A Ramble Through Northgate Station and Area, January, 2024

This one goes through what was once the largest indoor mall in America, Northgate Mall. In 1950, this was outside the Seattle city limits (on the north, if you can believe it…) and was a tremendous project. At the time there were two other shopping centers referred to as a mall, but this was biggest by far and was the first indoor one and set the stage for mall design for decades. It is undergoing transition into a commuter center, community center, and is already the NHL Kraken’s practice facility. Much is under construction and I explore what is open to me. I continue through what passes for a mall these days; a couple of strip-malls that are close buy. I end at… I don’t know what to call it. It is a multi story, multi national chain building and parking lot. Not quite a strip mall, but not really a ‘shopping center’. I dunno what it is, but it takes up a whole city block. Enjoy!

• Start Address: 5th Avenue NE and NE Northgate way.

• Stop Address: 11023 NE Northgate Way

• Mileage: 1.58 miles

• Animated map: here

• Difficulty/Terrain: Sidewalks with one set of stairs each in the Kraken Center and at the end parking garage.

• Ascent: 49ft, Descent: 42ft.