Judge on Northridge Mall property: 'If I could go out there and do it and begin razing the buildings, I would'

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A Milwaukee County Court judge has ordered the property owner of the old Northridge Mall property to move ahead with making plans to raze the site, following years of back and forth between the company and the city and delays.

"Little or nothing has been done by Black Spruce to comply with the terms of the agreement or to do what they're suggesting they're now going to do," Judge William Sosnay said in a court hearing Friday, Nov. 11.

Sosnay said the City of Milwaukee presented reports that Black Spruce had failed to put in place staff for security of the property as well as maintenance.

"No security was present, no security was available to contact," Sosnay said. "While the fence had been addressed it still was not intact at the time of inspection."

Black Spruce sought an appeal in the case and wanted the court to issue a stay in the proceedings, but the judge rejected that request.

Sosnay said the company must pay up the $187,000 in fines it has accumulated since a $2,000-a-day fine was put in place in August. That daily fine will also continue until the company puts in place a plan to raise the building.

"If I could go out there and do it and begin razing the buildings, I would," Sosnay said.

The judge said his biggest concern is the safety for the surrounding community, with worries the dilapidated property attracts crime.

"The community deserves that this problem needs to be addressed and particularly for the safety of this community and in its public interest," Sosnay said.

Black Spruce must file a plan with the court to raze the property by Nov. 18. The City of Milwaukee also has two weeks to present a plan as well.