5 Reasons Why Regency Square Mall's Days Are Numbered

[Metro Jacksonville]

5 Reasons Why Regency Square Mall's Days Are Numbered



10% of the nation's 1,000 enclosed malls are predicted to fail by 2022. Here's five reasons why Regency Square Mall will be one of them.


Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2014-dec-5-reasons-why-regency-square-malls-days-are-numbered

[vicupstate]

Based on the pictures, it is a ghost town already.

[copperfiend]

I am surprised it is even still open to be honest. It has been dying a slow death for over a decade. I grew up in St Pete and saw almost every enclosed mall on that side of the bay go the way that Regency is going. Not sure what the owners are going to ultimately do with the property but right now there is basically zero reason for me to go there.

[coredumped]

The pictures are NOT representative of regency. They only show the west side, the east side of the mall is fairly full.

[thelakelander]

I know they moved several retailers to the east mall, but it's only a matter of time before the vacancies start piling up. Even now, there are several dark storefronts between Belk and JCPenney. When Belk leaves, if a retail traffic generating anchor isn't found to replace it quick, expect half of the east mall to go down. The place is definitely on life support.

[gedo3]

And it's so much more pleasant to shop at the Town Center. There you have the fun of battling the elements, getting frustrated trying to find parking, and then walking forever to get to spread-out stores.  Such an improvement over climate control, plenty of parking, and conveniently located stores in the "outdated" malls.  And retailers are complaining because people shop more online?  Duh.....

[mbwright]

The open markets work well in California, but the weather is dry.  South Coast Plaza is an enclosed mall, but hardly one that can be used to compare.  I too hate the layout and parking.  Not pedestrian friendly.  Ever try to get to Target, and Dick's on the same parking spot?

[IrvAdams]

^^ A free (or cheap) shuttle/tram/trolley/train would be nice...

[I-10east]

Crime (mainly thievery) a subject that people always wanna duck and dodge, that's the main reason. Crime, and perception of crime is the top reason that most malls fail.

I've saw far worse than Regency around the country. Regency definitely have seen better days, but I wouldn't call Reg dead just yet with a core in the East Mall, and three anchors still open. Wanna talk about dead? Try Global Mall at the Crossing in Antioch, TN just outside of Nashville, with zero anchors (again, crime was the factor).

[copperfiend]

And it's so much more pleasant to shop at the Town Center. There you have the fun of battling the elements, getting frustrated trying to find parking, and then walking forever to get to spread-out stores.  Such an improvement over climate control, plenty of parking, and conveniently located stores in the "outdated" malls.  And retailers are complaining because people shop more online?  Duh.....

I just park by DSW or Dillards. I rarely have trouble finding a spot.

[I-10east]

Complaining about where to park at a mall?

#firstworldproblems

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

And it's so much more pleasant to shop at the Town Center. There you have the fun of battling the elements, getting frustrated trying to find parking, and then walking forever to get to spread-out stores.  Such an improvement over climate control, plenty of parking, and conveniently located stores in the "outdated" malls.  And retailers are complaining because people shop more online?  Duh.....

God forbid that you actually have to walk.

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

The irony is that Regency was a major drain on downtown businesses and & helped (with changing consumer tastes and housing) which helped to abandon downtown and everything became run down & slummy in downtown JAX while Regency was wholesome and safe at night.

Now, downtown is many times safer than Regency and downtown is showing signs of life while Regency has turned into a half abandoned area that's very undesirable to shop, live, work or play.

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

When I see pictures of an abandoned Regency, I see ghosts of the past (not actual apparitions) of innocent teenagers hanging out at the mall, Christmas shoppers merrily going about their way buying what are now yesterdays' treasures, buying a suit for the first time, going from shop to shop looking for that perfect dress, buying just the right jewerly, nervously picking out an engagement ring to finding the latest in swimwear fashions for the annual opening of the beaches.

This was once how all of us shopped & now it's a dying way of life.

I look back at the 'Mall-ing of America' era with nostalgia though an era that I'm perfectly happy to see fade into memory.

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

The irony is that Regency was a major drain on downtown businesses and & helped (with changing consumer tastes and housing) which helped to abandon downtown and everything became run down & slummy in downtown JAX while Regency was wholesome and safe at night.

Now, downtown is many times safer than Regency and downtown is showing signs of life while Regency has turned into a half abandoned area that's very undesirable to shop, live, work or play.

this is only partially true.

the onerous taxes placed on businesses downtown that were not assessed on businesses in the suburbs were a major cause of the dry rot downtown.

Indeed, there were many reasons for the decline of downtown and the rise of suburbia just as there are many reasons for the rebirth of our urban cores and suburbia in decline or at least, just another viable option but becoming less and less of the American Dream.

History is complicated and cultural change is not marked by the beginning and the end of a decade, i.e. The 60s, The 50s, The 80s, etc.  it's easier to place timelines in neat little boxes as the rise of Regency was tipping point of downtown's decline and now Regency is fading into decline as downtown is on the rise and places like San Marco Square and the Shoppes of Avondale are thriving day & night.  The St Johns Town Center, while suburban strip mall in many ways is trying to emulate what already exists in San Marco, just on more grandios level.