Highway 153 and Hixson Pike
Chattanooga, Tennessee
NORTHGATE MALL, the Scenic City's first enclosed shopping center, was designed by Jerry Cooper and Roger Dodson and developed by Chattanooga-based Arlen Shopping Centers (a precursor of today's CBL Properties). The complex was built on a 65.4-acre plot, located 9 miles north of center city Chattanooga.
The mall site was originally outside the city limits of Chattanooga, in an unincorporated section of Hamilton County known as Hixson. Before the shopping center was completed, it had been annexed into Chattanooga proper.
A 2-level (90,500 square foot), Chattanooga-based Miller Brothers became the first operational store on March 2, 1972. A mall-wide grand opening was held on March 15th, when a 2-level (158,700 square foot) J.C. Penney was dedicated.
Charter inline stores included Lerner Shops, Eckerd Drugs, Piccadilly Cafeteria and a G.C. Murphy 5 & 10. The Martin Theatres Northgate Cinema, an in-mall venue, showed its first feature on March 23, 1972. Mall outparcels included a Penney's Auto Center, Sears Auto Center, Miller Brothers Auto Center and Convenience Center, which was anchored by a (21,800 square foot) Kroger supermarket.
The basic footprint of NORTHGATE MALL was completed with the dedication of its south anchor store. The 2-level (153,000 square foot) Sears began business on February 27, 1974. The shopping hub now encompassed approximately 800,000 leasable square feet and housed seventy stores and services.
The basic footprint of NORTHGATE MALL was completed with the dedication of its south anchor store. The 2-level (153,000 square foot) Sears began business on February 27, 1974. The shopping hub now encompassed approximately 800,000 leasable square feet and housed seventy stores and services.
A twin movie house, the Martin Theatres Northgate Cinemas 2 & 3, was added to the north end of the Convenience Center. In 1982, the original in-mall cinema was twinned and renamed Northgate Cinemas 1 & 2. The Convenience Center twin was expanded with two auditoria and became the Northgate Cinemas 3, 4, 5 & 6.
During its early years, the only retail rival of NORTHGATE was EASTGATE CENTER (1962) {7.1 miles southeast, in Chattanooga}. In 1987, Chattanooga's two sibling retail centers were joined by HAMILTON PLACE {7 miles southeast of NORTHGATE, also in Chattanooga}. HAMILTON PLACE put the hurt on EASTGATE in a big way. NORTHGATE was not as seriously effected.
Only one of the anchor stores at NORTHGATE has changed nameplates over the years. Miller Brothers, bought by DC-based Garfinckel's, was merged with Knoxville-based Miller's of Tennessee in late 1973. In turn, this store was rebranded by Allentown, Pennsylvania-based Hess's, in 1988, Alcoa, Tennessee-based Proffitt's. in 1992 and Charlotte-based Belk, in 2006.
NORTHGATE has been physically expanded on one occasion. After the closing of its G.C. Murphy 5 & 10, in the early 1980s, an extended facade was built onto the vacant store. The adjacent southeast mall entrance was filled-in. A new southeast entry, and several retail spaces, were installed in the enlarged Murphy's area.
During 1992, changes were made to the shopping hub's two cinema complexes. The in-mall venue was shuttered. The Convenience Center house was enlarged with four auditoria and renamed the Carmike Northgate Cinemas 8. This venue was in operation for over 12 years. It was replaced by a new theater, built adjacent to the mall's east parking area. The Carmike Northgate 14 showed first features on October 7, 2004. It was rebranded as an American Multi-Cinema venue in 2016.
Meanwhile, the mall was given face lifts in 1991 and 1997. In May 1998, Chicago-based General Growth Properties entered into a joint venture with Montreal-based Ivanhoe Cambridge, which owned NORTHGATE MALL. The newly-formed venture was named GGP Ivanhoe III.
In June 2003, General Growth Properties bought out the minority interest of the Ivanhoe venture, establishing 100 percent ownership of NORTHGATE. The 816,000 square foot facility changed hands again in October 2011, when Chattanooga's CBL & Associates Properties acquired it.
A renovation of the mall got underway in early 2013. Its first phase redeveloped the northwest Convenience Center. T.J. Maxx had assumed the old Kroger space some years before. This store had been expanded (to 30,800 square feet) in the early 2000s. It was given a new facade, while the remainder of the strip was demolished.
Two big box stores were built as a replacement. A (22,000 square foot) Michaels opened for business on September 6, 2013. The new (25,600 square foot) Ross Dress For Less began business om October 12. As a facet of the remodeling, the strip was renamed SHOPS AT NORTHGATE.
A second phase of refurbishment included interior and exterior upgrades for the mall proper. Its Main Entrance was rebuilt and new soft seating areas, ceilings, lighting and flooring installed. Belk also renovated their NORTHGATE location, consolidating a separate Home Store into their north anchor building. Work on the mall was completed in time for the 2013 Christmas shopping season.
