Malls · Georgia

Riverbend Mall

Imported, unreviewedRedevelopedDemolishedRome, GA

Opened 1975. Closed 2002. Redeveloped.

Status nowDemolishedextracted, unreviewed

documented

The mall was closed and demolished in 2002.

en.wikipedia.org

What it becameretail, healthcareextracted, unreviewed reported

Retrofit yearNot yet retrofittedstatus reported

Walkability8.3 of 20 · 15-minute 6 of 6EPA, OpenStreetMap

Rail within 800 mNoOpenStreetMap, HUD

Ask who owns this Download dossier (PDF) · early access Download record (JSON) API Share LinkedIn Correct this record

Solid = from the authors' map · outlined = public source · dashed = model-written, not yet reviewed by a person. Tap any value's source label to see where it came from. documented = a quoted excerpt (click to read it) · reported = a source named, no excerpt yet · no source.

Riverbend Mall — Exterior view of a shopping center with multiple stores and a parking lot filled with cars. · verified by a vision model. Photo: Cculber007 at en.wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Site profile14 elements · what this retrofit is built with · tap a chip for the evidence

Former anchors

Belk Rhodes

This site: Belk Rhodes wikipedia · all sites with this

J. C. Penney

This site: J. C. Penney wikipedia · all sites with this

Place

15-minute neighbourhood (5+ of 6 daily needs within 800 m)

This site: 6/6 openstreetmap · all sites with this

30,000+ vehicles a day on an adjacent road

This site: 35,000 on 27 fhwa-hpms · all sites with this

FEMA special flood hazard area

This site: AE fema-nfhl · all sites with this

Grocery within 800 m

This site: 2 stores openstreetmap · all sites with this

High inland flooding risk

This site: Relatively High fema-nri · all sites with this

High social vulnerability tract (SVI ≥ 0.75)

This site: 0.85 cdc-svi · all sites with this

High tornado risk

This site: Relatively High fema-nri · all sites with this

Tract income flat or down since 2013

This site: -3% census-acs · all sites with this

Strategy

Redeveloped

This site: The site was redeveloped as a strip mall with a Kroger grocery store, a Barnes & Noble, Ross Dress For Less, and a new Coosa Medical Group building on the… extraction · all sites with this

New use

Grocery

This site: The site was redeveloped as a strip mall with a Kroger grocery store, a Barnes & Noble, Ross Dress For Less, and a extraction · all sites with this

Medical and health

This site: …ore, a Barnes & Noble, Ross Dress For Less, and a new Coosa Medical Group building on the south side of the former site. extraction · all sites with this

Retail (continued)

This site: …new_use field extraction · all sites with this

All elements and lists · Trends

Now

Status	Demolishedextracted, unreviewed documented The mall was closed and demolished in 2002. en.wikipedia.org
Strategy	Redevelopedextracted, unreviewed documented The site was redeveloped as a strip mall with a Kroger grocery store, a Barnes & Noble, Ross Dress For Less, and a new Coosa Medical Group building on the south side of the former site. en.wikipedia.org
New uses	retail, healthcareextracted, unreviewed reported
What is there now	The site was redeveloped as a strip mall with a Kroger grocery store, a Barnes & Noble, Ross Dress For Less, and a new Coosa Medical Group building on the south side of the former site.extracted, unreviewed documented The site was redeveloped as a strip mall with a Kroger grocery store, a Barnes & Noble, Ross Dress For Less, and a new Coosa Medical Group building on the south side of the former site. en.wikipedia.org

