urbanMSP

This is very good news for the future of downtown retail.

Executives have put Minneapolis in the camp of “Macy’s flagship real estate assets” along with its store locations in Manhattan at Herald Square, San Francisco at Union Square and Chicago on State Street.

http://www.startribune.com/macy-s-seeks ... 345981522/

They really like us!

Just imagine all the window tinting gone and real shop windows lining the mall with lots of doors. One can dream...

Man. Every one of those stores is so beautiful and amazing. It's is currently a POS in comparison. Hopefully this means great things!

Yes, compared to Macy's in S.F.'s Union Square and NYC's Herald Square - we have a long way to go. But its good to be in the same cadre as them. Lots and lots of Macy's in downtowns across the country have closed - decimating what was left of the retail atmosphere there. I grew up in STL and after the store closed in downtown there - it was sort of the nail in the coffin for the future of national retailers operating there. Hopefully, Macy's will put significant investment in renovating the store - and people will be more willing to shop there. Certainly, new residential and commercial development isn't hurting.

Maybe I haven't looked close yet, but isn't this overwhelmingly positive news? (Assuming it happens)

As downtown department stores are dying, Macy's is doubling down on Minneapolis and putting our store into an exclusive "flagship" category with Chicago, New York and San Francisco. Isn't that a big deal? (Again, assuming it happens)

Oh, yes. I'd say this is unequivocally good news, although it probably speaks more to the already existing and improving strength of downtown Minneapolis than to Macy's making a magnanimous gesture.

Macy's know that they would have to sell the building sometime. No one would give them top dollar if there was a clause that it could not be reused as retail/department store. Even with Nordstrom's move into Ridgedale, I think that Nordstrom's would seriously like to be a part of the downtown renaissance. Having Nordstrom's DT in the Macy's building would be like having Dayton's back, with their level of customer service. There is still big money on the east side of the cities that would go DT vs the MOA or Ridgedale. Part of why Von Maur is going into Rosedale is for that untapped market.

Macy's will now be doing a long over due reassessment of their needs and upgrade and probably move some departments around. They may add, eliminate, or change the size of departments when they do the remodel. They know that Nordstrom's is a threat and closing DT would not be in their best interest. There are people who would just skip shopping with them at any of their stores if they closed the DT store. That too would be a serious blow to their bottom line.

Oh, yes. I'd say this is unequivocally good news, although it probably speaks more to the already existing and improving strength of downtown Minneapolis than to Macy's making a magnanimous gesture.

Isn't the implication, though, that Macy's is planning to put a bunch of money into making this store better?

To me it is possible to draw a very clear line between the building at 7th and Hennepin and the building at 8th and Hennepin. While I think the building at 7th and Hennepin needs to be saved no matter what I would be at least willing to see what a developer comes up with for the 8th and Hennepin building. Especially if they are going to be doing something with the massive parking ramp towards the west end of the block.

To me it is possible to draw a very clear line between the building at 7th and Hennepin and the building at 8th and Hennepin. While I think the building at 7th and Hennepin needs to be saved no matter what I would be at least willing to see what a developer comes up with for the 8th and Hennepin building. Especially if they are going to be doing something with the massive parking ramp towards the west end of the block.

While you might think the 8th street building isn't worth saving. There will be others that view things differently than you. I'd love to see the Dayton's ramp redeveloped, but that would mean the lose of the auditorium which for some would be a deal breaker. Unless of course they built a new auditorium, but I think that the cost to build a new auditorium as part of a new development would be very hard to justify. The portion of the 8th street side is Deco ,which I'm sure the HPC would not want to lose as part of the mall landscape. Face it, news buildings lack street creds when it comes to design. They would rather keep the old.

I know others have a different opinion on the 8th and Hennepin building that's okay, we are allowed to have differences of opinion on what's must be preserved forever and what can get redeveloped. I thought I was pretty clear that I wasn't willing to give up the building at 8th and Hennepin for just any redevelop without seeing it first. If a developer came with average 30 story apartment building I would be likely say no but if they came with something really ambitious and it had a great street level I think it would certainly be worth looking at.

It's been awhile since I've been to the Christmas display and someone can correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the auditorium just a large empty space that has great flexibility. I wouldn't think that would be hard to build but it the economics of the space would be a challenge.

That is a large pretty empty space, but to keep the area from being column free in a new building would take some engineering with trusses that , unless they were part of the rest of the buildings design, have to be custom done so that more floors would be able to go above it. Those trusses would have to carry the load that standard columns would have carried. That is where your higher cost come in. It is not just used for Christmas, but the spring flower show, a few fashion shows, the space does get used during the rest of the year as well. But the lose of Christmas display would be what would draw the ire of many people.

Oh, yes. I'd say this is unequivocally good news, although it probably speaks more to the already existing and improving strength of downtown Minneapolis than to Macy's making a magnanimous gesture.

Isn't the implication, though, that Macy's is planning to put a bunch of money into making this store better?

I have a hard time getting excited for this announcement.

Let's not forget that they shuttered and laid-off the Macy's North staff in Minneapolis, leaving the office space in the building vacant. They haven't updated the Christmas show in many years. Street displays are often blank and have blinds pulled over them. Empty retail spaces abound throughout the building in full view of customers. Some areas just feel downright dated and depressing to walk through. I have so many happy memories of this store when it was Dayton's, but Macy's has made it clear they don't care about upholding that legacy.

The Chicago "flagship" hasn't fared any better and is also a sad shell of its former self and has been going downhill steadily since 2006 when it ceased to be Marshall Field's. I occasionally pop in when I visit Chicago, and find myself saddened at how such a glorious department store has been allowed to slide.

As much as I wish I could believe Macy's suddenly cares, the fact of the matter is that over the past decade they've shown a trend of divestment, not investment in this store. It's going to take a lot more than new floor tiles to transform this into a great store again. They could start by bringing back the Oval Room.

Welp. RIP Macy's?

http://www.startribune.com/macy-s-consi ... 397946281/

RIP Nicollet Mall.

"Considering" "Potentially" since 2008

No, read the article. It sounds like this is close to a done deal. The signs from the top have not been encouraging of late.

So did the City Center sale last year. Whatever.

Disappointing if they decide it isn't worth it to invest in a smaller nicer store in the building. If this becomes just an office building with a couple small skyway and street level retail spaces, that would be an awful shame...and a huge missed opportunity. Would be another building owner on the mall that can't envision anything bigger...just like the breaking up of the gaviidae blocks. If it isn't a smaller Macy's (Or Bloomingdale's)...there should certainly be something significant on the first 2 levels fronting the mall...