 1 - Living in a mall
4:45: Chapter 2 - The new anchor store: housing
6:59: Chapter 3 - Challenges
CREDITS
Produced by: DeLon Thornton
Senior Producer and Camera: Shawn Baldwin
Edited by: Evan Lee Miller
Reporter: Gabrielle Fonrouge
Graphics by: Jason Regniato
Additional Camera: Juliana Broste
Supervising Producer: Jeniece Pettitt
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How Shopping Malls Are Being Transformed Into Apartments In The U.S.
Thank you for watching. If you want to see another story about living in a mall, check out this episode of Unlocked: I Live Above A Mall In Miami, FL For $4,150/Month
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$4k a month? That’s not preventing homelessness at all…
Imagine if these mall apartments had a pharmacy, daycare, clinic, ER, and public transportation 🚝🚌🚇
That is the main problem too expensive!
4k a month!?!? That’s insane!! I pay about half that for my mortgage… my home isn’t big… 1200 square feet on a 5k size lot with a pool… 😮
No I want to see stories about affordable housing.
This is bringing the concept of a village back.
I do hope your country embraces what those developers are implementing, as here in Australia, the majority of shopping centres are mixed-used developments consisting of both residential and commercial with supermarkets, cafes, medical centres, gyms, pharmacies, cinemas, child care centres, etc., within them, and are attached to transport interchanges (trains, metro, buses, trams) whether it's underground or nearby but accessible with less need to be reliant on a car if one chooses not to use a car.
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its like a tiny town. could be nice to live in. an encompassed mini society.
What? 😂
yeah, a village where everybody lives in a shoebox
@ls-sk5ivI love those ideas but I think a lot of Americans hate it. I don't know how to get American people to use more public transportation. We don't have enough for one thing.
I lived in a little beach town on the Pacific side of Costa Rica and it was like a village in some ways. We definitely ate produce from the neighborhood. I used to buy cheese from people who had cows for the milk and they made it fresh, and eggs from a different neighbor. I got fresh fish from the guys who caught it when I didn't go catch fish with those guys. I caught tons (literally tons) of tuna and mahi mahi they also sold. That was fun.
I didn't want to move back to the States and now I'm looking for a way to support myself in another place like that. I miss it.
This is the answer for senior citizens who no longer drive. You have access to retail shops and do not need to use expensive ride share services as much. In regard to there apartments being small, many people want this as seniors. A smaller living space is often a lot easier to maintain.
@samsmom400 As someone nearing senior age, I think this solution is genius, especially if they put in a medical/dental clinic, which could serve all locals, not just mall residents. This layout takes care of a lot of the isolation and mobility challenges seniors face. That said, you're right, they've got to include some sort of micro-kitchens, like a microwave and an electrical range, and perhaps a communal area with access to more elaborate equipment, like baking ovens and BBQ grills.
Oooh its like a Community / Bungalow centre. Shame its only this nice becaues its so old. More modern malls would need alot of work to be somewhere you want to be. And older seniors are fine with small in fact they prefer it, thats what a bungelow is. Maybe make a few of these 65+.
I would lose the dishwasher. if she’s not cooking much what a waste of space.
As a senior I would absolutely love this.
What makes you think senior citizens should have to live in a little box?
The funny thing is that this was the original vision of the architect who invented malls! He wanted them to all be their own mini-community where you could live, work and shop! It took like 100 years, but we finally made it here!
I thought the prototype for the indoor mall is the Martin County Civic Center.
Do you have a reference to a document that confirms this? I would like to read up on this subject matter.
Genuinely sounds like hell.
@AJ-xv7oh
😂😂😂
@AJ-xv7ohmust be hell for introverts
Why is this giving me apocalypse end of the world vibes😂
It’s so dystopian. Everyone’s so sick of expensive rents they’re now convinced living in a mall is cool. No thank you…
@tatymac21 the same thing as paying half $1 million to live in tiny homes or mobile sheds or whatever they call them
How does this alternative option have anything to do with apocalypse anything
@kirk.w.mclaren because it’s basically so you don’t have to go outside. I see what they’re getting at
I see these as the precursor to Smart Cities
We are not suffering from a housing shortage. We are suffering from an affordable housing shortage. You could build a billion homes but if no one can afford them it won't make a difference.
It would because when there isn't enough people to fill all the homes, prices come down. But then the investment firms would buy up the extras to create artificial scarcity. Need to either regulate mass rental businesses or keep building enough that they can't afford to sit on tens of thousands of homes.
Where I live, empty space is being gobbled up by neighborhoods in the thousands. As someone with a disability, I realized a LONG time ago I'll NEVER be able to afford my own place.
You are wearing a mask in your icon, it's nearly 2025.
Too get affordable housing you need more houses 😂 works like inflation… too much money chasing too few goods, which makes the product go up in price.
We have lots of bad quality apartments in Poland, yet they're still too expensive, so people live in smaller and smaller flats. It used to be a norm to live in 2 bedroom, 650 sq feet ( 60 sq meters), but now it's one bedroom in 350 sq feet (35 sq meters) for even a higher price. Meanwhile, developers and banks are making millions off of people buying these crappy places. I decided to buy something affordable in smaller city and commute. Nowadays, more people from bigger cities buy outside of city, so rent is becoming cheaper in the city. I plan to rent something in the city center, where cost of buying is astronomical, but rentals are affordable.
That is a smart idea instead of just letting the property go to waste.
Not when a tiny apartment costs over $200,000. There is a listing now for there that is $207,000 for 262 sq. ft.
Kingston Collection could do this instead of bankrupting small businesses to stay afloat with their pyramid scheme leasing agency. May all of the capitalistic heathens reap what they sow. America can do better.
It is a decade old story.
would love this
No brainer to mix retail and residential together.
"we have a housing crisis"
Proceeds to show us someone taking up one of these spaces to rent as an Airbnb which contributes to exactly that
thank you!
It gets better when you introduce negative gearing like Australia ...... Houses left empty to gain tax benefits to multi-dwelling landlords ......
But no they really didn't think about this did they
“Loft”
0 bedroom apartment.
Capitalism is the main cause of poverty contributing to the housing crisis.
the idea that we're in some sort of "housing crisis" itself is so ridiculous to me. the "crisis" isn't a lack of available buildings, it's a lack of accessible buildings. like another commenter said, it won't matter how many houses you build if nobody can afford to buy them. this isn't a problem you solve physically, it's a problem you solve with regulation
That is the best idea ever. I’m sorry that my malls were closing so fast but also I’m glad that space is being put to good space. Just screen all of the tenants so that they are compatible living in such close proximity to each other.
ANd who gets to decide which people are compatible and which aren't? What criteria do we use to assign an arbitrary value to each individual?
@OmaTeeFryat least no sexual offenders etc
When you say close proximity.. How’s this different than apartment buildings..? Also screening for “compatibility” could get murky pretty fast too.
@Tomi-z7f no discrimination
This seemed cool until I looked up what the mall apartments cost in Phoenix.. $2k for a 2 bedroom and 5k for a 3 bedroom; housing being AFFORDABLE is the problem.
Cause NO ONE SHOULD BE PAYING RENT TO LIVE ON THIS EARTH. HOUSING ON THIS EARTH IS A BIRTHRIGHT. NO ONE SHOULD PAY AN6 ONE TO LIVE ON THIS EARTH.
