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City by the Lake.org, The Voice of Michigan City, Indiana _ City Talk _ The future of Marquette Mall - anyone know?

Posted by: Tim Nov 11 2014, 01:42 AM

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!

Posted by: Groucho Nov 11 2014, 08:21 AM

QUOTE(Tim @ Nov 11 2014, 01:42 AM) *

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....

Posted by: Tim Nov 11 2014, 08:34 AM

QUOTE(Groucho @ Nov 11 2014, 08:21 AM) *

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?

Posted by: Ang Nov 11 2014, 08:40 AM

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

Posted by: Southsider2k12 Nov 11 2014, 09:02 AM

QUOTE(Tim @ Nov 11 2014, 08:34 AM) *

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.

Posted by: diggler Nov 11 2014, 09:31 AM


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.


Posted by: Southsider2k12 Nov 11 2014, 09:47 AM

QUOTE(diggler @ Nov 11 2014, 09:31 AM) *

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.

Posted by: Ang Nov 11 2014, 10:36 AM

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?

Posted by: Southsider2k12 Nov 11 2014, 11:02 AM

QUOTE(Ang @ Nov 11 2014, 10:36 AM) *

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.

Posted by: Ang Nov 11 2014, 04:47 PM

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.

Posted by: Southsider2k12 Nov 11 2014, 04:52 PM

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.

Posted by: taxthedeer Nov 11 2014, 08:21 PM

QUOTE(Southsider2k12 @ Nov 11 2014, 04:52 PM) *

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?

Posted by: Southsider2k12 Nov 12 2014, 12:33 PM

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.

QUOTE
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.

Posted by: taxthedeer Nov 12 2014, 07:49 PM

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?

Posted by: Tim Nov 13 2014, 03:25 AM

QUOTE(taxthedeer @ Nov 12 2014, 07:49 PM) *

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.

Posted by: taxthedeer Nov 13 2014, 07:12 PM

QUOTE(Tim @ Nov 13 2014, 03:25 AM) *

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.

Posted by: Tim Nov 13 2014, 09:58 PM

QUOTE(taxthedeer @ Nov 13 2014, 07:12 PM) *

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.

Posted by: taxthedeer Nov 14 2014, 09:28 AM

QUOTE(Tim @ Nov 13 2014, 09:58 PM) *

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..



Posted by: Southsider2k12 Nov 14 2014, 10:57 AM

QUOTE(Tim @ Nov 13 2014, 09:58 PM) *

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.

Posted by: taxthedeer Nov 15 2014, 10:30 AM

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,-90.6778616,3a,60y,303.38h,88.54t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sRNzOPY8FiIykonieyWkzfQ!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.

Posted by: BeldenStNewbie Nov 16 2014, 07:01 PM

QUOTE(taxthedeer @ Nov 15 2014, 10:30 AM) *

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


This tells the tale.

Over the past five years Sears and JCPenney have been closing stores left and right. But the Michigan City stores have always survived the cuts. This means those stores are meeting company expectations and will remain open until the bottom line slips.

But the chains aren't building new outlets. Penney's tried some standalone and strip mall stores in the early 2000s (see Valparaiso), but then the economy tanked and they were left to work with what they have. The fate of those anchor stores will seal the fate of the mall.

Right now, Marquette Mall is the "bizarro world" of dead malls. If you look at other dead malls around the country, they are dying because the anchor stores have left, leaving a hodge-podge of smaller tenants to fend for themselves. It's the total opposite here. Three big-name anchors and almost no other tenants.

What's the solution? It's anybody's guess. It looks bad, but if it's not violating any codes, the city can't condemn it. The owners are trying to sell it, so they'll put the bare minimum of their resources into it. It's a stalemate.

I say they should turn it into the world's largest food court.

Or...if the legislature okays land-based gaming...it's prime real estate just off the interstate.

Posted by: Tim Nov 18 2014, 10:55 PM

QUOTE(BeldenStNewbie @ Nov 16 2014, 07:01 PM) *

This tells the tale.

Over the past five years Sears and JCPenney have been closing stores left and right. But the Michigan City stores have always survived the cuts. This means those stores are meeting company expectations and will remain open until the bottom line slips.

But the chains aren't building new outlets. Penney's tried some standalone and strip mall stores in the early 2000s (see Valparaiso), but then the economy tanked and they were left to work with what they have. The fate of those anchor stores will seal the fate of the mall.

Right now, Marquette Mall is the "bizarro world" of dead malls. If you look at other dead malls around the country, they are dying because the anchor stores have left, leaving a hodge-podge of smaller tenants to fend for themselves. It's the total opposite here. Three big-name anchors and almost no other tenants.

What's the solution? It's anybody's guess. It looks bad, but if it's not violating any codes, the city can't condemn it. The owners are trying to sell it, so they'll put the bare minimum of their resources into it. It's a stalemate.

I say they should turn it into the world's largest food court.

Or...if the legislature okays land-based gaming...it's prime real estate just off the interstate.


All good points - thanks for your candor.

So - do any of our members know anyone who works in Marquette Mall management who might be able to enlighten us as to the plan for the mall? Just curious as to what's going to happen there.

Posted by: taxthedeer Nov 19 2014, 08:04 AM

QUOTE(Tim @ Nov 18 2014, 10:55 PM) *

All good points - thanks for your candor.

