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<br /> '"YT .� ''� ,�,,«,fir'l ,!riiL -_;: '*..-4,' , �`"Vy; ��M1_-# - yS'- :to v° � 7,r,�r.;"-dark boxes into bright ideas
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<br /> Real estate management longer-term interest of the � .. - _ -
<br /> and urban planning experts community." - -. ,,.._,,T . x' -- -,- ""0— "` tr '
<br /> say these closings can be op ,vice president of , e ". -;_,----=, • = • :a r,� -5.-:,`-'-:� _ "� ,,,,:'`' -
<br /> Mike Simsz,,-,..--,-;" " --�r�.� `•`;„,,
<br /> portunities for United Properties, said bank mm �� `� "� ..,„4., ,,
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<br /> communities tor-- <. _ `t
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<br /> get smart and find uses that „,..er,,-,„2, -_..... ,f,� ' -'�,_ , fix °���-`;�.-.�-�,�.,_�, . `=.�.,j:a:
<br /> can turn P YY ' i,1,, 4,... "`' ”" "J,rr -_ - ;� - ;k ;; fir,.
<br /> dark buildings into Kmart,Montgomery Ward and ;`� �=+ `'"""" .r,:- „�Fu - - ,, °' '' `'
<br /> bright ideas, ranging from ad- HomePlace and closings of un- - r € �7 f� ,,-,4-'
<br /> ditional classroom space for derperforming stores by other - ; ,,';_*!:q2; :' . .�',r-'° .,
<br /> fast-growing suburban schools chains such as Office Depot N _-- =I" ;- •.,, - `=j
<br /> to an indoor go-kart track for have forced leasing agents _, • • � `F' ',,;,,,,,-4, 4• ', - _ ="'.
<br /> off-site business retreats. ways :w -_ =[�- = �;` , 3 : a: 4F - ' _ -_ # .•
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<br /> think about new g w:-' ; , -' _ -= ' •
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<br /> And,stores in hot commer old boxes. ,.c.4-1-•:,;-.:1-:-- .00,=-.,....,-.--..-:-.,--- ''- _ ,,-„,V1,;:5442,17 ,, Es IMS�- ,z
<br /> probably be re "�=
<br /> cial areas will r y „It's literally a b --.-.. =-._� , `�:-- . - = ' J' ,L' .1",-;:101` , : ;.'f ., .:
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<br /> opened by other big-box retail- Sims, who finds renters for - _ -_- " ='" _ r T ivr.!' ::.. _ l0, u _-
<br /> ers, the commercial brokers commercial space. "You've got s_ �-- _ _- T,• _ ;!. ..- ;v.,.�=, ,..'
<br /> say. But the urban planners a clean space that lends itself to .-�� _•_— _- -:-..-,,,;:§4--. Til"' f,11�-'``-t �.: • --=
<br /> recommend that public offi- a single user or a multi-user. Bruce Bisping/starTrbune
<br /> cials take the time to consider 'That's part of the allure of these The Diamondhead Mall,forced to close by competition from Burnsville Center,has been turned into a Burnsville High School campus.
<br /> the use that's best for the corn- [boxes] is that they are easily
<br /> munity. convertible to not only retail been forced to close by compe- Center and about some empty nies, said the only empty big into play when the[retail]mar-
<br /> ' ; "Developers are basically users but alternatives,whether tition from the nearby Burns- grocery stores around the Twin box he's been trying to rent—a ket's failed," Johannson said.
<br /> interested in making money, it be offices or call centers." ville Center,was sitting largely Cities., HomePlace at I-494 and France "Your dynamic strong retail ar-
<br /> and that's fine, but their time Or schools,for that matter. empty about a mile away from "I'ste got probably three Avenue—was no problem be- eas don't revert to the alterna-
<br /> frame is different than the In 1998, the Burnsville-Ea- the high school. closed grocery stores around cause it's near the popular tive uses like call centers, of-
<br /> community's time frame,"said gan-Savage School District was The school system and the the market,and most of the in- Southdale Center. He's rented fice, indoor recreation and
<br /> Jeff Soule, policy director for dealing with a surplus of stu- city were already renting some terest I've had has been either about half of it to Cost Plus mini-storage."
