BESSEMER, Ala. — The long-vacant Mall at Westlake in Bessemer is set to undergo a transformation into the Marvel City Business Park. An Ohio-based company, Range Light Investment Partners, has acquired the property and plans to invest over $10 million to convert the space into a hub for office and light industrial businesses.
The mall closed back in 2009 after retail activity migrated to newer shopping centers nearby. Back in 2012 discussion were held among the Jefferson County Commission to transform the mall into a Bessemer Courthouse space. Developers now say the mall has potential as a business hub.
“The characteristics that made it a great mall are the same characteristics that people look for in a business park. It’s right by a highway, it has plenty of parking, it might have excess land, and they’re really located in community-dense areas where people are looking for jobs,” said Pat Foran of Range Light Investment Partners.
The redevelopment aims to attract more businesses to Bessemer, boosting employment opportunities for the local workforce.
Residents of Bessemer have expressed enthusiasm for the project. Frank Easterling, a community member, said, “It needs to be turned into something because it’s been empty for years and I remember when it was a thriving mall. You always need development. So for that matter, not just for Bessemer but for the county and the western end of the county, but anything is better than just sitting there empty.”
Construction on the nearly 330,000-square-foot space will commence this year in phases, with the first business suites expected to be completed by the end of the year.