Totally brilliant ideas thread

Lanolin

Lanolin

I just thought I would make one open for anyone to post in.
No knocking people's ideas, just posting brilliant ones. They don't even have to be your own, it might be something you found somewhere else and you have to share it.

I had one, and I know people on here wouldn't be so declasse as to criticise it and knock it down - after all it's just an idea.

I was thinking on the thing about malls lately, and how in some places there are just so many of these huge behomoths that they are a blot on the landscape and a temple to consumerism that frankly, many people are tired of and can't even afford. A lot of them are now dead as the tenants of the shops have moved out.

I was thinking how schools that really need new buildings could take over the mall space and the shops could be turned into classrooms and workshops with different subjects taught in each. That would solve problems of over crowding in schools.

We don't need THAT many shops, honestly. the first floor could be junior, the mezz could be intermediates and the top floors could be for high schoolers. Plus there is already a food court which can be a cafeteria space.

The older existing schools can then be turned into living spaces, maybe retirement villages because they are usually on flat land and the classrooms could be homes for people.

anyway. Please post more totally brilliant ideas you can think of or know about.
 
Lanolin said:
I just thought I would make one open for anyone to post in.
No knocking people's ideas, just posting brilliant ones. They don't even have to be your own, it might be something you found somewhere else and you have to share it.

I had one, and I know people on here wouldn't be so declasse as to criticise it and knock it down - after all it's just an idea.

I was thinking on the thing about malls lately, and how in some places there are just so many of these huge behomoths that they are a blot on the landscape and a temple to consumerism that frankly, many people are tired of and can't even afford. A lot of them are now dead as the tenants of the shops have moved out.

I was thinking how schools that really need new buildings could take over the mall space and the shops could be turned into classrooms and workshops with different subjects taught in each. That would solve problems of over crowding in schools.

We don't need THAT many shops, honestly. the first floor could be junior, the mezz could be intermediates and the top floors could be for high schoolers. Plus there is already a food court which can be a cafeteria space.

The older existing schools can then be turned into living spaces, maybe retirement villages because they are usually on flat land and the classrooms could be homes for people.

anyway. Please post more totally brilliant ideas you can think of or know about.
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Just out of curiosity, how would you convince the property owner(s) to give the property away?

The biggest mall we have here is the Mall of America. It is as large s small town and generate around $2 billion a year.

Personally, I do not like malls. Too many people and I am not crazy about shopping. On average, I might go once a year to buy the wife her birthday, anniversary, or Christmas present. I am all about Amazon.

#Mall nameLocationMetro areaRetail space
Sq. feet/(m²)		StoresAnchor stores/entertainment venuesYear openedOwnership
1Mall of AmericaBloomington, MinnesotaMinneapolis-Saint Paul5,600,000 square feet (520,000 m2)[2]555Macy's, Nordstrom, Forever 21, Marshalls, Nickelodeon Universe, Lego Store, M&M’s World, Sea Life, FlyOver, JW Marriott, Radisson Blu, CMX1992Triple Five Group
 
My idea is the insanely rich mall owner is near dying and can't spend all their money as they have run out of overseas trips and properties to buy and has a change of heart when they see that people are poor and uneducated and have to go to underfunded broken down schools that have leaky roofs and are overcrowded. He or she would rather invest the $2 billion into children and young people - the future generation.

Of course, we could get the children to write to the mall owner and thank him or her for their generous donation on behalf of young people everywhere, when they graduate and become upstanding citizens with warm generous hearts just like the former mall owner.
 
Lanolin said:
My idea is the insanely rich mall owner is near dying and can't spend all their money as they have run out of overseas trips and properties to buy and has a change of heart when they see that people are poor and uneducated and have to go to underfunded broken down schools that have leaky roofs and are overcrowded. He or she would rather invest the $2 billion into children and young people - the future generation.

Of course, we could get the children to write to the mall owner and thank him or her for their generous donation on behalf of young people everywhere, when they graduate and become upstanding citizens with warm generous hearts just like the former mall owner.
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Ok, that sounds like a plan.

