[Ang]

Really it would be better to raze the whole thing and have strip malls and stand alone stores. Sorry, but I think it's true.

[MCRogers1974]

Really it would be better to raze the whole thing and have strip malls and stand alone stores. Sorry, but I think it's true.

Similar to what was done to the Scottsdale Mall in South Bend.

[Southsider2k12]

Really it would be better to raze the whole thing and have strip malls and stand alone stores. Sorry, but I think it's true.

I agree fully. Right now no one goes out there because there are no stores. No stores want to locate in there because there are no customers. I don't see how you break that cycle.

[Tim]

Really it would be better to raze the whole thing and have strip malls and stand alone stores. Sorry, but I think it's true.

Nothing to be sorry about, IMO. As SS said, it's a cycle that will be hard to break as far as no stores = no customers.

In my mind, as I've said, the only thing that could save the mall is if a whole bunch of stores moved in there all at once - and that's just not going to happen.

It'll be a sad day for those of us who love our city's history. Much like driving past the old M&M is for me now.

But for Marquette Mall, the end is not a matter of "if" but "when".

[taxthedeer]

I visited the Marquette Ghost Mall to buy my Iraq war vet buddy a gift for Veteran's Day (his birthday was yesterday too) at that little Korean owned gift shop between Carson's and Penny's. I deceided to get some excercise and entered on the north end of the mall through Sears. First thing I noticed was Readers World almost in the process of closing and relocating to a new spot in the Mall. Reader's World is now two spaces west of that place where you used to be able to go and order one of those big ass slices of Pizza they used to have sitting behind the glass as you walked pass. The two businness left between Sears and Penny's are GNC and The La Porte County Convention and Visitor Bureau.

What I miss most about going into the Mall is always seeing three of the most unique people from Michigan City that I know hangingout, Bicycle Bob (always having a conversation with himself), Steven the bag boy from Meijer and that homeless guy that would sit on the bench and say HI THERE to everyone as they would walk by.

[Southsider2k12]

Last time I was at the Mall, we had lunch at Applebees. We sat in the window where you could see into the mall. I actually watched a guy sit on the bench in the mall and start reading a book. I got to thinking about it, and it is probably quieter to read in the mall versus the library.

[Ang]

I know all three of those people you mentioned! I think the last guy is named Harold.

[taxthedeer]

I know all three of those people you mentioned! I think the last guy is named Harold.

Bicycle Bob worked for the cleaning service that was contracted to the plant when I first started working at ANCO in 1990 on midnights. His main duties were emptying the trash cans in the caferteria's and restroom. He would go around the plant pushing a hopper full of plastic trash bags moving as fast as he could so he could go sit in the office break room until his shift was over, he would be talking to himself never shutting up throughout the entire night. I still run into Bicycle Bob at Member's Advantage Credit Union on Ohio St., still talking to himself. I figue he has his disability depositied there.

[taxthedeer]

In 1980 they used the abandoned Dixie Square Mall at 151st and Dixie Hwy in Harvey, IL after it was closed for the filming of the car chase scene in the film "The Blues Brothers" starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. The exterior of the JC Penny of the former Dixie Square Mall looks very similar to the exterior of the Marquette Mall in Michigan City and the interior looks similar too. I figure that both malls must have been designed and constructed by the same developer. The Dixie Square Mall that was used as a set in that movie was finally razed this past spring after being closed and abandoned for 34 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENAb2JTyn_M

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Square_Mall

[Southsider2k12]

In 1980 they used the abandoned Dixie Square Mall at 151st and Dixie Hwy in Harvey, IL after it was closed for the filming of the car chase scene in the film "The Blues Brothers" starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. The exterior of the JC Penny of the former Dixie Square Mall looks very similar to the exterior of the Marquette Mall in Michigan City and the interior looks similar too. I figure that both malls must have been designed and constructed by the same developer. The Dixie Square Mall that was used as a set in that movie was finally razed this past spring after being closed and abandoned for 34 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENAb2JTyn_M

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Square_Mall

I can't see that happening here. Even if the Mall eventually closes entirely, the property is at one of the most high traffic intersections in Michigan City. The land is worth a lot.

[taxthedeer]

I can't see that happening here. Even if the Mall eventually closes entirely, the property is at one of the most high traffic intersections in Michigan City. The land is worth a lot.

I don't ever see the office tower (Swanson Center) ever coming down.

Found this website interesting:

http://deadmalls.com/

Marquette Mall hasn't made their list yet.

