Built more than 5 years ago, the Octamall has remained a historic landmark in the Downtown and the entire server since the day it was built using the very jungle trees that surrounded it. However, after 5 years of multiple shops, thousands of diamonds traded, and development of the server and Downtown area, the entrance area of the Octamall has become obsolete for modern shop requirements and has fallen in a state of disrepair. However, remodeling the Octamall will not be an easy feat. With the designation of the Octamall as a historic building, existing tenants, the Kirk & Kirk pipeline, and the homeless encampment out front, the Octamall will have its challenges.

“It’s time for a change” says Octapoo, owner and manager of the Octamall. “The front section of the Octamall has fallen in disrepair, and the front shops have become obsolete for what the modern market requires.”

The Octamall was built more than 5 years ago, back when the Downtown, which at the time was spawn, was mostly untamed jungle. Octapoo noticed a growing demand was needed. As more and more people began to settle in the area, a centralized location for shops was needed to allow for trade to happen more efficiently. This would also serve Octapoo, by bringing many more people to his shop. The first building of the Octamall was not impressive, but it served it’s job. Built using only the Jungle trees which it surrounded, the Octamall only lasted for a few months, until it was remodeled by Octapoo to meet better safety and useability standards, as well as to expand to allow for more growth. Back then however, shops were much different on the server. Shops used to be only chests, of which people could right-click to make sales. However, only a year later, after lobbying by members of the Aquaspawn Trade Commission, the official shop plugins were officially regulated to what you can see today. The Octamall still retained its initial shop sizes, until the back portion of the Octamall was remodeled to what is there today.

“The spots in this front entrance are too small” Says Shelby Stocked, store manager of the Tadog Mercantile at Octamamall, “It will be sad to see this historic structure be gone, but we are excited to the new space.”

Many are sad to see this historic structure be removed, but most will think the change will be beneficial to the Downtown and local economy. Over the years the Octamall has existed, the original Jungle logs and planks have begun to disintegrate, leading to unsafe conditions for some. While Octapoo has been able to repair some of this damage in an attempt to allow shops to keep operating, some tenants have had to move out. Overtime however, many tenants had moved to the newly constructed portions of the Octamall, taking advantage of better space and amenities. Over time the Octamall has been forced to shut down sections of the old Octamall to new tenants by order of the Aquaspawn City Council, fearing safety concerns. Many existing tenants such as the Tadog Mercantile at Octamall and the Kirk & Kirk Vaccine Clinic, have remained despite these issues. Shelby Stocked says Octapoo has done very well in ensuring the safety of the structure but can only do so much.

Talks of remodels of the Entrance and front section of the Octamall have been going on for years, due to a battle between multiple groups of historical preservationists, engineers, environmentalists, and city council. “That section of the Octamall is not structurally sound, and just a simple remodel will not do” Says Dr. Cal Q. Lator, Chief engineering professor at Kirk University. “The close proximity of the structure to the beach will most likely mean the building will need long pylons in the sand” Dr. Lator says due to the buildings age, he says it is most likely no geotechnical engineering study was done on the existing soils before the structure was built, leading to many of the problems it has today. However, rebuilding the foundation of the structure would certainly mean the existing structure would have to be completely demolished and rebuilt, angering activists, environmentalists, and historical preservationists.

“This building was designated as a historical landmark by the Aquaspawn City Council and Tadog Historical Society to make sure that this building would remain forever” Says Ann Tiquity, chairman for the Tadog Historical Society, “This building and the jungle of which it is made of represents history, and what this land used to be like before we developed it.” Many from the Historical Society and the public are angered by this move by Octapoo. “The destruction of history like we are seeing here is just what the rich capitalists want!” Said Dusk, a local communist, “This building represents years of progress, and should remain forever, and all shops should be removed from the building!” Despite all the controversy, one undeniable fact is clear: the Octamall cannot stand how it is now.

Another problem at hand for the Octamall, is the growing homeless encampment out the front doors of the Octamall, a problem that has been growing for years. “I don’t feel safe shopping at the Octamall sometimes” a local shopper told our reporters. “The homeless people out front have been harassing us inside and outside the store, something has to be done!”

However, activists have begun expressing their growing concern that the construction of the Octamall will push out the homeless encampment. “meh, they need to sleep somewhere” Octapoo reportedly told Scott in a secretly recorded conversation with Octapoo. “With your wealth, have you ever thought about creating affordable housing for them?” Scott asks, “They already made their own housing. All I have to do is not tear it down and throw it away. The real problem the homeless have isn't the lack of a home. It's the fact that there is nowhere that they are allowed to exist. So they can exist in front of the mall. I don't care.” Octapoo replied. Since the release of this conversation by Scott, Octapoo and the Octamall have come under fire for allowing the Kirk & Kirk pipeline to dispose directly into the homeless encampment. Some suggest this is Octapoo’s way of forcing the homeless to leave the area without him having to actually do anything.

In an interview with Barb Dwyer, Octapoo refutes these claims, saying that his not his intentions at all, claiming it is the job of the Aquaspawn City Council to remove the Kirk & Kirk pipeline. Many activists and environmentalists hope the reconstruction of the Octamall will force the Kirk & Kirk Vaccine Clinic to remove his pipeline. However, with Kirk being the server owner and Octapoo allegedly being on the Aquaspawn City Council, some people are not holding their breaths.

“Down with Kirk & Kirk and the Octamall!” shouted Dusk, a local communist wearing his Russian hat, USSR flag pin and holding a beet at a protest out front the Octamall. “And down with Tadog Mercantile too! He chanted, seemingly for no reason. When approached by our own Barb Dwyer, Dusk ran away. A fellow protestor told Barb that Dusk seems to only want to make sure the Tadog Mercantile gets hurt somehow and just supports whoever he wants to make that happen. Just yesterday, he was on the other side of the protest, helping Octamall Security push protesters away, once he heard that the reconstruction of the Octamall might force the Tadog Mercantile at Octamall to shut down. However, he joined the protest when he heard that might not happen, and that rather the Tadog Mercantile at Octamall might move if nothing is done.

No word on what will happen to the homeless encampment, however an anonymous member of the Aquaspawn City Council told the press today that she said a condition for the remodel approval by the City Council included funds to build permanent housing for those homeless people camped out front.

Shelby Stocked had no comment for the Piper on whether or not the Mercantile, or the Vaccine Clinic will be relocated. The Kirk & Kirk Corporation did not reply to our request for comment. Last week a deal had been struck between the Tadog Historical Society and the Octamall on the reconstruction. The front section of the Octamall was closed last week, for Historical Society members to investigate and take pictures. The Tadog Historical Society has not commented on what they were doing, only saying that they will be collecting demolition debris for historical preservation, and images of the historical Octamall will be released to the public soon.

“We are excited for this project for ourselves, our tenants, and the public” Octapoo added in our interview. He says the construction will be beneficial for everyone. And he is also sad this historic structure is being removed but says he will do all he can to preserve what is possible, while upgrading the Octamall to current code standards. Construction plans have not been made public, however many are anticipating the construction to be slow, due to the many agencies involved.