Michigan's Oldest Shopping Mall Is Being Reborn As A 'City Within A City'

In decades past, malls were the place to be if you wanted to show off, socialize, and, of course, shop. But with the rise of online shopping and a widening wealth gap, they've been on the decline since the 2010s, leading many malls to sit empty... or to find a second life. Case in point: Michigan's oldest shopping mall is now being reborn as a "city within a city."

Northland Shopping Center in Southfield (a suburb of Detroit) first opened in 1954 as a showcase for the department store J. L. Hudson. At that time, it was the largest shopping center in the world, per the Detroit Historical Society. At 1.4 million square feet and 7,500 parking spaces, it was certainly remarkable in size.

According to MLive, the mall closed in 2015 and was purchased by the city of Southfield for $2.5 million shortly after. Demolition began in 2017; later that year, the city pitched the 125-acre space as a potential headquarters for Amazon, but Amazon passed. In 2021, the city sold the land to Contour Companies of Bloomfield Hills for $11.1 million (per Fox 2 Detroit).

According to the Detroit News, the Northland Shopping Center site will soon be reborn as the Northland City Center. The new "city within a city" is set to be a housing and retail complex with commercial spaces, apartments, and a boutique hotel called the Victor (perhaps it could even become one of Michigan's most romantic getaways for couples). The city also approved plans for a sports dome, which should make local sports fans happy, especially considering that Michigan has the cheapest ticket prices in America.

The large former mall site also contains a 161,689-square-foot Costco, which opened in early 2024 as the first Costco Business Center in Michigan (via the Oakland Press). It's open to all Costco members but is designed for business needs, stocking items for consumer pantries as well as restaurant supplies and commercial appliances (as well as some special items, like some of these pet products you need before you take your furry friend camping). While the community seems happy with the new businesses on the old mall site — the Costco has a 4.6 average on Google Reviews — some remember the site's history. "Top Tier," writes one Google reviewer, "now bring us Northland Mall back!"