I'll start thinking of a great idea myself.

Rtm
 
Lanolin said:
I just thought I would make one open for anyone to post in. No knocking people's ideas, just posting brilliant ones. They don't even have to be your own, it might be something you found somewhere else and you have to share it. I had one, and I know people on here wouldn't be so declasse as to criticise it and knock it down - after all it's just an idea. I was thinking on the thing about malls lately, and how in some places there are just so many of these huge behomoths that they are a blot on the landscape and a temple to consumerism that frankly, many people are tired of and can't even afford. A lot of them are now dead as the tenants of the shops have moved out. I was thinking how schools that really need new buildings could take over the mall space and the shops could be turned into classrooms and workshops with different subjects taught in each. That would solve problems of over crowding in schools. We don't need THAT many shops, honestly. the first floor could be junior, the mezz could be intermediates and the top floors could be for high schoolers. Plus there is already a food court which can be a cafeteria space. The older existing schools can then be turned into living spaces, maybe retirement villages because they are usually on flat land and the classrooms could be homes for people. anyway. Please post more totally brilliant ideas you can think of or know about.
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If a mall was willing to allow the shops to become classrooms is admirable. But instead, our community of Daly City has an old, very large and spacious high school that was converted into exactly what you shared, Lanolin. This location offers classrooms, workshops, dance classes, arts and crafts and even small churches that cannot afford the expensive rent.

It's pretty cool what the building administrator did to the location.

Once my wife and I enrolled in a ballroom dance class for only $3.50 a week.

I have some ideas that I will share later.
 
bobinfaith said:
If a mall was willing to allow the shops to become classrooms is admirable. But instead, our community of Daly City has an old, very large and spacious high school that was converted into exactly what you shared, Lanolin. This location offers classrooms, workshops, dance classes, arts and crafts and even small churches that cannot afford the expensive rent.

It's pretty cool what the building administrator did to the location.

Once my wife and I enrolled in a ballroom dance class for only $3.50 a week.

I have some ideas that I will share later.
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Wow
What happened to that original high school was a new one built somewhere else and students started going there instead? Or did high school numbers decline?

The mall where I am is doing ok for the moment but I think as the market is saturated with malls and shop buildings, in my city that some of them I am predicting will eventually go under. There are only so much shops all in one place people will shop at, and also online shopping/delivery will attract a lot of people.

For sports and things there are nearby fields and courts but the carparking space or roof top could be used for a lot of sports as well.
 
Lanolin said:
Wow
What happened to that original high school was a new one built somewhere else and students started going there instead? Or did high school numbers decline?

The mall where I am is doing ok for the moment but I think as the market is saturated with malls and shop buildings, in my city that some of them I am predicting will eventually go under. There are only so much shops all in one place people will shop at, and also online shopping/delivery will attract a lot of people.

For sports and things there are nearby fields and courts but the carparking space or roof top could be used for a lot of sports as well.
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We have 396 school buildings in our county. We have elementary schools, middle school, and high schools. We also have some that are called "K8" which is from kindergarten to eight grade (not sure why that is). We also have Alternative Schools, Magnet Schools (my wife teaches at one of those), specialized centers, and an on-line K-12 academy:

Some are huge, but none are at capacity. Take for example, SW Miami Senior High School:
SWMSH.JPG
My wife's school is really low in capacity, which is usual for magnet schools that focus mostly on one subject (marine sciences in my wife's case).

cutler.JPG
Some of our school are even used as churches on the weekend. My church uses two of these schools, which is a task. They come in at around 6am on Sunday, convert the auditorium, hold service, and put it all back by mid afternoon.

So, I think our malls are safe in this area and we can probably convert some of the schools to smaller malls :)
 
rtm3039 said:
We have 396 school buildings in our county. We have elementary schools, middle school, and high schools. We also have some that are called "K8" which is from kindergarten to eight grade (not sure why that is). We also have Alternative Schools, Magnet Schools (my wife teaches at one of those), specialized centers, and an on-line K-12 academy:

Some are huge, but none are at capacity. Take for example, SW Miami Senior High School:
View attachment 5997
My wife's school is really low in capacity, which is usual for magnet schools that focus mostly on one subject (marine sciences in my wife's case).

