Dunes Plaza (Michigan City, Indiana) | strip mall

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  Dale Swanson (guest)

  Wrong, wrong, wrong. This is Dunes Plaza (originally known as KMart Plaza), a multi-building strip mall that was constructed around KMart, as anchor (which opened in 1968, and closed in the mid-1990s. A Hobby Lobby outlet occupied the old KMart for a number of years afterward). Later east and west wings were added to Dunes Plaza, which at one time included and IHOP and a 4-screen (later 6-screen) General Cinemas (on the east wing), and a furniture store and Godtather's Pizza on two separate west wings. There were also a couple of freestanding businesses that fronted onto Highway 20 (e.g., Long John Silver's, Zantigo's, Bonanza). All of this was constructed on previously undeveloped (and somewhat marshy) land on the south side of U.S. 20 (directly opposite the enclosed Marquette Mall), just west of U.S. 421, on what was then the southern edge of Michigan City. (The vacant KMart building was demolished in December 2012, and a new Kohl's - which opened in 2013 - now stands in its place. On the other hand, Elston Senior High School - the campus of which still exists, and is still in use, as Elston Junior High School - and the A.K. Smith Career, are located several miles to the north up U.S. 421 - a.k.a. Franklin Street, Michigan City's main north-south arterial street - and is very much in the old center of town. The old South Shore car works site is in yet another location entirely, on the northeast side of town, at the east end of 11th Street, east of Michigan Blvd.

  10 years ago | reply | hide comment