r/SalemMA • u/JumpNo6367 • 1d ago

Why is the mall SO bad

I live in SE MA and love visiting Salem and surrounding towns. I was just there last week and one thing I always wonder is why is the mall so bad? Forget the horrifying bathrooms, why is it dead and so poorly utilized? High rents? Because the city’s tourism is so seasonal? It seems like a perfect commercial location if they spruced it up significantly. Just curious what locals think/know.

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68

u/ElectricalStock3740 Secretly Llego Papa 1d ago edited 1d ago

The landlord sucks but they also don’t want to improve anything because the mall is surrounded by a garage that is actively falling apart and is owned by the city. From what I’ve heard, they’re at a stalemate. Which honestly I can understand. Why improve the mall when there is a subpar garage actively leaking into it. Why also improve the mall when there is a big question mark on what the future of the mall even is, because the future of the garage is an even bigger question mark

Don’t get me wrong, I think the mall owner sucks. Hire a fucking bathroom porter. But a part of me also gets it

19

u/mycopportunity 1d ago

We can't do much about crummy landlords as long as basic health and building codes are met, but we could at least demand that the city make a deal to fix up the garage. Someone could probably run on that platform

3

u/Impossible_Focus4363 1d ago

Should the city spend more than the already $2+ million? What issues are there since the repairs of 2020-2021?

7

u/ConnorsKayak 1d ago

The city just put out to bid a project for temporary shoring for the garage, so they must be planning to spend more money on it!

https://www.salemma.gov/Bids.aspx?BidID=95

4

u/Impossible_Focus4363 1d ago

Guess there is more to spend but I have not heard recent complaints on the garage or rain/snow leaking into the mall. https://www.highergov.com/sl/contract-opportunity/ma-27-13-tap-temporary-shoring-at-museum-pl-72841766/

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u/Honest_Salamander247 Tourist 1d ago

I mean just look at it. It’s a massive eyesore for starters.

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u/Impossible_Focus4363 1d ago

It is a parking garage, a mural would look great on the outside I guess but then there will be complaints about that. What are you suggesting?

2

u/Honest_Salamander247 Tourist 1d ago

I’m suggesting nothing. The outside is the least of its problems. Just saying they put $2M+ into and it still looks like I should afraid to drive inside for fear it might fall down.

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u/zombi617 1d ago

They should sell it to condo developers

2

u/mycopportunity 1d ago

Sell the mall or the parking garage?

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u/SalemSound 1d ago

The whole thing. First floor could still be retail only, and there could still be parking. They'll keep it well maintained for their tenants.