Eastland Mall to close permanently after 54 years of operation

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Eastland Mall is closing its doors after 54 years of operation, city officials confirmed to 10TV on Thursday.

The mall on Hamilton Road was home to over 50 retailers and businesses that now box their merchandise.

The Eastland Mall will be permanently closed on Saturday, but the doors have been closed to shoppers since Monday due to a water main failure.

Earlier this year, the city of Columbus received a court order declaring the Eastland Mall a public nuisance after months of neglect by property owners to correct several health and safety violations.

The city filed a lawsuit against the owners of the property in 2021 and also after numerous inspections at the mall. Inspectors reportedly found numerous violations, including insufficient lighting, potholes in parking lots, structural problems and unauthorized zoning.

One of the requirements of the property owners after the court order was to carry out daily garbage collection and biweekly maintenance of the area to maintain the property and keep it in proper condition.

After a re-inspection by the city in September, the owners were found to be in contempt after Columbus City Attorney Zack Klein said they had not made the necessary improvements to keep the property in compliance.

Owners were issued a $3,500 fine and an additional $250 per day fine for each day the property remains non-compliant going forward.

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