Milwaukee City Wire

With just weeks remaining before the two sides are due back in court to battle over the ultimate fate of the former Northridge Mall, city officials argue that the one-time site has now deteriorated into a danger zone.

“Lack of compliance with these requirements endangers the community and greatly impacts public safety,” Assistant City Attorney Theresa Montag outlined in a letter as city officials continue to push to pass a raze order on the mall property in Milwaukee.

WISN.com reports that the property has been sitting vacant for two decades, and since 2019, city officials have been seeking to pass a raze order on the property.

Still, the owners of the property insist they haven’t completely abandoned it, moving as recently as this month to erect a fence around the perimeter. At the same, the Milwaukee Police Department reports there have been at least four fires at the site over the last month, and neighbors insist they feel unsafe walking past the property due to the overgrown shrubbery.

Earlier this month, a judge rendered the owners guilty of failing to abide by an order handed down in 2019 directing them to clean up the site and maintain the property. Though they showed a contract worth $8,000 a month meant to clean up the site, city officials went on to impose a $2,000 a day fine.

The next hearing on the matter is scheduled for Oct. 3.