A Sea Of Red

Just had lunch at Papa Gallo's - first time there and I was impressed. Dining was full and people were waiting to be seated. Great addition for a mall. That was also the first time I had been on that end of the mall in quite some time. The exterior is vastly improved aesthetically. I agree with @Cider Jim

LUOrange wrote: ↑March 19th, 2023, 10:11 am Anyone know if they're still planning the outdoor amphitheater and ice skating rink?

As far as I know they have not announced it is not happening... so perhaps? If I remember correctly, it was scheduled out for a new phase.

I was just up there a couple weeks ago. Hadn't been there since they tore down that wing that was to the side of the theater entrance. So obviously it's been quite a while.

Wasn't really much of anything up there to appeal to me - other than restaurants, which has been the case for probably over half my life at this point - but I do have to admit the aesthetic is very nice.

I think a good toy/comic/pop culture collectibles specialty store could do a killing there or somewhere else in the Wars/Candlers area. Lynchburg is fairly underserved in this regard, in my opinion. Unless there is some store I am not aware of.

cruzan_flame13 wrote: ↑May 9th, 2023, 5:26 pm https://newsadvance.com/business/local/ ... 0c937.html

They got a Zumiez now? Or is that coming soon?

Tthis fall will be THREE years since Dicks opened there? Wow time has really flown by. Feels like it just got there last fall!

I'm not the target market for Ulta by any stretch of the imagination being a guy, and a single one at that, but that's a big get. That was news to me.

Homegoods, same story. Went there last time I was at the mall to check it out because I had heard a lot about that store before it was even announced to come to the mall but knew nothing about it. Alas, also wasn't for me lol.

Of course, I'm not really in the target market of like 95% of what's at the mall outside of restaurants, but I do like the ambiance. Going to SeaQuest this upcoming week though!

An arcade potentially coming? Man those were the days growing up. Going to the arcade was an annual birthday tradition for me and my brother, will be cool to go to an arcade again for the nostalgia even though I've rarely been a gamer for a good 20 years now. Will be interesting to see how successful that is, stand alone arcades seem like a dead business model.

A Dave and Busters-type restaurant will be cool. I'd love to try an adult version of Chuck-E-Cheese/Showbiz.

https://wset.com/news/local/new-develop ... D-v3OHKeXQ

Moving right along. Wouldn't it be interesting if there was an expedited path to get LU students to the mall? Maybe I missed it on my last visit.

Veritas wrote: ↑June 12th, 2023, 2:22 pm https://wset.com/news/local/new-develop ... D-v3OHKeXQ

Moving right along. Wouldn't it be interesting if there was an expedited path to get LU students to the mall? Maybe I missed it on my last visit.

I always thought it would make sense to put a bridge over the tracks from campus behind TRBC and the tennis courts.

That has been discussed since the '80s back long before LU owned the mall. The ROI was never sufficient as just a campus amenity. Perhaps these days it might be merited.

Make the closest corner of mall parking a monster LU parking garage connected by a walking bridge that dumps out next to an LU bus stop. Access only by LU Student/Employee ID swipe. Then you could require students park there on game days and free up on campus game day parking when Bowling Green brings 20,000 fans...

Time for an underground people mover between the mall and campus.

ATrain wrote: ↑June 13th, 2023, 1:51 pm Time for an underground people mover between the mall and campus.

I know that a tram/people mover system for campus has been discussed before. As far as the mall is concerned, they'd need Norfolk-Southern's permission to go under or over it, but I'm sure that access would help the businesses out and really help with its' revival.

You would think N&S would be up for anything that doesn't cost them money and could improve what is left of their image. Strike while the iron is hot.

Do the buses/shuttles not go from campus to the mall?

ALUmnus wrote: ↑June 14th, 2023, 10:46 am Do the buses/shuttles not go from campus to the mall?

They have in the recent past and I have no reason to think that has ceased... but I can't speak authoritatively.

Sly Fox wrote: ↑June 14th, 2023, 8:18 am You would think N&S would be up for anything that doesn't cost them money and could improve what is left of their image. Strike while the iron is hot.

Would likely cause disruption in Norfolk Southern service though, and I doubt they even care about their image so long as the money keeps rolling in. Vast majority of people have likely forgotten about that disastrous train derailment, much less remember Norfolk Southern's connection to it.

A pre-fabricated bridge would have minimal to no disruption to service. But we are just spit-balling here.

Let's bear in mind that the section of RR adjacent to the mall is not a single track but is part of the NS railyard. The span of a bridge there would be huge. Not to mention they (NS) would not want students walking over their work area.

I think a more realistic approach would be improving sidewalks between the tunnel and the mall along Wards Road. This will probably take some blasting of the bank on that side of Wards Road but it is doable. The old Toyota dealership in that area of Ward Road is also for sale so some opportunity to revitalize that as part of a better pedestrian connection to the mall.

UVALibertyFan wrote: ↑June 20th, 2023, 12:50 pm I think a more realistic approach would be improving sidewalks between the tunnel and the mall along Wards Road. This will probably take some blasting of the bank on that side of Wards Road but it is doable. The old Toyota dealership in that area of Ward Road is also for sale so some opportunity to revitalize that as part of a better pedestrian connection to the mall.

This is definitely a broader need in much of the Lynchburg area. I have noticed the addition of new sidewalks here and there, but sometimes in strange places (221? I don't get that one).

Once upon a time I washed dishes at Red Lobster for spring break money, and it really wasn't a bad walk along Candler's, even without the sidewalks.

You don't know anything about college kids if you think they're walking to the mall.