Retrofit Atlas

Malls · Minnesota

Northtown Mall

Imported, unreviewedRedevelopedReinhabitedPartly retrofittedBlaine, MN

Opened 1972. Partial Redeveloped · Reinhabited in 2001.

Status nowPartly retrofittedWikipedia no source
What it becameeducation, entertainment, mixed, retailWikipedia no source
Site size83 acresnewtypes-extraction reported
Last sale$31.0M · 2023public reporting
Retrofit year2001newtypes-extraction reported
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Solid = from the authors' map · outlined = public source · dashed = model-written, not yet reviewed by a person. Tap any value's source label to see where it came from. documented = a quoted excerpt (click to read it) · reported = a source named, no excerpt yet · no source.

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Site profile11 elements · what this retrofit is built with · tap a chip for the evidence

Former anchors
Montgomery WardThis site: Montgomery Ward wikipedia · all sites with this
WoolworthThis site: Woolworth wikipedia · all sites with this
Finance and pipeline
Sold since 2020This site: 2023 4th Dimension Properties research-deals · all sites with this
Scale
60+ acre siteThis site: 83 acres newtypes-extraction · all sites with this
Strategy
RedevelopedThis site: Hobby Lobby, Best Buy Outlet, 2 Becker Furniture World stores, and Burlington. The Asia Village opened in June 2026 in the North side anchor building. It is a… record · all sites with this
ReinhabitedThis site: Hobby Lobby, Best Buy Outlet, 2 Becker Furniture World stores, and Burlington. The Asia Village opened in June 2026 in the North side anchor building. It is a… record · all sites with this
New use
EducationThis site: …new_use field newtypes-extraction · all sites with this
Entertainment and sportsThis site: …new_use field newtypes-extraction · all sites with this
GroceryThis site: …a Mall in Eden Prairie, and features 11 eating places and a grocery store. newtypes-extraction · all sites with this
Mixed useThis site: …new_use field newtypes-extraction · all sites with this
Retail (continued)This site: Hobby Lobby, Best Buy Outlet, 2 Becker Furniture World stores, and Burlington. The Asia newtypes-extraction · all sites with this

All elements and lists · Trends

Now

StatusPartly retrofittedWikipedia no source
StrategyPartial Redeveloped · ReinhabitedWikipedia no source
New useseducation, entertainment, mixed, retailWikipedia no source
What is there nowHobby Lobby, Best Buy Outlet, 2 Becker Furniture World stores, and Burlington. The Asia Village opened in June 2026 in the North side anchor building. It is a development similar to and larger than the Asia Mall in Eden Prairie, and features 11 eating places and a grocery store.newtypes-extraction reported
Retrofit year2001newtypes-extraction reported

Deals and debt

DateEventPricePartiesSource
2023Sold$31.0M closed4th Dimension Properties ← Washington Prime GroupWikipedia
1998Sold$54.0M closedGlimcher Realty TrustWikipedia
1985Sold$33.0M closedRein Northtown Associates ← Robert Muir CompanyWikipedia

Securitised debt and public filers

Filings (2001 to date) that name “Northtown Mall” and “Blaine” (133 hits, first 100 sampled, 1 other filers such as tenants left out). No commercial-mortgage trust names this mall in the sample, which does not rule out a securitised loan. Text matches, not a title search. Open the search · all trusts.

KindFilerFilingsDatesForms
Public owner (strong)GLIMCHER REALTY TRUST632001-03-16 to 2014-11-0410-Q 24, 10-K 19, 8-K 15, 10-Q/A 3
Public owner (strong)WASHINGTON PRIME GROUP INC.322014-11-04 to 2021-08-098-K 31, 8-K/A 1
Public owner (weak)JP REALTY INC22001-02-14 to 2002-04-1810-K 1, 10-K/A 1
Public owner (weak)PRICE DEVELOPMENT CO LP12001-02-14 to 2001-02-1410-K 1

As reported by the owner

Property tables from the owner's annual report (Form 10-K, Item 2) on EDGAR, one row per filing year. GLA, occupancy and anchors are the filer's own figures at that year end; “leased” counts signed leases, “occupied” counts open stores; ownership is the filer's share. Matched by name and place, unreviewed; the verbatim table row is in sec_facts.csv.

