Initially successful, CENTRAL CITY MALL eventually succumbed to gangland violence and the inevitable draw of business to suburban-type shopping centers. By the late 1980s, the facility was in a downward spiral. It was given a modest face lift in 1991, with a new name bestowed; CAROUSEL MALL.
Photo from Library of Congress / John Margolies

The mall structure and footprint were left essentially the same during the early '90s redo. A reproduction, turn-of-the-century carousel was set up in East Court and new signage installed inside and out. Unfortunately, the mall renaming and repositioning failed to curtail its decline.

By the early 2000s, most CAROUSEL square footage was occupied by government offices. The complex was shuttered in August 2017. Over the years since then, various redevelopment plans came and went. The mall sat shuttered, boarded-up and awaiting revitalization. A renewal project got underway in April 2023.

Photo from www.sbeminentdomainabuse.com