Got an interesting email from muh-boy JimL2 about the City Center Website:
www.shopcitycenter.com now serves as nothing more than a redirect to www.simon.com/findamall. This should allow you to view all of Simon’s properties in the U.S. However, when you type in Columbus or City Center, it claims it can’t find any records… spooky, huh?
I don’t know if this is old news, but I think it’s interesting that they would appear to be so negligent–negligent to the point of not being aware that the property exists–if they plan on fighting the city’s negligence lawsuit. It’s also interesting that the last update to their registration was on July 19, 12 days before the city filed suit. I wonder what changed.
I can tell you what’s REALLY interesting though, and that’s the fact that ownership of the domain expires on August 31, 2007. So by early September (at the latest), you should have a good idea of how serious Simon is about staying in Columbus. My guess is they’ve already cut and run, and we just don’t know it yet.
Wow that’s really interesting. I wonder why the dispatch hasn’t noticed/mentioned this?
Because print media is slow?
I was just downtown… and it isn’t just the website. City Center is gone. The whole thing is just a hole with wires and plumbing sticking out of it.
This is getting weird.
last week when i was down there it was extremely hot on the 3rd floor. i think simon may have cut off the a/c, has anyone else thought this?
I walked through the mall today and thought it was ok temperature wise. Or at least it was cooler than it was outside. I really only walked through as an air conditioned shortcut to get where I was going.
I know they do not turn it on early in the morning.
And honestly, why should they be spending (I mean wasting) the money and utilities to run it anyway?
What would make downtown Columbus more of a “24 hour 7 DAYS A WEEK” place? The answer is City Center Mall, recast to include not only chain stores, but stores that people living downtown can accomplish basic errands in. To clarify, ‘chain stores’ are those successful retailers like Banana Republic, Limited, The Body Shop, etc. that attract suburbanites and urban dwellers like flies. They exist in downtowns across the U.S., but can do as much harm as good to a locale if they lack a presence. The solution proposed would attract ‘chain loving’ suburbanites and make City Center simultaneously functional and chic to people living downtown. I’ve written Limited Brands, Simon Property Group, and the Mayor voicing the need for downtown retail. Please support Columbus City Center, and prevent Columbus from becoming an overgrown suburb.