Northridge Mall future: Community planning meeting announced
Demolition on former Northridge Mall property (March 6, 2025)
MILWAUKEE - A community meeting to discuss the future of the former Northridge Mall property is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19.
What you can do:
Community members are invited to "help shape the future of the former Northridge Mall site." Ald. Larresa Taylor, who represents the 9th District, where the vacant property sits, and representatives from the Department of City Development will host the meeting. It will take place at 7800 W. Brown Deer Road from 5-7 p.m. on March 19.
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Demolition timeline
Timeline:
Demolition of the property began last year. The mall had been vacant since 2003.
In January, the Boston Store space on the east end of the mall came down; work began in March 2024. Crews began razing the former JCPenney location at that time, too.
Milwaukee’s Northridge Mall demolition; final look inside
Through shattered glass, torn down ceilings and moldy floors, cameras captured the inside of Northridge Mall one last time.
The Department of City Development said in January that work remains on schedule and on budget. The city said it expects all mall buildings to be demolished by mid-summer. Environmental work continues inside the remaining part of the mall.
Northridge Mall vacant
The backstory:
The mall closed in 2003, and an exodus of more businesses from the Brown Deer corridor followed.
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"It’s been difficult, having such a large area just standing there – especially with the decay that it’s had over the number of years," Al Hill, a longtime Granville neighborhood resident and past president of the former Granville-Brown Deer Chamber of Commerce, told FOX6 News in November. "I think that’s been a real detriment for the branding of the community."
The eyesore and frustration included multiple police and fire calls.
The Granville Station Redevelopment, as the city calls it, aims to reimagine the property. Mayor Cavalier Johnson described the project as a "catalytic opportunity" for the city. That opportunity could include new housing, businesses and jobs.
Judge approves Northridge foreclosure, Milwaukee takes ownership
After years of unpaid property taxes, it took just three minutes for a Milwaukee County judge to foreclose on the embattled and derelict Northridge Mall.
As for what will become of the former mall, Hill said he hopes it's not storage or light industrial – as found elsewhere in the area. Rather, he hopes whatever comes draws people to live, work and shop in a community atmosphere.
What you can do:
The public can follow developments and provide input on the city's website. To learn more about what has been dubbed the Granville Station project, visit the city's project website.
The Source: Information in this report is from the Milwaukee Department of City Development and prior FOX6 News coverage.