Malls · Michigan
The Orchards Mall
The Orchards Mall, opened 1979, now operates with few tenants under Durga LLC, facing anchor loss and uncertain redevelopment prospects. · summary, model-written
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Site profile15 elements · what this retrofit is built with · tap a chip for the evidence
Former anchors
Elder-Beerman
This site: Elder-Beerman wikipedia · all sites with thisJCPenney
This site: JCPenney wikipedia · all sites with thisSears
This site: Sears wikipedia · all sites with thisFinance and pipeline
Website dead or redirecting
This site: …https://www.theorchardsmall.com overture / http check · all sites with thisOwnership
Single-purpose entity
This site: Durga LLC county-parcels · all sites with thisPlace
Grocery within 800 m
This site: 4 stores openstreetmap · all sites with thisHigh social vulnerability tract (SVI ≥ 0.75)
This site: 0.99 cdc-svi · all sites with thisLower-income tract (< $50k)
This site: $28,956 census-acs · all sites with thisOpportunity Zone
This site: 26021002100 hud-oz · all sites with thisRenter-majority tract
This site: 65% census-acs · all sites with thisShrinking county
This site: -0.9% census-acs · all sites with thisTract income up 60%+ since 2013
This site: +60% census-acs · all sites with thisScale
Building footprint 50,000+ m²
This site: 56,242 m² overture · all sites with thisStrategy
Redeveloped
This site: As of December 2022, the three businesses remaining at the mall, two of which were the last remaining stores, were Doctor ZZZZ'Z; a discount furniture store,… extraction · all sites with thisNew use
Retail (continued)
This site: …s, were Doctor ZZZZ'Z; a discount furniture store, Open Box Outlet, which occupied the former Jo-Ann Fabrics space; and a US P extraction · all sites with thisNow
| Status | Operatingextracted, unreviewed documentedIn spite of the mall being empty – a dead mall – as of 2026 it has not officially announced its closure. |
|---|---|
| Strategy | Redevelopedextracted, unreviewed documentedan April 2023 meeting between the owner and local officials indicated redevelopment plans. |
| What is there now | As of December 2022, the three businesses remaining at the mall, two of which were the last remaining stores, were Doctor ZZZZ'Z; a discount furniture store, Open Box Outlet, which occupied the former Jo-Ann Fabrics space; and a US Postal Service (USPS) branch.extracted, unreviewed documentedAs of December 2022, the three businesses remaining at the mall, two of which were the last remaining stores, were Doctor ZZZZ'Z; a discount furniture store, Open Box Outlet, which occupied the former Jo-Ann Fabrics space; and a US Postal Service (USPS) branch. |
Deals and debt
| Date | Event | Price | Parties | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Sold | — | Durga LLC ← Kohan Retail Investment Group | Wikipedia |
| 2014 | Sold | — | Kohan Retail Investment Group ← Sequoia Investments | Wikipedia |
| 2002 | Sold | — | Sequoia Investments ← General Growth Properties | Wikipedia |
Site context
| Transit within 800 m | no rail stationOpenStreetMap |
|---|---|
| Motorway junctions within 2 km | 29, 30OpenStreetMap |
| FEMA flood zone | X · AREA OF MINIMAL FLOOD HAZARDFEMA NFHL |
| EPA-regulated facilities within 500 m | 8: J C PENNEY CORPORATION INC; PEARL VISION CORP; PETSMART INC; SCHROEDER FORD LINCOLN MERCURY; SEARS ROEBUCK AND COEPA FRS |
| Census tract 26021002100 | 2,628 people, 900 per sq mi; median household income $28,956; median gross rent $668; 65% renters; 10.5% vacant units; 0.0% commute by transitACS 2023 5-year |
| Walkability (EPA, block group) | index 10.2 of 20; 65 intersections per sq mi; no transit stop within the EPA search radius; land-use mix 0.94; 17,865 jobs within 45 min by car; 18% of households without a carEPA Smart Location |
| Within a 10–15 minute walk (800 m) | 4 of 6 daily needs: 4 grocers, 0 schools, 0 parks or playgrounds, 1 health, 2 civic, 4 food and drink; 0 cycleway segments, 5 sidewalk-tagged segmentsOpenStreetMap |
| Opportunity Zone | yes, tract 26021002100 (rural)HUD |
