In episode 54, we look at the time when Duluth wanted to build downtown mall over I-35. The Harbor Square mall would have stood on pillars, with two to three anchor stores spanning several lanes of traffic and linking downtown to the Duluth Arena Auditorium.
In the late 1970s, downtown was struggling. Businesses and shoppers were heading to the new Miller Hill Mall, the Interstate 35 extension was on its way and the city’s unemployment rate was high. Another shopping center, Ridgewood Mall, was proposed for Hermantown. But downtown advocates proposed something to lure department stores back to the city’s center: a mall built on pillars over I-35.
0:00-0:33 Intro
0:34-2:27 Discovering the plans for Harbor Square mall
2:28-8:45 Why do the plans exist and what happened?
8:46-14:23 Legal battle with city of Hermantown
14:24-16:33 What parts of the plan carried through to today
16:34-24:13 Future I-35 replacement project
24:14-28:58 Why Northlandia?
You can read the full story here. You can find the column for Northlandia, which features articles, photos and sometimes video, at duluthnewstribune.com/topics/northlandia.
The Northlandia podcast is a product of Forum Communications Company and is brought to you by reporters at the Duluth News Tribune. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting our work with a subscription at duluthnewstribune.news/podcast. Your support allows us to continue providing the local news and content you want.
58. Java Moose's Weather Reports
57. Bobby Aro's 'Finnglish', Jokes, And Music
56. Apollo 11 Mission's Duluth Connection
55. Karpeles Manuscripts Keep History Alive
53. Finland continues celebrating St. Urho's legend
52. From a train boxcar inn to building a Duluth-Fargo highway, we celebrate 1 year of Northlandia
51. Creatives behind "Minnesota Historia" series highlight Northland's weird, quirky history
50. Glass eyeballs and other curious artifacts found in Northland historical societies
49. Lasting legacy of the Victory Chimes, 125-year-old schooner Duluth loved and lost
48. Family, neighbors share stories of Gordon Bushnell, the man who tried to build Duluth-Fargo highway
47. Iron Range priest's passion for polka led him to pope
46. Polar vortex couldn't stop Duluth filmmaker from documenting brutal winter race
45. Connecting with cosmos in Paulucci Space Theatre
44. The man who attempted to build a 200 mile highway single-handedly
43. Monkey Island and the former zoo in Virginia's Olcott Park
42. Marcia Hales' light displays find new home after an uncertain future
41. Canelake's Candies gives second life to Dayton's holiday figures
40. Minnesota-Wisconsin border's only straight section set by 1852 survey
39. Remembering 'The Great Catsby' and 'The Sawyer' through their statues
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