Westland considers Westland Mall an "eyesore"

**Airforceguy** · February-13-23, 12:20 PM

Looks like Westland Mall will be the next legacy mall that will be redeveloped in Metro Detroit. The city wants to see a "downtown-style" project at the site. We will see what happens.

Westland mall is an 'eyesore'; here's what city wants to do with property

"It’s just deteriorating on all fronts," Mayor Mike Londeau said. "The signage is fading, the lighting is bad at night and the security – or the lack thereof – leaves people feeling unsafe." Londeau recently announced a task force made up of city administrators that will explore purchasing the mall property. The group will work with industry experts and stakeholders to determine cost, development opportunities and more.

"We’re interested in the property, not the mall itself," Londeau said. "We’d want to see a mixed use, public-private partnership there." Namdar Realty Group, which owns the mall and is based in New York, declined an interview request. Westland Shopping Center management also asked Hometown Life to leave the property for speaking with customers earlier this month, citing a "no media" policy. The mayor described the mall as an "eyesore" and said it's something residents complain about. He thinks a downtown-like development would create opportunities for the community to come together and "bring Westland into the future." Londeau said he's inspired by the downtowns in nearby cities such as Plymouth and Northville.

https://www.freep.com/story/news/202...e/69880954007/

**Danny** · February-13-23, 04:19 PM

After the loss of Macy's and Sears Westland Mall has never been the same. The mall is wear out its welcome and its time to closed it down, demolished it and turning it into a high end shopping complex that rival Somerset Mall.

**smallferret** · February-13-23, 07:28 PM

The Westland neighborhood does not have enough high income residents to support such an idea. It’s more of a Kohls and Target area.

**kuuma** · February-13-23, 11:53 PM

I like all the plans emerging of malls being repurposed into mixed use walkable communities, but it's a mistake to try to build all these competing "downtown" districts without considering transit connections. No one wants a mini downtown that's just a couple bougie restaurants and you still have to drive off your new island for everything else.

But build up both sides of Warren Rd by the mall there, include an express BRT terminal for a line that would be a straight shot to Midtown Detroit, and you have the beginnings of what could be an interesting edge city

**Danny** · February-14-23, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by smallferret

The Westland neighborhood does not have enough high income residents to support such an idea. It’s more of a Kohls and Target area.

Well, we need some downtown-like business in the Warren and Wayne Area. other than looking almost dead mall with almost dead big box stores. Look what happen to Eastland, Northland, Wonderland, Tel Twelve, Livonia Mall, And Universal Mall.

**K-slice** · February-14-23, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by kuuma

I like all the plans emerging of malls being repurposed into mixed use walkable communities, but it's a mistake to try to build all these competing "downtown" districts without considering transit connections. No one wants a mini downtown that's just a couple bougie restaurants and you still have to drive off your new island for everything else.

That's exactly what these places will be though, basically a faux urban environment that people can drive to and pretend they live in a functional city. A "downtown Disney" if you will. Westland is a city built to accommodate cars, not people.

Imagine if they hadn't demolished downtown Wayne 60 years ago in hopes of getting Westland Mall built there!

**masterblaster** · February-14-23, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by K-slice

That's exactly what these places will be though, basically a faux urban environment that people can drive to and pretend they live in a functional city. A "downtown Disney" if you will. Westland is a city built to accommodate cars, not people.

Imagine if they hadn't demolished downtown Wayne 60 years ago in homes of getting Westland Mall built there!

Wow, I had no idea why downtown Wayne is oddly configured the way it is. That is very eye-opening and sad. It could have been a destination downtown.

**Scottathew** · February-15-23, 09:02 AM

I'm on the fence about fake downtowns, but hopeful.

"The Village of Rochester Hills" is one such development that seems to be thriving currently. I don't go there too often, but I like the concept of an outdoor area that you park once at and perhaps go to several different stores in that same visit. It's much better than some of the retail areas where you'd drive your car between different stores in the same complex.

However, I still feel like these fake downtowns just don't hit the mark like a real downtown. Like Rochester, Ferndale, Farmington, Detroit, etc... A real downtown needs to be walkable, have transit, have higher-density residential surrounding it.

These mall sites have the potential to take all the good things about The Village of Rochester Hills, amplify them, surround them with 3-4 story condos and apartments, and even sprinkle in some office space.

It would be awesome to land a few big office tenants and have people living and working in the same walkable area.

The only downside is that I feel downtowns work best when they're situated on a natural main road instead of a fake main road. But there are downsides to having downtown areas on heavily traffic streets as well.

**K-slice** · February-15-23, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Scottathew

I'm on the fence about fake downtowns, but hopeful.

