Mall Revival

Project description: Burnsville Center is following the national trend of dying indoor malls. The City of Burnsville has always wanted a place to call “downtown” - a perfect match. In this project, I proposed a redevelopment strategy for the site that would give Burnsville the urban core it desires while working with LEED ND standards to ensure it is a pleasant and sustainable place to live.

A huge drawback of the current site is its autocentricity. I wanted to do the complete opposite. My proposal includes dedicated bus and bike lanes, multi-use trails, and streets put on a heavy road diet.

One key to a livable community is having mixed-use developments. My combination of housing, office, retail, park, and civic space allows for residents to get anything they need with just a quick trip out of the house.

The current mall goes so far as to fence off an iconic bluff on its property. My new development opens it back up and provides residents with green space and plazas across the whole site at different levels of intimacy and formality.