Earlier this year, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that nearly 600 blighted and vacant structures throughout the state would be demolished to make room for new economic development. Westland Mall, a shopping center on the city’s westside, was listed as one of the sites for demolition. In late August, crews were working on tearing down the structure. Westland Mall opened in the late 1960s as an open-aired shopping center. It was enclosed in the early 1980s and featured anchor stores like Lazarus (which later became Macy’s), Sears, and JC Penney. Eventually, JC Penney left to relocate at Tuttle Mall, and many retail outlets followed. Sears was the last anchor store remaining and most businesses were gone by 2012. Following demolition, developers plan to construct a mixed-use project on the site.
