NORFOLK, Va. — The City of Norfolk is moving forward with its effort to buy the MacArthur Center.
Wednesday evening, the city council voted seven to one to allocate $18 million to purchase the property.
While the mall was seen as a booming success when it opened in 1999, department store retail has seen a significant decline in recent years, especially after losing Nordstrom in 2019. Multiple shootings and other crimes in and near MacArthur Center have also contributed to its woes.
JLL Commercial Real Estate listed the mall for sale in January after struggling to keep tenants and bring in customers.
It's not clear what the city's plan is for the property at this time, although Mayor Kenny Alexander has previously said it would be a strategic purchase.
This would be the second mall Norfolk city leaders purchased in recent years -- the other being Military Circle Mall.