Would You Consider Living at the Providence Place Mall?

It is no secret that online shopping has kicked the stuffing out of many retail establishments in recent years. The suffering worsens each year and has resulted in once-thriving shopping malls and plazas crumbling as shoppers abandon them for the convenience of internet shopping.

If the move away from brick-and-mortar stores was already underway before, the COVID-19 pandemic certainly accelerated the process.

The collapse or consolidation of anchor stores such as Sears, Filene's, J.C. Penney, Macy's, and others left malls struggling for ways to stay alive. Others have closed, or in the case of Taunton's Silver City Galleria mall, have been demolished. Dead Malls.com has chronicled many of the former malls that have faced a similar fate.

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RetailDive.com reported some former malls have been completely reimagined and are used for entirely different purposes. Realtor.com stated some empty malls are being converted into much-needed housing units.

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What is being considered for the Providence Place mall in nearby Providence, Rhode Island, is a multi-use concept that has been tried elsewhere. It was under consideration for Taunton's Silver City Galleria before ownership decided to gut the thing and build something new in its place.

According to WJAR 10, "Providence City Council leaders discussed a proposal to 'reinvent' Providence Place mall at a meeting on Thursday night."

WaterFire Providence

"Providence Place mall owners are looking to make the space more modern," WJAR reported. "The owners envision the space to serve multiple functions, including retail, entertainment, residential, dining, arts, education, and health facilities, among other uses."

The 1.4 million-square foot mall opened in 1999. It has three floors.

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City officials are reportedly preparing to offer a tax break to developers if they make the Providence Place mall viable again rather than see it close.

Could you imagine living at the Providence Place mall? Well, one guy already did, until he got caught.

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Taunton's Silver City Galleria Demolition

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Walk Down Memory Lane at the Dartmouth Mall in 2017

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