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MILWAUKEE - An important meeting was held Thursday, June 22 on the fate of the Northridge Mall site.
The once-popular mall has been closed since 2003. The city is in court trying to have the building torn down and take possession of the property, but a company is under contract to buy it in hopes of keeping the building there and transforming it.
City developers along with the Phoenix Group, a potential buyer, met at Vincent High School, shared important information and took questions from residents.
Leaders say they will support what neighbors want to see happen.
Northridge Mall property, Milwaukee
"Because the way the residents decide is the way that I'm going to advocate, so if they decide that, yes, light industrial is what they want, then I'll advocate for that," said Alderwoman Larresa Taylor. "If they decide that they want a multi-mixed use that the city is offering, then I'm going to advocate for that."
Taylor said there is plenty to consider.
"Whatever we decide to do with that area, that it has to be something that's going to benefit the community as a whole," said Taylor. "This is prime real estate that could really impact the entire city of Milwaukee. Whatever we decide to do there, and that's why we're not going to take this decision lightly, is that it could really impact use for everyone around the city so just as we travel a distance to go to Brookfield or distance to go to Bayshore, if we do the make the right decision here, we can really add value to the whole city, so we're not going to make this decision lightly, but we're going to really consider all aspects and make a decision that's going to be best and really have what I hope is a positive impact on the whole city."
Milwaukee-based Phoenix Northridge Industrial Investors is under contract to buy the old mall from its current owner, Black Spruce. That sale has not gone through.
In 2019, the city issued an order to tear the building down. That case is still in court.
The Milwaukee Fire Department said it responded to five fires at the abandoned mall from July 2022 to December 2022. The fire department said it hasn't responded to any fires at Northridge Mall so far this year, crediting new security via Phoenix Group.