Retrofit Atlas

Malls · Michigan

Copper Country Mall

Imported, unreviewedClosedHoughton, MI

Opened 1981.

Status nowClosedEsri 2014 layer
Site size257,866 sq ft GLAEsri 2014 layer
Retrofit yearNot yet retrofittedstatus
Walkability7.7 of 20EPA, OpenStreetMap
Rail within 800 mNoOpenStreetMap, HUD
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Solid = from the authors' map · outlined = public source · dashed = model-written, not yet reviewed by a person. Tap any value's source label to see where it came from.

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Site profile4 elements · what this retrofit is built with · tap a chip for the evidence

Former anchors
JCPenneyThis site: JCPenney wikipedia · all sites with this
Finance and pipeline
Closed per a 2014 list or a Wikipedia category, uncheckedThis site: …closed import, no source · all sites with this
Place
Tract house prices doubled in 10 yearsThis site: +127% fhfa · all sites with this
Tract income up 60%+ since 2013This site: +72% census-acs · all sites with this

All elements and lists · Trends

Now

StatusClosedEsri 2014 layer

Securitised debt and public filers

Filings (2001 to date) that name “Copper Country Mall” and “Houghton” (44 hits, first 44 sampled, 1 other filers such as tenants left out). No commercial-mortgage trust names this mall in the sample, which does not rule out a securitised loan. Text matches, not a title search. Open the search · all trusts.

KindFilerFilingsDatesForms
Public owner (weak)DEVELOPERS DIVERSIFIED REALTY CORP (SITC, SITC-PA)422001-04-02 to 2012-02-288-K 29, 10-K 13

Site context

Transit within 800 mno rail stationOpenStreetMap
FEMA flood zoneno NFHL polygon at point (unmapped or outside coverage)FEMA NFHL
EPA-regulated facilities within 500 m2: AUTOZONE STORES INC; WALGREENS #16254EPA FRS
Census tract 260610009004,373 people, 176 per sq mi; median household income $75,778; median gross rent $1,125; 18% renters; 16.9% vacant units; 1.2% commute by transitACS 2023 5-year
Walkability (EPA, block group)index 7.7 of 20; 7 intersections per sq mi; no transit stop within the EPA search radius; land-use mix 0.84; 2,971 jobs within 45 min by car; 8% of households without a carEPA Smart Location
Opportunity ZonenoHUD
Housing permits, Houghton County (MI), 20240 units in 5+ unit buildings, 8 in 2–4, 103 single-family; 2023: 5 in 5+Census BPS
Social vulnerability (CDC SVI 2022, tract)overall percentile 0.50; socioeconomic 0.38; housing and transport 0.73; 22% below 150% of poverty; 8% of households with no vehicleCDC/ATSDR
Tract change 2013–2023population -15% (5,148 → 4,373); median income +72% ($44,063 → $75,778); renters 27% → 18%; median home value +65% ($100,000 → $164,700)Census ACS 5-year
Natural hazard risk (FEMA National Risk Index, tract)relatively low overall (score 27.4); expected annual loss $1.3M; high: winter weather, cold wave; community resilience relatively highFEMA NRI
Tax-credit housing within 1 km1 LIHTC properties, 27 units: Scott Building (27 units)HUD LIHTC
Retail trade in the county, 2012 to 2023140 establishments (-7%); 1,665 jobs (+1%)Census CBP
Housing market in the countytypical home value $196,480 (+8% 1 yr, +20% 5 yr); typical rent $1,585/mo, 2026-09Zillow Research
House price index, tract, 2025505 (2000 = 100); +14.5% 1 yr, +93% 5 yr, +127% 10 yrFHFA
Traffic on the busiest road within 600 m (2024)17,755 vehicles a day on Memorial Rd (principal arterial, 4 lanes); 801 trucks; 37 counted segmentsFHWA HPMS

Summary, model-written

Opened in 1981 as a mall in Houghton, Michigan, Copper Country Mall operated for several decades before closing. The record shows no further events after opening, and its current status is listed as closed.

Why. The record does not specify any reasons for closure, such as anchor loss, competition, debt, or demolition.

Where it stands. The mall is listed as closed, but the record does not identify an owner or controlling entity.

For a planner

  • Precedent: other Michigan malls have been repurposed after closure, offering potential reuse models.
  • Policy tools: none indicated in the record; possible tools include zoning changes, tax increment financing, or brownfield incentives.
  • Open questions: current ownership, zoning designation, environmental condition, and community reuse goals.

For a developer

  • Site size: approximately 257,866 square feet of gross leasable area.
  • Control: ownership and controlling party are not specified in the record.
  • Entitlement stage: no information on existing approvals or pending applications.
  • Constraints: flood risk, transit access, and environmental conditions are not documented in the record.
  • Market signals: tract‑level data such as demographics, income, or retail demand are absent.

What we do not know yet

  • Ownership and controlling entity are unknown.
  • Reasons for closure (anchor loss, competition, debt, demolition) are not stated.
  • Zoning, land‑use approvals, and any entitlements are unspecified.
  • Environmental factors such as floodplain status, soil contamination, or wetlands are not provided.
  • Transit proximity and access infrastructure are not described.
  • Local market context (population, income, retail spending) is missing.

Generated by nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b on NVIDIA API via Hermes CT from the fields, parcels, deals and context layers on this page, with no outside knowledge. It is regenerated when the record changes and has not been checked by a person. How it is made.

Similar sites

  • Osceola Square Mall, Kissimmee, FL · Malls · similar GLA (331,127 sq ft); opened 1986
  • Auburn Mall, Auburn, ME · Malls · similar GLA (297,915 sq ft); opened 1979
  • Hutchinson Mall, Hutchinson, MN · Malls · similar GLA (284,115 sq ft); opened 1981
  • Westridge Mall, Fergus Falls, MN · Malls · similar GLA (213,000 sq ft); opened 1978

Elsewhere on the web

Retail history: Copper Country Mall on DeadMalls.com photos, field notes and visitor memories since 2000; matched by name and city; nothing copied here

Pages with photos

Search images: Google · Bing · Commons · references: ULI case studies · Google Scholar

Multifamily screen

  • closed or demolished per category only, +0 until sourced

Inputs: record fields (size, status) and county Census ACS 2018–2023 figures (growth, rent). How the points work. Not a recommendation.

History and original facts

Opened1981Esri 2014 layer
Gross leasable area257,866 sq ftEsri 2014 layer
Stores at peak39Esri 2014 layer
AnchorsSteve & Barry's, JCPenney, OfficeMax, Carmike Cinemas
AddressHwy. M-26 & Green Acres Rd.
CountyHoughton
Census division3 · East North Central
NotesListed as a closed mall in Esri's 2014 Closed_US_Malls layer (Directory of Major Malls data). Current status to be checked.

Not yet recorded: acres, original developer, what is there now, retrofit year. Know it? Tell us.

Timeline

  1. 1981 Opened

Sources

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