@infiniteawareness2698A birthright? Don't you think people always had to build their own domicile? Unless they found a free cave!😂
@infiniteawareness2698Cause writing in ALL CAPS will get your point across…
@infiniteawareness2698 😂😂😂😂😂😂
@cmcinnis3746 what are you laughing for. Do you think people paid rent 2000 years ago ?
It baffles me that US Malls do not include grocery stores as one of their anchor stores. South African malls generally have a grocery store as an anchor and the bigger malls even have multiple grocery stores on opposite sides of the mall to pull different customers. This encourages regular visitation and benefits the other stores in the mall.
I'm seeing more malls put grocery stores in. I think that before, supermarkets were traditionally put in suburban shopping centers since people assumed that groceries would be bought when errands were run, and malls were more for shopping for leisure. Now Americans don't think like that so much, since people places outside that US don't think that way.
Exactly, in Panama Latin America, the mall has banks, offices, movie theaters, grocery stores, even hotels so there’s always traffic.
It's a good idea but part of that is that in America the malls were built kinda far away from everything where the land was cheap, and you'd drive there. So you'd be driving past like 5-10 grocery stores on the way to the mall.
Space and competition..... Walmart wants to be a one stop shop for everything. To do that successfully you would win the grocery wars. (Was a real thing that was happening between Amazon and walmart.)
Many people order groceries for delivery. Not a problem 😮
"do you ever have any concerns about privacy?" proceeds to film a man inside his unit through his window
😂
Of course they do have privacy but they also be aware are for anyone that are social butterflies. Meaning they'll be more functional as a community than as an individual.
He could have closed his blinds. Obviously he didn't mind.
😂😂😂
They probably got permission to do so
Since I was a kid, I’ve had those weird dreams where I walk out of my house and I’m inside the mall, school, etc. This is pretty much what it’s like. What a cool idea.
Same😂
Yeah this is an excellent idea! They said there is some 30 million acres of vacant mall space, yet we're only short 4 million acres of housing space. The idea seems to fit.
I’ve had dreams like that too. Where the mall is like a hub that houses everything a person could need or want (apartments, schools, shops, hospital, venues for entertainment and leisure like libraries and museums). Something like out of a sci fi book/movie. Seemingly endless like a sprawling indoor metropolis. While not the most original idea, with how vivid they’ve been, I given thought about writing some of it down and turning it into a story.
i’ve had many dreams in the mall too for some reason i believe everything has meaning but i don’t really know what means yet
I have those too! Weird
As a disabled person who can't drive, I’d love this!
As long as there are windows and greenery, I would love it. Give me access to a rooftop garden or other green space, and I’m 100% sold!
@VicandWes you can rot in a hole like that
Yes...that would be great for you!😍
Live, work and play in the same area. Urban villages. It is great for the environment too.
Same here. I would love this type of living. The girl's apartment is too small, but about double that would be fine for me. I just don't understand that no open flame rule. Can't they have electric cooktops and ovens? Induction cooktop and a combination microwave/convection oven if you want more safety.
SO CLOSE to reinventing a mixed-use urban walkable community! you're almost there guys, keep going!
Hahaha this. America discovers mixed use zoning. 😂
@Bianca_Toeps: Kind of like arcologies on a much smaller scale.
My thoughts exactly its hilarious
Ironically, mixed use, walkable communities was what the original architect envisioned as a mall. He was horrified by the Americanized version of his concept. His name is Viktor David Grünbaum.
Please don’t. I'm from Europe, and mixed use zones are horrible to live in.
Cool idea! But it would get expensive eating out or boring eating microwave meals. But I love the old Arcade bldg in Providence.
They could use portable induction cooktops and toaster ovens.
@jaycee_baron Definitely. Not having a gas range is a pretty minor problem when induction has been common for a decade, and it doesn't need to be a portable one either.
They're finally doing it.
People have been suggesting this for years. Since malls started seemingly closing en masse. Phenomenal idea.
Most of it is regulation you could do this super cheap and easy if you just needed to make spaces people can live in,
But to meet all the specific plumbing and other health and safty codes you’ll probably have to completely redo all the mechanical systems in the building in addition to the conversion you’d think of when you think of it.
The government will soon be coming to tell everyone they must leave for newly arrived immigrants. They can do whatever they want.
that depends on price. Who wants to live in a 250/sq ft apt where you can hear the guy next door fart?
I think I would like a stove and refrigerator.
Oh, stop with that old racist and xenophobic meme. So stale…
I think the funniest part of this whole thing is that this is what malls were originally intended to be, downtowns away from downtown.
thats so crazy to think about, it just tells us how backwards the US works..
Victor Gruen invented the mall to feel closer to the city center vibe from his home country, Austria. He also advocated for urban revitalization and pedestrian priority.
It would be hilarious if this mall house theme went full-circle and we got entire European city centers but with big parking lots.
I came here to say this! If these sort of conversations continue to will be a beautiful irony for what malls should’ve been in the first place.
A perfect example of how backwards and Anti-human the urban planning of that era was. They built something that was antithetical to the way people actually want to live, now they're being transformed into mini downtowns so people will actually use the shops and services
YES!!!! Glad there are other people that know this and I’m not the only one 😀
Such a great idea to repurpose. Add green area's outside, maybe even a grocery store on the main floor would be a plus. So many options.
Brilliant idea!
The mall close to where I live is doing exactly that. It’s turning a part of it into apartments, adding a grocery store, and it already added a gym as well.
No stove
@pinkpugginzthat’s the easiest part lol, tabletop burners
Except they don't allow cooking except for microwaves. I suppose a limited amount of goods and non food essentials would be good. They should also have a very nice laundry center.
It was my childhood dream to spend the night at a mall. Can’t believe the world has changed so much now you can actually live there.
Me too!!! I loved the movie Night of the Comet when they found refuge in the mall. Always wanted to do that. And Mannequin too!!!
It was my childhood nightmare 💀
“MOM CAN WE GO THEYRE ALREADY ROLLING DOWN THEIR LOCK UP GATE 😭”
Okay, go live in an abandoned Gap.
This would be fabulous for senior housing and assisted living.
Same!! Lol
As someone nearing retirement age, I think this solution is genius for seniors, especially those who have lost spouses. This layout takes care of a lot of the isolation and mobility challenges seniors face. Three additions that would make it perfect, for both senior and younger residents, as well as local shoppers: 1. Include a grocery store. 2. Include a medical/dental clinic. 3. Include kitchens in the apartments, even if they're just microwaves and hotplates, with access to a communal area that has larger equipment, like baking ovens and BBQ grills. Again, for seniors especially, this would help get people to interact.
yes, and maybe even build a senior center inside!
@pagaporvista569 and a skate park..... for the seniors of the future.
Or, how about ‘especially for those that were not blessed to have a spouse and went through their lives alone’? Americans have such a ‘woe is me’ take about everything. Anyway, I agree that this is a good idea, and it’s been in place for years in Rhode Island
And low impact gym
I had very similar thoughts. These would be great for seniors to have amenities under one roof.
This is such a genius idea.
As someone who has a hard time getting a license (Epilepsy) I’d love to live in a place like this so I don’t have to deal with traveling a lot.
I could imagine they could form communities of friends and neighbours also.
