The City of Milwaukee has been granted ownership of Northridge Mall, after decades of back and forth over the future of the property.
Sean Ryan with the Milwaukee Business Journal reports the mall closed about 20 years ago and never reopened.
Leaders with the City of Milwaukee have wanted to demolish the vacant building since at least 2019, and the city was even awarded a $15 million grant from the State of Wisconsin to help cover costs.
Since 2008, the majority of the property was owned by Chinese investment group US Black Spruce, which was tied up in lawsuits with the city over demolition orders. The city's apparent win in a different property tax foreclosure case Thursday ends the dispute by giving the city ownership of the site. Black Spruce owes about $649,000 in back taxes from 2018 to 2021.
Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Glenn Yamahiro signed over ownership to the city Thursday morning in a hearing that lasted only minutes. Black Spruce did not have an attorney present. The company has 45 days to appeal the ruling.
In a press conference Thursday, Mayor Cavalier Johnson called the ruling a win and said the first step is securing the property by adding 24-hour personnel to the site, installing fencing around the perimeter and boarding up the old mall.
Johnson said the old Boston Store, which the city already owned, will be razed first. Demolition is expected to start this spring.
An environmental assessment is needed due to asbestos at the property.
"It feels incredible. It really really does. The fact of the matter is for the past 20+ years. The former Northridge Mall not just been a site of blight and it’s been a danger. It’s been a danger to the people who’ve enter the mall it’s been a danger to our first responders, particularly the fire department," Johnson stated.
City leaders say they will work with neighbors and partners to shape a plan for what will replace the property.
Willis Garrett, marketing manager at All Star Kutz just down the street, grew up going to the mall during its prime but like so many others he is ready for change.
"Anything that can have a positive outlook as far as all of our businesses and things like that, any type of community outreach. More retail because we need more retail out here that'll bring more revenue to the community," Garrett said. ""Give the kids and the community, something that they can be proud of."
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