Former North Kent Mall

[tamias6]

It's been ages since I've been to the former North Kent Mall. I know the mall was demoed to make way for a Lowe's Home improvement. I also know K-Mart is still alive. But is the former Montgomery Wards building demolished and something else put in its place? If the former dept. store is still intact who is occupying it? Lastly I know that he old Wards is a two story building. Are their any occupants on the second floor or is the floor empty?

[pcdoctor]

I don't ever recall that particular wards store on plainfield having a 2nd floor. You maybe thinking of the one that was on 28th street that had the 2nd floor before it was demolished. But I haven't been in that area myself either, so I would like to know too. If only the bus went down that far...

It's been ages since I've been to the former North Kent Mall. I know the mall was demoed to make way for a Lowe's Home improvement. I also know K-Mart is still alive. But is the former Montgomery Wards building demolished and something else put in its place? If the former dept. store is still intact who is occupying it? Lastly I know that he old Wards is a two story building. Are their any occupants on the second floor or is the floor empty?

[Nitro]

But is the former Montgomery Wards building demolished and something else put in its place? If the former dept. store is still intact who is occupying it? Lastly I know that he old Wards is a two story building. Are their any occupants on the second floor or is the floor empty?

[NorthEnder]

Nope not demolished, still there. Currently in the space that was once Monkey Wards is Dunham Sports, Dollar Tree and Family Farm & Home, (I think that is what its called). It's kind of a Tractor Supply type of place.

The Wards building was a single story with a storage level mezzanine. Family Farm is currently using the storage mezzanine for their stock.

It looks like there is one tenant space left at the corner next to Dollar Tree.

[Explorer]

I'm not sure how well the Ward's building tenants are doing - a lot of asphalt... and seems to be few cars. Lowes seems to be very healthy though. This whole area seems to have a few bright stars surrounded by uncertainty. It's amazing the change since the "Mall" days.

[tamias6]

^^

Lowe's is probably taking a bite out the Family Farm & Home store Nitro mentioned in tools and gardening equipment. Something like a Dollar General or Family Dollar could do very well with 20 parking spaces, maybe less. Dunham Sports (if its what I think it is) faces competition from MC sporting goods (close to the highway), K-Mart (nearby), and Meijer (buying power muscle).

[Nitro]

I'm not sure how well the Ward's building tenants are doing - a lot of asphalt... and seems to be few cars. Lowes seems to be very healthy though. This whole area seems to have a few bright stars surrounded by uncertainty. It's amazing the change since the "Mall" days.

[WOT]

Isn't a church in one of the former buildings (I've heard a former Meijer) similar to Mars Hill on Chicago Dr? Alot of parking needed for Sunday I think.

[Nitro]

Isn't a church in one of the former buildings (I've heard a former Meijer) similar to Mars Hill on Chicago Dr? Alot of parking needed for Sunday I think.

[Explorer]

The Rain-garden idea - brilliant! They could even develop several outlots on the property, although not sure what would make it. I think what the Fire Department did was awesome.

Across the street has the feeling of "new" even if they are strip malls. I look forward to what the recently formed development authority will propose. I believe the zone extends to Airway, so the greater mall property would be in the mix.

[Grandrapidsne]

Does anyone know what happened to the statues that were in the North Kent mall? To get rid of alot of the unused parking lot it should be sold out as out lots maybe similar to The target development out in Cascade.

[tamias6]

Does anyone know what happened to the statues that were in the North Kent mall? To get rid of alot of the unused parking lot it should be sold out as out lots maybe similar to The target development out in Cascade.

[FilmMaker]

The North Kent Mall area is a PUD dating back quite a few years. The tenants "association" is set up in such a way as to give Lowes a pretty strong voice in what happens in the development. Several new uses were proposed for the former theater before Lowes decided it liked the recent car dealership use for that facility.

Like others, I (and many of my peers on the PF Planning Commission) are not entirely happy with the church as a use on that site, but there wasn't a great deal we could do at the time in the face of all that has been transpiring (or more specifically not transpiring) in that area over the past decade. My personal opinion is that the church would have been a great site for a Spartan Family Fare store (instead of the 7 Mile/Northland site they are currently pursuing as a replacement for their Northland store).

All this being said, do not give up on the North Kent Mall area. The Plainfield CIA and Meijer re-build are very likely to spark ongoing renewal in the area. Furthermore (and this is only off-the-record chatter), there have been a handful of ideas floated about how 5 Mile Rd might some day find its way behind the Mall to Jupiter Ave. Solutions of this sort could seriously re-define and improve traffic patterns and retail opportunities on that site.

To be sure, the eventual build out of the Coit Ave gravel pits and other nearby open spaces is likely to be one of the largest contiguous in-fill opportunities in the next decade here in the metro. That (and I hope some form of mass transit line to the core from the NE) will also certainly lead to further improvements along the Plainfield corridor.

Just my two cents (and perhaps a little of my hopes and dreams to some extent...)

[Delvrin]

Anyone know the reason why there are two empty enclosed corridors between Kmart, Lowes, and the former Wards buildings? If it's just to allow those buildings to have fire exits where the former mall entrances were, why were they enclosed? Was that a requirement from the township?

[Nitro]

Anyone know the reason why there are two empty enclosed corridors between Kmart, Lowes, and the former Wards buildings? If it's just to allow those buildings to have fire exits where the former mall entrances were, why were they enclosed? Was that a requirement from the township?

[tamias6]

Here's another question of curiosity. Home centers like Lowe's and Home Depot feature outdoor garden centers often located along the stores' side wall just like Meijer's garden center.. Often these places are built as standalone units because of the garden centers and traffic flow. But in the case of the North Kent Lowe's it has K-mart abutting it on one side along with the former Wards on the other side. How is this particular Lowe's able to work in its outdoor garden center, if it has one?

I can only guess it was for fire exiting. I'm sure they were enclosed for security. Strange people do strange things in corridors where visibility is limited.

[andrew.w]

Here's another question of curiosity. Home centers like Lowe's and Home Depot feature outdoor garden centers often located along the stores' side wall just like Meijer's garden center.. Often these places are built as standalone units because of the garden centers and traffic flow. But in the case of the North Kent Lowe's it has K-mart abutting it on one side along with the former Wards on the other side. How is this particular Lowe's able to work in its outdoor garden center, if it has one?