Nice pfp
But it’d honestly feel so nice living in a converted mall, idk why I feel that way but I do
It depends on what state you are in. You can drive in Virginia if you have epilepsy
Exactly! I was thinking the same, because I have a family member with epilepsy. 🎉
We had a greedy developer try to do this to our mall.
Our mall drives the biggest economy for our city. Originally, the mall was just indoor in the 80s/90s, and asked for more money by the city by the time 2010 to expand the mall outside with several shops and a large movie theater. By 2020, the developer purposefully jacked up the rent so high is was failing many local businesses and corporate retailers from doing business in the mall. The mall employs a lot of people, btw. He made it into a ghost town. Half the mall is empty which could be used by other businesses to improve the economy and hire locally.
What was the developer’s plan for 10 years?
He went to city hall demanding more money to expand the mall into “mixed use.” Which means businesses and apartments. He claimed the mall was “failing,” because he jacked up the price of rent too high. He also made sure to used the jargon in reference to the apartments by calling them “affordable housing.” There was no way those apartments would be affordable-all would be so expensive.
The city removed the developer and gave it to a different developer.
This is BRILLIANT! As a senior I could downsize and do this very easily. You need to include a decent size grocery store and make sure you have a space for socializing with benches. Less cleaning, able to take a walk in bad weather. I'm sold.
what about the cooking issue?
Why cook?@toomanyaccounts
@toomanyaccountsOne could have a foldaway countertop attached to a wall so it doesn’t get in the way when not in use, a decent-sized toaster oven and/or air fryer would work in place of a traditional oven, and portable electric stovetops exist. I’d say the most concerning aspect of the small apartments is the want for storage, especially in the kitchen. But maybe there’s some under the bench seating beside the kitchen, and other hidden places.
Problem with such things is that they do not remain like that. You move in....there are some cafes, a supermarket, a drugstore, a haidesser etc. 2 Years later, the supermarket and drugstore are also closed, the hairdresser retires etc. May auntie moved into a building with flats, they were sold with the argument, that doctors, supermarket, cantina, etc etc were all in the same buidling. And there was also a contract with the nearby hospital that you could book and receive care (like cleaning or helping to wash if you are unable to do it yourself). They sold them specifically to older people with those arguments. It did not take 2 years. The Cantina and the supermarket closed, the contract with the hospital got terminated and half of the doctors moved somewhere else. No its just a flat like any other, but that was sold more expensive back then due to the "great ameneties and advantages".
В Москве законодательно запрещено строить дома с жилыми первыми этажами, первые этажи в новых домах должны быть использованы для коммерции: магазины, кафе, салоны красоты и так далее. Даже если вы живете в старом доме, самом дешевом жилье, "commieblock", то, скорее всего, на первом этаже тоже будет магазин. Либо в 100-200 метрах от вашего дома.
Чтобы все необходимое было в пешей доступности, не нужно жить в торговом центре. Нужно строить города, созданные для людей, а не субурбии.
Чтобы субурбия не оставалась последним спасением для порядочного американца, нужно навести порядок в городах. Города в США сейчас - это крупные коммьюнити, лишенные какой-либо политической субъектности. Если американские города окажутся субъектом права, то их коммьнити будут вольны выбирать, с кем им жить, а когл выселить в радужную Коммифорнию: наркозависимых бездомных, обычных бездомных, погромщиков BLM, этническую мафию и т.д.
Право выбирать, с кем ты хочешь жить в своем городе - это не тоталитаризм, а свобода выбора.
A recent report states that there are 28 vacant homes and apartments in the US for every homeless person. That would suggest that the problem isn't a shortage of housing, but a shortage of *affordable* housing. You can build as much new housing as possible, but unless housing becomes affordable it won't make a difference, and there will just be a greater disparity between the unhoused and vacant properties.
Also, that mall must have had small shops. 250 sq.ft. seems awfully small compared to the size of retail stalls in modern shopping malls. According to a search, AI reports, "The average mall storefront space is typically between 1,500 and 5,000 square feet depending on the type of store and the mall itself." A significant difference. Even chopped in half, 750 sq. ft.+ is a decent sized apartment, and 3x what she's living in.
@andrewgageablethey likely cut the space up smaller because greed is always always a thing.
Lots of taxes and regulations make affordable housing difficult.
@_Iscream Nope, it's elected zoning commissions whose constituents want to keep housing expensive. For decades, housing has been converted into what is essentially 401Ks at this point, and thus, there is a vested interest in keeping housing expensive.
Sadly, we're going to need to remove the elected component and convert it into a technocratic bureaucracy position.
@_IscreamActually a huge öart of the issue is that landlords can claim a loss if they own empty homes, so they can pay less taxes . Regulations aren’t the issue, greed is ☺️
"You can't have an open flame" does not equal "you can't have stoves or ranges". Electricity exists.
Yeah, I was confused by that also. Induction doen't use flame.
Both of those methods are crap, but you'd literally need to just trust people to be adults. They have gas ranges in apartments, what's the difference?
That was probably a simplified explanation of the rule. Id bet there's lots more to it
@kpcasey Also, weren't there restaurants already there?
@Mark-f5n1d Yep. Used to be a pizza place in there I went to quite a bit when I worked in PVD in the 90s. And a couple restaurants. I think when you're cooking in a restaurant, you're always paying attention (and have prime fire suppression systems). I would think they are saving on putting in fire systems, by not allowing cooking. Safety 3rd ya know....
In the Philippines, malls are equipped with grocery stores, department stores, pharmacy, hardware, restaurants, banks, wellness clinics, worship centers, government offices, restaurants, literally a city within a mall..
Same in Japan. I wish America was like that
That AirBNB "investor" is a big part of the housing problem.
Agreed. Housing should be seen as a human right, not an investment. If he wants to invest his money, he should invest in a business or play the stock market.
I saw that and I was like, come on ffs, he's part of the problem!
bingo
This is exactly what I was coming to comment about
They should be tightly regulated. The “free market” ideal is responsible for so much misery.
This seems like a great idea! So much better than letting the mall space go to waste.
I love your videos!!
This was the original intent of Malls as they were designed.
A self contained village where you would live and work and enjoy leisure time. But various forces including zoning regulations, prevented it.
True. I hate it when malls just become a place for crime when abandoned.
Hey, how you doing? I actually discovered your channel because of your crossover videos with Anime America. Recently I went to a mall around 20 miles from my house and I saw you could house a thousand people there easily. You could easily have several hundred 1,500 sq. ft. apartments, a store like a Walmart Supercenter and a Cinema in that one place and still have space left for many other smaller stores.
I wouldn't mind living in those flats. It seems cozy and gives that aspect of living in a village. It's a great idea!!
Too small
They can't cook meals. I can't afford take out each day. Other then that a great idea.
@AnnetteSloan-n4w induction cookers are allowed since she said only those that have flames.
In my town in Ireland they turned the old prison into apartments and a mall 40 years ago the apartments are nice but they hung people out the window of what's an Italian restaurant now on the second floor
In this particular case, the units are just too small. Nice looking building, though.
It reminds me of a hotel I once stayed in Cleveland. The outlook inside was so similar. It is a such a great historical building to keep.
The Cleveland Arcade (there's a Hyatt in it)
What a great concept. Turning abandoned schools, malls, and businesses buildings into homes.
A shoebox is a home?
@thegreat9481better than being homeless. And forcing return to office bc the rich losing out on there investments
Here in Germany we are short with Appartements,too. I wouln,t mind living that small. 😊
Crazy that this wasn't done much sooner for all these buildings.
