Reviving The Northgate Mall
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
Jacoby Landry had a question for himself earlier this year as he took an extended look at what was then the condition of the Lafayette Northgate Mall.
While others dismissed the current economic potential and condition of the mall as hopeless, Landry told the Opelousas Noon Rotary Club last week that he saw that situation as an opportunity to create the type of financial development he always envisioned.
The inspiration to initiate a multi-purpose redevelopment of the 200,000 square foot mall complex,Landry said, occurred one day as he parked his vehicle outside the mall and experienced what might be described as an epiphany.
“I drove up (to the mall) and I asked myself, ‘What are you going to do?’” Landry said.
With funding help from Lafayette Parish and Lafayette city officials, Landry announced in June that he had purchased the Northgate Mall which first opened in 1969, with the concept of “flipping the mall inside out.”
What he means by that, Landry noted, is constructing what he describes as a “community inside” the 23-acre property, by attracting an eclectic blend of tenants that includes a grocery market, a sports bar, income tax businesses, a chiropractor, offices for a Lake Charles chemical company, area for an indoor fitness, a spa, educational services like a technical college and charter school.
There are also plans, Landry said, to build indoor and outdoor pickleball courts and an outdoor tennis court on the north side of the parking lot.
At this point Landry said the health and fitness club is probably going to be the anchor for the whole project.
Many of the Rotarians told Landry that they remember when the Northgate Mall was vibrant, with tenants like Service Merchandise, Stage, Montgomery Ward, J.C. Penney and other national brands.
Landry told the Rotarians that his project, whose estimated total completion date could take eight to 10 years, does have its challenges.
“What people are mainly concerned about is having the necessary lighting. That is something that is going to be addressed,” Landry said.
Landry said that characterizing the mall area as a crime haven is inaccurate.
“What is lacking on the north side right now is just the lack of activities. People have been most concerned about the homeless issue at the mall and a pace where people would just gather and hang out. So we hired security and with more lighting we are taking care of those problems,” Landry added.
Landry said that he is not implementing his revitalization plan without some help.
Funding and planning assistance is being provided by the Lafayette Economic Development Authority, Lafayette Public Trust Funding and the Elevate North Lafayette Program, which helps investors with projects located inside historically undeveloped economic areas, Landry pointed out.