<br /> the American Planning Associ- dents at Burnsville High School space in the mall for communi- schools or health community World Market,a retailer new to But when retailing isn't the
<br /> ation in Washington, D.C. and a shortage of money for ty education, a senior center collaboratives," Sims said, the Twin Cities that specializes best use,the boxes can be used
<br /> "One of the things we encour- building a new high school, or and early childhood family There's been a"fair amount of in gifts, home furnishings and for other purposes. North Me- •
<br /> age communities to do now expanding the old one. education. So the school dis- buzz" concerning a closed gourmet food and beverages morial Hospital bought a
<br /> ' that it's closed is think about Meanwhile, the old Dia- trict bought the mall and Kmart in Brooklyn Center that from around the world. Jo- closed Montgomery Ward
<br /> what would be good for the mondhead Mall, which had turned it into a campus for is now an indoor go-kart track, hannson said he expects no store at County Rd.81 and 36th
<br /> high school seniors. he said. problem renting the other half Avenue in Robbinsdale, a
<br /> Half of the high school's 700 "That's creative," Sims said to another retailer. spokeswoman said, and the
<br /> seniors spend the morning in of ;Thunder Alley, which Cost Plus World Market is hospital is trying to decide
<br /> BOTTOMVVNERSclasses at the old mall,and,af- opened in December,in a for- taking space in three other va- what to do with it.It won't be a
<br /> �■ ter lunch, switch places with mei Kmart at Hwy. 100 and cant big boxes around the area, store.
<br /> Eric and Bill Teitelbaum the other half of the senior John Martin Dr. "They cater to Johannson said: in a former Sometimes,the experts say,
<br /> class that has spent the mom- businesses for sales meetings. HomePlace in Woodbury, a the best use of the box is to tear
<br /> ing at the regular high school. They have conference rooms former HomePlace in Minne- it down and build something
<br /> "In our case, the Diamond- and a sales seminar for half the tonka and a closed Just for Feet else,which might happen with
<br /> ---iihead Mall worked out very day and the other half you go in Roseville. the Kmart that's being closed
<br /> well," said Gary Kubat, com- race around the track." Johannson said it's often in Columbia Heights.
<br /> L....,_ munications coordinator for ' Sims said he recently found necessary to divide a big box "The good news is they are
<br /> the school district. "Originally, a tenant for a closed Office De- into more than one tenant. not elaborate or expensive
<br /> the kids were hesitant about it, pot_on Interstate Hwy.394 just That's what's happening with buildings," said Soule, of the
<br /> • but it's become really popular west of Hwy. 100 in St. Louis the spaces being taken by American Planning Associa-
<br /> with them and their parents.It Park.That tenant is not a retail- World Market and being con- tion. "They may have a use—
<br /> was a very visible building in er, but someone he wouldn't sidered for the Kmart that's an antique mall or roller skat-
<br /> ' ,7 the community, and to have it identify who wants 30,000 closing in Apple Valley. ing rink. But people shouldn't
<br /> • sit empty and not used was a square feet for office space.He But he said retail is the most be thinking they can't get rid of
<br /> - shame." said the Office Depot opened likely reuse of big boxes in them.They're not hard to take
<br /> ~ on the old Hwy. 12, and when strong retail areas because re- down or hard to replace.Don't
<br /> '" `'"' I-394 was built, the store be- tailers pay higher rent than think of it as what can I put in a
<br /> Renovation costs less came less visible and less ac- other tenants. At Northtown cinderblock buildingsur
<br /> ' The cost of buyingand ren- cessible — seriousproblems Mall in Blaine,for example,
<br /> I, p the rounded by asphalt. Think
<br /> +t - -w , ovating the mall for a school for retailers. But it's among center's owners are not consid- about what's going to really be
<br /> : .: --•- .,- ,_ cost the district about$20 mil- several high-rise office build- ering alternative uses for two good for the community."
<br /> "a.,! "r` -L-A-1-....1-\ lion less than it would have ings,which will be joined soon closed boxes—a Montgomery
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<br /> cost to build a new school. by a low-slung office building Ward and a HomePlace—be- —Larry Werner is at
<br /> • Sims, of United Properties, that used to be a big-box retail- ' cause Blaine is a growing sub- lwerner@startribune.com.
<br /> said he's talked to school oper- er. , urb, and Northtown is a suc-
<br /> "Dad, I'm not talking allowance; I'm talking bridge ' ators about an old Office Depot John Johannson,vice presi- cessful mall.
<br /> financing." he's trying to rent in Brooklyn dent for retail at Welsh Compa- "Alternative uses only come
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