Year endFilerName in filingGLA sq ftOccupancyYearsShareSales psfAnchors listed
2020Washington Prime Group 10-K, 2021-03-16Northtown Mall Blaine, MN
match: exact		644,34884.9% occupiedacquired 2015100.0%
Fee		Becker Furniture, Best Buy, Burlington Coat Factory, Hobby Lobby, Home Depot, L.A. Fitness, Sky Zone
2016Washington Prime Group 10-K, 2017-02-24Northtown Mall Blaine, MN
match: exact		606,75195.5% occupiedacquired 2015100.0%
Fee		Becker Furniture, Best Buy, Burlington Coat Factory, Herberger's, Hobby Lobby, L.A. Fitness
2012Glimcher Realty Trust 10-K, 2013-02-22Northtown Mall Blaine, MN
match: exact		590,067
in-line 346,669		100.0% occupied$382Becker Furniture Best Buy Burlington Coat Factory Herberger’s LA Fitness
2009Glimcher Realty Trust 10-K, 2010-03-11Northtown Mall Blaine, MN
match: exact		701,618
in-line 449,182		88.3% occupied$317Best Buy Burlington Coat Factory Herberger’s Home Depot LA Fitness

Site context

Housing permits, Anoka County (MN), 2024119 units in 5+ unit buildings, 45 in 2–4, 898 single-family; 2023: 228 in 5+Census BPS
Other atlas sites nearby1 within 10 km, 21 within 25 km: Brookdale Center (9.0 km)computed
Retail trade in the county, 2025 (BLS QCEW)15,654 jobs in 859 establishments; average annual pay $39,020; employment location quotient 1.19; employment -2.2% on the yearBLS QCEW 2025, NAICS 44-45, private
Jobs located in the tract, 20222,104 jobs; 645 in retail trade, 400 in accommodation and food (workplace blocks summed to tract 27003050811)Census LEHD LODES8 WAC 2022
Upward mobility (Opportunity Atlas, 2010 tract)children of low-income (25th percentile) families reached the 49th income percentile as adults; 0.7% incarcerated at the 2010 count (196 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; 0% of residents more than 1 mile from a supermarket; poverty rate 13.9%; median family income $70,505; 133 SNAP householdsUSDA ERS
SchoolsSpring Lake Park Public Schools (PK-12); 2 public schools within 1 mile: Park Terrace Elementary; Westwood Intermediate & Middle SchNCES EDGE
Elevation896 ft above sea level at the site pointUSGS 3DEP
Storm events in the county, 2016-2025127 county-logged events: 70 hail, 41 thunderstorm wind, 5 heavy rain, 5 tornado; $1,797,500 property damage reported; forecast-zone events (most flood, winter and heat) not countedNOAA Storm Events
Homes for sale in ZIP 55434, 2026-09median list price $334,950 (-4.3% on the year); 52 active listings; median 30 days on market; 28% with a price cutRealtor.com Research
Retail trade in the county, 2012 to 2023942 establishments (+5%); 17,571 jobs (+14%)Census CBP
Housing market in the countytypical home value $373,109 (+2% 1 yr, +12% 5 yr); typical rent $1,699/mo (+5% 1 yr), 2026-09Zillow Research
Traffic on the busiest road within 600 m (2024)27,472 vehicles a day on University Ave SE (minor arterial, 4 lanes); 25 counted segmentsFHWA HPMS

Summary, model-written

Partial retrofit began in 2001. Current status: partial. Owned by 4th Dimension Properties (acquired 2023 for $31M from Washington Prime).

Why. Strategy: redevelop/reinhabit. New uses include education (Paladin Career High School opened 2002), retail (Hobby Lobby, Best Buy Outlet, Burlington), and entertainment (Asia Village opening 2026 in anchor building).

Where it stands. 83-acre site. 2023 sale price: $31M. Current tenants: 100+ stores/restaurants, food court. Traffic: 27,472 ADT on University Ave SE (minor arterial). Housing market: ZHVI up 1.6% YoY (2026 data).

