A Fresno City Council member says he sees no reason why the struggling Manchester Mall cannot be successful. A new ownership group is planning a renovation of the nearly dead shopping center.
The company, Omninet, thinks an overhaul can revive the Manchester Mall which sits at the corner of Blackstone and Shields in central Fresno.
It’s in the district of City Council member Clint Olivier who says he sees no reason the property can’t be successful, despite multiple previous attempts failing.
“Blackstone gets a bad rap. But let’s face it, it is our main street. And so, they are in the perfect location between 41 and Blackstone and between Shields and Ashlan. They are in the direct heart of our city, and there is no reason why they can’t be prosperous,” Olivier said.
Olivier says the city will do what it can, including adding extra police coverage but that it is incumbent on the company to seek out new tenants. The council is set to vote on a proposal tomorrow to take out a turn lane on Shields Avenue to provide more space for the development.
A promotional video on the company’s website claims that 670-thousand people live within a 15-minute drive of the mall.
