Upzoned When a Town's Biggest Taxpayer Becomes Its Biggest Problem
Oct 22, 2025
Carlee Alm-LaBar, chief of staff at Strong Towns and former city staff in Lafayette, dives into the challenges of mall decline and its impact on communities. She discusses how 720,000 square feet of vacant mall space can create budget issues and blight. Carlee highlights the nostalgia behind mall construction and the mismatched scale between large malls and small towns. They debate the effectiveness of redeveloping these sites for housing and emphasize the need for supporting local developers and breaking large properties into smaller parcels.
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Career Roots In Lafayette Planning
- Carlee worked in Lafayette's mayor's office and managed a comprehensive plan with Urban3's Chuck Marohn.
- That experience connected her to Strong Towns and influenced her career shift.
Mall As A Municipal Lifeline
- The Berkshire Mall once generated $2.3 million annually and subsidized core services for its town.
- Its decline created a fiscal crater, revealing how a single large taxpayer can destabilize municipal budgets.
Monoculture Vulnerability Of Malls
- Malls are failing gradually, not all at once, as retailers leave and foot traffic fades.
- That slow monoculture collapse exposes vulnerability compared with resilient, mixed-use downtowns.