Letter from attorney for owners of Northridge says they'll appeal city's raze order

MILWAUKEE -- Foley & Lardner LLP., the law firm representing U.S. Black Spruce Enterprise Group, Inc. (Black Spruce) on April 29 sent a letter to the City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services' commissioner -- indicating the owners plan to appeal the city's raze order for Northridge Mall.

City leaders, including Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, announced on April 11 the former mall at 76th and Brown Deer Road would be torn down in 20 days because they said it's not safe -- with walls failing and the entire roof needing to be replaced. City leaders said the owners wouldn't secure the building, and city officials said they don't have the resources to keep people out. Mayor Barrett said the owners, a Chinese investment group, not only failed to repair and secure the property, but also had not been in contact with the city for months. Milwaukee Alderwoman Chantia Lewis noted trespassing, vandalism and theft had been on the rise since December 2017 -- when a YouTube star filmed a video inside the vacant building.

The Department of Neighborhood Services issued three raze orders to the owners of the property, citing the vandalized, dilapidated and out of repair property. The DNS and Mayor Barrett said the work required to repair the building would far exceed the value of the building. The mayor said essentially, nothing happened on the property for 10 years. Boston Store left in 2003. In 2006, Value City Furniture left. In 2008, it was sold by one Chinese investment group to another. It was sold to the Chinese investors for $6 million with hope of transforming the property -- but that never happened. The mayor cited concerns about the health and safety of people who come to the 900,000 square foot property illegally.

City leaders said the cost of the demolition would fall on the ownership group, and said if they didn't take action, the city would, and the cost would be passed onto the owner's property tax bill, which they had been paying.

The letter from Foley & Lardner, representing Black Spruce, read as follows:

A spokesman said Alderwoman Chantia Lewis did not have a statement on this matter Thursday, May 2.