BLOG: HOW MALLS CAN BRIDGE THE HEALTHCARE GAP
UT Southwestern Medical Center located at the Shops at RedBird in Dallas, Texas
WRITTEN BY TERRENCE MAIDEN
Across the United States, access to quality healthcare remains a pressing challenge for marginalized communities—particularly African American and Hispanic populations. These communities consistently face higher mortality rates and lower access to essential services. For example, in 2022, the death rate for non-Hispanic Black individuals was 979.2 per 100,000—among the highest of any group. Black women face a maternal mortality rate of 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, which is 2.6 times that of non-Hispanic White women. Similarly, while the death rate for Hispanic individuals is comparatively lower at 433.0 per 100,000, disparities in access and outcomes persist.
At Russell Glen, we believe that closing this healthcare gap requires not just new clinics or hospitals—but bold, place-based strategies that bring essential services directly into the heart of the communities that need them most.
That’s why a key part of our development strategy involves acquiring and redeveloping Class B and C malls—many of which are located in historically underinvested neighborhoods. These malls, often overlooked and underutilized, offer an ideal foundation for revitalization. With their central locations, ample parking, and existing infrastructure, they’re perfectly suited to house high-impact services like regional healthcare centers.
Our approach to mall redevelopment goes beyond filling empty storefronts. We’re transforming outdated retail hubs into vibrant community anchors that prioritize wellness, accessibility, and long-term impact. Former department stores are repurposed into state-of-the-art medical facilities. Outdoor spaces are reimagined to include wellness gardens, walking trails, and community parks—creating an environment that fosters physical, mental, and social health.
We’ve seen firsthand how powerful this model can be. At Hatcher Station in Dallas’ Frazier community, our team played a pivotal role in attracting Parkland Health to open a 40,000 SF primary care facility—directly addressing a critical gap in local healthcare access. That success was informed by the groundbreaking redevelopment of One Hundred Oaks Mall in Nashville, where under the leadership of my longtime mentor Frank Mihalopoulos, over 400,000 SF of mall space was converted into a regional medical center for Vanderbilt University. That project set the tone for what’s possible when healthcare meets innovation in real estate.
More recently, at the Shops at RedBird in Dallas, we helped attract three major health systems—UT Southwestern, Parkland, and Children’s Health—to open facilities within the redeveloped mall. What was once an underperforming retail center is now a thriving hub for health, jobs, and community connection—transforming a designated healthcare desert into a model for equitable development.
In Pasadena, Texas, our mall redevelopment efforts were guided by a Livable Cities study that revealed significant disparities in healthcare and grocery access in a predominantly Hispanic community. Working closely with Harris Health System, we successfully integrated an 80,000 SF regional healthcare center into the redevelopment plan, once again proving the effectiveness of this holistic model.
These projects are more than success stories—they’re proof of concept. They demonstrate that with the right vision, public-private partnerships, and community-first design, we can transform aging malls into powerful tools for social impact.
At Russell Glen, we’re proud to be leading the charge in this space. Our work is not just about revitalizing real estate—it’s about reshaping what’s possible in marginalized communities. And as the national conversation around equity and access continues, we believe mall redevelopment should be at the center of the solution.