Greyfield Malls:
Redevelopment Opportunity

They have become a part of too many American landscapes: abandoned or irreversibly declining retail malls. The Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) has dubbed them “greyfields malls.” According to a recent analysis PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) conducted as a part of the CNU “Greyfields Mall Study,” there are more than 140 regional malls—sites with at least 350,000 ft ² (32,500 m ²) of retail space and 35 or more store spaces—already qualifying as greyfield malls, with another 200 to 250 well on their way. That’s about 18% of all regional malls in the U.S.

But CNU envisions a bright side to this blight. While the current use and structures may not be viable, these are potentially valuable properties near transit, with ready infrastructure, and within existing communities. Transit-oriented, mixed-use developments and revitalized neighborhoods beckon, according to CNU
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