@gabrielegermaine2337Meanwhile here in America, many of us are having such a hard freakin time trying to GET an affordable home, much less an apartment!
I saw this a couple years ago and still think it's a beautiful idea. I wish all the old malls and old hotels would do this.
Would you like to spend the rest of your life in a flat the size of a hotel room? Cause this is developers’ wet dream and they builds „flats” this size already.
Old school buildings too in my area have been converted to apartments , communities
@nataszakura1432 Plenty of people already do, living in vans and cars, nursing homes.
many old hotels in my city became housing for those indeed, like retirement, homeless, ect. its pretty cool!
@anastasiaserenity2004 (Mine too)
You can't spout a "housing shortage" and then showcase an AirBnB.
They're a part of the problem.
The journalism is stupid! It’s not a housing shortage! It’s a lot of folks can’t afford 5,000 a month for a 1 bedroom, 1 1/2 or whatever!
Except it's not. Lack of supply is the problem.
@Justin_Beaver564 Your point makes zero sense as an AirBnB quite literally reduces the supply of houses.
@royalrampage4643 That simply isn't true. If we had enough supply half of all residential could be Airbnb's and the rent would still go down. All real estate competes with each other whether its commercial or residential.
@Justin_Beaver564 If half of them were Airbnb, it'd be a waste of the supply, it's not good for the housing market to be full of residential buildings being used commercially.
This was the true vision of the creator of super malls.
This is the answer for seniors in Canada too. The cold keeps people isolated. Most of our malls are medical centres now with a grocery store and a couple retail spaces. How easy to add a community centre for meals/ socializing and a few nurses to check on residents. Then you have a whole semi independent living facility!
Unless they change the building/fire codes, I can’t see how this could happen in Canada? Windowless rooms are a disaster waiting to happen.
Also, since many malls have sun-roofs in the walkway areas, residents could get a reasonable amount of sunlight and also possibly do some container gardening without having to go outside in inclement weather. They should do this in Texas as well, where it is often too hot in the summer to spend much time outdoors in the daytime, especially for seniors and people with disabilities. Having escalators and elevators would also make it much easier for people who normally would not be able to live in many second floor apartments. The only problem I see is that it would be difficult to have a place to walk a dog. If these spaces were to provide some covered assigned parking (solar panels!) and also convert some indoor and or outdoor spaces into dog parks and children's play spaces, and have a grocery store as one of the large stores in the mall, they would be very advantageous and convenient places to live.
NO THANKS!!
I will say that in my personal experience, Canada has less of a problem with having loads of abandoned malls around than the US in general. I do think with the weather being as it is in Canada, that we really need to move away from the smart-center developments that are so popular for retail spaces to build right now, which necessitates a drive from store to store as you shop, and focus more on indoor community-focused, multi-use spaces if we want to make communities more walkable.
The man that came up with the concept of the mall originally wanted to include housing actually.
With a grocery store on the end you could give amazon and wal mart a bit of competition!
They don't want you to cook. You are meant to go to the restaurants and fast food shops in the mall, hence why they conveniently don't allow the residents to have stoves
*if they allow toaster•ovens, i'm there!*
We have a brand new Harmons that has a bank and post office inside. Talk about having it all. Why not.
@Iluthra eating out all the time is expensive
100 apartments are not going to keep a grocery store running and profitable
This is a smart idea as long as it's affordable. As a Providence native, this is cool.
Even if it's not affordable, there will be housing options.
I guess I missed what the price ranges are. To convert was 200. A Sq ft and up to 800. A Sq ft....I do love the concept but it's also moving into controlled living. though.
It won’t be.
You got the abandoned Superman building right across the street.
It may just be a rumor, but I heard that the Emerald Square mall may be converted to apartments also.
I think this is such a great idea!!!!❤
I honestly really love this. Even if not converting malls, the idea of a connected indoor community like this sounds amazing
I believe the same
Here come the 15 minute cities.😢
250 SQ ft is Farrrrr too small.
Air BNB should not be for these mall micro apartments. This should be for just local residents for extremely reduced rates to help people get on their feet. For an apartment that small it should cost only $500 a month
If we’re going to have a future, this needs to be done all over the country, yesterday. You put people to work remodeling, repurposing and bringing up to code and , at the same time, providing much needed affordable housing, how could anyone with a beating heart not want to see that.
1800
@greenthumb8266 Someone with a beating heart and a working brain may see the move to make living like soviet peasants in 200sq ft shoeboxes "trendy" as yet another instance of the profiteering developers demanding that average people give up on any chance at homeownership. It's a terrible deal and a compromise that only benefits those who collect the rent
Maybe you can explain the housing prices for a non-american.
Would 500 dollar a month be a good rental price for something this size in this area?
How much do people earn arround that area? (how much % of the income is spent on rent)
would love to hear the answer :)
Best wishes from Austria
@sozialbetreuer I’m Canadian, but our prices are close. $500 USD for an apartment would be SO CHEAP, so a pretty good deal. It would be a miracle lol. In Canada, a small apartment is at bare minimum $2000 CAD right now. The bigger the city and the better the location, such as California or Vancouver means it would be super expensive.
What a cool idea! Perfect for singles or college students! The only negative is using the apartments for airbnbs.
A sign in the window "NOT an AB&B" would solve that.
Yep, don’t allow short-term rentals.
If you mean that the units should not be bought as rental properties, I completely agree. Things like this would be perfect for limited income people and should not be used as a means to make money by those who are already financially well off.
I actually think this is preferable for airbnb's compared to buying larger apartments and using them as temporary rentals.
@harmonymiller1211 Maybe there can be a median way. Some malls, or some area's can be AirBNB but there should be plenty left to remain affordable housing for singles, our anyone who likes NOT to have to drive your car to go to just about anywhere.
what about access to fresh air? these units don't really have windows.
I live in a renovated high rise built in 1948. None of the new windows open. The outer stair well windows were never installed, which was nice, but a new management crew had windows put in.
Energy efficient, yes. Fresh air, no.
This is perfect. Imagine how many seniors could enjoy this. No car but can still work and shop. ❤️❤️❤️
@ True. But it’s a start. I know here in Texas we have many empty malls. Maybe we need to think outside of the box somehow? I’m Newley retired on a smallish Ss income and no car myself. A small apt indoors like this would make a huge difference if we could figure out it out.
It's too tiny, you can't cook properly, the sink is very awkward to use, the bathroom is cramped - no, this is not a solution for seniors. It's a solution for developers wanting more profits. It's not designed to be comfortable to live in.
@ I would be fine with it if I was alone.
@laurelldockall2399imo, most of us Texans value space and having land too much to live like this
Also plenty of parking for loved ones to visit them. Many retirement homes don't have good parking.
Y'all are so flabbergasted by this concept and I don't necessarily blame you, but this is literally how cities and streets were built and designed before they were bulldozed for cars. That first floor is literally just like an old main street. Ground floor stores with apartments upstairs is literally how every city and neighborhood USED to be built until we made it illegal in the US.
haha i was thinking the same thing man. the rented room covers the nut.
Minus the lack of ability to cook anything. Or have space for more than 1 or 2 occupants.
@EricAnimeFreak You can still cook, just no open flame/element. Pressure cookers, rice cookers, induction flat burners or woks, etc are all allowed. Basically you can cook anything that doesn't require an actual oven.