| Housing permits, Berrien County (MI), 2024 | 0 units in 5+ unit buildings, 15 in 2–4, 339 single-family; 2023: 48 in 5+Census BPS |
| Social vulnerability (CDC SVI 2022, tract) | overall percentile 0.99; socioeconomic 0.99; housing and transport 0.99; 74% below 150% of poverty; 19% of households with no vehicleCDC/ATSDR |
| Overture Maps | place The Orchards Mall (shopping_mall, confidence 0.75, from BrightQuery, Overture, Overture-signals); building footprint 56,242 m²Overture (CDLA-Permissive 2.0) |
| Website and social | www.theorchardsmall.com (down or redirecting, status 0); archived 2001–2025 (Wayback)Overture / Internet Archive |
| Attention: Wikipedia page views | 37,668 since 2015; 3,860 in the last 12 months (+4% vs the prior 12); peak 2026-05 with 678Wikimedia |
| Tract change 2013–2023 | population -4% (2,733 → 2,628); median income +60% ($18,099 → $28,956); renters 52% → 65%; median home value +69% ($49,100 → $82,800)Census ACS 5-year |
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA National Risk Index, tract) | relatively low overall (score 38.8); expected annual loss $801,434; high: strong wind; community resilience very highFEMA NRI |
| Tax-credit housing within 1 km | 2 LIHTC properties, 156 units: Harbor Pointe Apts Phase I (Benton Charter Twp) (84 units); Harbor Pointe Apts Phase Ii (72 units)HUD LIHTC |
| Retail trade in the county, 2025 (BLS QCEW) | 7,330 jobs in 529 establishments; average annual pay $35,525; employment location quotient 1.22; employment +3.3% on the yearBLS QCEW 2025, NAICS 44-45, private |
| Jobs located in the tract, 2021 | 3,492 jobs; 1,246 in retail trade, 417 in accommodation and food (workplace blocks summed to tract 26021002100)Census LEHD LODES8 WAC 2021 |
| Upward mobility (Opportunity Atlas, 2010 tract) | children of low-income (25th percentile) families reached the 29th income percentile as adults; 4.9% incarcerated at the 2010 count (875 children in the sample); born 1978–83, measured 2014–15Opportunity Insights |
| Food access (USDA FARA 2019, 2010 tract) | not a low-access tract at 1 mile; 4% of residents more than 1 mile from a supermarket; poverty rate 29.0%; median family income $29,306; 380 SNAP householdsUSDA ERS |
| Schools | Benton Harbor Area Schools (PK-12); 1 public school within 1 mile: Fair Plain East ElementaryNCES EDGE |
| Elevation | 647 ft above sea level at the site pointUSGS 3DEP |
| Storm events in the county, 2016-2025 | 131 county-logged events: 91 thunderstorm wind, 27 hail, 7 flood, 3 flash flood; $10,059,500 property damage reported; forecast-zone events (most flood, winter and heat) not countedNOAA Storm Events |
| Homes for sale in ZIP 49022, 2026-09 | median list price $186,745 (+1.0% on the year); 81 active listings; median 52 days on market; 24% with a price cutRealtor.com Research |
| Retail trade in the county, 2012 to 2023 | 538 establishments (-9%); 7,047 jobs (+3%)Census CBP |
| Housing market in the county | typical home value $281,193 (+7% 1 yr, +29% 5 yr); typical rent $1,403/mo (+4% 1 yr), 2026-09Zillow Research |
| Traffic on the busiest road within 600 m (2024) | 12,390 vehicles a day on E Napier Ave (principal arterial, 4 lanes); 335 trucks; 37 counted segmentsFHWA HPMS |
Summary, model-written
Opened in 1979 with Sears and JCPenney as anchors, the mall added Elder-Beerman in the 1990s. Over time, anchor stores closed—Sears in 2009—and the mall gradually emptied, leaving only a discount furniture store, an outlet, and a USPS branch by 2022. Despite being largely vacant, it has not announced closure as of 2026.
Why. The primary visible cause is the loss of anchor tenants, notably Sears’ 2009 closure, which drove declining foot traffic and tenant turnover. Other factors such as competition, debt, or demolition are not stated in the record.
Where it stands. The mall remains operating and is controlled by Durga LLC, which has owned the property since 2018.
For a planner
- Strategy listed as "redevelop", indicating intent to repurpose the site.
- Ownership has changed four times since 1999, showing speculative investment patterns.
