'A source of immense danger': Demolition of Northridge Mall in Milwaukee begins

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Demolition on Milwaukee's north side more than two decades in the making has finally begun.

Northridge Mall, which the city of Milwaukee recently took ownership of, was abandoned in the early 2000s.

Since then, it's been the center of several arson cases and vandalism.

"It's been a source of extreme blight, it's been a source of immense danger," Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson told CBS 58's Ellie Nakamoto-White. "That mall should come down."

On Wednesday, March 20, crews with HM Brandt started interior razing of the former Boston Store.

"I'm happy to see the demolition taking place," Johnson said. "I'm really excited about what the possibilities are."

Currently, city officials plan on revitalizing the area.

“It’s our intention to take that down and create a new space for new opportunity to happen," Johnson said. “Certainly, it’ll be better than what’s presently happening at that site right now.”

But while many are pleased with the long-awaited destruction, one local union says HM Brandt isn't doing enough for their employees dealing with the demolition.

"We're here because the workers deserve better," said Mike Ervin, the organizing director for Local 139. 

Ervin was joined by several other union members who stood outside the fence line for hours holding signs and marching.

“[HM Brandt] is failing to pay standard wages and benefits, meaning they’re not paying the area standard wages and benefits to their workers that are running the heavy equipment on site," Ervin said. “It’s frustrating because what you have here is a lot of contractors out there that do pay their workers the area standards and would love to have this work and give that work to their workers, but instead Brandt is here paying their workers less which means taking more for themselves.”

In response to the peaceful protest, the mayor said he "supports unions."

"However, in this particular case, we have an obligation to go with the lowest responsible bidder," Johnson said. “Now that being said, there’s still a lot of demolition that’s going to happen at Northridge, a lot of demolition so I think it presents a ton of opportunity in the future for more collaboration, more partnership, and more union opportunities.”