Winona Mall may be sold to Hiawatha Valley Education District

Jordan Shearer, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
Updated ·2 min read

Aug. 23—WINONA, Minn. — Although it's still open for business, the Winona Mall could soon be put to a very different use if a prospective sale goes through.

The Hiawatha Valley Education District is working on plans to purchase the building for $4.5 million. If that happens, the education district would like to start operating out of the building at the start of the 2024-25 school year.

"The demand for our programs is increasing," HVED Executive Director Debbra Marcotte said. "This particular facility is large enough to accommodate all of our programs and in a location that allows us to connect with other organizations and opportunities for kids."

A representative for the mall could not be reached for comment. According to the Winona Daily News, the mall was built in 1983 "after a major remodeling and rebranding of the previous Miracle Mall." The mall's website lists 18 businesses, but what may happen to them, if the sale goes through, is not immediately known.

The education district is purchasing the original mall. However, there's an addition that shares an entryway that belongs to another business, Marcotte said.

As an education district, Hiawatha Valley provides a number of specialized educational services to "member districts" who would not necessarily be able to provide them on their own: services like those for the blind, deaf, or hard of hearing, students with behavioral issues, or developmental disabilities.

The Hiawatha Valley Education District serves the school districts of Plainview-Elgin-Millville, Dover-Eyota, St. Charles and Chatfield, among a slew of others.

The education district currently works out of five separate locations. The purchase of the Winona Mall would allow the organization to consolidate its efforts. Marcotte said that would help teachers be able to work together.

Located on the opposite side of Rochester, the Zumbro Education District recently acquired a new facility as well.

The Zumbro Education District moved

into a brand new building in Kasson at the start of the 2022-23 school year. The district serves the school districts of Byron, Kasson-Mantorville, Stewartville, Blooming Prairie, Triton and Hayfield.

Marcotte said the education district has been searching for a new facility for the last 10 years.

"It's something we've been searching for for a long time," she said. "Wwe hope we can move forward and provide excellent opportunities together like we've been forced to do apart."