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Big plan for Northland Mall in FL |
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Wednesday, 30 January 2008 |
Cliff Buchan
News Editor
Like the look of The Village, the sprawling commercial development in Blaine at I-35W and Lexington Avenue? Something similar could be headed Forest Lake’s way in form of a major transformation and expansion of Northland Mall on south US-61.
A plan to revitalize the city’s oldest shopping center is now working its way through city of Forest Lake channels. The plan involves a new home for the community’s oldest grocery store, MarketPlace Foods, the former Setterholm’s operation, 935 S. Lake St.
Officials from Pace Development of Bemidji have presented their development plan to the city’s planning commission and city council with mostly positive reaction. The developers have indicated architects who helped design the massive commercial project in Blaine will have input in the Forest Lake project to be known as MarketPlace.
If the plan wins all city approvals, the developer will proceed with final purchase matters with the Schrier Group which opened the mall in 1979.
1st review
The redevelopment and expansion plan for the Northland Mall cleared the Forest Lake Planning Commission on Wednesday, Jan. 23. The planning commission, meeting in regular session, voted 8-0 to support the proposed subdivision concept and a commercial planned unit development for the 13.67-acre parcel that will bring major changes.
The center’s owner, the Schrier Group, has a purchase agreement to sell the main mall property to Pace Development, said Doug Borglund, city community development director last week.
Borglund confirmed that the Schrier Group has retained the Northland Plaza and Lakes 5 Cinema parcels on the southern end of the mall site, and would refurbish both to blend with the expanded and renovated mall complex.
The developers are the owners of MarketPlace Foods in Forest Lake.
Under the plan, for MarketPlace, a new 16,400 square foot retail building running west to east would be constructed on the northern border of the existing mall parking lot. The building will be used to house any of the existing mall tenants who wish to relocate and new tenants, Borglund said.
The main mall complex, with the exception of the south end that now houses three major tenants, will be expanded and renovated to house a new 70,000 square foot MarketPlace grocery and drug store, and some of the existing mall tenants.
A new liquor store and buffet style restaurant owned by the developer will be added in the northern wing of the existing mall.
The renovation would expand the main mall building some 20 feet to the east.
The existing MarketPlace Food store would relocate to the mall property with that building leased by its owners for other purposes.
The plan also provides additional building pads on the mall site.
The developers are considering a gas station and convenience store for one of the building sites that front on Highway 61, but that use is not 100 percent, the developers said last week.
The plan also calls for major parking lot improvements, stormwater management and landscaping improvements.
The MarketPlace project would retain to entrance locations from US-61 with the main entryway located on the southern end to align with development on the east side of US-61. A signal light for that intersection will be studied, officials said.
The project was strongly supported by members of the commission and staff.
“The mall will have a totally different look — almost a village feel,” Borglund said.
Commission members had some questions regarding the potential placement of the gas station and convenience store, but agreed the project would serve as a “magnet” for the south side of Forest Lake.
“We are out to make it something that is outstanding,” said Pace representative John Nelson last week.
No time table for construction was stated, but the developers said the new 16,400 square foot building would go first to allow any existing mall tenants to relocate.
That would set the stage for the major mall work and site changes, plus construction on any of the new building pads created by the project.
There was no word on the status of the existing mall tenants impacted by the proposal but it is expected that those on the south end — The Forum/Anytime Fitness, the Family Pathways Thrift Store and The Dance Factory will remain in their current locations.
Council reaction
The Northland Mall redevelopment concept plat and preliminary commercial planned unit development was approved by the Forest Lake City Council during its regular meeting on Monday, Jan. 28.
Councilman Greg Ochs commended the Schrier Group for taking on the project.
Councilwoman Susan Young, however, said the proposal was missing an important element – the people. She had hoped the land would be mixed use with commerical businesses on street level and residential above.
“I’m looking forward to this,” Young said, noting the redevelopment will set the tone for quality on the south end of Highway 61.
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