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County Nixes Northtown Tax Break

BLAINE, MN-Glimcher Realty Trust is still undertaking a $20-million renovation of the 976,000 sf mall. Blaine's city council previously had approved a separate request to help the mall, which has lost several anchor tenants in recent years.

By Jim McCartney | Updated on April 14, 2005

BLAINE, MN-The Anoka county board has turned down Ohio-based Glimcher Realty Trust’s request for up to $3 million in redevelopment tax breaks to help renovate Northtown Mall. After losing several anchor tenants in recent years–Mervyn’s closed all its Twin Cities stores and Kohl’s moved to a new building last summer–Glimcher Realty has begun a $20-million renovation of the 976,000 sf indoor mall that includes an expanded food court and a 10,000-sf freestanding addition that it expects to complete next summer.

The new building is expected to feature Chipotle Mexican Grill, Starbucks Coffee, Potbelly Sandwich Works and Electronics Boutique. The county hired a consultant to study Northtown’s request. Although the consultant recommended approving the plan, the county turned it down. The plan would have granted up to $300,000 a year in tax breaks over the next decade. The plan was supported by the MetroNorth Chamber, which cited the Northtown Mall as a “vital link in the community.”

The city of Fridley passed a resolution urging the county board to grant the tax abatement, citing Northtown Mall’s 1,500 workers, $24 million in payroll and generating $2.1 million a year in property taxes. The Fridley resolution noted the Blaine city council had voted to give the mall $2.7 million through a tax-abatement program. Glimcher, which bought the mall six years ago, asked for similar tax abatement from Anoka County.

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