[Southsider2k12]

I don't ever see the office tower (Swanson Center) ever coming down.

What is the occupancy rate like in there?

[taxthedeer]

What is the occupancy rate like in there?

I don't know about the office building. But according to the deadmall.com site a dead mall is defined as a mall with a high vacancy rate, low consumer traffic level, or is dated or deteriorating in some manner. For purposes of inclusion on their site, Deadmalls.com defines a dead mall as one having a occupancy rate in slow or steady decline of 70% or less.

They also have different catagories for malls, Marquette Mall in it's present state would fall into the catagory of a thrid class mall:

first class mall.... regular operating mall
second class mall... high vacancy, or non-traditional store occupancy
third class mall... areas or entire mall sealed from public
fourth class mall... shuttered or slated for demolition
fifth class mall... redevelopment has begun, or is completed

[taxthedeer]

This article and video states that the Dixie Square Mall contained high levels of asbestos. Since both Dixie Square and Marquette Malls were constructed around the same time it makes me wonder how much asbestos Marquette Mall contains.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/02/15/dix...wrecking-crews/

Dixie Square Mall Finally Meets With Wrecking Crews

February 15, 2012 2:09 PM

Updated 02/15/12 – 4:27 p.m.

HARVEY, Ill. (CBS) — Wrecking crews will be finishing the job that The Blues Brothers started more than 30 years ago – demolishing the Dixie Square Mall in south suburban Harvey.

“We’re on a mission from God.”

It’s one of the most famous lines from the 1980 movie “The Blues Brothers,” a line Gov. Pat Quinn borrowed Wednesday as he announced that demolition of the ruins of the Dixie Square Mall would begin.

As CBS 2’s Derrick Blakley reports, in reality, it didn’t take God to finally begin demolition of the decrepit mall, just a $4 million federal grant, funneled through the governor’s office.

The mall at 151st Street and Dixie Highway in Harvey is famous for being used in a chase scene in “The Blues Brothers.”

“I’m proud to say we were the first movie to trash a mall,” Blues Brothers director John Landis said in an interview about the film.

In the scene, Jake and Elwood’s Blues Mobile and pursuing Illinois State Police vehicles crash through the picture windows of several storefronts and mow down shelves and merchandise, leaving the mall in ruins.

Some of the storefronts in the movie were set up with false signs for Pier 1 Imports, Gingiss Formalwear and Toys ‘R’ Us, as well as for a Jewel store with an interior entry that actually had been the J.C. Penney. A man is famously seen buying a plush Grover toy at the Toys ‘R’ Us and asking the clerk, “Do you have a Miss Piggy?” when the Blues Mobile comes smashing through.

It was that chase scene that made the mall immortal, but as WBBM Newsradio’s Mike Krauser reports, it is also infamous as a symbol of blight and despair, having seen vandalism, fires and a brutal rape and murder in the decades it has stood decaying.

When the mall opened in 1966, it was a major economic engine for the southern suburbs, anchored by a Woolworth, a J.C. Penney, a Montgomery Ward, a Jewel store that only opened to the outside, and later a Turn Style discount store. A Walgreens, a Kinney Family shore store, a Fannie May candy shop, a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop and a Wurlitzer organ store were among the other tenants.

But, by 1979, it had already been closed for more than a year when The Blues Brothers movie was filmed.

The mall was only ever open for about 12 years; it has been shuttered for almost 75 percent of its entire existence.



Harvey resident Thomas Lay said, “When that left the neighborhood, everything looked like it just pulled out; like it just pulled the rug away from the neighborhood.”

Crime around the mall was already becoming a problem before it closed. Among the incidents were a shooting in a robbery on the mall property, and the strangulation of a teenage girl who was lured from the mall by three peers.

With the mall completely abandoned, vandals began breaking in and stealing scrap metal. Rain and snow began entering the decaying building as structural elements were taken down, leading to an overgrowth of mold and further disintegration.

The empty mall also drew attention for gruesome crimes. Raymond Eaves was convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering a woman, Denise Shelby, in the old J.C. Penney space in 1993. He was also charged with raping a developmentally disabled girl in the empty mall.

Major fires broke out multiple times at the abandoned mall. One fire destroyed what was left of the old Woolworth store in 2004, and another fire damaged one of the entrances in 2009, leading its roof to collapse.

The empty mall became an embarrassing white elephant, a public safety hazard, and an eyesore. Demolition was hampered by a lack of funds and the presence of asbestos.

