[Tim]

Lots of rumors flying around on various Facebook MC pages about the mall. Does anyone know, beyond rumor, what exactly is happening with the mall? Other than going there is like being the last living cell in a dead body, I mean. thanks in advance!

[Groucho]

Lots of rumors flying around on various Facebook MC pages about the mall. Does anyone know, beyond rumor, what exactly is happening with the mall? Other than going there is like being the last living cell in a dead body, I mean. thanks in advance!

Tim, it's big and cavernous. Someone could turn it into a concert hall for headbangers. You could have a Japanese metal band open....Geez, I wonder where you would find on of those....

[Tim]

Tim, it's big and cavernous. Someone could turn it into a concert hall for headbangers. You could have a Japanese metal band open....Geez, I wonder where you would find on of those....

Yeah, so... a-n-y-w-a-y - anyone know the status of Marquette Mall as to whether it's staying open or closing?

[Ang]

Right now, that's the Great Mystery of Michigan City....

[Southsider2k12]

Yeah, so... a-n-y-w-a-y - anyone know the status of Marquette Mall as to whether it's staying open or closing?

Nope. I know nothing concrete. If you ask around, everyone knows someone who knows something... and none of it lines up.

The couple of things I know for sure... The Mall is for sale. The City tried to entice the ownership with TIF money to do improvements, but ownership never even bothered to respond.

Other than that, who knows.

[diggler]

Its about time somebody gets a CLUE of what to do with the dying Marquette Mall: You turn it into an ARTIST COLONY, with studios, crafts and gifts shops that sort of thing. The La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau can be its anchor.

[Southsider2k12]

Its about time somebody gets a CLUE of what to do with the dying Marquette Mall: You turn it into an ARTIST COLONY, with studios, crafts and gifts shops that sort of thing. The La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau can be its anchor.

This is exactly what is being done with the Warren Building.

[Ang]

As I said before, I'm all for tearing it down...

Mayor Meer....
Can you please give us information regarding the future of Marquette Mall?

[Southsider2k12]

As I said before, I'm all for tearing it down...

Mayor Meer....
Can you please give us information regarding the future of Marquette Mall?

The only way the City could do that is for the City Council to declare it a blight, and I got the distinct impression that there is no one willing to go out on that limb right now.

[Ang]

I wasn't suggesting the City be responsible for tearing it down, just saying that's what I think needs to be done.
But, give it another year or so, and it will be a blight.

I was just asking if the Mayor has any information on the future of the place that he could share with the masses....

But, unlike Chuck, I don't think he feels like "talking" to us. Chuck was always good about answering our questions....But I don't believe the current Mayor has put in an appearance here.

[Southsider2k12]

Unless it has changed in the last few months, the MM ownership group has not engaged the City at all in terms of what they are doing.

[taxthedeer]

Unless it has changed in the last few months, the MM ownership group has not engaged the City at all in terms of what they are doing.

The old Century Mall at U.S. 30 and Broadway in Merrillville got tore down, Woodmar Mall in Hammond was tore down, Scottsdale Mall in South Bend was tore down, there is a story that a judge ordered Lincoln Mall in Matteson, IL shutdown after the holidays (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-lincoln-mall-closing-met-20141111-story.html).

Whenever I visit other nearby cities such as Portage, Valparaiso, Hobart, Crown Point and even Lake Station I never see nearly the blight and abandonment the I see around Michigan City.

My question for the mayor and other city officials is, What are all these Northwest Indiana cities doing right that Michigan City is doing wrong?

[Southsider2k12]

I received this from the Mayor's Office this morning and wanted to share it with the group. Thanks to Mayor Ron Meer for not only reading, but also reaching out to us about this. I appreciate it.

The Mayor understands that there were some inquiries on “citybythelake.org” in regards to the status of the Marquette Mall campus. He would like for me to relay to you that over the last three years, on numerous occasions, the Michigan City Planning Department, the EDCMC and the Redevelopment Commission have all reached out to the management of the Marquette Mall facility to see how the City of Michigan City could assist them in the redevelopment of their facility or in other needs they may have that the city could assist them with. The management, up to this point, has had no interest in working with the city in regards to any of these issues; given they are in the private sector, we have respected their response. However, if they come and request our partnership in the future, the City of Michigan City does stand ready to assist them. Thank you.

[taxthedeer]

This do nothing response from the mayor begs a couple more questions:

In what specific ways has these city entities "reached out" to the Mall management and in what ways is the city of Michigan City going assist and partner them in redeveloping the facility?

What steps is the city prepared to take if there is never any interest from mall management to make the facility a viable part of the community again?

[Tim]

This do nothing response from the mayor begs a couple more questions:

In what specific ways has these city entities "reached out" to the Mall management and in what ways is the city of Michigan City going assist and partner them in redeveloping the facility?

What steps is the city prepared to take if there is never any interest from mall management to make the facility a viable part of the community again?

Do nothing? Obviously the city contacted mall management, who told them to blow it out their assets, to which the city responded we're ready to help.

That's how I read it, anyway.

[taxthedeer]

Do nothing? Obviously the city contacted mall management, who told them to blow it out their assets, to which the city responded we're ready to help.

That's how I read it, anyway.

What can be done to "help" the Marquette Mall? All the shopping has moved to Lighthouse Place.

[Tim]

What can be done to "help" the Marquette Mall? All the shopping has moved to Lighthouse Place.

That's a valid question. Maybe there's nothing that can help the mall. My point was that, with a pledge of potential help, it was not a "do doing" post.

[taxthedeer]

That's a valid question. Maybe there's nothing that can help the mall. My point was that, with a pledge of potential help, it was not a "do doing" post.

At this point the only thing that the city can do is assist in the bid process to have the Mall and office tower to be made into a greyfield site for new development such as a target or Costco..

[Southsider2k12]

That's a valid question. Maybe there's nothing that can help the mall. My point was that, with a pledge of potential help, it was not a "do doing" post.

TIF funding is the typical aid to businesses. Some modernization and remodeling would go a long way towards attracting some positive attention out there.

[taxthedeer]

Here is a link of the street view of the Indian Mall in Jonesboro, Arkansas which opened in 1968. I used to own a 2nd home in Jonesboro until I sold it a couple years ago.

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.8218856,-90...eyWkzfQ!2e0

Jonesboro is the home of Arkansas State University and the schools nickname used to be the "Indians" until the NCAA made them change their name to the "Red Wolves" about 5 years ago and that is how the Indian mall got it's name.

When the newer, modern Mall at Turtle Creek opened down the road in 2006 all the stores at the older outdated Indian Mall closed up and it was demolished in 2012 with the exception of the Sears store and Sears auto center. To this date no other development has been made to the greyfield site that was once Jonesboro's Indian Mall.

Since Sears owns their store and parking areas as well as the bank building on the corner of Franklin & St. John Rd. this could possibly be what the future could hold for Michigan City's Marquette Mall.

As for now I'm guessing as long as Carson's and Penney's remain as tenants the Marquette Mall will remain standing.