Tear down mall, and build new staduim (Pittsburgh, Scranton: fit in, how much)

[scrantonluna]

Originally Posted by jetgraphics

Instead of destruction, consider re-tasking the mall as a mixed-use shopping center that includes housing as a main feature.

A new life for the mall at Steamtown has been
the topic of multiple discussions on here over
the past couple years.

My recommendation would be to, first, remove
the extension over Lackawanna Ave. This does
nothing but block out the sun and essentially
create a dead zone. The retail space it provides
is not even being used.

Second, the street side of the mall needs to be
converted to provide the same look and experience
as the Shoppes at Montage; store fronts should be
just that, fronts, with a street entrance. New
facades, which would give the illusion of what the
500 block actually is, would fit better with the downtown
and provide an open air environment.

The second floor retail should be converted to office
and professional space, which I think would do quite
well. Doctors, dentists, offices, etc. The first floor
retail in the rear of the building would probably be
well suited for restaurants. The common area could
be revamped, and similar to Harrisburg's 'Strawberry
Square,' could provide simulated open air eating all
year round.

The two main 'anchor stores' should be treated more
as seperate entities, with new facades as well.

I really do not think that housing would be a good use
for the mall at this point in time.

[JD CSummit]

A stadium downtown is absolute crazy talk. A new stadium, even a small one like the AA or AAA team would warrant, by most estimates is about 40-50 million dollars. Who's going to pay for it? Not the taxpayers, they're already burdened with a heavy tax b/c all those people who live in CS and work in Scranton (sorry i had to). The county isnt going to pay for it, they already have budget issues of their own. Nor is luzerne county, who partially owns the team. Mandalay isnt going to pay, they've proven that with other franchises they own. So, whos left? Private money? In this area, are you nuts? The extremely wealthy people of this area (weinbergs, weinbergers, denaples, etc) donate to things that their names go on, not things where they pay yearly for their names to go on. its a cool idea, but thats all it is, an idea.

The mall should be used or converted into the Mount Pleasant type idea. Everything is already in place for them; parking garage, elevators, easy in/out access to/from the city, and best yet, an existing building which means instead of 30 million in new construction, you probably have 15 million in renovations. thats a savings of 15 million which should more than make up for the shortfall created by not getting the KOZ.

[scrantonluna]

I agree that financially, a new stadium should not be an option right
now for anyone. Maybe down the road.

I think the only way you will see a new stadium built in the near future
would have to be in correlation with a casino. It's the only
business that could possibly justify that kind of expense in this market.

It's actually not a bad idea, I think you'd get more fans out of NY if they
could see a game and play some slots. Probably get more players on
rehab as well.

[scrantonluna]

Just a note, my personal belief is that any current projects should
really be geared towards filling in the gaps that are still open in the
core of the downtown; Jefferson to Mifflin, and Mulberry to
Lackawanna.

Repurposing the mall and removing the extension over Lackawanna
would seem to be almost a given, as everything peters out by the
time you get to Penn. Filling in these dead spots is essential if they
are serious about making the Lackawanna bridge and the CNJ station
a walkable extension of the downtown.

[Mr Yuk]

Originally Posted by scrantonluna

I think the only way you will see a new stadium built in the near future
would have to be in correlation with a casino. It's the only
business that could possibly justify that kind of expense in this market.

It's actually not a bad idea, I think you'd get more fans out of NY if they
could see a game and play some slots. Probably get more players on
rehab as well.

Maybe then we could get Pete Rose as the manager...

[cowboyxjon]

I think a downtown stadium is an interesting idea, actually, although I agree that NOW is probably not the best time for it.

I think Denver did a good job with Coors Field -- where the Colorado Rockies play. It's downtown. It blends in with its surroundings, has parking but is accessible by bus and light rail too, and generates additional foot traffic on rockies game days. Most fans stop to eat before/after the game since concession stand prices in the stadium are ridiculous.

[NYRangers 2008]

I agree with gophillies. NO stadium unless private money is used, no tax payers money. And why does a new stadium have to be in Scranton? Where realistically and WHY?

[Vinny536]

so has the mall degraded since January when i was in it last? i can tell you that walking through that mall then was no different then most malls around the country. Even the fashion square mall in Scottsdale, one of the top ten most profitable malls in the nation has empty stores, empty anchor spaces and shops you wouldn't have seen in a mall 5 years ago.

After reading the whining on here about how the steamtown mall sucked i had to go and see for myself. After walking through i quickly realized that the steamtown mall is not the trash pit many on this board make it out to be. All retail nationwide is taking a beating, and indoor malls nationwide are also losing out to outdoor malls, or strip malls. the outdoor mall is a trend at the moment, but I feel this will be short lived as people once again get sick of being out in the elements and go back to the conditioned indoor shopping.

If i were to read a complex like the est end center in wilkes-barre should be revamped into something else I would probably agree. Last time i was there the only anchor left in that place was big lot. But to tear down a mall to replace it with a stadium in an area that doesn't have a strong baseball following sounds idiotic at best.

[Mr Yuk]

Steamtown mall is not necessarily a "trash pit," its a fairly nice building, its just that there are empty spaces all over the mall, and the stores that are opening up are shady at best.....massage parlors, 99 cent stores, hip-hop clothing stores, aromatherapy/alternative medicine shops, hippie stores, etc. And the clientele can be rough.

[Vinny536]

Originally Posted by go phillies

Steamtown mall is not necessarily a "trash pit," its a fairly nice building, its just that there are empty spaces all over the mall, and the stores that are opening up are shady at best.....massage parlors, 99 cent stores, hip-hop clothing stores, aromatherapy/alternative medicine shops, hippie stores, etc. And the clientele can be rough.

that about describes every mall around here as well....