The Franklin Mall in Northeast Philadelphia plans to reopen Friday morning for the first time since after a small fire ignited there Saturday.
The mall was granted permission to reopen with normal operating hours after the Department of Licenses and Inspections ensured the building is safe, but repairs remain ongoing, the mall’s management said Thursday on Facebook.
“Management is grateful for the patience of all tenants and the community while our team worked tirelessly to ensure a safe reopening,” the mall’s post said. “While Franklin Mall is reopening, management requests the community’s patience with the property’s appearance while teams are actively making repairs to the affected areas within the mall while preserving a safe environment for shoppers.”
The mall will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the rest of the weekend, its website says.
The fire was confined to a single tenant space, but the specific location of the blaze has not been been made public. Franklin Mall management and a representative for the city’s Department of L&I did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The shopping center, once a mainstay of the region’s retail scene, has experienced dwindling foot and tenant traffic in recent years. AMC, previously one of the mall’s main anchors, closed its theater last year and URBN’s Reclectic store relocated to Willow Grove Mall this week.
The site, which is 68% occupied, was listed for sale by real estate firm JLL in December.