Demolition is set to commence in the coming weeks on the former Northridge Mall on Milwaukee’s northwest side, 52 years after opening and 21 years after closing.
The City of Milwaukee was awarded its long-sought control of the Northridge property in January, and last week a demolition contract of $10.68 million was awarded to Minnesota-based Veit & Co. Inc.
On Monday, media was allowed inside the mall to see all of its fire-damaged, graffiti-covered, vandalized glory:
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- Benji Timm, project manager for the City of Milwaukee.
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- The western end of the mall.
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- Fire damage on the mall’s floor.
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- The eastern end of the mall.
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- Plants are now growing from some of the old fountain basins.
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- Northridge Mall’s floors have been discolored from fires and mold.
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- A keyboard discarded in one of the mall’s common areas.
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- A display window.
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- The central part of the mall.
Though the mall has been closed since 2003, the property was well-secured until about five or six years ago, when near-constant break-ins began occurring.
Where once stood shoe stores, jewelry shops and department stores, now sits smashed glass, a smell of mold, standing water and some plant growth as nature as re-taken several parts of the building
“For some, it was a playground, for others, it was a way to make money,” said Timm referring to Youtubers and other trespassers who have broken into the building. “But obviously it’s a serious health and safety issue, too. That’s the primary reason the city took it through tax foreclosure, and we hope to re-develop it into something much more productive for the city of Milwaukee.”
After the removal and abatement of hazardous materials and cleanup inside this summer, demolition of the structure itself should begin this fall or winter. The goal is to have the roughly 58-acre property ready for redevelopment by 2025.
It will be the largest piece of available land in the city, according to Benji Timm, project manager for Milwaukee’s Department of City Development.
The city has not released details of redevelopment possibilities or processes but has launched a website for community members to submit their thoughts on the redevelopment.
Demolition of the former Boston Store at Northridge Mall has already been completed. That work was done by Lannon-based HM Brandt.
