IN Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall | Page 26

Restoration of the Century III Mall revitalization will make iconic mall competitive again O ut with the old, in with the new the saying goes. But not when the old is an iconic part of the community such as Century III Mall in West Mifflin. When the mall opened its doors more than 30 years ago, it was one of the largest enclosed malls in western Pennsylvania. Sadly, over the years, it slowly began to decline both in appearance and in tenant occupancy, which has led to fewer patrons. But a Las Vegas investment fund, Moonbeam Capital Investments, has recently bought the property with grand plans to revitalize it. They believe when the project is complete, Century III will be able to compete with any mall in the region. The first step Moonbeam took was to conduct a complete analysis of the building. It found that the exterior and the basic foundation of the structure were very solid, but certain aesthetics had been completely let go over the years and needed renovation. The company is currently in the process of replacing the roof, installing new carpeting and flooring, new doors and locks and upgrading the emergency systems. Aesthetic exterior changes include refurbishing of the parking lots and new landscaping around the property. Patrons will be glad to know that Moonbeam, despite low crime rates at the mall, has increased the security force at the mall to 18 employees and also is working closely with the West Mifflin Police. According to Moonbeam’s operations manager Darrell Huggins, this revitalization project has received fantastic local support. “The community involvement has been incredible,” said Huggins. “We have met with senate communities, the police, the fire departments and many citizens, and everyone is really excited about this project. Most have fond memories of what this mall used to be and are eager to see it return to its glory days. We are excited to make that happen for them.” The excitement among the community is understandable considering not only the history of the mall, but the fact that the mall is t