California’s dead malls are being defaced and taken over by vandals
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For generations, the Westminster Mall operated akin to a town square for central Orange County — a place to socialize and be seen.
The mall, which first opened in 1974, closed it doors in late October and is expected to eventually be transformed into a mixed-use development with retail and housing.
As malls have closed, the expansive empty buildings have taken on a new draw as a kind of post-apocalyptic wasteland. The complexities of redevelopment often takes years, leaving the malls vacant and ripe for abuse.
The mall, which first opened in 1974, closed it doors in late October and is expected to eventually be transformed into a mixed-use development with retail and housing.
As malls have closed, the expansive empty buildings have taken on a new draw as a kind of post-apocalyptic wasteland. The complexities of redevelopment often takes years, leaving the malls vacant and ripe for abuse.