For a planner

  • Partial retrofit underway since 2001
  • Education use established (2002)
  • Housing growth in county: 5.7% 2018-23
  • 2023 sale confirms active ownership

For a developer

  • 83 acres available
  • Retail tenants stable (2023 data)
  • Asia Village (2026) signals anchor redevelopment
  • Housing market growth supports mixed-use

What we do not know yet

  • Asia Village opening 2026 is future-dated (recorded as 2026)
  • No data on current vacancy rates
  • Full retrofit completion status unknown
  • Verified status: draft (record incomplete)

Generated by qwen3-30b-a3b-64k:latest on Dell 5820 RTX 3090 (Ollama, qwen3-30b-a3b) 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

  • Exton Square Mall, Exton, PA · Malls · similar size (75 acres); opened 1973; same strategy: redevelop, reinhabit
  • The Village at Orange, Orange, CA · Malls · similar size (63 acres); opened 1971; same strategy: redevelop
  • Villa Italia Mall, Lakewood, CO · Malls · similar size (104 acres); opened 1966; same strategy: redevelop
  • Cinderella Mall, Englewood, CO · Malls · similar size (60 acres); opened 1968; same strategy: redevelop

Elsewhere on the web

Search images: Google · Bing · Commons · references: ULI case studies · Google Scholar

Multifamily screen

  • retrofit already built
  • 83 acres
  • county grew 5.7% 2018–23
  • housing in the record

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

Opened1972newtypes-extraction
Acres83.0newtypes-extraction reported
Original developerRobert Muirnewtypes-extraction reported
AnchorsMontgomery Ward, MainStreet, Woolworth, Powers Dry Goods
CountyAnoka County
Census division4 · West North Central
NotesDraft from Wikipedia, model-extracted, unreviewed: Northtown Mall, an 83-acre shopping mall opened in 1972, has undergone multiple retrofits including the demolition of an anchor for a Home Depot, the reinhabitation of spaces by a high school, fitness center, and various retailers, and is planned to include an Asia Village in 2026.

Not yet recorded: GLA. Know it? Tell us.

Background

Northtown Mall is a shopping mall located in Blaine, Minnesota, United States. The mall's anchor stores are Hobby Lobby, Best Buy Outlet, 2 Becker Furniture World stores, and Burlington. In addition, Northtown Mall features over 100 stores and restaurants, as well as a food court. The mall is owned by 4th Dimension Properties. Foot traffic in 2018 was over 5.5 million people visiting the mall. At the time of its grand opening in October 1972, it was the third largest shopping center in the Twin Cities. It was the second regional shopping center in the Twin Cities (the first being Apache Plaza in nearby St.

Excerpt from Wikipedia (authors and history), CC BY-SA 4.0. May be older than the record above.

Timeline

  1. 1972 Mall opened with 33 stores and anchors Montgomery Ward, Powers Dry Goods, and Woolworth.
  2. 1972 Opened
  3. 1983 MainStreet added as a fourth anchor.
  4. 1988 MainStreet stores converted to Kohl's.
  5. 1990 Woolworth's divided between HomePlace and Best Buy; food court added.
  6. 2001 Retrofit: redevelop, reinhabit
  7. 2002 Paladin Career and Technical High School opened in the mall.
  8. 2003 HomePlace replaced with Steve & Barry's.
  9. 2005 Kohl's replaced with Burlington Coat Factory.
  10. 2007 LA Fitness added to the west end of the mall.
  11. 2008 Herberger's opened in the former Mervyn's location.

Sources

  • Northtown Mall (Blaine, Minnesota) · CC BY-SA 4.0
    10 quoted sentences
    Northtown Mall
    The mall opened in 1972 with 33 stores, The mall originally was anchored by Montgomery Ward (Northwest), Powers Dry Goods (Northeast) and Woolworth (Southwest).
    MainStreet (Southeast) was added as a fourth anchor in 1983.
    By 1988, the short-lived MainStreet chain's stores were converted to Kohl's.

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