State lawmakers are getting creative with struggling or vacant malls

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- From retail ruins to residential revivals, state lawmakers are getting creative with what to do with struggling or vacant malls.

A House bill is looking to flip those properties into urban suburban neighborhoods, with the help of tax credits.

Representative Josh Seigel from Allentown sponsored a bill to keep abandoned malls from becoming eyesores.

Representative Siegel says "A municipality can offer a 10 year flat abatement, and they can extend it up to 15 years, if the developer agrees to meet certain criteria."

Like attainable housing for working class families to energy efficient buildings.

Representative Seigel adds the proposal would give discretion to municipalities in shaping the terms of the tax credit.

Once considered the main streets of America, shopping plazas have been struggling with the rise of online shopping and even the pandemic.

Now, reportedly, only 700 malls remain in the country, including fewer than 60 in Pennsylvania.

Representative Siegel continues, saying "and for people to want to shop again, it has to be more experiential. People want to walk down a main street, go into the doctor, and leisure, and so the traditional retail is a not sustainable model anymore"

The bill heads to the senate where it will be assigned to a committee.

The State Legislature is back the last week of April for a joint session.