In 1977 The Gallery shopping center opened on Market Street in an effort to bring a suburban style mall to an urban setting. Time was not kind to The Gallery, or malls in general, and it closed in 2015. After 4 years of demolition and rebuilding, Fashion District opened. Or mostly opened, as there are still more stores to come.
Unlike the dreary Gallery, Fashion District is bright. Really bright, with white walls and floors and abundant natural and artificial light.
One disappointment is the new food court. It’s cramped with uninspired options. It’s so bad I wonder if the developers didn’t really want to have one, and grudgingly shoved it in.
I’m most excited about the soon to open AMC theater. Philadelphia has not had a new movie theater in decades, and while I question the need for any mall in a downtown area (and I know other downtowns have them), a modern multiplex is definitely needed.
That Philly Life: Urban Exploring in Philadelphia 