Consider the lonely shopper at Southwest Center Mall in Oak Cliff.

As she wanders the disco-era shopping center, she sees more vacant storefronts than retailers. Most of her remaining options are a hodgepodge of off-brand stores.

Even finding this center is a challenge for the determined mall-goer, as access is severely limited from three directions, despite its location near the crossroads of Interstate 20 and U.S. Highway 67.

Not surprisingly, fewer and fewer of these lonely shoppers are wandering the outdated concourses of what was once southern Dallas' retail jewel.

For too long, public officials held onto hope that a benevolent developer would do the heavy lifting at this moribund mall. But Dallas City Council members recently acknowledged that crossing their fingers didn't qualify as a redevelopment plan. They wisely decided to hire the Urban Land Institute to recommend options for resuscitating the former Red Bird Mall.

An advisory panel from the institute recently presented a cogent analysis of what it deemed a "mostly dead mall," an "eyesore" and a "depressing place."

Experts laid out their assessment of whether this 34-year-old center could be spiffed up and continue to exist as a standard-issue, indoor shopping center. (Short answer: No.) So they offered both a blueprint for repurposing the property and assurances that Southwest Center Mall was not a lost cause.

Most important was the sense of urgency the Urban Land Institute panel conveyed. Development experts explained that other cities had seen success with similar revitalization efforts. But to prevent this mostly dead mall from expiring, Dallas leaders should abide by two directives from the panel:

•Redeveloping Southwest Center Mall must be accomplished by a public-private partnership.

•The city must act quickly, as death is imminent.

With that in mind, the panel gave Dallas a to-do list.

Panelists urged Mayor Tom Leppert to immediately contact the three remaining anchor tenants at the shopping center. As Southwest Center Mall continues to spiral downward, the largest stores – Macy's, Sears and Burlington Coat Factory – should be considered flight risks. But if the city could demonstrate its commitment to an extreme mall makeover, these anchors might be persuaded to hold on, at least in the short-term.

Leppert already has been working the phones, reaching out to these retailers. And Karl Zavitkovsky, the city's economic development director, says he'd like to sit down with the many owners of the mall and the surrounding pad sites as soon as possible.

What happens next is yet to be determined.

The panel recommended that the city purchase the two vacant anchor spots in the mall to consolidate ownership and give the city more control of property. With a massive deficit looming, finding even spare pocket change in the city budget is a daunting challenge. But this smart idea deserves serious discussion. For example, creative purchase agreements, such as promising the sellers future profits, could be the answer.

The Urban Land Institute panel envisions transforming this aging mall into a mixed-use village that would become "the heart and soul of Oak Cliff." This 21st-century approach to shopping, eating, working and living would include retail and dining. A theater or a grocery store could be added. Space could be used for offices, training centers or residential units. Some of the mall's enclosed spaces would be knocked down to create an open town square area and to develop streetscapes. A recreation component also could connect the area to nearby Boulder Park.

The experts offered an outline of what this past-its-prime property could become. But they wisely emphasized the need for community input, suggesting that the city quickly assemble a citizens' advisory group to provide guidance.

And the panel urged the city to create a tax-increment-financing district to help fund this effort. The TIF as proposed would include Southwest Center Mall, Dallas Executive Airport and surrounding neighborhoods. Creating such a district would allow the city to reinvest property tax revenues to bolster the area.

Despite the mall's current malaise, this remains a property with great potential. If public officials are willing to invest in reinventing the shopping center, it could become an economic boon for the entire city.

While Dallas leaders still are digesting the 99-page presentation offered by the Urban Land Institute, they can't afford to mull these suggestions for months. Money is tight, but planning is relatively cheap. Work should begin immediately on seeking community input and creating a Red Bird TIF that could funnel funds back into this neighborhood.

As the Urban Land Institute panel noted, the difference between a good idea and a good idea that works is "work."

The ULI provided City Hall with a road map for revitalizing this important center. Now, it's time to get to work.