What happened to Triangle Town Center's indoor waterfall and river?

The mall's once-prominent indoor waterfall is long gone, and the artificial river that ran alongside it is now dry.

Why is Triangle Town Center called a ghost town?

Triangle Town Center is described as a ghost town due to its declining foot traffic, numerous store closures including major anchors like Macy's and Sears, and signs of neglect.

What is the future outlook for Triangle Town Center?

Analysts suggest Triangle Town Center may transform into a hybrid, open-air retail center or be redeveloped into a mixed-use property, avoiding the status of a "zombie mall."

Home / Business and Economy / Ghost Mall's Waterfall Runs Dry: A Retail Empire's Collapse

Ghost Mall's Waterfall Runs Dry: A Retail Empire's Collapse

26 Feb

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Summary

Mall's indoor waterfall and artificial river are long gone.
Anchor stores like Macy's and Sears are closing or have closed.
Safety concerns and declining foot traffic plague the mall.

Ghost Mall's Waterfall Runs Dry: A Retail Empire's Collapse

Triangle Town Center, which opened in 2002 with grand ambitions of becoming Raleigh's second downtown, has significantly decayed over two decades. Once boasting an 18-foot indoor waterfall and an artificial river, the mall now features locked stores and signs of neglect. Major anchor tenants like Macy's and Sears are closing, following Saks Global's bankruptcy filing, leaving the mall's future uncertain.

Despite nationwide mall traffic declines due to online shopping, Triangle Town Center's deterioration is seen as an "outlier" compared to nearby successful malls like Crabtree Valley and Streets of Southpoint. This decay has attracted "urban explorers" who document the abandoned spaces on YouTube.