The Solomon Pond Mall in Marlborough in March 2019. Photo by JJBers / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Mall titan Simon Properties and Amazon are reportedly in negotiations to convert an unspecified number of anchor locations at malls across the country into distribution centers.

The move comes as the future for traditional malls remains cloudy, with retail titans either going bankrupt or announcing new waves of store closures.

While many have suggested adding housing to dying malls as a way to increase foot traffic and address the nation’s housing shortage at the same time, some mall owners have instead opted for a more experience-focused approach. In the case of the Burlington Mall, Simon Properties replaced a defunct Sears Automotive outbuilding with a restaurant-focused expansion called “The Village at Burlington Mall.”

That said, converting anchor tenant space to industrial uses isn’t without precedent. Springfield officials have given the green light to convert a former Macy’s anchor space in the Springfield Mall to a combination recreational marijuana growing, packaging and sales facility.

So, where do you sit? Do you think an Amazon distribution center can compliment a traditional mall? Take our poll and tell us: