MIXED-USE

As designers and architects, we often are asked what can be done about the so-called “retail apocalypse.” After all, legacy brands are closing stores, the list of “dead malls” continues to grow, and retail's survival instincts during the 2020 global pandemic transformed retail in ways that have never been seen. The truth is that people want to shop more than ever, but each year they are doing more of it online. With the convenience, competitive pricing, and increasingly experiential process of shopping online, how can retail stores and malls possibly compete? The answer is they cannot. But lest you think we are being defeatist, let us explain how thriving brands are combining their online and brick-and-mortar experiences to keep foot traffic high and regenerating communities in the process.

There has been—and likely will continue to be—a correction in the shopping center real estate market, but this correction was inevitable.

Many exceptional shopping centers JPRA has been fortunate to contribute to are thriving. Scottsdale Fashion Square, Pearlridge Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, and Bal Harbour Shops and Aventura Mall in Florida are all breaking revenue records.

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The fact is: the best malls are just getting better.

For centers to thrive in the current environment, mixed-use planning is often required. Each location is unique, developments are taking longer to execute, and the competition is fierce. Our team of architectural planners has done it all. And, while focusing on the grand scheme, we don’t forget the little things like where people will enjoy sitting to enjoy the view and where the trash goes. Planners today need to solve the program and help create visions that can tell a compelling story. At JPRA, we thrive on planning and helping sell each vision.