Project "Agora" is nomora

Redevelopment plans falls through for vacant Four Seasons Mall in Plymouth

Excerpt:

Residents eager to see the demolition of the vacant Four Seasons Mall in Plymouth will have to wait a bit longer, as the city-approved redevelopment plans have fallen through.

According to city officials, from the time the initial concept was presented to the city until the project was submitted for final approval, market demand for some of the intended uses had changed. 

“The developer (Rock Hill Management) had been working to secure partnerships with different site users based upon current market conditions and ultimately was unable to finance the project on his own under the timeframe provided in agreement with Walmart (the current owner),” said Plymouth Community Development Director Steve Juetten.

Jim Prom, the council member representing Ward 4 where the 17-acre property is located, provided further details, citing the collapse of the retail market as one of the obstacles the developer faced for filling the 61,400 square feet of intended commercial/retail space. The plan, which was approved in January, also included two hotels and a senior housing building. 

“It’s sad,” said Prom, adding he also sympathizes with the developer who invested money into the site only for it to not come to fruition.

As of now, it will be up to Walmart to find a new buyer for the property. And although city officials have met with a newly hired broker, a new proposal has yet to be presented, according to Juetten.

Until then, “we wait,” Prom said. “Hopefully, we can get a developer in there that will be a good fit for the area.”

Originally built in 1978 on the southwest corner of Highway 169 and Rockford Road, the Four Seasons Mall has been empty since the site was sold to Walmart in 2010 for $10.6 million. Finding resistance from both residents and city officials, the big-box retailer chose not to build on the property, and in January 2012 decided to sell the property. Today, the property has an estimated market value of $8.9 million, generating about $321,000 annually in property taxes, according to Hennepin County Property tax data. While the 40-year-old vacant building may be an eyesore to neighbors and the motoring public, it is not in the condition to be condemned without the city having to go through a costly court process, Prom explained.

Comment: It was a mistake for residents to oppose the Wal-Mart redevelopment plan! Previous post

Update:

Affordable housing developer Dominium has a $130 million plan to turn the former Plymouth Four Seasons Mall into affordable multifamily housing, a small amount of retail and a park-and-ride ramp.https://t.co/NDtOM4MxGN pic.twitter.com/lf8r6OMxhq

— 𝓙𝓲𝓶 𝓟𝓮𝓮𝓽 (@jrpeet) June 4, 2019

Very proud of @PlymouthMN_gov City Council for approving Dominium’s proposal to build affordable workforce & senior housing, transit station, retail, & environmental improvements at 4 Seasons Mall site. It’s been a long wait to see this site find a new life! pic.twitter.com/DVb251NFM0

— Judy Johnson (@judyinplym) November 13, 2019

Plymouth's project "Agora" set to commence

West metro suburbs sees increase in hotels, with the latest coming to Plymouth in 'urban-type village' - The two new luxury hotels will be the first hotels in Plymouth in a decade.


Excerpt:

Plymouth’s abandoned Four Seasons Mall and its parking lots soon will be replaced with senior housing, shops and two upscale hotels — the first hotels to be built in the suburb in a decade. The project, dubbed Agora, got preliminary approval from the City Council this week for redevelopment of the 17-acre site near Hwy. 169 and Rockford Road. The council is expected to give final approval next week for the project, and also may weigh a lodging tax and tax-increment financing. ... Agora developer Rock Hill Management has signed a purchase agreement and is leading the $52 million redevelopment. Traffic and environmental assessments have been done, and the project would include wetland restoration and phosphorus removal. Agora, slated to be an “urban-type village,” would replace the 1970s mall that has sat vacant near the busy corner for about five years. “It’s blighted,” Callister said of the mall property. “It’s pretty exciting to have something actually in that area.” Wal-Mart bought the site in 2010 for $10.6 million and was going to build a Wal-Mart Supercenter, but the massive retailer faced resistance from neighbors. Citing poor soil, 4 acres of uninhabitable wetlands and traffic concerns, the City Council placed a yearlong moratorium on the site while a market study was conducted. A mixed-use development with offices, retail and senior housing was ultimately recommended, and Wal-Mart wound up putting the site up for sale in 2015. Besides the 95-room Aloft hotel and a 100-room Town Place Suites, Agora — which means “gathering place” in Greek — would feature a 139-unit senior housing project with independent, assisted- and memory-care units; retail, offices, restaurants, a bank and a mini plaza that could host community events. It also would include a three-story, 339-space parking ramp, which the city could agree Tuesday to buy from the developer for $5 million to accommodate park-and-ride commuters taking an express bus to Minneapolis. Construction is slated to start on retail space, offices, hotels and ramp this summer. Those areas could open by December; the senior housing is expected to open by December 2019.

Comments: WalMart still reports as the owner of the property: PID 1311822140013. Search by PID here.  Top two images from the project Agora Facebook page. Also see project website. For previous posts on the topic click on the #tags here and here

Walmart's Four Season Mall location for sale

Walmart's Four Season Mall location

PDF: Data sheet

Comment: The city of Plymouth never permitted Walmart to develop this site. Walmart purchased the site for $ 10,600,000 in November 2014. Follow this tag for previous posts

Update on Four Seasons Mall

Market study of Four Seasons Mall site in Plymouth to be Spotlighted at May 5 Open House

Plymouth, MN - A market study of the Four Seasons Mall site, located on the northwest quadrant of County Road 9 and Highway 169, will be presented to the public on May 5 at the Plymouth Creek Center, 14800 34th Ave. N. The open house will run from 6 to 9 p.m., offering attendees a chance to hear a presentation highlighting the market study's findings as well as informally talk with city staff and consultants. The presentation will be made at 6 p.m. and repeated at 7:45 p.m.

The market study looks at current demographic and economic trends, the site's strengths and weaknesses and other area development. The study is expected to suggest some potential uses for the Four Seasons Mall site.

Plymouth Community Development Director Steve Juetten emphasized that any potential redevelopment concepts discussed at the open house will be very general. "The concepts will be very rough. They are intended to get people thinking and to solicit some preliminary feedback as we move forward with the overall planning study for the site," he said.

The market study is part of a larger planning study that is also examining storm water and water quality issues, traffic and alternative site redevelopment concepts. The next phase of the study will further flesh out potential redevelopment concepts and develop principles to guide future redevelopment, according to Juetten.

To allow time to conduct the planning study, the Plymouth City Council passed an interim ordinance on Dec. 14, 2010. It prohibits redevelopment of the Four Seasons Mall site for one year.

The City of Plymouth is working with the Bassett Creek Watershed and Hennepin County to conduct the planning study with funding from the Metropolitan Council, a regional planning agency, and Hennepin County.

For more information on the open house, call the Community Development Department at 763-509-5450. You can sign up to receive email notifications when new information about the Four Seasons Mall Planning Study is posted on the City of Plymouth website by clicking the button below. For more information regarding the study visit www.plymouthmn.gov/four-seasons.

Comment: Source: City of Plymouth email

Walmart moving into Four Seasons Mall?

Comment: I heard today from our UPS driver that Walmart has purchasing (or had) the Four Seasons Mall. I am unable to confirm this but if so it would be a great location for a Walmart!

More on: Four Seasons Mall: Plymouth, MN

Info on the property from Hennepin County