510 Center Avenue
Moorhead, MN
Ph: 218.233.6117
Fax: 218.233.8437
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Mon-Fri: 10am - 9pm
Sat: 10am - 5:30pm
Sun: 12pm - 5pm
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Moorhead Center Mall History
The entire downtown Moorhead urban renewal, was due in part to the deteriorating residential neighborhood that was plagued by recurring Red River floods. Then as stated by downtown businessman Jerry Hedemark, "The thing got out of hand". Part of the project became one to rebuild the business district into a major shopping center. Although some said that this could not be done, the Moorhead Center Mall and other development gave Moorhead a revitalized downtown.
Even though, there was some controversy surrounding the urban renewal project, only a few businessmen left the downtown area. Other businessmen jumped at the opportunity to be part in the new downtown. In 1973, Pern Canton, President of American State Bank, was quoted as saying, "Two years from now you will not know downtown Moorhead. We have finally reached a point where the progress is going to be made very rapidly."
The City Council committed the City to building a new city hall to be a catalyst to the downtown development. Buildings had to be cleared to make room for the City Hall and the first phase of the Moorhead Center Mall, which opened in March of 1973. Subsequent phases were constructed, after vacated buildings were removed. The Eckstein's Department store opened in 1980 and was replaced by Herberger's in August of 1983. After several expansions, Herberger's now occupies 106,500 square feet.
When the urban renewal project was finished, the federal government had spent over $9.5 million dollars and the city government had spent more than $5 million. Private investment in the Moorhead Center Mall, alone, was in excess of $15 million and gives us the Moorhead Center Mall today.
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