Dead Metro Detroit Malls *Universal, Livonia and Summit Place Mall pictures included*

[SMRJim]

Thanks for posting the pics. Westland mall still seems to be doing OK. I was there for Christmas shopping in 2007 and it seemed to be quite busy, though I don't know what it's like on a non-Christmas-time day. I have very fond memories of Northland from when I was a kid, back before they enclosed it. We used to ride our bikes up there [[or even walk the 5 miles occasionally) and cruise around the mall on them. Felt like an adventure riding over there - especially when you had to ride down 8 mile to JL Hudson Drive! [[or was it Northland Dr? or the freeway service drive?) The old shopping centers have changed as well - I lived right near Grand River - Greenfield when Wards/Kresges/Federals were all there, along with many other stores, and also have great memories of hanging out there as a kid. That was a poplular place to go and hang out for a while.

[Meddle]

^^ Remember Heatkit? Sanders?


I avoid the Costco type stores and I refuse to enter a Wally World or Sams.

[SaintMe]

Southland Center, while not "upscale," always seems to be pretty busy

[iheartthed]

Yes, these malls are dying, but isn't the mall concept kind of dying? Who has the need for the "mall" in the face of megastores such as Cosco, Wal-Mart, Meijer, not to mention internet retail, where you have a huge amount of options and usually costs are lower. Also, look at how stores like J.C. Penney and Kohls are expanding, not through building inside of malls, but inside of strip-malls, or just being singular buildings.

At the same time, the malls are becoming more of a niche for upscale shopping experiences, look at the three successful malls in this region -- Great Lakes Crossing [[granted an outlet mall), Somerset Collection, and Twelve Oaks. These three offer more of the "premium" stores such as Saks, Neimans, Nordstrom, and are also are near [[or have incorporated) other entertainment opportunities than just shopping such as movies, nice restaurants, etc.

Yeah, malls are dying period. I don't think there have been any new traditional type of malls built in the U.S. since 2006.

How is Partridge Creek doing? That's the name of that "lifestyle center" over in Macomb County, right?

[Danny]

If the shopping mall loses a anchor store, it dies. That what happen to Summit Place, Wonderland, Tel Twelve, Livonia, Mall, Tower Center Place and Universal.

[Roq]

There was some kind of warehouse club there [[not a Cosco or Sam's) about a decade ago. It's been totally vacent for that long. Not sure what's going in. Kind of a dead area in through there.

Drove by again today and a new retail development is going in [[Gateway something?) anchored by I believe a Video store. Nice to see any kind of new retail in the area.

I snapped a quick pic of the corner:

[jita1]

My mother used to take me to Wonderland Mall when it was an outdoor mall in the 70's. Does anybody remember that? I worked there from 1989 to 1993 then again from 1994-1995. I used to catch the Plymouth bus from Elmhurst and Broadsteet all the way there. I have many fond memories of that place. It was really thriving back then. Sometimes, I would pick up my little check and spend it all at the mall..LOL .

I went there for lunch one Sunday afternoon about a year or so before it closed. It looked like a ghost town. They had just done a major renovation with a brand new food court. There was a brand new Burger King and at least six other restaurants there but they were all closed! There was one Chinese restaurant open for business. I asked one of the people [[I believe the owner) there and he said that business was slow to say the least. He said he was the last one standing.

[Stosh]

Drove by again today and a new retail development is going in [[Gateway something?) anchored by I believe a Video store. Nice to see any kind of new retail in the area.

I snapped a quick pic of the corner:

Here's the Tribune Article describing the project.:
http://dailytribune.com/articles/200...0005515100.txt




By Michael P. McConnell, Daily Tribune Staff Writer

David N. Posavetz/Daily Tribune Developer Peter Najar, left, and Hazel Park City Manager Ed Klobucher stand near the excavating machines that knocked bricks out of the massive and blighted Warehouse Club building on Eight Mile near Dequindre.


Warehouse Club building being demolished to make way for green design.

HAZEL PARK — A longtime commercial eyesore on Eight Mile Road promises to blink back to life with a $12 million redevelopment project.

Two huge yellow excavating machines Thursday took bites out of the empty brick Warehouse Club building, formerly a Federal Department Store.

Hazel Park City Manager Ed Klobucher, Tami Salisbury of the Eight Mile Boulevard Association and developer Pete Najar embraced in a three-way hug as they watched the first bricks fall.

Located at 1727 Eight Mile, the 70,000-square-foot building and massive asphalt parking area cover eight acres. It has been the largest vacant business property

in the city for about a decade and a symbol of unchecked blight near Dequindre where Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties share a border.