So - do any of our members know anyone who works in Marquette Mall management who might be able to enlighten us as to the plan for the mall? Just curious as to what's going to happen there.

First question to ask is when does Carson's and Penney's lease expire?

Posted by: Tim Nov 19 2014, 09:52 PM

QUOTE(taxthedeer @ Nov 19 2014, 08:04 AM) *

First question to ask is when does Carson's and Penney's lease expire?


The first question I would ask the owners is WTF is wrong with you! But thanks for almost spelling JC Penney right. So tired of seeing Pennys on the MC FB pages. I gnash my teeth in anguish! lol

Posted by: taxthedeer Nov 19 2014, 11:11 PM

QUOTE(Tim @ Nov 19 2014, 09:52 PM) *

The first question I would ask the owners is WTF is wrong with you! But thanks for almost spelling JC Penney right. So tired of seeing Pennys on the MC FB pages. I gnash my teeth in anguish! lol

There are so many different Michigan City facebook pages it is difficult for me to keep them all straight.

Everything from Michigan City Garage Sales, reminiscing about Michigan City in it's glorious heyday of the bygone eras of the 60s, 70s and 80s, to Michigan City Positive News.

Posted by: Tim Nov 20 2014, 08:00 PM

QUOTE(taxthedeer @ Nov 19 2014, 11:11 PM) *

There are so many different Michigan City facebook pages it is difficult for me to keep them all straight.

Everything from Michigan City Garage Sales, reminiscing about Michigan City in it's glorious heyday of the bygone eras of the 60s, 70s and 80s, to Michigan City Positive News.


The only MC FB pages I'm on are Jim Mohamed's page and the REstaurant Review page. The rest are pretty much a waste of time.

Posted by: taxthedeer Nov 21 2014, 02:41 PM

QUOTE(BeldenStNewbie @ Nov 16 2014, 07:01 PM) *

This tells the tale.

Over the past five years Sears and JCPenney have been closing stores left and right. But the Michigan City stores have always survived the cuts. This means those stores are meeting company expectations and will remain open until the bottom line slips.

But the chains aren't building new outlets. Penney's tried some standalone and strip mall stores in the early 2000s (see Valparaiso), but then the economy tanked and they were left to work with what they have. The fate of those anchor stores will seal the fate of the mall.

Right now, Marquette Mall is the "bizarro world" of dead malls. If you look at other dead malls around the country, they are dying because the anchor stores have left, leaving a hodge-podge of smaller tenants to fend for themselves. It's the total opposite here. Three big-name anchors and almost no other tenants.

What's the solution? It's anybody's guess. It looks bad, but if it's not violating any codes, the city can't condemn it. The owners are trying to sell it, so they'll put the bare minimum of their resources into it. It's a stalemate.

I say they should turn it into the world's largest food court.

Or...if the legislature okays land-based gaming...it's prime real estate just off the interstate.
Out of the three anchors left at Marquette Mall I got a feeling that JC Penney will be the first to close it's doors.

When Jewel-Osco left a couple years ago they suggested Michigan City customers shop at their store in Chesterton. The sign in the now former Applebee's suggest that patrons visit their location in either Chesterton, Valparaiso or Portage and JC Penney will suggest that Michigan City customers visit their store in Valparaiso.

Posted by: Tim Dec 11 2014, 09:55 PM

I think I'm gonna call the mall management while I'm home and tell them I want to open a store in the mall and ask if they have long-range locations avialable - just to see what they say.

Posted by: taxthedeer Sep 1 2015, 05:29 PM

The future of Marquette Mall appears to be foreclosure.

The county treasurer has released the list of properties up for bid for the October 8 tax sale.

The Mall owners are delinquent to the tune of $422,805.86 in paying their property taxes.

$128,975.82 are owed on the abandoned theater building alone. The Marquette Theater building has been shuttered since 2007.

Posted by: diggler Sep 2 2015, 08:26 AM

IPB Image

Posted by: Tim Sep 4 2015, 01:07 AM

QUOTE(taxthedeer @ Sep 1 2015, 05:29 PM) *

The future of Marquette Mall appears to be foreclosure.

The county treasurer has released the list of properties up for bid for the October 8 tax sale.

The Mall owners are delinquent to the tune of $422,805.86 in paying their property taxes.

$128,975.82 are owed on the abandoned theater building alone. The Marquette Theater building has been shuttered since 2007.


Is the mall included in the list of properties to be put up for auction?

Posted by: taxthedeer Sep 4 2015, 11:14 AM

QUOTE(Tim @ Sep 4 2015, 02:07 AM) *

Is the mall included in the list of properties to be put up for auction?
Their are four separate parcels owned by the Mall that are up on the tax lien auction.

Posted by: Tim Sep 5 2015, 03:23 PM

QUOTE(taxthedeer @ Sep 4 2015, 11:14 AM) *

Their are four separate parcels owned by the Mall that are up on the tax lien auction.


Is one of them the mall? If you know.

Posted by: taxthedeer Sep 5 2015, 05:59 PM

QUOTE(Tim @ Sep 5 2015, 04:23 PM) *

Is one of them the mall? If you know.
Yes, the Mall ownership group property is divided into four separate parcels.

Sears owns their building and surrounding parking area as well as the bank building at Franklin & St. John Rd.

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