Why Builders Are Buying Vacant Malls for Mixed-Use Development

In this episode of The Business of Real Estate, Lucas and Luna explore a striking new trend: developers are scooping up vacant shopping malls and turning them into mixed-use neighborhoods. They dive deep into the case of the former Rolling Acres Mall in Akron, Ohio, which sat empty for over a decade before a developer proposed a $400 million redevelopment into apartments, offices, and green space. Lucas walks through the economics: land acquired at a fraction of replacement cost, zoning changes that allow higher density, and the growing demand for live-work-play environments in suburbs. Luna brings in data from JLL showing that over 50 dead malls have been redeveloped this way since 2020, with another 200 in the pipeline. They discuss the risks—environmental remediation, community pushback, and financing gaps—but argue that for patient capital, the math works. The episode closes with a forward look: as more malls shutter, how many will find a second life? #VacantMalls #MixedUseDevelopment #RollingAcresMall #AkronOhio #CommercialRealEstate #RetailApocalypse #JLL #UrbanDevelopment #SuburbanRevitalization #RealEstateInvesting #DeadMalls #LiveWorkPlay #ZoningReform #BrownfieldRemediation #Business #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #RealEstateTrends Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo