NorthPark Mall in Davenport needs drastic changes. Some of those changes include reducing the size of the mall; turning the mall into a place where more community events are held; and creating more use – such as housing – for the mall space. Those are some of the recommendations a national consulting firm presented to […]
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NorthPark Mall in Davenport needs drastic changes. Some of those changes include reducing the size of the mall; turning the mall into a place where more community events are held; and creating more use – such as housing – for the mall space.
Those are some of the recommendations a national consulting firm presented to the Davenport City Council this month.
Officials with the real estate consulting firm Leland Consulting Group – hired by the city last year for $100,000 to perform the study – made recommendations to the council at a meeting Tuesday, May 14.
The study is one of the first steps on what will likely be a long, multi-year journey to make potential improvements to NorthPark.
Those changes are needed because retail is in decline at NorthPark, and there is an “urgent need for redevelopment and a shared vision,” according to the study presented at the council.
“This plan gives us a path forward for revitalizing NorthPark and ensuring it continues to be a retail destination in the future,” according to Davenport City Councilman Kyle Gripp, after hearing some of the details of the mall plan.
“Ultimately, we’ve seen the mall decline over the last 10 years. It’s to the point that something has to be done or we risk losing the mall in the next 10 years,” Mr. Gripp, an alderman at large, said.
The recommendations outlined in the study and designed to battle that decline include: NorthPark Mall study
- Reduce – or “right-size” – the mall space: Leland is recommending reducing the mall footprint by 300,000 square feet including the demolition of the former Sears store. The goal is to reduce the square footage of the retail in order to reduce the risk of further tenant loss. This step needs to be taken because once a mall gets to 25% to 30% vacant, retailers who remain begin to have self-help rights, including rent reduction and the right to terminate their leases. Currently, NorthPark is close to 30% vacant, according to the study. However, according to the 2023 annual report from the mall’s key owner Macerich, the mall vacancy rate was at 18% at the end of last year. That report can be found here.
- Create the Place: This includes building single- and multi-family housing near the mall. Plus, making the mall a destination. The area could use about 350 new housing units, states the study. The goal is to “redevelop the site as THE place to live/shop,” according to the study. Some ideas for the redeveloping the mall space include creating outdoor commodity spaces
- Activate the District: Create events that will “drive as many people to the district as possible, as frequently as possible, and for long as possible,” according to the study. Some of these events may include farmers markets, community performing arts venues, retail and dining businesses.
- Demolish the underutilized space at the mall.
- Create a master plan for redevelopment.
- Start planning for infrastructure, implementing regulatory actions and exploring partnerships to promote housing development.
- Program events and activities at the mall.
- Adapt existing retail spaces into community performing arts venues.
- Recruit experiential retail and dining.