@EricAnimeFreakif you need more space you can live somewhere else. Not everyone wants to live in a McMasion in the suburbs where you have to drive everywhere.
That's what I was thinking. This is basically a mixed development area. How most places work, especially in Europe where car reliance is reduced or minimal.
People in NYC have lived above retail space for centuries. I like that this is a more communal version and hopefully it fosters a sense of community. We need to get back to the days of knowing our neighbors and this will be just the thing to do it. It's shape is reminiscent of the bungalow courts of days past.
It has an old world charm. Very nice mall. .
In Vietnam, everyone lives and works in the same place
@misslinda772 lol living in a mall having old world charm is such a whiplash of a statement. But this is certainly much better than a residential only apartment complex in the burbs where you have to drive 20 minutes to find a community or economic activity going on.
I grew up in a small New England town where the downtown shops had apartments up top. I always thought it was cool. Wondered what it was like to live downtown being able to watch the traffic and live above the shops
In all of the world this has always been the norm, like literally look up a typical ancient Roman house. "Main street" was based on the same idea. It's called "mixed-use zoning" and is ubiquitous worldwide, but it has been prohibited in the US for complicated reasons. This is just a partial return to the worldwide standard
As someone who has always loved malls, this is literally my dream home for this point in my life. I actually love small living spaces, and malls are the perfect blend of cafes, shopping, and the beautiful indoor "park" designs many have grown to love. It would be so nice to head down to the community coffee shop to eat dinner and work on some projects on my laptop before walking back up to my cozy apartment for the night. The dimly lit mall at night could feel like a midnight walk on a cruise ship if lighting and architecture is taken advantage of in the right way.
Malls are beautiful, and this would be such a neat way to use them, especially along with some plans for office complexes, as some already have. It would be a perfect environment for living, eating, shopping, entertainment, and leisure, as I would definitely enjoy sitting at the local fountain to have conversations with my neighbors. it just seems so perfect. I've thought of this idea before, but I had no idea it would actually happen, or that anyone else was willing to live in a mall. I hope more go for the same concept, so we don't have to see all these malls go to waste.
This is what I've wanted to have happen for so long!
I'm visually impaired and I love a walkable and easily accessible communities!!!
I would LOVE this as a sick, disabled, young person. I walk very slow on good days, while on the bad days I need my wheelchair. It makes being a pedestrian on larger roads really scary and dangerous.
I used to be entirely independent, very active, and a social butterfly before my neurological illness and physical disabilities and I miss the ease of which I could venture into my community and run necessary errands so much 😢
this would solve everything and would be a dream for someone like me!!
There's a comedian, Fiona Cauley. She's young, was active. She and her siblings inherited a genetic neurological disease.
I'm sorry. Having your life change like that sounds very difficult. I pray that things get easier for you.
Go move there and live your dreams
You take care. I am praying for you! I love you. ❤
Why you became sick??
Scott Sheehan, an investor who owns a condo there then rents it as an Airbnb, is part of the problem. Doing things like this is why house is so unaffordable we have people living in shoe boxes in old malls.
out of curiosity, how much does such an apartment cost?
@xDomglmao I looked it up and you can rent one monthly for $1700. Or if you rented Scott's apartment through Airbnb, it would be $6,000 total if you rented nightly for a whole month, or you can get a discount and pay only $4,000 if you book a whole month at one time! 😊😊😊 thanks Scott!
@kymberrose1595 Thank you very much! These prices are crazy!
Many of us would happily live in what you call a shoebox if they were affordable. It's better than a tent or a vehicle. It's better than the woods or a park bench. It's better than having to stay awake so you're not arrested for sleeping on public land in the far too many states where homelessness is now illegal. We don't need 2000 sq ft of space to be happy. A bed, a bathroom, a fridge and stove, and a bit of privacy and safety is all some people want.
3:56 Theres a housing shortage yet this man comes in buys needed accommodation and then rents it at ridiculous air bnb prices. Gross.
Exactly!! 🙄
This!
It's disgusting really... I am currently studying for my degree and there's an apartment right beside my university. Obviously, the demand is extremely high to get cheap rented housing amongst students. Guess what? People buy a lot of the available units, then rent them at ridiculous prices. They even have the balls to complain that students are living there. It's literally BESIDE the university, what did they expect?
airbnb should be banned globally
The idea is great but agree, they need to
Be low income and stay that way!
I love this. We are seriously lacking walkable cities and in places where it regularly reaches below zero, this is fantastic.
Not being allowed to have an open flame is just an excuse. It doesn't stop you from having a stove or range because electric and induction exist. It's probably too small for an oven, but an induction range could fit on the countertop.
I was baffled when they mentioned that and just moved on without any exploration of what they do about food. I can only assume they have the money and / or are lazy enough to live purely off cafe, restaurant, and fast food.
And yeah, I only had a table top single induction hob for years, along with a small microwave / electric oven combo. Did near enough everything I typically do with my current full gas stove.
They probably have a portable electric cooktop they can just put away to have more counter space
Running gas lines isn't cheap or easy if you're renovating an entire building like this
@Professor_Utonium_ you don’t have to run gas lines. I’m saying you can you electric. I grew up with an electric stove, and that’s what my first apartment on my own had, too.
@aliensinnoh1 Oh, sorry. I see what you mean by all of that now. I was aware that electric stoves exist, I thought you were saying that they should have installed gas ones in there regardless. My apologies.
"People trying to unlock my door." The residential area should have a gate for restricted access.
air BnB people she said. so they would have access anyway to that floor.
Seems Air BnB's should be designated for one separated area with access only from the outside and no access to the community area.
It likely already does, as the other replies pointed out, the person who knocked on her door likely had access to the restricted floor.
@helenhighwater5313 This is a good idea, but the reason it won't happen is because the owners of AirBNBs benefit from the real estate value of the properties, and they would be unwilling to allow that value to be reduced heavily by a change like that.
This would happen in any multi-unit facility that allows AirBnB, not just revamped malls.
Actually, it also happens in nine-AirBnB buildings… people get a bit tipsy & try opening a door that looks just like their own but isn’t. I’ved in several such buildings and it has happened in each one. Not a big deal.
If the units aren't affordable then this is pointless, if the focus is money the housing crisis will continue.
Build enough units, and they become affordable. Read an economics textbook.
Nothing is free
I think it's gross how so many people can barely afford to live in a CONTAINER. it's inhumane, imo
I think it’s better that they’re not very affordable. Otherwise it brings in different crowds that may not take care of the place.
I wouldn’t be able to afford it myself.
lol, these comments. be poor, but still support the rich getting richer. the american dream needs to die.
Wow! I have dreaming of this since 1980. I hope Austin considers this idea. Definitely a safer community for seniors. Love it!
The lack of a window for fresh air would drive me crazy.
The probably have windows on the other side or even balconies.
I love my windows open - that's the only downside for me.
@PoliticalLTruth I don't see why would mall store have windows let alone balconies.
Malls are like casinos, they're designed so that you can''t see the sky and so customers lose track of time and spend a lot of money.
Most malls have a back door usually just a bare hallway originally used for deliveries. I live in New York State and we have a few old schools refurbished into senior apartments. They have windows and full kitchens.
@alainportant6412 dont most malls like, close at night? Also most malls I've been in have their entire roof pretty much made of glass for natural light
the crisis is about affordable housing, not about housing shortages.