The Belk Home Store, now vacant, was gutted along with a section of adjacent inline stores. A (63,000 square foot) Burlington (Coat Factory) was created, which opened on September 26, 2014. Bad news came on the heels of this dedication. J.C. Penney had announced a slew of "underperforming" store shutterings in January 2014. Among the thirty-three on a list was the NORTHGATE MALL location. The store shut its doors on May 3, 2014.
As this store was being liquidated, plans for a potential competitor for NORTHGATE MALL were announced. A prospectus for CHATTANOOGA VILLAGE -make that HILLOCKS FARM- was approved by the Chattanooga City Council in February 2014.
During its early years, the only retail rival of NORTHGATE was EASTGATE CENTER (1962) {7.1 miles southeast, in Chattanooga}. In 1987, Chattanooga's two sibling retail centers were joined by HAMILTON PLACE {7 miles southeast of NORTHGATE, also in Chattanooga}. HAMILTON PLACE put the hurt on EASTGATE in a big way. NORTHGATE was not as seriously effected.
Only one of the anchor stores at NORTHGATE has changed nameplates over the years. Miller Brothers, bought by DC-based Garfinckel's, was merged with Knoxville-based Miller's of Tennessee in late 1973. In turn, this store was rebranded by Allentown, Pennsylvania-based Hess's, in 1988, Alcoa, Tennessee-based Proffitt's. in 1992 and Charlotte-based Belk, in 2006.
NORTHGATE has been physically expanded on one occasion. After the closing of its G.C. Murphy 5 & 10, in the early 1980s, an extended facade was built onto the vacant store. The adjacent southeast mall entrance was filled-in. A new southeast entry, and several retail spaces, were installed in the enlarged Murphy's area.
During 1992, changes were made to the shopping hub's two cinema complexes. The in-mall venue was shuttered. The Convenience Center house was enlarged with four auditoria and renamed the Carmike Northgate Cinemas 8. This venue was in operation for over 12 years. It was replaced by a new theater, built adjacent to the mall's east parking area. The Carmike Northgate 14 showed first features on October 7, 2004. It was rebranded as an American Multi-Cinema venue in 2016.
Meanwhile, the mall was given face lifts in 1991 and 1997. In May 1998, Chicago-based General Growth Properties entered into a joint venture with Montreal-based Ivanhoe Cambridge, which owned NORTHGATE MALL. The newly-formed venture was named GGP Ivanhoe III.
In June 2003, General Growth Properties bought out the minority interest of the Ivanhoe venture, establishing 100 percent ownership of NORTHGATE. The 816,000 square foot facility changed hands again in October 2011, when Chattanooga's CBL & Associates Properties acquired it.
A renovation of the mall got underway in early 2013. Its first phase redeveloped the northwest Convenience Center. T.J. Maxx had assumed the old Kroger space some years before. This store had been expanded (to 30,800 square feet) in the early 2000s. It was given a new facade, while the remainder of the strip was demolished.
Two big box stores were built as a replacement. A (22,000 square foot) Michaels opened for business on September 6, 2013. The new (25,600 square foot) Ross Dress For Less began business om October 12. As a facet of the remodeling, the strip was renamed SHOPS AT NORTHGATE.
A second phase of refurbishment included interior and exterior upgrades for the mall proper. Its Main Entrance was rebuilt and new soft seating areas, ceilings, lighting and flooring installed. Belk also renovated their NORTHGATE location, consolidating a separate Home Store into their north anchor building. Work on the mall was completed in time for the 2013 Christmas shopping season.
The Belk Home Store, now vacant, was gutted along with a section of adjacent inline stores. A (63,000 square foot) Burlington (Coat Factory) was created, which opened on September 26, 2014. Bad news came on the heels of this dedication. J.C. Penney had announced a slew of "underperforming" store shutterings in January 2014. Among the thirty-three on a list was the NORTHGATE MALL location. The store shut its doors on May 3, 2014.
As this store was being liquidated, plans for a potential competitor for NORTHGATE MALL were announced. A prospectus for CHATTANOOGA VILLAGE -make that HILLOCKS FARM- was approved by the Chattanooga City Council in February 2014.
The 100 million dollar, mixed-use development would be built on 190 acres, located 2 miles north of NORTHGATE. A fully-realized HILLOCKS FARM would include 280 multi-family residential units, 250,000 square feet of office space and 500,000 square feet of retail. A first phase was completed in November 2017.
Sources:
The News-Free Press (Chattanooga, Tennessee)
Milwaukee Business Journal
"Northgate Mall" brochure (1982)
http://www.chattanoogan.com / Harmon Jolley
"Memories Of Northgate Mall" / John Shearer
www.ggp.com / General Growth Properties
www.nooga.com
http://www.movie-theatre.org / Mike Rivest
http://www.sceniclandcompany.com / Scenic Land Company
"Memories Of Northgate Mall" / John Shearer
www.ggp.com / General Growth Properties
www.nooga.com
http://www.movie-theatre.org / Mike Rivest
http://www.sceniclandcompany.com / Scenic Land Company
"Northgate Mall" article on Wikipedia
