FOREST ACRES, S.C. — The time has finally come! The City of Forest Acres announced on social media that the demolition of Richland Mall will begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 20.
The demolition is expected to take a year to complete on the 32-acre site -- there is an estimated 930,000 square feet of concrete to move -- and culminates a 20 year wait for redevelopment of the site.
“Forest Drive and Beltline is a crossroads for the residents of Forest Acres and really for all of Richland County,” says Mayor Thomas Andrews. “The demolition of the mall is the first step toward the property’s revitalization. As the mall begins to come down we remember with fondness the memories made here, but also look forward to the new memories that will be created here by a new generation of residents and visitors.
Southeastern Development is behind the $100 million project which, when completed, will feature a mix of apartments, businesses including a grocery store and brewery, and a six-acre green space to host gatherings, events and concerts.
The City of Forest Acres is holding a public meeting 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, at Kathwood Baptist Church for input as to what residents would like to see done with the green space. There is also an online survey to fill out to add your opinion if you cannot make the meeting in person.
Richland Mall was constructed in 1960 as an open air mall anchored by JB White department store and a grocery store. Some of the shops in the 1960s to early 1970s included Happy Bookseller, Woolworths, Hickory Farms and Russell Stover's Chocolates.
Richland Mall in photos
The mall was redeveloped in 1988 as a modern, two-level shopping Richland Fashion Mall with Bonwit-Teller, Parisian, Belk, and Barnes & Noble Booksellers as the anchors. Belk and Barnes & Noble were the last tenants to remain, with Belk closing in September 2023 and Barnes & Noble closing in December 2023.
Demolition will begin at 10 a.m., neither Forest Drive nor Beltline Boulevard traffic will be closed during Wednesday morning.