Synopsis:

As the single-use model for shopping malls slowly fades from the American landscape, new concepts and initiatives will need to be developed to find appropriate, smart uses for the buildings. Many concepts have already been put together and enacted. One such idea has been brought to fruition in Cleveland’s Galleria Mall. After numerous retail shops vacated the building, employees of the Galleria decided to utilize one of the building’s core features – its glass-domed halls. The Gardens Under Glass project intends to create an urban ecovillage with carts of fruits and vegetables grown on-site. Used as both an educational tool and local food source, the concept has great potential for communities with vacant or underutilized malls.