MILWAUKEE — A judge upheld Milwaukee's demolition order against Northridge Mall and levied a $109,000 fine against its owner on Monday, according to our partners at the Milwaukee Business Journal.
Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge William Sosnay's ruling is a step closer to the city forcing the mall's owner, U.S. Black Spruce Enterprises, to tear down the building. Northridge Mall has sat vacant for nearly 20 years after it shut down in 2003. The City of Milwaukee issued a demolition order in 2019 to try to tear it down. U.S. Black Spruce has been fighting it in court ever since.
On Monday, Judge Sosnay told U.S. Black Spruce's representatives to "immediately begin" the process to raze the building, the Milwaukee Business Journal reports. If they do not act to demolish it, the city could tear it down itself.
Judge Sosnay set an Oct. 31 deadline for the owner to pay a nearly $109,000 fine, which is the payments due on the $2,000-per-day fine. In August, U.S. Black Spruce was ordered to pay the daily fine because the property was not put under 24-7 security. It also covers the cost of this year's responses from Milwaukee police and fire departments.
Li Yang, executive director of U.S. Black Spruce, testified Monday saying the company acquired the mall for $6 million in 2008 and has since spent $8 million on maintenance, repairs, legal fees, taxes, and design work, according to the Milwaukee Business Journal.
Yang said a security firm was under contract until last year for the vacant mall and talks are underway to hire another to install cameras.
Quick action and frustration from city officials came after firefighters responded to four fires in less than a month at the vacant mall on July 16, July 19, July 24, and Aug. 10.
After the fourth fire on Aug. 10, Milwaukee Fire Chief Lipski expressed frustration over the lack of security on the long-vacant building. He put heavy emphasis on the risks his crew faces when responding to fires at buildings of this size.
“There's nobody maintaining this property," he previously said. "There might be an owner on a piece of paper, that's not the same, not when my firefighter's lives are at risk. I’m over it. I’m done. We’re going to be taking action on this.”
On Monday, Milwaukee Police Department Lieutenant Shannon Taylor said officers have responded to 75 calls for service this year. The calls were for trespassing, fires, suspicious cars, and illegal dumping.
The Milwaukee Business Journal reports between Sept. 24 and Sept. 25, a Kia car was driven through a gate in the fence and left in the building's loading dock area, according to the most recent report from city building inspectors.
Contractors hired by the city say the cost of repairing Northridge to remain vacant under city requirements is nearly $7.3 million. According to the Milwaukee Business Journal, the property's assessed value is $81,100, meaning the cost of repairing the building is higher than 50% of its assessed value.