View attachment 5998
Some of our school are even used as churches on the weekend. My church uses two of these schools, which is a task. They come in at around 6am on Sunday, convert the auditorium, hold service, and put it all back by mid afternoon.

So, I think our malls are safe in this area and we can probably convert some of the schools to smaller malls :)
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what is 'capacity' in your county.
I'm just thinking of my area and what it needs. (At the moment, affordable housing crisis shortage and overcrowded schools - I think a ratio of 1 teacher to 12 actually works so much better than 1 teacher to 30)

You can think of other totally brilliant ideas for your county and their needs. I don't know what they would be though I don't live there.
 
Can't really speak to the economics of it as the research would require actual effort, but having a mall as multi-unit housing would be cool. The design of the malls I am familiar with (Southdale, Ridgedale, Mall of America) have large open spaces and walkways which would be right outside everyones' doors and really nice for our cold winters in Minnesota. The open spaces also often have fountains and plants and could be reconfigured in a number of ways. I would keep the food courts, though maybe changing the offerings to more healthy fare, attach a grocery store and a department store - or combine them in one similar to what Target and Walmart have done. Malls are typically located on mass transit lines as well, for those who use it to get about. You'd never have to shovel snow again or bundle up like an astronaut just to go for a walk.
 
Some of our malls are slowly disappearing. The nearest one to me has one supermarket. The department stores and fairly large shops have been turned into gyms and offices by the local council.
Only the small shops are there now.
Thrte is so much shopping online now.
We have plenty of schools. They also have special schools for the deaf, blind, special needs, correction schools, and church schools etc.
I would love to see some vacant buildings turned into churches and affordable houses.
When the first lockdown started a man (footballer), who owned a hotel, took all the homeless off the streets and fed them 3 meals a day and looked after them, with the help of his staff of course.
 
Do you already have heaps of church buildings or is there a shortage?

Here it's overcrowding in homes and schools. I don't think there is a shortage of church gathering places though.

I think a mall might be better used as school because if it was housing there are no windows in malls except for skylights the cost of lighting wouldn't make them cosy living spaces for people. And there is no real outdoor space. the shops do have enough space for interactive classrooms though. The movie theatres could be used as a tertiary lecture space and auditorium.

However, existing school classrooms could definitely be converted into dwellings and they could become retirement village type spaces because they are already kind of communal and easily accessible.
 
Lanolin said:
Do you already have heaps of church buildings or is there a shortage?

Here it's overcrowding in homes and schools. I don't think there is a shortage of church gathering places though.

I think a mall might be better used as school because if it was housing there are no windows in malls except for skylights the cost of lighting wouldn't make them cosy living spaces for people. And there is no real outdoor space. the shops do have enough space for interactive classrooms though. The movie theatres could be used as a tertiary lecture space and auditorium.

However, existing school classrooms could definitely be converted into dwellings and they could become retirement village type spaces because they are already kind of communal and easily accessible.
Click to expand...
 
Lanolin said:
Do you already have heaps of church buildings or is there a shortage?

Here it's overcrowding in homes and schools. I don't think there is a shortage of church gathering places though.

I think a mall might be better used as school because if it was housing there are no windows in malls except for skylights the cost of lighting wouldn't make them cosy living spaces for people. And there is no real outdoor space. the shops do have enough space for interactive classrooms though. The movie theatres could be used as a tertiary lecture space and auditorium.

However, existing school classrooms could definitely be converted into dwellings and they could become retirement village type spaces because they are already kind of communal and easily accessible.
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Hi Lanolin
Good point about the lighting.. I had in my mind the mall nearest to me. Where it would be ok for houses. Part of it iS covered, the largest part is not covered. They have large windows and a large paved area in between them and the shops opposite.
There is a large mall in the city centre which has flats built over the two storey shops. They have windows too.
We are not short of churches but only the RCC and Anglican have good attendance.
 
