Funding has been approved by the state of Ohio and Hamilton County for the demolition of the former Sears portion of Northgate Mall.Colerain Township trustees voted on Tuesday to approve a $28,000 grant from Hamilton County to go forward with the demolition. A grant was also approved last week by the state of Ohio to advance the demolition.The building, which sits at 9505 Colerain Ave., previously was host to the mall’s store space for the once-global retailer. It was also one of the mall’s flagship companies for many years, making up one of the largest stores by area within the mall during the years it was in operation. However, following a downturn in sales, Sears permanently ceased their sales operations in the building in 2018. After many years of sitting vacant, Colerain Township purchased the building in an auction last year for $2.2 million.Sears, once one of the country’s most dominant retail giants throughout most of the 20th century, has greatly struggled to adapt to the rise of the Internet and e-commerce in the 21st century. It has only 11 actively operating stores across the United States at the moment, down significantly from the several hundred it owned only just a few years prior. Other former retail giants once housed at the Northgate Mall, such as JCPenney, Dillard’s, and Macy’s, have also gone out of business at the mall in recent years.There is no word yet from Colerain Township officials on what they plan to do with the land following the demolition.
Funding has been approved by the state of Ohio and Hamilton County for the demolition of the former Sears portion of Northgate Mall.
Colerain Township trustees voted on Tuesday to approve a $28,000 grant from Hamilton County to go forward with the demolition. A grant was also approved last week by the state of Ohio to advance the demolition.
The building, which sits at 9505 Colerain Ave., previously was host to the mall’s store space for the once-global retailer. It was also one of the mall’s flagship companies for many years, making up one of the largest stores by area within the mall during the years it was in operation.
However, following a downturn in sales, Sears permanently ceased their sales operations in the building in 2018. After many years of sitting vacant, Colerain Township purchased the building in an auction last year for $2.2 million.
Sears, once one of the country’s most dominant retail giants throughout most of the 20th century, has greatly struggled to adapt to the rise of the Internet and e-commerce in the 21st century. It has only 11 actively operating stores across the United States at the moment, down significantly from the several hundred it owned only just a few years prior.
Other former retail giants once housed at the Northgate Mall, such as JCPenney, Dillard’s, and Macy’s, have also gone out of business at the mall in recent years.
There is no word yet from Colerain Township officials on what they plan to do with the land following the demolition.
