Maurices to anchor new Duluth tower

A women's fashion retailer headquartered in Duluth will anchor a new $80 million office building in the city.

The project was one of nine winners of state economic development grants announced this week.

Maurices operates over 800 stores across North America. It was founded in Duluth in 1931 and is now part of the Ascena Retail Group of New York, which also owns the dressbarn and Justice brands.

Maurices President George Goldfarb said the chain will kick in about $30 million towards the building's cost, and will consolidate several office locations into more than half the new space.

"We want to stay in downtown Duluth. It's where we were founded. It's where we were born," he said.

An $8.5 million state grant will pay for the city-owned parking ramp that's part of the project. The city will pony up an equal amount. Maurices employs 365 people in Duluth, and anticipates adding 100 additional jobs in the next three years.