By

Aaron Brown

Trent Thomas

Functions of The Mall at Stonecrest

Stonecrest is an entertainment, dining, and Stonecrest is an entertainment, dining, and shopping hub of the community. shopping hub of the community.

It provides hundreds of jobs and has It provides hundreds of jobs and has attracted hundreds of new residents to the attracted hundreds of new residents to the

community. Before the mall was there, community. Before the mall was there, residents had very limited choices for residents had very limited choices for

entertainment, dining & shopping. entertainment, dining & shopping. The closest mall was over 20 miles away.The closest mall was over 20 miles away.

Estimate of Total Area Estimate of Total Area of Impervious Surfaces:of Impervious Surfaces:

50% - 60%50% - 60% of the mall of the mall area is made up of area is made up of

impervious surfaces. (Water impervious surfaces. (Water can not seep into the can not seep into the

ground.)ground.)

There are about 1000 to 1500 trees around the mall property There are about 1000 to 1500 trees around the mall property mainly around the outside of the big retail stores, lining the mainly around the outside of the big retail stores, lining the

roads in and around the mall & in the parking lots. roads in and around the mall & in the parking lots.

The average height of the trees The average height of the trees is about 25 ftis about 25 ft

The majority of the trees are planted in beds.The majority of the trees are planted in beds.

A few trees are planted in concert boxes. A few trees are planted in concert boxes. Located in the parking lots.Located in the parking lots.

Some areas are covered with pine straw.Some areas are covered with pine straw.

Parking lot percentage Parking lot percentage of parked cars?of parked cars?

60 – 70%60 – 70%

Where does all the water that falls onto the shopping Where does all the water that falls onto the shopping center drain into?center drain into?

Water from the mall goes into the creek that Water from the mall goes into the creek that runs through the mall property and flows into runs through the mall property and flows into

Rockdale county. It connects with several Rockdale county. It connects with several other creeks an strems and flows into the other creeks an strems and flows into the

South River.South River.

Is the area aesthetically pleasing to you? Is the area aesthetically pleasing to you? Why or why not?Why or why not?

The area is aesthetically pleasing.The area is aesthetically pleasing.The color of the buildings are earth tones The color of the buildings are earth tones

and constructed with some stone and natural and constructed with some stone and natural looking materials.looking materials.

The mall is clean inside and out.The mall is clean inside and out.

We surveyed 50 people at We surveyed 50 people at The Mall at Stonecrest to find out The Mall at Stonecrest to find out

their feelings about the mall and it’s their feelings about the mall and it’s effect on the community. We also effect on the community. We also

tried to determine it’s overall tried to determine it’s overall impact on the environment.impact on the environment.

Overall, our respondents seemed to feel

very positive about the mall.

Major problems cited by the respondents about having the mall in their community.

The #1 problem cited by our respondents was the number of young people hanging out

at the mall and crime.

The mall now has a curfew of 4pm on the weekends for people under the under age of

18. They now must be accompanied by an adult.

What environmental problems do you notice that are associated with the mall.

The biggest environmental problem we can see with the mall is future traffic problems.

Thousands of cars, trucks, and buses travel the streets around the mall on a daily basis.

Today, even on the weekends, traffic is really not bad but there is a lot of room for expansion at the

mall on acres of undeveloped lots.As the mall continues to grow, traffic will

become a major concern.

What functions does this mall play in this community?

Entertainment

Jobs

Dining

Shopping

Before the mall, residents had limited choices on those topics and

the closest shopping mall was 20 minutes away.

How can the negative environmental problems associated with malls be minimized.

Preservation of wooded areas and the wildlife it supports.

People in the area really enjoy the natural setting and the

walking/bike paths and trails that surround the mall.

Are several small shopping centers better than one large one? Why or why not?

We feel that 1 large mall is better than several small shopping centers for several reasons:

1.) Less impact on environmentMore natural space can be left intact.

