NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Hickory Hollow Mall could soon host college classes. Early this year mall owners started talking with Nashville State Community College about the idea.
The idea is turning a portion of the mall into a satellite college campus. The college would likely use the area recently vacated by the Steve and Berry's Department store.
Metro Council Member Sam Coleman said the plan could breathe new life into the struggling shopping center.
Shrinking sales and disappearing retailers have battered Hickory Hollow mall in recent years.
"We're just going to have a variety. The mall is going to be different than what we knew it before. But again it's not just the mall. It's the entire area that we're concerned with," said Coleman.
If the deal goes through classes could start as early as next fall. Nashville State officials said it was possible thousands of students could take courses at the mall each year.
