(La Porte, IN) – Work has started on the comeback of Maple Lane Mall in La Porte.  Mayor Tom Dermody said underground utilities at the mostly vacant mall are being improved right now.  He said improving the badly deteriated parking lot will happen next.

 

Rural King, which purchased the property in 2017, announced a few months ago it will open a store in the old Kmart section of the mall in the spring and renovate the building for leasing to other businesses.  The new businesses planned for the over 200,000 square foot mall are not known.

 

Rural King is a farm and home store chain with more than 100 stores east of the Mississippi River.

There was little movement on the property until local officials, eager for new life at what became an eyesore in recent years, intensified its talks with the retail giant.

 

Rural King is investing  close to $2 million on renovating the inside and outside of the structure, officials said.  About half of those dollars are going for upgrading the parking lot.