By the late 1990s, TOWNE MALL was struggling to keep tenants. Several redevelopment plans were proposed. This rendering depicts a New Urbanism-type reinvention. Although several concepts were pondered between 2006 and 2009, none were carried out.
Drawing from www.cblproperties.com / CBL & Associates Properties
Graphic from Bless Properties, Limited Liability Company
Meanwhile, in October 2015, regional shopping centers north of Cincinnati encountered a new competitor. LIBERTY CENTER encompassed 1.1 million square feet and was anchored by Dillard's and Dick's. The open-air complex included retail, dining, entertainment, "upscale residential" and hospitality components.
Drawing from http://www.liberty-center.com
The old TOWNE MALL Dillard's was vacant for 7 years. New stores opened there in late 2015. Planet Fitness (in another part of the mall) was dedicated in early 2016. Elder-Beerman did an "anchors away" in January 2017, followed by Sears, which shut down in September. In the 2020s, TOWNE MALL operates in retail twilight, awaiting some type of redevelopment.