2.) Less trafficPeople don’t have to travel from one shopping center to the next

3.) More shopping choicesWith large malls we get a better mix of dining, entertainment and shopping.

4.) Aesthetically pleasingThe look of the mall is more uniform and the property generally is cleaner than smaller shopping centers.

If you were designing a mall, what important factors would you incorporate that weren’t included in this

mall?Outside

2 major access points: Borders entrance and AMC Theatre/Food Court. These parking lots should have been made larger.

Parking in these areas is challenging on the weekends.

InsideMore escalators

Currently, there is only 2 escalators, one at each end of the mall.

Were the roads leading to the mall there before the construction of the mall?

Were there additional roads to accommodate the additional traffic?

Were existing roads widened?

Roads leading to the mall were there at Roads leading to the mall were there at least 20 years before the mall was least 20 years before the mall was

constructed. There had been plans to build constructed. There had been plans to build a mall at this location in the early 70’s. a mall at this location in the early 70’s.

The land had been cleared and roads The land had been cleared and roads constructed.constructed.

•Accessories (The Icing)Accessories (The Icing)

•Apparel (Jimmy Jazz)Apparel (Jimmy Jazz)

•Cell phones & Pagers (Verizon Wireless)Cell phones & Pagers (Verizon Wireless)

•Department Stores(Macy’s)Department Stores(Macy’s)

•Dining (Burger King)Dining (Burger King)

•Electronics & Toys (Game Stop)Electronics & Toys (Game Stop)

•Eyewear (LensCrafters)Eyewear (LensCrafters)

•Fine Jewelry (Kay Jeweler)Fine Jewelry (Kay Jeweler)

•Gifts, Books, Stationery & CD’s (Borders Books & Music)Gifts, Books, Stationery & CD’s (Borders Books & Music)

•Health & Beauty (Bath & Body Works)Health & Beauty (Bath & Body Works)

•Home furnishings (Kohl’s)Home furnishings (Kohl’s)

•Movie Theatre (AMC Theatre)Movie Theatre (AMC Theatre)

•Professional Services (Jewelry Repair)Professional Services (Jewelry Repair)

•Shoes (Bakers)Shoes (Bakers)

•Specialty (As Seen on TV Store)Specialty (As Seen on TV Store)

•Sporting Goods & Apparel (Champ Sports)Sporting Goods & Apparel (Champ Sports)

There are 120 Stores Inside the Mall at Stonecrest

There are about 50 – 100 similar stores located outside of the mall along the roads on the mall property.There are about 50 – 100 similar stores located outside of the mall along the roads on the mall property.

Is there evidence that the mall was constructed where a farm, residential area, or

open field used to be?

Although the mall was constructed on an open field, there is no physical evidence. However the property around the mall is

mostly wooded with relatively new homes and apartments mixed in. Only a hand full of homes in the area look like

they were there before the mall was built.

Is there evidence that large trees were removed for the shopping center? If so, how could they have been incorporated into the

design of the mall, rather than being removed?

There is no evidence that large trees were removed from this location for

the construction of the mall.

10.) What type of wildlife is present at the mall?

The only wildlife present at the mall is birds.

The area is too wide open with young plants and scrubs to support

other wildlife.

The Mall at StonecrestThe Mall at StonecrestThe Mall at Stonecrest is a property of Forest The Mall at Stonecrest is a property of Forest

City Enterprises. Forest City Enterprises is City Enterprises. Forest City Enterprises is one of the largest publicly traded NYSE-listed one of the largest publicly traded NYSE-listed national real estate investment companies in national real estate investment companies in the United States, with assets of more than the United States, with assets of more than

$10.9 billion. Forest City is principally $10.9 billion. Forest City is principally engaged in the ownership, development, engaged in the ownership, development,

management and acquisition of commercial management and acquisition of commercial and residential real estate and land and residential real estate and land

throughout the United States.throughout the United States.