Site context

Transit within 800 m	no rail stationOpenStreetMap
Motorway junctions within 2 km	junctionOpenStreetMap
FEMA flood zone	AE · special flood hazard areaFEMA NFHL
EPA-regulated facilities within 500 m	10: EAST BEND; GA POWER CO ROME DIST OPER HQ; HERITAGE HONDA; HOME DEPOT STORE #139; KROGER 667EPA FRS
Census tract 13115000900	2,533 people, 743 per sq mi; median household income $50,160; median gross rent $825; 49% renters; 8.3% vacant units; 0.1% commute by transitACS 2023 5-year
Walkability (EPA, block group)	index 8.3 of 20; 18 intersections per sq mi; no transit stop within the EPA search radius; land-use mix 0.85; 13,881 jobs within 45 min by car; 18% of households without a carEPA Smart Location
Within a 10–15 minute walk (800 m)	6 of 6 daily needs: 2 grocers, 4 schools, 1 parks or playgrounds, 5 health, 8 civic, 23 food and drink; 0 cycleway segments, 36 sidewalk-tagged segmentsOpenStreetMap
Opportunity Zone	noHUD
Housing permits, Floyd County (GA), 2024	0 units in 5+ unit buildings, 0 in 2–4, 355 single-family; 2023: 0 in 5+Census BPS
Social vulnerability (CDC SVI 2022, tract)	overall percentile 0.85; socioeconomic 0.65; housing and transport 0.88; 40% below 150% of poverty; 12% of households with no vehicleCDC/ATSDR
Overture Maps	no place match; building footprint 11,217 m², 5.407870292663574 mOverture (CDLA-Permissive 2.0)
Attention: Wikipedia page views	17,638 since 2015; 1,656 in the last 12 months (+5% vs the prior 12); peak 2023-05 with 415Wikimedia
Tract change 2013–2023	population +8% (2,336 → 2,533); median income -3% ($51,736 → $50,160); renters 44% → 49%; median home value +39% ($179,100 → $248,900)Census ACS 5-year
Natural hazard risk (FEMA National Risk Index, tract)	relatively moderate overall (score 63.2); expected annual loss $1.5M; high: tornado, inland flooding, strong wind; community resilience relatively lowFEMA NRI
Tax-credit housing within 1 km	1 LIHTC properties, 71 units: Greystone (71 units)HUD LIHTC
Retail trade in the county, 2025 (BLS QCEW)	4,896 jobs in 423 establishments; average annual pay $35,218; employment location quotient 1.12; employment +12.0% on the yearBLS QCEW 2025, NAICS 44-45, private
Jobs located in the tract, 2022	2,280 jobs; 800 in retail trade, 732 in accommodation and food (workplace blocks summed to tract 13115000900)Census LEHD LODES8 WAC 2022
Upward mobility (Opportunity Atlas, 2010 tract)	children of low-income (25th percentile) families reached the 43th income percentile as adults; 7.3% incarcerated at the 2010 count (157 children in the sample); born 1978–83, measured 2014–15Opportunity Insights
Food access (USDA FARA 2019, 2010 tract)	not a low-access tract at 1 mile; 10% of residents more than 1 mile from a supermarket; poverty rate 23.8%; median family income $76,307; 160 SNAP householdsUSDA ERS
Schools	Rome City School District (PK-12); 1 public school within 1 mile: Main Elementary SchoolNCES EDGE
Elevation	596 ft above sea level at the site pointUSGS 3DEP
Storm events in the county, 2016-2025	127 county-logged events: 92 thunderstorm wind, 20 flash flood, 6 hail, 6 lightning; $648,000 property damage reported; forecast-zone events (most flood, winter and heat) not countedNOAA Storm Events
Homes for sale in ZIP 30161, 2026-09	median list price $319,950 (+1.6% on the year); 212 active listings; median 66 days on market; 21% with a price cutRealtor.com Research
Retail trade in the county, 2012 to 2023	392 establishments (+1%); 4,548 jobs (+14%)Census CBP
Housing market in the county	typical home value $232,904 (+2% 1 yr, +27% 5 yr); typical rent $1,267/mo (+2% 1 yr), 2026-09Zillow Research
House price index, tract, 2025	334 (2000 = 100); +9.7% 1 yr, +59% 5 yr, +99% 10 yrFHFA
Traffic on the busiest road within 600 m (2024)	35,000 vehicles a day on 27 (principal arterial, 4 lanes); 1,358 trucks; 40 counted segmentsFHWA HPMS

Summary, model-written

Riverbend Mall opened in 1975 and operated as a shopping mall until 2002, when it was closed and demolished. The site was subsequently redeveloped into a strip mall featuring a Kroger grocery store, Barnes & Noble, Ross Dress For Less, and a Coosa Medical Group building. The Ledbetter family, the original developer, retains ownership of the property.

Why. The record does not state specific causes for the mall's closure; it notes a flooding event in 1990 and that the mall was closed and demolished in 2002.

Where it stands. The site is currently a strip mall (Kroger, Barnes & Noble, Ross, Coosa Medical Group) and remains owned by the Ledbetter family.

For a planner

Precedent: redevelopment to a strip mall with retail and healthcare uses (as noted in after_notes).
Policy tools used: not stated in the record.
Open questions: current zoning, entitlement status, and any flood‑plain or environmental regulations affecting the site.

For a developer

Site size: not specified in the record.
Control: Ledbetter family retains ownership (parties show owner from 1975 to present).
Entitlement stage: not stated in the record.
Constraints: known past flooding (1990 event) but no current flood‑zone, transit, or environmental details provided.

What we do not know yet

Exact site dimensions and parcel boundaries are missing.
Current zoning designation and any entitlements or permits are not provided.
Detailed flood‑risk information beyond the 1990 event is absent.
Transit access, nearby infrastructure, and environmental constraints are not described.
Market‑area demographics or tract‑level data that would indicate retail or healthcare demand are unavailable.

Generated by nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b on NVIDIA API via Hermes CT from the fields, parcels, deals and context layers on this page, with no outside knowledge. It is regenerated when the record changes and has not been checked by a person. How it is made.

