Grand Traverse Mall

Grand Traverse Mall is an enclosed shopping mall serving Traverse City, Michigan, located in Garfield Township. Opened in 1992, the mall features five anchor stores: J. C. Penney, Target Corporation, TJ Maxx, Dunham's Sports, and Macy's. It is managed by Brookfield Properties Retail Group, the successor of its original developer General Growth Properties.

Grand Traverse Mall
South side of Grand Traverse Mall from South Airport Road
LocationTraverse City, Michigan
Coordinates44.725°N 85.64°W / 44.725; -85.64
Address3200 South Airport Road West
Opening dateMarch 1992 (1992-03)
DeveloperGeneral Growth Properties
ManagementBrookfield Properties Retail Group
OwnerBrookfield Properties Retail Group
No. of stores and services56
No. of anchor tenants5
Total retail floor area530,000 square feet (49,000 m2) (GLA)
No. of floors1
[1]

History

The mall opened in phases: JCPenney and Target opened in October 1991, followed by the mall itself in March 1992 and Hudson's in July.[2] It featured 110 stores and a nine-screen Kerasotes Theatres complex,[3] making it the largest mall north of Saginaw, Michigan.[2] As with all other Hudson's stores in Michigan, the Grand Traverse Mall location converted to Marshall Field's in 2001 and Macy's in 2006.[4]

Before its opening, it was involved in a lawsuit started by an existing mall in town (Cherryland Mall, now Cherryland Center) over concerns that mall construction would pollute a nearby creek, and that it would add too much retail space to the region.[5] This lawsuit was settled out of court.[2] Another lawsuit, regarding conflict of interest among township officials who sold land to the mall developers, was ruled in favor of the developers.[6] General Growth Properties, which developed the mall, transferred ownership to Rouse Properties in 2012.[7]

In October 2014, a dead body was found at the mall, causing it to be closed for a day while the body was investigated.[8] The body was eventually determined to be a night shift custodian.[9] Gap and Old Navy both closed at nearby Horizon Outlets (now Buffalo Ridge Shopping Center), consolidating into a new Old Navy store at Grand Traverse Mall. The space occupied by Old Navy was previously an f.y.e. store.[10]

The mall's movie theater complex closed in 2015 when a newer theater was built by owner Carmike Cinemas. Mall officials announced in 2016 that the theater space would be demolished for a Dick's Sporting Goods, originally to open in Fall 2016.[11] Dick's canceled its plans to open the store in December 2016,[12] The space instead become Dunham's Sports.[13] The store opened on October 27, 2017.[14]

References
  1. "Grand Traverse Mall". Brookfield Properties Retail Group.
  2. "Hudson's anchors northern Michigan's biggest mall". Owosso Argus-Press. 4 June 1992. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  3. "In Focus". The Film Journal. 95 (1–6). 1992.
  4. http://archives.record-eagle.com/2006/sep/09macy.htm
  5. "Mall lawsuit to go to trial". Ludington Daily News. 25 May 1991. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  6. "TC judge partly clears way for mall". Ludington Daily News. 18 July 1991. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  7. O’Brien, Bill (February 23, 2012). "New owner for Grand Traverse Mall". Traverse City Record-Eagle.
  8. http://www.upnorthlive.com/news/story.aspx?id=1109355
  9. "Man found dead in Grand Traverse Mall identified as night shift employee". mlive. 2014-10-15.
  10. Thompson, Carol (March 18, 2014). "Horizon Outlet Mall stores relocating, closing". Traverse City Record-Eagle.
  11. Woodward, Danielle (December 10, 2015). "Mall plans to build space for Dick's Sporting Goods". Traverse City Record-Eagle.
  12. "DICK'S Cancels TC Plans; More Business Openings/Closings". The Ticker | Traverse City News & Events. December 14, 2016.
  13. "Dunham's Sports Coming To Grand Traverse Mall". The Ticker | Traverse City News & Events. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
  14. REPORTS, FROM STAFF. "Dunham's grand opening set for Friday". Traverse City Record-Eagle. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
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