San Bernardino leaders take first swing at Carousel Mall demolition

By BRIAN WHITEHEAD | bwhitehead@scng.com | The Sun PUBLISHED: April 24, 2023 at 11:01 a.m.

Wearing matching white hard hats and orange safety vests, San Bernardino city leaders took turns Monday morning, April 24, with sledgehammers to kick off the demolition of Carousel Mall.

Mayor Helen Tran took the first whack at an empty concrete planter decorated with the mall’s iconic carousel horse before City Councilman Fred Shorett and other officials took their own swings at it with ceremonial sledgehammers.

The mall, which has been closed more than five years, will be demolished systematically over the next several weeks, officials have said, as the city continues to work on plans to redevelop the 43-acre site.