"This is a great day for Hazel Park," Klobucher said. "We're pleased to bring some good news to the region."

City and county officials were on hand for a ceremonial celebration and a chance to look at renderings of the new development.

"Full-scale demolition will begin on Monday," Najar said.

The Gateway Crossing development will include a new Sav-A-Lot grocery store, a 49,000-square-foot retail and office building, and a couple of out buildings are planned for the site, Najar said.

He credited Hazel Park with giving the site a brownfield designation and tax breaks totaling $1.4 million to spur the development.

"This is only possible because the City of Hazel Park bent over backwards to help make it happen," Najor said.

The project also got a $500,000 tax incentive from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Highlights of the project include adding 100 trees and shrubs and 600 feet of "bioswales" at the rear of the property. The bioswales include landscaping trees and vegetation on topsoil placed in a drainage ditch that removes silt and pollution from runoff rainwater on the parking lot.

"This will be a very green development," Najor said.

Demolition is expected to take about six weeks with construction set to get under way late this summer.

Salisbury is credited with bringing together city and development players to work out problems to get the project going.

"Historically, the relationship was not always as cozy as it is today," Klobucher said.

Salisbury has said the vacant property contributed to the stigma attached to Eight Mile Road, but the project will help reverse that impression.

Once completed, the Gateway Crossing development is expected to bring about 300 jobs to the city.

[Roq]

Here's the Tribune Article describing the project.:
http://dailytribune.com/articles/200...0005515100.txt

Nice, thanks for the info Stosh! Between this project and the new Meijer, 8 mile will be looking a lot better.

[jtf1972]

Speaking of mall/retail development, does anyone know what is going in at the corner of 8 & Dequindre? I was by there tonight and that whole corner has been demolished. I saw a sign was there but didn't catch what it said.

My Grandmother worked there... when it was Federal's.

[DetroitDad]

Sean thinks that if the suburbs die, everybody will move back to the city and his decision to move there will be vindicated. In fact, if that happens then the region as a whole will just die, and the City of Detroit will be even more dead than it is without any surrounding economic activity to share at least some symbiotic benefit with.

And no, Lodgedodger hasn't changed at all from what I've seen. Must be something else.

If you think that the suburbs of this country are in any way sustainable, you are living on fantasy island buddy.

[DetroitDad]

Yes, these malls are dying, but isn't the mall concept kind of dying? Who has the need for the "mall" in the face of megastores such as Cosco, Wal-Mart, Meijer, not to mention internet retail, where you have a huge amount of options and usually costs are lower. Also, look at how stores like J.C. Penney and Kohls are expanding, not through building inside of malls, but inside of strip-malls, or just being singular buildings.

At the same time, the malls are becoming more of a niche for upscale shopping experiences, look at the three successful malls in this region -- Great Lakes Crossing [[granted an outlet mall), Somerset Collection, and Twelve Oaks. These three offer more of the "premium" stores such as Saks, Neimans, Nordstrom, and are also are near [[or have incorporated) other entertainment opportunities than just shopping such as movies, nice restaurants, etc.

I agree. The general trend seems to be going toward destination malls with the future in urban designed and sustainable mixed use centers. I would argue that the big box experience is also nearing it's point of decline, although I know that most will not agree with that, especially when they look at sales numbers and lease rates alone.

[DTWflyer]

Partridge Creek is not performing to expectations for many retailers. Expect a few stores to close when their leases come up for renewal.

[aoife]

If you think that the suburbs of this country are in any way sustainable, you are living on fantasy island buddy.

That statement is ridiculous on so many levels. Clearly you have issues with suburbs, but work it out and grow up. Not every suburb is some crazy built-up ex-urb in the middle of nowhere. I live in a suburb that has been around for over a hundred years- it can be very sustainable if you get the design right and maintain it with good services. And people who actually care about their neighborhood.

[Johnlodge]

If you think that the suburbs of this country are in any way sustainable, you are living on fantasy island buddy.

I'm no fan of uncontrolled sprawl. I live in Ferndale, does this pass your judgement test? People who first lived in these houses built Model-Ts for a living. Is it acceptable for me to raise children here, or will that make me one of your terrible suburban parents whose children are ticking time bombs about to go on a rampage of drugs and violence at any moment simply because of where they live? Err, where was that bus stop shooting again? I just want to make sure my decisions on how and where to raise my family meet the standards of the twenty-something expert. If where I live is cool with you, then maybe we can pass judgement on people who live further out, and talk about how they don't know how to raise their kids, and it will make us feel better about our own decisions.

[Stosh]

If you think that the suburbs of this country are in any way sustainable, you are living on fantasy island buddy.

