Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Mallville - the town of the future.


OK, it's COLD outside (17 degrees F with 30 mph winds). Don't get me wrong, I like living in New England. But it can get cold. So I got to thinking - Why not have a residential component to the traditional shopping mall? Simply replace some of the stores with condos and apartments. Take a closer look at the picture - I just  drew this up quickly to help visualize what it might look like. As you can see, you really only need to go outside once in a while or when you really want to. There are opportunities for shopping, social interaction, recreation, church, even a park to sit in the sun - all within a climate-controlled space. It's sort of like putting a roof over a couple of blocks of a city. I don't know why no-one has thought of it before! BTW, the idea of a church in a mall is not original. The North Shore Mall, in Peabody, MA has a Catholic church in the basement level. At the time it was built, it was an open mall (the center was not enclosed), and I guess the designers envisioned it as the new town square, complete with church. Maybe it's time to bring the church back to the mall - and maybe more aspects to life than just shopping.

Mac and Cheese Ramen Noodles

Ramen noodles. The college student's treat. The staple of the thrifty. The ultimate convenience food. So here's another ramen noodl...