Similar sites

Bashford Manor Mall, Louisville, KY · Malls · opened 1973; closed 2003; same strategy: redevelop
Carolina Circle Mall, Greensboro, NC · Malls · opened 1976; closed 2002; same strategy: redevelop
Highlands Mall, Harrison Township, PA · Malls · opened 1977; closed 2006; same strategy: redevelop
Indian Springs Mall, Kansas City, KS · Malls · opened 1971; closed 2001; same strategy: redevelop

Elsewhere on the web

Retail history: Riverbend Mall on DeadMalls.com photos, field notes and visitor memories since 2000; matched by name and city; nothing copied here

Pages with photos

NewRiverbendMall commons.wikimedia.org
Sky City: Retail History: Riverbend Mall: Rome, GA skycity2.blogspot.com
Riverbend Mall - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia alchetron.com
Mallmanac.com: Riverbend Mall, Ro… mallmanac.com

Search images: Google · Bing · Commons · references: ULI case studies · Google Scholar

Multifamily screen

closed or demolished site (sourced)

Inputs: record fields (size, status) and county Census ACS 2018–2023 figures (growth, rent). How the points work. Not a recommendation.

History and original facts

Opened	1975extracted, unreviewed
Closed	2002extracted, unreviewed documented The mall was closed and demolished in 2002. en.wikipedia.org
Original developer	Ledbetter familyextracted, unreviewed documented The mall was built by the Ledbetter family, local developers that continue to own the property it sits on today. en.wikipedia.org
Anchors	J. C. Penney, Belk Rhodes, Miller Brothers
County	Floyd County
Census division	5 · South Atlantic
Notes	Wikipedia categories: Demolished shopping malls in the United States

Not yet recorded: acres, GLA, retrofit year. Know it? Tell us.

Background

Riverbend Mall was a shopping mall located in Rome, Georgia. It was open from 1975 to 2002, when it was demolished and replaced with a strip mall. The mall was built by the Ledbetter family, local developers that continue to own the property it sits on today.

Excerpt from Wikipedia (authors and history), CC BY-SA 4.0. May be older than the record above.

Timeline

1975 Opened
1990 Flooding
2002 Closed and demolished

Sources

Wikipedia: Riverbend Mall · supports: after notes, original developer, status, strategy, year closed, year opened
9 quoted sentences
It was open from 1975 to 2002.
The mall was closed and demolished in 2002.
The mall was built by the Ledbetter family, local developers that continue to own the property it sits on today.
The site was redeveloped as a strip mall with a Kroger grocery store, a Barnes & Noble, Ross Dress For Less, and a new Coosa Medical Group building on the south side of the former site.

Cite

Retrofit Atlas (2026). "Riverbend Mall, Rome, GA." Record m-0fb7ad06f5, imported, unreviewed. Built on the public Retrofitting Suburbia map (Dunham-Jones and Williamson) and the sources listed. https://retrofitatlas.org/malls/ga/rome-riverbend-mall/ (accessed 2026-10-20).

BibTeX

@misc{retrofitatlas_romeriverbendmall,
  title = {Riverbend Mall, Rome, GA},
  author = {{Retrofit Atlas}},
  howpublished = {\url{https://retrofitatlas.org/malls/ga/rome-riverbend-mall/}},
  year = {2026},
  note = {Record m-0fb7ad06f5, release 2026.10.20, tier: draft. Built on the Retrofitting Suburbia map (Dunham-Jones and Williamson) and the sources listed on the record. Accessed 2026-10-20}
}

How to cite, versioning

Link back

Paste on a project page: <a href="https://retrofitatlas.org/malls/ga/rome-riverbend-mall/">Riverbend Mall on Retrofit Atlas</a>

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Record

m-0fb7ad06f5 · JSON · source last edited 2026-10-18 · reviewed by a person: not yet

Corrections

Suggest a change. Answered within five working days.

More in Georgia

Buford Clairmont MallChamblee, GA · 2000Reinhabited · Reinhabitation: ethnic mall Cobb Ctr MallSmyrna, GA · 2004Partial Regreened · Partial regreening, park Columbus Square MallColumbus, GA · 2005Redeveloped · Redevelopment: civic Furniture StoreNorcross, GAReinhabited · Reinhabitation: ethnic mall Houston MallWarner Robins, GA · 2014Reinhabited · Reinhabitation: healthcare Phipps PlazaAtlanta, GA · 2018Partial Redeveloped · Partial redevelopment, mixed use

Site profile14 elements · what this retrofit is built with · tap a chip for the evidence

Nowextracted, unreviewed

Site contextpublic APIs, see origins; tract and county figures sit at different geographies and are not directly comparable

Summary, model-writtenwritten from this record only, not reviewed by a person

For a planner

For a developer

What we do not know yet

Similar sitescomputed on size, era, strategy, status, type and place

Elsewhere on the webfound by search; linked, not copied; unreviewed

Pages with photos

Multifamily screen25 points · research only

History and original factsextracted, unreviewed

BackgroundWikipedia, CC BY-SA, shortened

Timelinesources below

Sources1 sources