I can't believe that you actually feel that Detroit is sustainable in it's present shape and form. Why so negative? Just because you have had a bad experience in Suburbia doesn't make it all bad. Hang out in Royal Oak, lots of packs of hipsters there, spouting inanities. You'd feel right at home. And there's even a bus line!

I just love the view from Campus Martius as well, it doesn't mean that me setting up a BBQ in Perrien Park will be as nice. now THAT's an 'urban park". Sure as hell ain't no waterfalls and ponds there.

[ASR89]

Thanks for all your replies! I'm glad we got some good discussion going, except for the city-suburbs debate. Come on guys. I was trying to avoid that like stated in my first post. =[[

[Dave70]

Eastland was my mall growing up. I can vaguely remember going there before it was converted to an inside mall.

My family ate at the Big Boy quite a lot! I think it was close to the Meyer jewelry store, I remember after the meal was finished and my parents ordered more coffee I would often ask to go to the toy store [[Circus World!) while they finished up. I'd take that corridor across from BB , let's see passing the rear of the Musicland Coney Island, what else... some health food store perhaps.. was there a Hallmark near too? Hehe, been a long time. There may have even been a meat shop from view from the BB once, I'm seeing hanging sausages in a window... man longggg ago to me.

I was fascinated by the Tinder Box, my dad smoked cigars, and the Green Scene. I like to look at the venus fly traps.

Some other random memories... the bands playing, car shows, the hippo and lion, Keresge's had a diner and escalators to a downstairs, a glass orniment shop, Cookie Factory, Orange Julius maybe? Shoe stores, getting my foot measured... Hot Sams pretzels, some ice cream shop, not the one by the Hot Sam's, Macauleys[[?) office supply, annual school clothes shopping at JCPenny's...geez...so many things. The Sander's!

Ross Music was where I bought some rock band pins for my denim jacket, haha, they sold the spiked wristbands too.

Later the movie theatre, food court, I loved the magic wok or whatever chineese, good shezuan chicken the sbarros was good too, I had pretty nice calzones and cheesecake, haha.

Omg I could ramble on...

How's Eastland now, anyone? I assume it's dying, last I went in the food court was moved, looked dismal. The old location was much brighter, and of course most of the shops I remembered gone, no movie theater, crappy stores etc..

[Linda from Detroit]

Such a shame to hear of all the great places I went up until my late 30's closing up. I lived all over the Detroit area and there aren't too many places I didn't frequent at some point or another. I remember the Universal Mall back in the mid to late 70's as such a great place to shop. We bought almost everything there. Later we lived out near E. Warren and Mack and I almost lived at Eastland for years. I used to run out to all the shopping centers on Gratiot...guess they all outlived their usefulness.

[DetroitDad]

I'm no fan of uncontrolled sprawl. I live in Ferndale, does this pass your judgement test? People who first lived in these houses built Model-Ts for a living. Is it acceptable for me to raise children here, or will that make me one of your terrible suburban parents whose children are ticking time bombs about to go on a rampage of drugs and violence at any moment simply because of where they live? Err, where was that bus stop shooting again? I just want to make sure my decisions on how and where to raise my family meet the standards of the twenty-something expert. If where I live is cool with you, then maybe we can pass judgement on people who live further out, and talk about how they don't know how to raise their kids, and it will make us feel better about our own decisions.

Oh get off your pedestal. It's not all about you.

Recently, a DetroitYES poster brought up a story about a woman who he confronted about throwing a piece of trash on the ground. The woman responded to the poster with much hostility and racism, say he shouldn't be telling her what to do, and to mind his own business. The funny thing is that he was minding his own business, he had to deal with the problem she created.

You are doing the same thing as this woman. Unsustainability hurts my family, community, city, and region, it's not all about you. I don't really care what you do Johnlodge, but if you want to live a destructive lifestyle that affects my community and region, you bet your ass I'm going to take issue with that.

I take it you took offence to my latest blog post, feel free to go and post your quills over there on the rest of the issues, as parenting and malls aren't really related, unless you are talking about the parents I mentioned in my post who essentially built self contained malls for their kids to keep them from going out and exploring the world.

[DetroitDad]

I can't believe that you actually feel that Detroit is sustainable in it's present shape and form. Why so negative? Just because you have had a bad experience in Suburbia doesn't make it all bad. Hang out in Royal Oak, lots of packs of hipsters there, spouting inanities. You'd feel right at home. And there's even a bus line!

I just love the view from Campus Martius as well, it doesn't mean that me setting up a BBQ in Perrien Park will be as nice. now THAT's an 'urban park". Sure as hell ain't no waterfalls and ponds there.