No affordable housing because there isn’t enough. Just like inflation. Too much money chasing too few goods. Build more housing and they become cheaper.
Your right
If these are $800.00 a month or less then I'd say it's worth it.
@Ann-hm7gj$500 is more practical without a stove/oven.
Absolutely!!!!! And I hate how they offer so little space and call it an apartment!!
The reason affordable housing is in short supply is because supply is lower than emand for housing across the board. More housing means more supply, therefore less demand and subsequently affordable housing. Not that hard
It’s not a lack of housing that is the issue, it’s a lack of AFFORDABLE housing. Why is this concept so hard to grasp?
the housing is beIng bought and left vacant. tons of them are being bought by chInese shell companies
@toomanyaccounts JD Vance is Chinese?
You can't launder your money and make Millions on something thing that makes senses. There is just no money in it.
Exactly here in Britain/UK same issue not enough AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I was going to say that there are more vacant homes than people in need of housing. It is the affordable part that is causing it.
There's an irony here to me that housing has become so profitable and inflated in cost that it's more appealing to rent out as a living space than it was as a store.
Can you imagine? I'm sure many of those smaller retail spaces are now two or more units. The rich keep climbing.
They make it sound like the developers did everyone a huge favor by saving the building. In reality the developers are cashing in.
I think message the video is trying to get across is that its a win-win for the community, local businesses and the developers. Thats what makes the solution noteworthy
We live in a capitalist country. We cannot be outraged that developers want to make money. Nobody works for free
It's a win-win for everybody when you're able to preserve historic architecture.
Its just a good use of existing structures, and it gives people a better idea of how great it can be to have areas with mixed residential and business zoning. Its so nice to be able to walk to a neighborhood cafe, restaurant or grocery store, and that's something that typical suburbs are sorely missing which this provides.
Win win for all then. That is commerce.
This is a beautiful building, it’s great to see empty units being repurposed rather than wait for it to become unused and closed then demolished
Its not a housing crisis... It the pricing of housing that's making it unattainable to a lot of Americans.
One issue causes the other. If instead of being 4.5 million houses short, we had a surplus of 1 million houses, you would see the prices go down. With choice of goods, the customers get more bargaining power.
Of course, there are a lot of issues that play into why there is such a shortage of houses, including the big firms that buy whole neighborhoods to rent or have as Airbnbs.
You people are so stupid. We have around 30 ILLEGAL ALIENS here and the GOVT is paying for millions for housing, food, laundry, school, medical....and do you think they're paying DISCOUNT? NO they are paying HIGH RENTS even HOTELS. With taxpayer money.
It's a wealth and resource hoarding issue. I'm not sure if people appreciate how close to a class war the US is.
@Valkairiexo Bring it on. The people with means will easily win over those who don't (We can afford the necessary tools)
@UpYourArsenalhehehe... That was the thinking in 1914,until realities of bloodshed and death wiped the smudge out of people faces. Be careful what you wish for.
There is a company that creates lighting to emulate natural lighting. I can see this being installed to create a natural lighting feel to overcome the challenge of windowless spaces within a mall. I really love this concept. However, it needs to be made affordable.
Why do the apartments have to be soooo tiny?
And nobody should be able to turn one into an air bnb. That "investor" is part of the problem.
Glad someone else thought that the second he opened his mouth. How many air bnbs are there in just the us alone. we have a housing crisis because everyone and their cousin are trying to make a quick buck.
Surely they could knock through quite easily and double the space?
People need somewhere to live and cheap, making them smaller means more housing and cheaper.
Most us big homes are built to a lower standard than my garden shed, cheap but big and poor quality.
Nothing wrong with it, his property, if he wants to use it to serve customers for short term stays why should anyone else stop him
I live in PVD... these are uniquely small because this mall was the oldest one in the country, its small. the shops are small. they are marketed as micro apartments
This is so fancy. Imagine that you live in there and you can get a cup of coffee or hangout with someone without a ride.
we call this concept cities and towns in the EU :D
I love mall walking for exercise
@juraj_OKYou wouldn’t be subject to the weather though. And it’s not like you’d be locked in. You can still actually leave if you wanted to.
Remember a time when people hated the concept of working from home?… And now the majority prefer it? It would be like that.
@makeitgo to some extent true. but outside you are surrounded mostly with parking lots, roads with no sidewalks, highways. so you are very much limited to your mall community. for anything else you'll need a car anyway
I love this concept!!! I just hope they can figure out the no stove situation.
Yeah, that's a huge bummer.
Induction cooktops cost about $150 and work better than gas or electric. You can get single units. That's all you need.
I think they meant gas power stove, electric should be fine. Word was “open flame”.
@goldstein47 - exactly - I thought they meant gas only.
They said with a flame. Don't they have electric stoves there?
Great idea❤
It’s so ridiculous that people have to live in apartments without ovens because some politicians and bureaucrats can’t be bothered to update zoning laws.
do the US not have electric stovetops?
It’s a safety issue. These rules don’t just come out of nowhere.
@Denjell91 We do. Also there are portable induction burners that are really safe.
I have to ask you, how many people actually use an oven anymore? I do but I’m older than God.
@SamSam-qt6bumost people I know still use their ovens and stove tops😃 most we know don’t eat out alot…more for our health than our finance situation although finances do play a part…
This is such a great idea! This would be perfect for seniors!
Homeless~also?~:>(
AGREED! Rent for the rest of your life!
@rahla53 The issues is...can the homeless maintain their environment, like a working renter can?
They already go to the nearly empty ones just to walk and get exercise in low traffic places and see some displays. It just makes sense. They should keep the things that are still there but add urgent care, eye doctor, churches, grocery store, and a place for pets to play along with a residential area and common area for 55+ people so that they can stay connected and active to avoid needing nursing homes. If the mall has some fun kid areas and stores, restaurants and movies still their grandkids and family would enjoy coming regularly too. Bookstores can have book clubs and now that independent sellers are about to get to sell ebooks through their own sites and not just monopolies, this will be great for the mom and pop shops and their customers and friends! It's a perfect plan because mass transit can come to a mall too and we just need some common sense council people to cut the red tape and city planners and developers to see the future!
@user-fy7ru4ii1ino they can't be in the places where businesses are trying to stay afloat. The businesses need residents and the residents need square footage and community. The homeless need much more assistance and rehab sadly. But if the building is totally abandoned then yes imminent domain it and make it for homeless if it includes rehab and cooperation with law enforcement for protection of the most vulnerable.
I definitely would love to live in an apartment there this is good for people that are lonely also living Inside of a complex definitely would never be bored
They can't have an open flame range. Ok, so no gas. There's literally no reason they can't have an electric range/oven.
yes, but some building code (in Rhode Island) still require a vent hood to exhaust cooking fumes, especially grease fumes. so, if they can't retrofit that they couldn't put an electric stove either.
@zeighy I'm not familiar with the specifics of Arcade, but malls usually have drop down ceilings. It seems like adding a hood and a vent (you need one for the bathroom anyway), shouldn't be a problem
@zeighy I simply can';t believe that people don't just have induction hot plates or whatever that they do cook on illegally. It makes no sense to imagine not even being able to boil a pot of water or can of soup.
Its probably a money grab. if they cant cook then they must patronize the businesses downstairs for their meals. do they build out vents for the restroom, if not they are going to be a moldy mess. If they have restroom vents why not events for electric/ induction stove tops?