Maurice Williams, a spokesman for the demolition crew, said, “As the asbestos comes out, the demolition crew will follow. It’s a six month project overall.”

The project also holds the promise of a new beginning in Harvey.

Harvey mayor Eric Kellogg discussed what he hopes to see replace the decrepit mall.

“I have great visions, with respect to seeing, one day, restaurants and tier one stores, economic development, commercial and retail; so our citizens can stay in Harvey and the tax dollars can stay here in our great city,” Kellogg said.

Repeated proposals to tear down the mall fell through over the years, creating an embarrassment for Harvey’s politicians and a symbol of civic failure.

That’s why there was so much joy evident when demolition began Wednesday, not that plans for new development are firmly in place.

But, with the mall finally being torn down, the future can finally begin to unfold.

“Harvey is moving forward, and our future looks bright. Today is a special day,” Kellogg said. “I’m very elated. I’m very delighted and excited about the progress.”

Illinois State Rep. Al Riley (D-Hazel Crest) says good things are going to happen at the site.

“This is just one, but it’s one that has extreme economic significance and symbolic significance for what’s going to happen to the City of Harvey,” Riley said.

[Commuter]

People like strip malls instead of enclosed malls because inactivity is fashionable these days. Drive as close as you can to your destination then walk as little as possible the rest of the way. Grab one of those battery-operated shopping carts and hit the chip aisle.

I never liked the dry fountains at Marquette. I figured the handwriting was on the wall at that point. Kind of like the dry fountains at Franklin Square, but that was a political boondoggle from the git go.

$64 question: what's the next big miracle solution for the Warren Building? I KNOW! Turn it into a mall!!!

[Tim]

People like strip malls instead of enclosed malls because inactivity is fashionable these days. Drive as close as you can to your destination then walk as little as possible the rest of the way. Grab one of those battery-operated shopping carts and hit the chip aisle.

Good point. Every time I come home and hit Walmart and see those morbidly obese losers riding those carts around because they're too freaking fat to actually make it from one end of the store to the other without aid I'm thinking what the hell would they do at Marquette Mall?

[MCRogers1974]

Good point. Every time I come home and hit Walmart and see those morbidly obese losers riding those carts around because they're too freaking fat to actually make it from one end of the store to the other without aid I'm thinking what the hell would they do at Marquette Mall?

Is there a "Like" button here?

[Southsider2k12]

People like strip malls instead of enclosed malls because inactivity is fashionable these days. Drive as close as you can to your destination then walk as little as possible the rest of the way. Grab one of those battery-operated shopping carts and hit the chip aisle.

I never liked the dry fountains at Marquette. I figured the handwriting was on the wall at that point. Kind of like the dry fountains at Franklin Square, but that was a political boondoggle from the git go.

$64 question: what's the next big miracle solution for the Warren Building? I KNOW! Turn it into a mall!!!

Well an art mall anyway...

[Commuter]

There is an old mall in Las Vegas called "FANTASTIC" flea market. It is hands down one of the best I have ever been to. DONE RIGHT. Perfect mix of junque, retail, food, imports, garage sale carp, ethnic must-haves, live plants, cheap clothes, nice stuff, etc. and the inventory changes regularly because, of course, nothing is new.

Have a kick-a$$ flea market there and I bet Marquette Mall would experience a turnaround.

As I have said before, I always liked the quirkiness of this little town. I rather liked the strip clubs and massage parlors of yore because it added a funkiness to the town that made it stand out from the rest of white-bread NW Indiana.

I remember chuckling when I'd open a newspaper and read about a massage parlor bust -- and the Kim Chee Washington and Sook Loo Jefferson had posted bail. . .

I remember the Shake Shack on Pine Lake Avenue in LaPorte. Did you know the "Fire Dancer" used to live right here in Michigan City and owned a family-oriented business here? Bet you didn't.

Alas, like other towns, all those establishments (save for a few) have closed and have been replaced by "eat yourself fat" restaurants. Pine Lake went upscale and built condos -- to the point that you can't really tell Pine Lake is even there any more.

I'd like to see Michigan City become weird again -- a fun place to go -- a destination unique to itself.

I think it will happen with or without a strip club.

[Southsider2k12]

To add to this, Lighthouse Place was actually the second outlet mall built in the country. It was incredibly unique at the time that it was built. Then of course the concept caught on, and outlet malls have been transformed into what malls were 30 years ago.