Judge disappointed in city, property owners as Northridge Mall demolition is still in limbo

MILWAUKEE (CBS58) -- As the legal battle with the owners of the abandoned Northridge Mall property continues, the judge in the case said the court is growing impatient with both the company and the city of Milwaukee.

"It is still our hope that they will raze the property," Assistant City Attorney Michael Radovich said in court on Monday, Dec. 19.

City attorneys told Judge William Sosnay they are still holding out hope that Black Spruce Enterprises will raze, or demolish, the property at 8110 W. Brown Deer Road.

Over the last few months, the former mall has become the site of five fires, including one on Sunday night that the fire department said was intentionally set. Fire Chief Aaron Lipski told CBS 58 that fires at the empty building are not only dangerous for fire firefighters but also limit them from fighting fires elsewhere.

"Again, a huge swath of the northwest side was without its regular emergency response capacity," Lipski said. "There are no two ways about that. When we're tied up at something, those companies, those units, are not available for response anywhere else."

Northridge owners Black Spruce Enterprises have been pushing back on a raze order for the abandoned property since 2019. They have now missed two court appearances this year, and the judge is asking the city how it plans to step up.

"However, given the realities of it, and the fact that the owners of the property live outside the country thousands of miles away, and to date, they have been ignoring, for all intents and purposes, the orders of the court, that places the onus, unfortunately, on the other side: the city," Sosnay said. "Why? Because the property is located in the city."

Despite the desire of the city to see the property demolished, they cannot afford to foot the bill.

"Our clients approximate that the cost to raze the buildings will be $15 million. Unfortunately, the city does not have that at the time," Radovich said.

The judge was not satisfied with the city's answer.

"I also want to have some explanation -- despite the cost -- since the city has requested that this property be razed, knowing full well the circumstances of what they propose to do. I think the citizens who live in that area, and this entire community, deserve some type of a response here," Sosnay said. "If either side doesn't comply, I will consider contempt and I will impose sanctions."

The $2,000 per day fine levied against Black Spruce Enterprises is still ongoing. It now totals more than $260,000. Judge Sosnay gave the company until mid-January to turn in their plans to raze the property and ordered them to appear in person for a Jan. 24 status hearing or face contempt of court.