Demolition work began Thursday, Feb. 1, on the west end of the Center Mall in downtown Moorhead.
Removal of the 50-year-old mall will proceed in stages, according to Roers Development spokesperson Heidi Knutson. The first stage includes the two-story structure that housed Herberger’s from 1983 until 2018, when its corporate parent Bon Ton Stores declared bankruptcy.
The second phase, coming this spring, will remove the portion of the mall northwest of Fifth Street North most recently occupied by the Thai Orchid and F-M Community Theatre. That will clear the way for construction of the new community center and library, to be built in the southwest corner of the 18-acre mall site.
Five businesses will continue to operate around the atrium until 2025, including Puffe’s Jewelry, Downtown Chiropractic, Mane Impressions, Bob Grantham’s barber shop (now co-located in the salon), and the Clay County Department of Motor Vehicles. No plans have been announced for the city-owned parking ramp west of the mall. (Photo/ Nancy Hanson)