@60Pagoda I'm sure they do. I wouldn't see a reason for her to include her use of one in the video
Its a brilliant idea. I've lived in studio apartments throughout my life and none of them were as nice and convenient as this.
@victoriajohnson3612 how you going to cook tho
@TommyTomTompkins Electric Portable Hobs
"So, we talked to Scott who is definitely part of the problem and is engaged in the exact same behavior that ruined other housing options."
Thanks Scott for continuing to be an obstacle.
Seriously. This video's entire tone comes across as gross, corporate, toxic positivity while ignoring the fact that the tenants are living in shoeboxes with compromised privacy.
😂😂😂😂 sad but so true
@blakfloyd They are also focusing on an edge case while hand waving away the fact the super majority of these malls can't be refit in a "cost effective" (ie profitable) way. This is why all apartments you see going up are "luxury" apartments. The difference between a newly constructed "affordable" apartment and a "luxury" apartment is the rent. When rent seekers are given a choice they will ALWAYS charge more.
@blakfloyd They are also focusing on an edge case while hand waving away the fact the super majority of these malls can't be refit in a "cost effective" (ie profitable) way. This is why all apartments you see going up are "luxury" apartments. The difference between a newly constructed "affordable" apartment and a "luxury" apartment is the rent. When rent seekers are given a choice they will ALWAYS charge more.
@blakfloyd Thanks for the reply. The censors got mad at me because I stated the obvious and deleted my comment. Is anyone surprised?
This needs to be done everywhere.
Finally! I've had this idea on my mind for YEARS! It's not wasted space anymore!
yes us malls look great the old one looked great
I like this idea. They should do it with all the other abandoned malls instead of letting them get vandalized and burned down like one mall I used to go to as a kid. Malls have an interesting atmosphere.
This idea is actually one of the coolest ones I've ever heard
this is like a step above being homeless, they should be aspiring to own their own home but since the home markets so bad and the economy was ruined 16 years of democrat misrule the working class are like soviet peasants pretending to smile
@CARLITOS.YTsucks Not sure where you get 16 years from, but it's Repubs who keep tanking the economy, and Dems who keep bringing it back - that pattern has repeated consistently since at least Reagan and the metrics bear it out. But if you're convinced the last four years were bad, just wait until those 25% tariffs and massive tax-cuts for the wealthy kick in and make the Covid/Putin-driven bout of inflation look like a hiccup. Coolidge tried the exact same tactics almost a century ago. Remember the Great Depression?
@CARLITOS.YTsucks Try Republicans moving all the wealth up the 1%, that is where the money is.
It is like re-inventing the wheel: this is just like a city was before malls were a thing, you had all the stores and amenities pretty much within walking distance of your house or apartment...
@CARLITOS.YTsucks so I suspect we have different political beginnings, but actually we agree on this one - but I have a question for you. I'm based in Scotland, and I own my home. It's a city centre apartment, lots of shops within 2 minutes walk, great park, walking distance to work, plus it's 1890s so the rooms are big, ceilings are high, floors are thick so I can't hear my neighbours, and it's affordable in my city. I love it - but does that sound like a dystopian nightmare to you? Because I see the idea of a detached house, miles from anywhere, being car-dependent, zoned far from shops, as being my dystopian nightmare 🙂Also, I may only be simple Scotsman, but isn't 8 years of Obama plus 4 of Biden 12 rather than 16? But this is from me, who sees the problem with the Dems as being basically a centre-right party 🤣 We may have to agree to disagree on that one!
Philippines have this kind of housings for years now.. a building with several floors of 23-26 sq ft units with a mall at the ground floors. Some are even connected to public tranportations like trains and bus stops. It was a hype a few years back because of the extreme convenience and business opportunities so the demand and price went skyrocketed to the point of overpricing. Now, less people want to buy them because the cons already outweigh the pros.
No cooking appliances is kind of a deal breaker for me, but if it works for other people, then it's better than letting the buildings sit empty.
I do have an induction burner, but I'm definitely not cooking Thanksgiving for 10 in my place!
I lived once using just an electric frying pan, another time with a toaster oven and 2 burner electric stove. If there are affordable places to eat in the mall and rents are low, I see this as very viable.
*No open flame. There are other means for cooking: Electric, microwave, air fryer, Ninga grill, insta pot, crock pot, etc.*
Fr what are these people suppose to eat? Microwave meals and fast food every day? Stupid af.
@tallgirlhappymeyeah did you see the size of that so called “kitchen”? Theres not even room for any of that.
I'm curious how much that gal is paying for her 250 sq foot apartment. "Affordability" is subjective. And, when you've got real estate investors buying the apartments just to rent them out as Airbnbs, it kind of defeats the purpose of "available housing."
In 2014 when they opened it was like 500$/month, in 2018 they were 1000$+, theres one on Zillow atm (in 2024) for 200,000$ to buy.
That’s where they lost me, too. This concept does literally nothing to improve the housing crisis if they’re still allowing real estate “investors” to buy the apartments and turn them into Air BNBs.
@cortneyblohm466Agreed. It's a really cool idea, in theory - utilizing pre-existing infrastucture to keep businesses alive and provide housing. But who are renting these apartments? Are they living there for the story, investment opportunities, or because it actually helps them? This whole thing really feels like gentrification with more steps.
These go for roughly $205,000 and the monthly maintenance fee is $200.
Smack dab in downtown Boston, it's probably comparatively cheap.
People have been pushing for this for years without success. Developers typically just demolish the buildings rather than turn them into something akin to housing. This is definitely encouraging and I hope it takes off across the country!
It is not "people" who have been pushing for it. It is civil engineers and Europeans pushing normal Americans. 😅
I wouldn't count on it. This is likely a historical landmark and is protected from being torn down.
The malls built across America were not built like this structure.
The buildings built as malls have a short life expectancy.
It's far better and cheaper to tear them down and rebuild the structure you want.
It will everything will be within 15 minutes from you.
@stanleyhape8427 Not sure what you are talking about. American malls are built with steel, concrete, and glass. It does not deteriorate. The interior wood lasts forever, if it does not get constantly saturated from a water leak.
This is the most dystopian thing I’ve ever seen in my life.
They have done this in Milwaukee recently and the units are gorgeous! Highly secure as well.
Wait! Is that at the old CapTel building?
Grand Avenue across Riverside Theater. And Marshall Fields(Gimbals building) turns into a hotel.
And how much do they cost? Can someone living in their car because they can't pay market rate rent afford them?
In Asia you can find malls and apartments combined. The US is behind the curve.
So true. Here in the Philippines, some condos have made the first few storeys as malls, then the rest are residential areas and/ or office area.
*"Whaaaattttt?! The US is behind on something and still living in stupid, antiquated times instead of moving forward?! I Am Shocked!"*
*-- said absolutely no one, EVER.* 😔
@dr.braxygilkeycruises1460 We're stuck with most things built around the 1960s, wym?
Behind the curve isn’t the right way to put it.. most people wouldn’t choose this sort of lifestyle.
developing countries have more investors and resources due to high profit.
This is so awesome! "No stoves or ranges.". And you lost me. I know some people don't cook but I love cooking!
To be fair kids in college dorms get creative with mini electric grills n whatnot. I’ve seen some crazy tiktoks lol
Yeah that part was weird. Like, I get no open flames, but what about electric ranges? They would work fine.