Wait, you think just by living in Detroit city limits equates to sustainable living or makes you better than anyone? Excuse my confusion, because I am sure I never said the current state of Detroit is considered sustainable.

That might be the view of some Detroiters, but not me.

Pssst.... Stosh thinks I am a hipster! Hehe, the jokes on him, because I am definitely NOT hip!

[313WX]

How's Eastland now, anyone? I assume it's dying, last I went in the food court was moved, looked dismal. The old location was much brighter, and of course most of the shops I remembered gone, no movie theater, crappy stores etc..

Probably the ONLY store left there from it's "heyday" is the Post Office, but one could say Hudsons/Marshall Fields/Macy's [[Hot Sams just closed recently). Then there's Frullati, Mrs. Feild, and Otto's [[that's about it). I must admit the only thing keeping it alive are some decent anchors.

[Stosh]

Wait, you think just by living in Detroit city limits is sustainable living or makes you better than anyone? Excuse my confusion, because I am sure I never said the current state of Detroit is considered sustainable.

That might be the view of some Detroiters, but not me.

Well, obviously, you sure could have fooled me. by your recent statements on how wonderful Detroit living is, and the obvious evils of suburban living. That's all well and good, to each his own. But really, the "fuck the suburbs" mantra is truly a red herring argument [[with apologies to Gistok). Detroit's suburbs are older than you think. Or at least let on.

They survived through the Depression, 2 world wars, among other notable situations. The flow of traffic into the city still happens, and just as easily flows back. Wishing the suburbs would disappear would be a wonderful thing, apparently, to some. I'll let you in on a little secret. The suburbs are Detroit, just as much as Detroit is the suburbs. Detroit doesn't stop at the Boulevard anymore. Beyond the Boulevard, was once considered the suburbs. Townships.

And I don't consider downtown to be representative of the real Detroit. More like the Green Zone in Baghdad. Well, not that bad, but the comparison is valid. Resources are funneled into the core, letting the outer rings suffer. AND....

Pssst.... Stosh thinks I am a hipster! Hehe, the jokes on him, because I am definitely NOT hip!

Not what I said. I said you would fit in with the inane commentary. Otherwise, I agree with you.

[DetroitDad]

Well, obviously, you sure could have fooled me. by your recent statements on how wonderful Detroit living is, and the obvious evils of suburban living. That's all well and good, to each his own. But really, the "fuck the suburbs" mantra is truly a red herring argument [[with apologies to Gistok). Detroit's suburbs are older than you think. Or at least let on.

They survived through the Depression, 2 world wars, among other notable situations. The flow of traffic into the city still happens, and just as easily flows back. Wishing the suburbs would disappear would be a wonderful thing, apparently, to some. I'll let you in on a little secret. The suburbs are Detroit, just as much as Detroit is the suburbs. Detroit doesn't stop at the Boulevard anymore. Beyond the Boulevard, was once considered the suburbs. Townships.

And I don't consider downtown to be representative of the real Detroit. More like the Green Zone in Baghdad. Well, not that bad, but the comparison is valid. Resources are funneled into the core, letting the outer rings suffer. AND....


Not what I said. I said you would fit in with the inane commentary. Otherwise, I agree with you.

That's all in your head. How you managed to get that I hated the suburbs from comments on sustainability is beyond me. I don't wish bad on the suburbs. I also don't know how a community's age has anything to do with it's sustainability. It doesn't matter when a poorly built system was built when you are talking about their prospects for the future.

My original comment was about the demolition of the malls. Despite Lodge Dodger's mall nostalgia, I think it was a shortsighted mistake to build buildings that have no possibility for reuse. I would rather see progress than keeping buildings like this that have lived past their useful life. Life is all about change, and it is time to move on to some new beginnings.

[aoife]

That's all in your head. How you managed to get that I hated the suburbs from comments on sustainability is beyond me. I don't wish bad on the suburbs. I also don't know how a community's age has anything to do with it's sustainability. It doesn't matter when a poorly built system was built when you are talking about their prospects for the future.

Actually, no, it is not all in his head. On many threads, for the past few months, you never miss a chance to bring up how crappy and unsustainable suburbs are or that other people's choices not to live downtown is somehow a detriment to your family. I have noticed it because it is really annoying and they are typically not well thought out arguments.

Age has everything to do with sustainability- it proves that a community's layout has worked. How exactly are the inner ring suburbs unsustainable? Please explain this. Where I live has fared pretty well- people still want to live there, there is access to public transportation, there are independent businesses [[and a few chains), good schools, great city services, actual grocery stores. It isn't even dependent on Detroit's water system. Detroit could fall in the lake and it would not matter except a few of us would have to go find new jobs. How is being independent not sustainable?