- Open questions include the impact of the USPS branch closure planned for 2026 and the feasibility of redeveloping a 530,000 sf vacant mall.
For a developer
- Site size: 530,000 sf GLA.
- Control: owned solely by Durga LLC since 2018.
- Entitlement: strategy listed as redevelop, indicating planning stage.
- Market signals: opportunity score 0.0 due to existing retrofit and large site.
What we do not know yet
- Anchor tenant mix beyond Sears, JCPenney, and Elder-Beerman is unknown.
- Current vacancy rate and detailed tenant roll‑call are not provided.
- Financial encumbrances, debt, or liens on the property are not stated.
- Environmental, flood‑plain, or transit‑access constraints are absent from the record.
- The USPS branch closure date (2026) is noted but its impact on foot traffic is uncertain.
Generated by nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b on NVIDIA API via Hermes CT from the fields, parcels, deals and context layers on this page, with no outside knowledge. It is regenerated when the record changes and has not been checked by a person. How it is made.
Similar sites
- Conestoga Mall, Grand Island, NE · Malls · similar GLA (612,539 sq ft); opened 1974; same strategy: redevelop
- Penhorn Mall, Dartmouth · Malls · similar GLA (441,651 sq ft); opened 1974; same strategy: redevelop
- Prestonwood Mall, Dallas, TX · Malls · similar GLA (462,277 sq ft); opened 1979; same strategy: redevelop
- Twin Peaks, Longmont, CO · Malls · similar GLA (555,919 sq ft); opened 1985; same strategy: redevelop
Elsewhere on the web
Retail history: The Orchards Mall on DeadMalls.com photos, field notes and visitor memories since 2000; matched by name and state only, check the city; nothing copied here
Pages with photos
- The Orchards Mall in Benton Harbor, MI, in December of 2014. The stench ... reddit.com
- What's going on with The Orchards Mall? | Benton Harbor ... heraldpalladium.com
Search images: Google · Bing · Commons · references: ULI case studies · Google Scholar
Multifamily screen
- retrofit already built
- 530,000 sq ft GLA (large site)
Inputs: record fields (size, status) and county Census ACS 2018–2023 figures (growth, rent). How the points work. Not a recommendation.
History and original facts
| Opened | 1979Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Gross leasable area | 530,000 sq ftEsri 2014 layer reported |
| Stores at peak | 60Esri 2014 layer reported |
| Original developer | Westcorextracted, unreviewed |
| Anchors | JCPenney, Sears, Elder-Beerman |
| Address | Pipestone Rd., Napier Ave. & I-94 |
| County | Berrien |
| Census division | 3 · East North Central |
| Notes | Wikipedia categories: Abandoned shopping malls in the United States |
Not yet recorded: acres, retrofit year. Know it? Tell us.
Background
The Orchards Mall is an enclosed mall in Benton Charter Township, Michigan, U.S., just outside Benton Harbor. Opened in 1979, the mall originally featured Sears and JCPenney as its anchor stores, with Elder-Beerman being added in the 1990s. In spite of the mall being empty – a dead mall – as of 2026 it has not officially announced its closure.
Excerpt from Wikipedia (authors and history), CC BY-SA 4.0. May be older than the record above.
Timeline
- 1974 Meyer C. Weiner Company first proposed a mall called Pipestone Mall
- 1976 Westcor acquired the land for the mall
- 1979 Opened (Wikidata)
- 1979 Orchards Mall opened
- 1992 Elder-Beerman added as third anchor store
- 1999 General Growth Properties became mall management
- 2002 General Growth sold the mall to Sequoia Investments
- 2009 Sears closed its store
- 2014 Kohan Retail Investment Group purchased the mall
- 2018 Mall sold to Durga LLC
- 2026 USPS opted to close its branch rather than relocate
Sources
- Wikipedia: The Orchards Mall · supports: after notes, original developer, status, strategy
14 quoted sentences
Orchards Mall was built in 1979 by Westcor.
As of December 2022, the three businesses remaining at the mall, two of which were the last remaining stores, were Doctor ZZZZ'Z; a discount furniture store, Open Box Outlet, which occupied the former Jo-Ann Fabrics space; and a US Postal Service (USPS) branch.
In spite of the mall being empty – a dead mall – as of 2026 it has not officially announced its closure.
an April 2023 meeting between the owner and local officials indicated redevelopment plans.
- Esri StoryMaps: Closed_US_Malls feature layer (2014) · 2014-10-02
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