City plans to tear down mostly empty Shops at Sunset Place
MIAMI - It is a massive property that covers ten acres, a pedestrian mall located at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Red Road.
The Shops at Sunset Place in South Miami was at one time a bustling suburban mall and entertainment center. Now, not much going on. A few shops, the movie theater, and a Barnes and Noble are open but many storefronts are empty.
The mall has become the subject of viral posts on social media including TickTok. One post noted, "You look around, it is so sad, there are 60 different sites and I believe maybe 10 are open."
So different from the day in 1999 when Sunset Place opened its doors.
"It's been empty for some. I have not seen much activity recently, I hear some things are going on in there," said Greg, who lives nearby.
There might not be much going on inside but plenty of action behind the scenes. Sunset Place is going down, it's going to be demolished, at least that is the plan and the locals are all for it.
"It is a long time coming, good. I'm sure they can put something more productive and useful for the community there," a shopper said.
Tear down this massive mall? It's a story South Miami residents have heard before. A little history is in order.
In 1925, the Riveria Theater was built on the property that is now Sunset Place. It failed after the Hurricane of 1926 and remained empty until 1934. The theater building was repurposed when the Holsum Bread Company set up shop.
In 1982, Holsum moved out. In 1986, a massive mall called The Bakery Center opened, it lasted ten years. It too was torn down.
In 1999, another try at a regional mall called the Shops at Sunset Place. Twenty-five years later a look inside tells the tale.
Another failure, but why?
Brenda Loy, who was having lunch across the street, spelled it out, "I don't like the stores or the look of the mall."
Sunset Place was not able to compete with other malls in the area such as Dadeland, The Falls, and Merrick Park. But there is another reason. The local community, just like Brenda Loy, never accepted the look and feel of the Sunset Place layout and architecture hovering over the suburban community.
In recent years the mall issue became political with South Miami residents. A recent municipal election featured plenty of talk about revamping or taking down the mall.
"I think it failed because it hasn't really related to the rest of the city. It is an island on its own. It has been thought of that way by the community," said South Miami Mayor Javier Fernandez.
So is the third time going to work? What's the plan?
The city has requested plans and renderings that include small shops, residences/hotel/office space located well away from the streets, a movie theater, and open streets that are pedestrian friendly.
"We have been talking to the new ownership. It is their desire to kind of reknit it back into downtown, make it part and parcel of the fabric of our town center," said Fernandez.
Area residents will have to live with the almost empty Sunset Place for some time. The process to approve the plans will likely take about four years. At this point, there are no public renderings of the new project available.