I think it's not about the apartments being in a mall, but that the Arcade specifically is a historic building. It's a National Historic Landmark, and most buildings of similar age and importance have strict fire codes.
You can get a hot plate or air fryer
Exactly my thoughts. Not just because I cook, but not having a stovetop or oven would be limiting. Sure you can use air fryers and such, but I wouldn't be too happy with that or be able to afford eating meals out of take out all the time.
I really like this idea. America has so many abandoned buildings there really is no need to make new apartments. Between abandoned malls, factories and buildings like here in nyc we’ve got plenty of places for people to live.
This is what I have been telling my bf and other people to take all these old malls, hotels that have shut down or office buildings that have gone to waste due to COVID or etc. instead of building more and making housing that people can’t afford, make small spaces for people or small families so they can afford them. This is an amazing idea.
OMG!!! ABSOLUTELY FREAKING INGENIOUS!!!! WAY TO MAKE DIFFERENCES THAT MATTER MOST!!!
I hate how people in these kinds of stories are always saying that there's a housing deficit in the US. There's no deficit! The houses are there, we just can't afford them because of corporations that have purchased the properties, listed them above market and then held them to artificially inflate property values of other homes and repeat the process until they have multiple in the same neighborhood, in an attempt to maximize profitability at renting them instead of selling.
Where I live we actually do have a housing shortage, especially for low income people. I agree with everything else you said though, because I'm in that exact situation. I'm on Social Security Disability. About 3yrs ago my Apartment complex and every complex near here was bought by a large corporation. They were given the loan only if they promised to take Section 8. (The Manager was kept on, and I've known him for years, so he told me this) But every year our rent gets raised and even with Section 8 Assistance, I am now paying almost what I was on my own 3yrs ago. And if it keeps up, I will be priced out in the next year or 2. I was also told by the Manager that no new tenants with Section 8 will get approved because the Corporation raised the rent so high for new renters, that low income people don't make enough to even qualify to rent here. Even WITH Section 8. Because you have to be able to utilize 1/3 of your income for rent and that is no longer an option. He had called me in a panic to double check that I was already on Section 8 because he knew what was going on. They are slowly pushing us low income people out. I've talked to some other tenants and alot of us actually want to start something like a class action lawsuit. Alot of us have been tenants here for many years and so many of us are struggling to stay here, because like I said, they bought all the ones around us that WERE affordable and raised rents everywhere. My complex is 30yrs old, not updated, but a good size with fireplace and vaulted ceilings, but they are currently renting for the same amount as new buildings....the city last year decided to take care of the housing problem and build more apartments, but was anything built "affordable", nope, just luxury condo's. We don't have a huge homeless population now, but it's coming. The greed is real and it's disgusting!
This is also real but an entirely separate issue. That’s why we have a housing crisis not just an expensive housing market.
this just isn't true. it's illegal to build housing and especially dense housing across the US due to NIMBYism and all sorts of other politics. people who own homes want their home value to increase forever so they have a deep incentive to shift politics away from development. housing supply is artificially constrained. look up how many dwellings are built each year in major cities and compare them. it doesn't keep up with population growth. there are perverse incentives to keeping it like this.
meanwhile places in the world like asian city centers don't have artificial restrictions on housing and dense cheap housing is available to everyone who wants it for relatively cheap.
Wrong!
A bunch of "wrong" comments but no actual explanation
I wondered this for about a decade. It never made sense to me that they didn't remodel these buildings into some sort of housing - even if only part of the mall structure. It would be better than having it sit empty.
Years ago as a teenager the idea of living in a mall sounded like paradise
And now as an adult, it sounds like Hell on Earth.
So 80’s
@cletusvandamme1agreed. This is beyond weird and creepy!
If the apartments are sold at a reasonable price, this could work
the prices are not reasonable, same slop, different day
Then you would be forced into an HOA. Who pays for the roof when it leaks or collapses? Infrastructure? I have seen the mall concept pitched as apartments and it rarely works. It is incredibly expensive to retrofit and if you're wealthy enough to own an apartment, why live in a converted mall making sacrifices? I didn't see any cooktops or stoves at all, forget about gas!
The only way reasonable pricing is going to happen is with regulation, legislation, or zoning reform (probably all three). The market just is not incentivized to build enough to reduce prices.
@CakeWalk1a tenants union is far superior to an HOA.
I imagine the rent is probably more than a typical monthly mortgage payment. Like the other poster mentioned, you have to somehow pay for building maintenance, parking lot maintenance, etc.
If it was well-priced, it would be awesome. Most likely though it will cater to people with money to burn.
I love the idea, especially the convenience of shopping and eating without leaving the area.
It makes perfect sense. The buildings are there and can be used as Real Estate if not for shopping.
usually have plenty of parking and are accessible to all parts of the city
This makes you look at the world and how we live in a different way… It’s unique and I like it.
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This is such a fantastic idea for cold climates especially. I'd love to live in a mall.
My problem with that is who is keeping the shops open? If the workers aren't living there then some poor person has to endure the weather to open the shop. Ugh
I'm confused about the issue...? The same type of retail workers that open the regular mall in cold cities would work there, right?
Who needs natural light and fresh air?
@sdot5389 certainly not me
Same ! ❤
This is a great idea to address affordable housing shortages. One problem I noticed: one of the variables contributing of the housing shortages is short-term rentals like AirBnB. Here we have a real estate agent owning at least one unit for that purpose. This should not be allowed while the shortage exists. Corporate ownership of homes should be extremely restricted if not outright banned.
If you think about it homes are zoned residential. Short term rentals are a commercial use. So taking homes out of residential zoning. This mall is putting commercial zoning into residential. Easy way to fix housing crisis is a nationwide property tax. Only apply it after say 5 homes owned by same entity. Maybe 2 percent per year. After 10 homes 4 percent, 20 homes 8 percent, 40 homes 16 percent. Housing would become available real quick. And small investors could still make it as landlords. Only shut down the big guys.
@stevenmiller6725 I am not sure most people actually care, whether it is large REIT or mom-and-pop landlord, who is bleeding them dry.
This video is my roman empire and my soul craves this kind of community living.
It's interesting how integrated living is just starting out in America. Singapore has had residential apartments integrated with shopping malls for decades 🏪🏬🏘️
I watch videos about people living in China in those tall apartment blocks. All the ground level is shops and businesses, dining.
Well, everyone needs to remember that the US is only 250 yrs old. We are still the babies of the world. Many of the European & Asian countries are centuries old. We are evolving. I think this is a phenomenal idea. The key words here need to be "AFFORDABLE HOUSING". In my town, we have a mall built w/ this concept. Whole Foods is an anchor, a movie theater is also included. The ground level are all businesses while the top floor is condos...the setback is that most of them cost over 2 million $$$, NOT quite affordable housing!
In the US most people prefer to live in remote quiet neighborhoods. But city living is also completely different and the idea does exist. In Boston there are a lot of buildings where the first one or two floors are restaurants and retail then one or two above that for offices and everything above that are apartments. Sometimes it's just the first floor that is retail with maybe three or four floors above it for rental homes.
The wealthy here don't want integrated living. They don't want to associate with those they consider inferior.
@DoreenPagnotto 250 years old is the excuse? How old do you think Singapore is? Singapore was a slum until some 50 years ago. No high rises then and no malls.