CHARLESTON — Momentum is growing around the possible redevelopment of Charleston Town Center following Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin’s announcement that the city is in discussions to acquire the downtown mall from its current owner.
Goodwin revealed the negotiations during her State of the City address Monday, saying months of talks with the Hull Group — which purchased the mall in 2021 — have moved the city closer to pursuing a long-term redevelopment plan. She later discussed the effort in an interview with WV MetroNews.
“We have come to a point in our discussions that we have to start thinking about what this structure would look like,” Goodwin said on MetroNews’ “580 Live with Dave Allen.” “We have looked at other malls across the country.”
Under the proposal outlined by the mayor, the Hull Group would donate the property to the city. Goodwin said she plans to create a development council to oversee the site once ownership is transferred. City officials have been studying redevelopment efforts in other cities that have repurposed struggling downtown malls.
Goodwin cited examples in Columbus, Ohio; Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina; and cities in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Utah, noting that many former malls have been transformed into open-air, mixed-use developments.
Those projects often blend residential, retail and office space, along with restaurants and public gathering areas. Goodwin said achieving that mix requires careful planning and significant investment.
“Everybody likes to say the word ‘mixed-use,’” she said. “What does that mean? Well, it means housing. It means shops. It means offices. It does mean coffee houses and eateries, but there are a lot of things that have to be done for those things to happen.”
Goodwin cautioned that redevelopment will take time, pointing out that the original construction of the mall itself spanned years.
“The development of the mall took a decade,” she said. “This is not going to be six months, a year. This is going to be years in the making.”
As planning moves forward, Goodwin said the city intends to seek public input on the future of the property. She said the mall must become better integrated with nearby development and investment already taking place in downtown Charleston.
“This is a place that has momentum, but the mall is totally disconnected from all of that momentum,” Goodwin said. “That is why it is so important for the city of Charleston to be engaged in this conversation.”
Goodwin said her goal is for any redevelopment to create a space that serves the city and its residents for generations to come.
