Walmart eyes big changes for site of Monroeville Mall
MONROEVILLE, Pa. (KDKA) -- The Monroeville Mall is about to change.
Opened in 1969, the Monroeville Mall has seen a lot of changes over the years, and there's a new one with the introduction of Walmart as the property's new owner, who bought the mall last week.
The massive retailer purchased the facility and plans on making big changes.
For many, the mall remains where many memories have been made over the decades.
"Back to school shopping, ice skating in the ice rink, that was our big highlight when I was a teenager," said shopper Lisa Bonfigli.
"I grew up here, and so, I kind of missed that," Laura Brogley added.
Many said the mall had changed dramatically over the years, and not necessarily for the better.
"It has become dangerous to go there," Bonfigli said.
Walmart, the world's largest retailer, purchased the entire 180 acres the mall sits on and has tasked its partner, Texas-based Cypress Equities, to develop it into something very different.
"We believe there is a much higher and better use of this property," said Chris Maguire, CEO of Cypress Equities. "The real estate is fantastic, the ground is incredible. It's very well located."
Maguire told KDKA-TV that several concepts regarding what the new project could hold are on the table.
"Retail. Is residential an option there? Entertainment, food and beverage, all the things you're seeing in new retail mixed-use development," Maguire added.
Will the mall stay standing? Will it be used partially, and what about the present tenants? Answers to those questions are to be determined.
Could the site be used to house another Walmart location?
"That is to be determined, but they are the owner of the property, and as they've said, they don't have a store in Monroeville," Maguire said.
The timetable for these improvements has yet to be laid out. As for the price tag, Walmart paid about $34 million for the property.