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Granville Station Redevelopment

(former Northridge Mall site)

 

Help shape the future of the former Northridge Mall site in the Granville neighborhood at 

Engage MKE Goodby Northridge, Hello Granville!

 

For decades, Northridge Mall on Milwaukee’s northwest side served as an economic catalyst for local workers, businesses, and residents throughout the region. Since the mall closed in 2003, portions of the property have been redeveloped as standalone retail stores, while other areas have been left to deteriorate. The City of Milwaukee is actively working to promote, encourage, and support public safety measures and private investment at the former Northridge Mall that will move the Granville Area forward.

The former Northridge Mall area is currently made up of thirteen properties with four owners.  A map showing the current site ownership can be found here.

City’s Objectives

  • Ensure Granville Station becomes an asset to the local residents, surrounding businesses, and the region.
  • Protect the health and safety of the public, the City’s first responders, and private property owners near the former Northridge Mall.   
  • Work with the Granville Business Improvement District, local residents, and area businesses to update plans for Granville Station. Learn more about Granville area planning to-date, and participate now on Engage MKE.
  • Update the infrastructure and utilities surrounding the former mall to promote catalytic, ground-up development and job creation.

In January 2024, the City of Milwaukee took possession of three properties comprising of the former Northridge Mall through tax foreclosure.  These properties include: 9009 and 9101 N. Granville Station Road and 8221 W. Northridge Mall Road.  The City is now working to abate the asbestos, raze the former mall buildings, and clear the site. Throughout 2024 and 2025 there will be significant demolition activity and utility work occurring in the area.  This work will includes asbestos abatement, hazardous materials removal, lead-based paint abatement, mechanical demolition, earthwork, and plumbing.  

Granville Station (former Northridge Mall): NEWS

 

What will happen over the next year?

Winter 2024

  • Security measures will be implemented throughout the former mall complex 
  • Environmental consultants will complete asbestos and hazardous materials assessment of the former mall buildings
  • Engineers will complete an infrastructure analysis of the mall properties
  • The City will advertise a public bid for a perimeter fence
  • The City will begin demolition of the former Boston Store

Spring 2024

  • The City will prepare bid specifications for asbestos abatement and demolition of the old mall buildings
  • The City will get approvals from permitting and regulatory agencies for utility work
  • The City anticipates advertising a public bid for asbestos abatement and demolition of the mall buildings

Summer 2024 

  • The City anticipates starting asbestos abatement, hazardous materials removal, and interior cleanup (4-6 month process)
  • The City anticipates starting the utility re-alignment activities

Fall/Winter 2024 - Summer 2025

  • The City anticipates starting mechanical demoltion of the mall buildings (8-10 month process)

Summer 2025

  • The City anticipates starting earth work, site grading, and interim stormwater plan implementation

Fall 2025 

  • The City anticipates finishing the demolition work of the former mall buildings and getting the site ready for ground up development

Community Vision for the Site 

The Northwest Side Area Plan was adopted by the Milwaukee Common Council in 2008 and the Granville Strategic Action Plan and Land Use Study was adopted in 2017.  The most recent effort was also supported by a community led design charrette that culminated in creating a vision for Granville Station (also known as the former Northridge Mall). This process involved revisiting the Strategic Action Plan, examining the business diversity of the neighborhood, and conducting a series of Focus Groups to gather input from various stakeholders including lenders, developers, residents, City officials, agency leaders, and business owners. The intent of the charette process is to explore and evaluate development ideas and possibilities.

The outcome of the Granville Design Charrette included recommendations for new ground up mixed-used development that includes residential, retail, light industrial, and public green space. Redevelopment goals include new job opportunities, a mix of housing types, commercial uses, and increase of greenspace and landscaping.   

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Site Details

  • The former mall site consists of approximately 100 acres located north of West Brown Deer Road and west of North 76th Street.
  • There are currently 13 properties owned by four individual owners within the ring road. Click here for a map.
  • All of the parcels within the malls ring road share common utilities and legal agreements that make redevelopment of this site more complex than developing an individual site.    
  • There are seven properties that make up the old part of the mall, which are currently owned by the City of Milwaukee.  Combined these parcels make up 58 acres of land. 

Current Conditions at the former Northridge Mall 

Conditions at the former Northridge Mall properties are dangerous and have only continued to deteriorate since the City issued the raze orders in 2019.  There were four fires between July and August of 2022 that required responses from multiple fire companies from Milwaukee and adjacent communities. The fires destabilized parts of the buildings and created dangerous conditions.  There are debris currently obstructing walkways and points of access.   Air quality within the buildings have deteriorated significantly and there is the presence of friable asbestos and mold, as well as other hazardous constituents.    

Click here to see a time lapse video of the interior of the mall

Brief Background

  • 1972 Northridge Mall opened
  • 2003 Northridge Mall closed
  • 2004 Redevelopment of the parcels surrounding the former Northridge Mall properties started (Menards, Pick N Save, Taco Bell, Foot Locker); Tax Incremental District #51 was created to support this development.
  • 2008 The former Northridge Mall properties were sold to US Toward Group Inc., as predecessor to US Black Spruce Enterprise Group.
  • 2013  US Black Spruce Enterprise Group takes ownership of the old mall properties.  Penzeys Spices takes ownership of the former Boston Store properties.
  • 2017 City of Milwaukee adopts the Granville Strategic Action Plan and acquired the former Boston Store from Penzeys Spices.
  • 2019 City issued raze orders against three properties owned by US Black Spruce Enterprise Group.  Those raze orders were challenged in Circuit Court. 
  • 2020 Circuit Court upheld raze orders.  Black Spruce appealed the decision to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.
  • 2022 Court of Appeals remanded the case back to Circuit Court on the question of the cost of the raze.  The raze order case was re-heard at the Circuit Court, who upheld the raze orders a second time.  U.S. Black Spruce Enterprise Group filed a second appeal with the Court of Appeals.  The Court of Appeals denied Black Spruce’s request to stay the raze, while the appeal is pending. Simultaneously, the Circuit Court found US Black Spruce Enterprise Group in contempt of court for not securing their properties.
  • 2023 City filed a tax foreclosure lien against three properties.
  • 2024 City took possession of three properties comprising the former Northridge Mall through tax foreclosure on January 25, 2024.  These properties include: 9009 and 9101 N. Granville Station Rd. and 8221 W. Northridge Mall Rd.

 

Granville Station (former Northridge Mall): HELPFUL LINKS

City of Milwaukee Department of City Development

City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services

Granville Business Improvement District

Engage MKE Northridge (Public Involvement Platform)

City of Milwaukee Department of Administration Director Sharon Robinson

Benji Timm
Real Estate Project Manager
(414) 286-5756
Email

Tanya Fonseca, AICP
Long Range Planning Manager
(414) 286-5716

Email

Kyle Gast
Planning Project Manager
(414) 286-5823
Email

 

Department of City Development
809 North Broadway
Milwaukee, WI  53202

Contact Area Common Council Member
District 9 - Alderwoman Larresa Taylor

Contact Mayor Cavalier Johnson

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