After more than three years of working diligently with SD Capital, LLC., the owner of the Summit Place Mall and its local representative, Waterford Township had scheduled a Dangerous Buildings Hearing relative to this structure.
On December 8 & 9, 2014, the Township Engineer, and officials from the Building, Fire and Police Departments conducted an inspection of the entire mall property inside and out. At that time, it was determined that the building was unsafe and unfit for human inhabitation. The building was condemned and Township Supervisor Gary Wall issued a directive prohibiting all Township personnel from entering the building for any reason other than a life and death emergency circumstance.
Since that time, the Township has worked closely with Oakland County, the mall owner, and other interested parties. A March 25, 2015 meeting set the tone for what the expectations were and now almost another year later, the 1.3 million square foot vacant and condemned building is another year deteriorated with no feasible resolution in sight.
It is the belief of the Township Supervisor and Development Services Department that the cost to rehabilitate the mall at approximately $80-$100 million is cost prohibitive. Demolition is estimated at approximately $3.5 million.
Administrative proceedings will include a hearing before the Township’s appointed Hearing Officer scheduled for Wednesday, April 13, 2016 at 9:00 A.M. at the Township Hall Auditorium located at 5200 Civic Center Dr. at which each owner and party with interest in the property will have the opportunity to show cause why the dangerous building(s) and structure(s) should not be ordered demolished or otherwise made safe.
The public is welcome to attend. The purpose of this meeting is to have the owner agree to either make the structure safe by rehabilitation of the entire mall, or a combination of demolition and rehab; or agreement to demolition of the entire structure.