"The Village of Rochester Hills" is one such development that seems to be thriving currently. I don't go there too often, but I like the concept of an outdoor area that you park once at and perhaps go to several different stores in that same visit. It's much better than some of the retail areas where you'd drive your car between different stores in the same complex.

What you're describing is a mall, those have been around for a bit, indoor and outdoor varieties. And "The Village of Rochester Hills" is essentially 2 strip malls built closer together, and with more elaborate landscaping than is usual, nothing more.

**Meddle** · February-17-23, 10:06 AM

The Archie Bunkers and Ralph Cramdens of Wayne/Westland don't do Somerset type places.

**Sehv313** · February-22-23, 04:05 PM

How is Westland Mall an eyesore, isn’t it still open?

**Sehv313** · February-22-23, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Well, we need some downtown-like business in the Warren and Wayne Area. other than looking almost dead mall with almost dead big box stores. Look what happen to Eastland, Northland, Wonderland, Tel Twelve, Livonia Mall, And Universal Mall.

Westland doesn’t have that walkabity factor like a Downtown Wayne, Garden City or Dearborn. The area would have to be transformed into [[like a Polaris in Columbus, OH) type area in order to accomplish that dream.

Added: Dearborn almost has two downtown like areas if you think about it. 1; along Michigan Ave. East Dearborn [[where Al Wissam and City Hall is near Greenfield) and 2; West Dearborn in Between Evergreen and Outer Drive.

**Danny** · February-23-23, 07:29 AM

Westland just missed out of being a third place suburb and being just a car-dependent bedroom hood.

**Henry Whalley** · February-23-23, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by Danny

Westland just missed out of being a third place suburb and being just a car-dependent bedroom hood.

Friends don't let friends live in Westland...

**Zacha341** · February-23-23, 09:40 AM

Update: actually Wayne, Westland and surrounding areas have seen an increase in African Americans. For all the lumps Westland and for example Inkster are areas with relatively affordable housing for working class families and rental properties including Section 8 options.

https://www.city-data.com/city/Westland-Michigan.html

Originally Posted by Meddle

The Archie Bunkers and Ralph Cramdens of Wayne/Westland don't do Somerset type places.

**Zacha341** · February-23-23, 09:41 AM

Someone must pay the taxes. My family has a business there and one nearby.

Originally Posted by Henry Whalley

Friends don't let friends live in Westland...

**Vic01** · February-23-23, 09:54 AM

Thanks, Zacha. I was just wishing that folks would get back to the intent of the original post, which was about the decline of yet another old style, enclosed mall.
Making blanket statements and derogatory remarks about the whole city, and those who live there is uncalled for.

**Zacha341** · February-23-23, 10:05 AM

^ I hear that V1. I like Westland mall. Sure it's a bit junky but affordable...

...

**Vic01** · February-23-23, 12:55 PM

I liked the mall as a kid, and over a lot of years since

, I still drive over to that Kohl's a few times a year. But, it has gotten tired, and with the decline of most such malls, something else in the spot could very easily make more sense.
Sometimes I'll hit other Kohl's locations, so I guess that I'm not partial to the mall, or the "Mall" concept, that may well be obsolete.

**Danny** · February-23-23, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Henry Whalley

Friends don't let friends live in Westland...

Yes they do.

**Danny** · February-23-23, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Update: actually Wayne, Westland and surrounding areas have seen an increase in African Americans. For all the lumps Westland and for example Inkster are areas with relatively affordable housing for working class families and rental properties including Section 8 options.

https://www.city-data.com/city/Westland-Michigan.html

That area near Inkster has been like that since the mid 1960s. And they are good black folks. You might want to take a look at this hood. On Middlebelt Rd. and Annapolis St. It's historic, it allow low-income blacks from Inkster to move from the barracks to their cookie cutter to get the suburban feel.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2700...7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2699...7i16384!8i8192

After 70 years later, these hard working black families didn't ghetto this hood. It's beautiful and they want to keep it that way. Their own personal "Paradise Valley!"

Looks like the Archie Bunker's and Ralph Cramden's got a problem. So they moved to Canton TWP instead.

**Hypestyles** · February-23-23, 07:03 PM

interesting. That mall has seen its better days, like most of the rest. I hope something can be done like apartments, public park space and room for small businesses. and make it very bus accessible.

**Danny** · February-23-23, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by Sehv313

How is Westland Mall an eyesore, isn’t it still open?

Westland Mall lost Macy's and Sears, but have JCPenny and Kolhs. As long as those two remaining anchor stores stay in business, Westland Mall stays open.