Abandoned Century III Mall One Step Closer To Being Demolished

WEST MIFFLIN, PA — The owners of the derelict Century III Mall have been given until next month to begin razing the property or the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office could take control of it and have it demolished.

A county judge ruled following a hearing Friday that if the property hasn't begun to be torn down within that time frame, a criminal complaint filed by the district attorney's office will move forward, Triblive reported.

In January, District Attorney Stephen Zappala filed criminal charges of causing or risking a catastrophe and making a public nuisance mall owners Moonbeam Capital Investments. A petition also was filed to allow his office to assume control of the property and receive bids to have it torn down.

State funding would be required to demolish the mall. The cost has been estimated to be as much as $13 million.

Once one of the largest malls in the world, Century III's interior closed in 2019. J.C. Penney, which had an exterior entrance, was the mall's last remaining store; it went out of business in 2020.