With the site of the former Northridge Mall expected to be a clean slate by next fall, the City of Milwaukee has kicked off its community engagement process to narrow redevelopment possibilities.
The city held a town hall style meeting Monday night, during which officials urged residents to “imagine what it could be.”
Suggestions from residents included job-creating development such as manufacturing or industrial buildings, a “town center”-style development with housing and neighborhood amenities, a health and sports complex, and a satellite campus for Milwaukee Area Technical College, among others.
“It’ll take time, but we envision that this site has tremendous potential, and will be an improvement over what we’ve seen here over the course of the last 20 years,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson said of the mall that closed in 2003. “You all have been so, so patient.”
Posters designed by the city that were on display at the meeting billed the site as an opportunity for “mixed use development with potential industrial, office and commercial uses.” Other posters allowed residents to comment on what their preferred mix of uses for the site would be, including questions related specifically to housing and community amenities.
Some resident ideas noted on the display board included office space, centers for job training, education and youth recreation and space for manufacturing. Others suggested more entertainment-focused development like shops, restaurants, a multicultural center and a movie theater.
There were also calls for affordable housing, including single-family homes, condos and townhomes.
Several residents expressed hope that redevelopment of the former mall site could spur revitalization of the Brown Deer Road corridor, which has seen several stores and businesses move away or shut down since the mall closed, and help give the area a better reputation for people from other communities who tend to avoid the far northwest side, residents said.
The meeting was the first of many public outreach efforts that will continue throughout the next year, city officials said. The city will then complete a market study to determine which developments are the most feasible and then will issue requests for proposals for the site, though an exact timeline has not yet been determined.
Given the site’s size at 58 acres, there might be multiple RFPs for portions of the site, officials said. It will be the largest piece of available land in the city.
The City of Milwaukee was awarded its long-sought control of the Northridge property in January, and last month a demolition contract of $10.68 million was awarded to Minnesota-based Veit & Co. Inc. After the removal and abatement of hazardous materials and cleanup inside this summer, demolition of the structure itself is expected to begin this fall or winter.
Demolition of the former Boston Store at Northridge Mall has already been completed. That work was done by Lannon-based HM Brandt.
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