JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Regency Square Mall, once a bustling retail destination in the 90s and early 2000s, has now fallen into a state of disrepair. The mall’s roof has caved in, leading to extensive water damage and the spread of mold, raising concerns for both tenants and the local community.
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Action News Jax’s reporter, Jimmy Marlow, visited the mall today to witness the alarming conditions inside the premises.
According to Marlow, the decline of Regency Square Mall began when many popular brands relocated to the Town Center. Now, it appears the situation is deteriorating further as the mall’s infrastructure is visibly failing.
Upon entering the mall, there were fewer than a dozen active tenants left, a stark contrast to its bustling past where it used to be Jacksonville’s hub of the community. The decline of the mall has left many storefronts vacant for years, creating a desolate atmosphere.
Reggie Gaffney Jr., a councilman, expressed concern over the mall’s situation, urging the property’s landlord to take action or consider selling the property.
“It’s very concerning when I heard about the issues in Regency Square Mall. We have tenants inside the mall, if the landlord can’t keep up the property, I would like to see the landlord sell the property,” Gaffney Jr. told Action News Jax.
Two weeks ago, Action News Jax’s Nick Gibson first documented the problems inside Regency Square Mall, and upon revisiting today, it’s clear that some of these issues have worsened. Multiple spots in the roof have caved in, exposing the hidden infrastructure, and the persistent rain and humid conditions have caused mold to spread.
Local tenants at Regency Square Mall want the public to know that despite the deplorable conditions, they are still open for business and in desperate need of support from the community. They hope to see the mall undergo repairs soon and attract new businesses to revive its once-thriving environment.
Paul Green, who has been living in Jacksonville since 1982, recalls the mall’s glory days.
“Someone would have to be from here to want to make this place look how it used to look, or it’s not going to work. It’s a part of history, you would have to be from here to do that. If you’re from another state you don’t know that it doesn’t matter, it’s just real estate,” Green stated.
For residents like Green, the mall holds significant historical value, and he believes only someone familiar with its past can revive it.
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Action News Jax reached out to Namdar Realty Group, the company responsible for the property, to inquire about their plans for the future of Regency Square Mall. However, as of now, no response has been received.
Visiting and supporting the few tenants who remain could be crucial to their survival as the broader plans for the mall’s future are worked out.
Action News Jax will continue monitoring the situation at Regency Square Mall and will bring further updates as the story develops.
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