Former Georgia Mall Revived by Pickleball

A defunct mall in Macon, Georgia will get a new life as a civic center complete with government offices and an outdoor amphitheater, reports Nate Berg in Fast Company.

The mall’s owner donated most of the property to the county in exchange for a tax write-off. “In exchange for an estimated $70 million in property tax credits, Hull Property Group would donate the excess land it had since demolishing much of the mall, as well as about a third of the mall building that remained.” 

Now, the county is transforming the space. A two-story sports complex with pickleball courts —potentially the world’s largest indoor pickleball facility — has already been built. “Some local government departments and offices have already moved into the mall, and the others will have relocated by the end of April.” 

As Berg explains, former malls are often redeveloped by private entities. “Taking mall properties into their own hands, cities can be a bit more expansive in their thinking than private developers about what new shape the buildings can take.”