Continuing our series investigating the rise and fall of shopping malls in central Alabama, tonight WVTM 13’s Scott Carpenter investigates the demise of the McFarland Bowl. Demolition of this once popular mall has been ongoing for years. Now, to make room for a new shopping center. Scott shares why he expects retail to revive on Tuscaloosa’s south side. There’s not much left of the old McFarland Mall. All that remains are these dilapidated buildings, but this giant pile of dirt behind me is actually the beginning of a new chapter that will offer shoppers a variety of options. Retail stores, hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream shops, and more. Developer Stan Pate wants to develop a mixed-use development where McFarland Mall once stood. Demolition of the mall began in 2014, and now, eight years later, it’s nearly complete. It looks awful when you walk by, but it’s awful anyway. For those of you who live in Tuscaloosa, we have nowhere to shop. I’m tired of having to leave town to shop. It’s inconvenient because I know I have to go from one town to another to get what I want. There’s only one Dollar Tree on the site right now. Tuscaloosa City Councilman Kip Tyner says having the land vacant is really hurting the city’s revenue. Right now we get about $300 a month. I think that’s incredibly low that we get so little from this land. But Tyner thinks this place should generate millions of dollars in revenue. It’s probably the most valuable and visible piece of real estate in the state of Alabama. Is this the exit into Tuscaloosa for the University of Alabama game in May? The Tuscaloosa City Council gave Pate $65 million in tax incentives to redevelop the old McFarland Mall site. While there are no plans for construction or store relocations, Tyner says now is the time to start making the calls to help bring retail back to the area. We have to start doing business, and we want to start doing business. Daisy Williams used to shop at the Old McFarland Mall. She likes the idea of shops and restaurants moving in. I’m going to call the city council and say I want a Golden Corral. We’re trying to get a Golden Corral. Yeah, I’m trying to get a Golden Corral here. She’s hoping something happens soon. It’ll breathe new life into the area. I think that’s a great thing, especially for this side of the city. Pate says the facility will cost about $130 million to build. He says it should bring 1,000 new jobs to Tuscaloosa. There’s no clear timeline for development at this time, but construction is expected to start soon. Tomorrow night, in the final episode of this series, we’ll give you the current state of shopping. What’s working and what’s not working for stores. Plus, we’ll tell you the percentage of shopping that’s happening online instead of in person. Scott Carpenter, WVTM 13. If you want to see other articles in our investigation into the rise and fall of shopping malls, visit our website or app and click on this series. You can also scan the QR code on your screen to see an interactive map.
Retail revival: New investment brings hope after McFarland Mall’s demise
Updated: August 14, 2024 10:42 PM CDT
To return to the full series, click here. Demolition of Tuscaloosa’s McFarland Mall is nearly complete, making room for a new shopping center that developers hope will revitalize the area. Not much remains of the old McFarland Mall. All that remains on the site is a Dollar Tree, but the huge piles of dirt on the site are the first signs of a retail revival. “Retail stores, hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream shops,” developer Stan Pate outlined his vision for the mixed-use development. Demolition of the mall began in 2014, and now, eight years later, it’s nearly complete. “It looks awful when you drive by. It’s really awful,” said Tuscaloosa resident Daisy Williams. “There’s nowhere to shop,” said Lizzy Sheffield, another local. “It’s inconvenient because you can’t go anywhere. You have to leave one city to go to another to get what you want.” The only store on the site today is the Dollar Tree. Tuscaloosa City Councilman Kip Tyner highlighted the economic impact of the vacant land. “Right now we’re making about $300 a month in profit. That’s crazy low. We’re making essentially zero profit off this land,” Tyner said. “This land, at the exit coming into Tuscaloosa for the University of Alabama games, is probably the most valuable and visible piece of real estate in the state of Alabama.” In May, the Tuscaloosa City Council awarded Pate $65 million in tax incentives to redevelop the old McFarland Mall site. No timeline has been set for construction or store openings, but Pate is eager to get the process started. “We’ve got to get the contracts in order, and I’d love to,” Pate said. Daisy Williams, who used to shop at McFarland Mall, is enthusiastic about the new development. “I even called the city councilman and said I want a Golden Corral. We’ve been trying to get a Golden Corral here for ages. Yes, I’ve been trying to get a Golden Corral here for ages,” Williams said. “It’s going to be great, especially around this part of town.” Pate estimates the new development will cost about $130 million and bring about 1,000 new jobs to Tuscaloosa.
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama —
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Demolition of McFarland Mall in Tuscaloosa is nearly complete, making room for a new shopping center that developers hope will revitalize the area.
Not much remains of the old McFarland Mall, with only a Dollar Tree remaining on the site, but a giant pile of dirt on the site is the first sign of retail revival.
“Retail, hotel, restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream shops,” developer Stan Pate said of the mixed-use development.
Demolition of the shopping mall began in 2014 and is nearly complete eight years later.
“It’s a horrible sight when you drive by. It’s a horrible sight,” said Tuscaloosa resident Daisy Williams.
“There’s nowhere to shop,” said Lizzy Sheffield, another local resident. “It’s inconvenient because there’s nowhere to shop. You have to leave one town and go to another to get what you want.”
Currently, the only store on the site is a Dollar Tree.Tuscaloosa City Councilman Kip Tyner highlighted the economic impacts of the vacant lot.
“Right now we’re getting about $300 a month off, which is crazy low. We’re getting essentially nothing off this property,” Tyner said. “It’s right on the exit road to Tuscaloosa, where the University of Alabama plays, and it’s probably the most valuable and visible piece of real estate in the state of Alabama.”
In May, the Tuscaloosa City Council awarded Pate $65 million in tax incentives to redevelop the former McFarland Mall site. No timeline has been set for construction or store openings, but Pate is eager to get the process started.
“We certainly need to start trading and we want to start trading,” Pate said.
Daisy Williams, a former McFarland Mall shopper, is enthusiastic about the new development.
“I called the city councilman and said I’d love to have a Golden Corral. We’ve been trying to get a Golden Corral here and I’ve been trying to get a Golden Corral here,” Williams said. “It would be great, especially for this side of town.”
Pate estimates the new development will cost about $130 million and bring about 1,000 new jobs to Tuscaloosa.
