Demolition of Cortana Mall already underway

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The demolition of Cortana Mall started Monday, the first step in a process that will turn what was once Baton Rouge’s premier shopping destination into a 2.9 million-square-foot Amazon fulfillment center.

Backhoes ripped through the entrances behind the former Mervyns store, taking out chunks of the shopping center. A fence had been put around most of the mall, preventing onlookers from getting too close.

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The fulfillment center is expected to create several thousand jobs. Two shifts will work daily, with employees coming in for 10.5 hours at a time.

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The five-level warehouse and distribution center at Florida Boulevard and Airline Highway, will be nearly twice the size as Cortana.

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Cortana Mall opened in 1976 and was the place to shop in Baton Rouge for more than two decades, until the Mall of Louisiana wrested away the title after it opened in 1997. Even after it had been eclipsed by the Mall of Louisiana, Cortana remained viable for years.

But about five years ago, the mall's anchor stores began to close as retailers under financial pressure began trimming underperforming locations. Macy's shut down in early 2016, followed by Sears and J.C. Penney a year later. Virginia College closed in late 2018. As those anchors shut down, smaller retailers followed suit. By the time Cortana closed to the public, it was virtually empty.

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