Councilwoman wants to diminish stigma at Eastland Mall site

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Councilwoman Dimple Ajmera is working hard to change the old Eastland Mall site.

The council hired a consulting firm to figure out the best way to bring something to the embattled land.

That firm brought in developers to look at the former mall site. They toured it without reporters and city staff members.

“They gave very candid feedback about potential challenges for that site,” Ajmera said.

The developers are recommending the city break the lot off into smaller parcels so it’s more attractive to future builders.

“I think when we divide the smaller parcels into smaller land, smaller sites, it gives investors an opportunity to minimize the risk,” Ajmera said.

Change is already underway. A future school is being built there.

But developers think the area needs a new identity for this property to really succeed.

The name Eastland has a negative perception to many. The developers want to ditch the name for a fresh start.

The area could one day be called the International Corridor because of the area's diversity.

Ajmera is fine with that, as long as the spirit of Eastland Mall lives and jobs come to east Charlotte.

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