A billionaire buyout of homes dubbed “pieces of crap” left locals dreading how shrewd moves could impact their neighborhood’s future.
Splitting Duluth Harbor from Lake Superior, the Park Point neighborhood on the Minnesota Point sand spit off the coast of Minnesota and Wisconsin has become the focus of a global food company heir’s wife. Throughout last year, Kathy Cargill reportedly purchased 10 homes in the area and, according to StarTribune, she did so at an overvaluation of $2 million.
The wife of billionaire James Cargill II, heir to Cargill, Inc., owner of brands like Purina Animal Nutrition, Diamond Crystal Brands and dressings like Wish-Bone, Ken’s and Marie’s, the newspaper indicated that Kathy Cargill is the manager of North Shore LS, LLC, the entity responsible for the slew of purchases.
Looking into the sales, the StarTribune reported, “Most of the sales to North Shore LS are viewed as atypical when it comes to assessing property values and won’t be considered for taxes paid in 2025, said Mary Garness, the county public records and property valuation director. (Only three of the 10 houses were listed publicly and each of those sold much closer to their estimated values.”
Speaking with the New York Post, resident Danny O’Neil had said that “Christmas came early this year,” when 1,500-square-foot home that had been appraised for $370,000 was purchased by North Shore LS for $825,000, only to be leveled.
“The homes that we bought were pieces of crap,” said Cargill to the Duluth News Tribune. “I couldn’t image living in any of them.”
The short-term gain for some like O’Neil threatened long-term consequences for others in the areas as Duluth real estate agent Karen Pagel Guerndt warned the StarTribune “If prices are inflated at the time of sale, it could make the comparatives inflated for the future.”
Others expressed concern over a likely increase in property taxes slowly forcing residents out as one local said he’d experienced an increase from $4,000 to $6,500, while still more expressed their concern about the undeclared project that was underway.
Coral McDonnel, an 83-year-old resident, said to have spent the majority of her life in Park Point, explained to the Post, “They purchased lots next to our house, and they tore down three houses and two big garages.”
“I don’t know what they’re doing. There is a huge drill and it looks like they are drilling into the ground,” she went on expressing concerns about the fragile ecosystem. “They tore down a lot of trees, and that is sad. We need the trees to keep sand [on grounds along the lake] from coming up in big blows. I feel worried about our community and neighborhood.”
Meanwhile, O’Neil vented about the way his home was categorized after Cargill’s “pieces of crap” remark. “That was my house. It’s a family home that is an old beach house. That [remark] made me feel bad. No doubt she is trying to justify tearing them down. But give me a break.”
“Kathy Cargill needs a public relations person,” local Dave Poulin told the newspaper. “These are properties worth hanging on to and living with. She said they’re unlivable. They have not announced their intention and we can only speculate.”
What was known by locals was that Cargill had spent about $2.5 million in 2021 to purchase a home in Park Point said to have been worth $1,380,500 that was then gutted and renovated.
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
- ‘Hackiest hack’ Jim Acosta fears ‘partisan hacks’ will take over CNN as a result of merger - March 21, 2026
- USPS mail carrier in NYC suburb captured on video violently shoving 4-year-old Jewish boy - March 21, 2026
- Luxury brand facing scrutiny over failed Erika Kirk smear job by staffer who leaked purchase history - March 21, 2026
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.