I guess depends what kind of mall it is.
You have your big covered box ones with huge multi level car parks
And then theres big box stores surrounding a carpark (usually selling furniture items or warehouse full of many items)
Theres also pedestrianised main streets (some people call this a mall)

I was thinking the kind of mall that is just one huge box with hundreds of smaller shops inside on two levels with a food court and atrium. They will often have a supermarket and department store attached at each end (as 'anchor' stores). Many of those smaller shops just sell clothing, or jewellery, bags, $2 things etc. Not items you would buy everyday like at groceries.

I mean its fun shopping for gifts etc (which is why Christmas pretty much bankrolls the rest of the year) but its more of a luxury than a necessity to have a mall.
 
Lanolin said:
I guess depends what kind of mall it is.
You have your big covered box ones with huge multi level car parks
And then theres big box stores surrounding a carpark (usually selling furniture items or warehouse full of many items)
Theres also pedestrianised main streets (some people call this a mall)

I was thinking the kind of mall that is just one huge box with hundreds of smaller shops inside on two levels with a food court and atrium. They will often have a supermarket and department store attached at each end (as 'anchor' stores). Many of those smaller shops just sell clothing, or jewellery, bags, $2 things etc. Not items you would buy everyday like at groceries.

I mean its fun shopping for gifts etc (which is why Christmas pretty much bankrolls the rest of the year) but its more of a luxury than a necessity to have a mall.
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You know, I am not convinced they are actually luxuries. I don't spend much time in malls (I think I last went to a mall last August to buy my wife a anniversary ring). Many people go to the mall because of the food court. The larger malls might have 20 - 30 different restaurants. (this link: https://www.simon.com/mall/dadeland-mall/dining is to one of are smaller local calls and I count over 30 restaurants that go from high end to really creepy). Other people I see walking the mall for exercise. Some malls have gyms, some movie theaters, back in the day some had gun shops. Many also have apartment buildings in them. We have a mall here that is actually two high rise apartment buildings both accessible through the mall.

Hm. Just read where come malls are being turned housing for the homeless: https://nonprofitquarterly.org/in-metro-dc-a-dead-mall-now-provides-housing-for-the-homeless/

Interesting

Rtm
 
rtm3039 said:
You know, I am not convinced they are actually luxuries. I don't spend much time in malls (I think I last went to a mall last August to buy my wife a anniversary ring). Many people go to the mall because of the food court. The larger malls might have 20 - 30 different restaurants. (this link: https://www.simon.com/mall/dadeland-mall/dining is to one of are smaller local calls and I count over 30 restaurants that go from high end to really creepy). Other people I see walking the mall for exercise. Some malls have gyms, some movie theaters, back in the day some had gun shops. Many also have apartment buildings in them. We have a mall here that is actually two high rise apartment buildings both accessible through the mall.

Hm. Just read where come malls are being turned housing for the homeless: https://nonprofitquarterly.org/in-metro-dc-a-dead-mall-now-provides-housing-for-the-homeless/

Interesting

Rtm
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I would not really go to a mall for the food court...ick.
You want to wait in line and bags a table when its really crowded and noisy and everyone just leaves their dirty trays everywhere, there aren't any waiters or anything its just fast food..but often not good fast food. It is not a restaurant...there is no REST to be had there lol.

If you are buying your wife a ring that is a luxury! A movie theatre is a luxury. Nobody really goes to them as they are so expensive.
If your mall is really big then I suppose walking in them IS exercise. Gym is a luxury. Why people would PAY to work out when they could mow the lawn or help lift heavy boxes at work or run around the block for free I don't know.
 
Ok, I can't argue any of that.

Looks to me like, as you see it, anything beyond the bare necessities, are a luxury. Oddly enough, I can't find any fault with that reasoning. So, basically, (1) sufficient nutrients and water to sustain life, (2) a form of shelter to protect you from the elements, (3) some type of outerwear to also protect you from the elements, and (4) a group of like-minded people for protection and community. Anything beyond that and you are living large.
 
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