Back in the day, the Northland Center mall in Southfield, MI was a thriving and bustling destination on the outskirts of Detroit. Fast forward to today, and the property has joined the list of what you would consider to be a ‘dead’ shopping mall. The mall itself closed for good last year, and the sprawling 159-acre property is in serious need of a facelift. According to the Detroit Free Press, the new vision for the property looks like it will do the trick just fine.
A redevelopment plan has been commissioned by the city of Southfield and produced by OHM Advisors, and that plan points to nothing short of transformative. The transformation would include residential, commercial and retail, and be anchored by a new public park to boot. The proposal covers 125 acres of the property, and would see the dilapidated Northland property torn down and purchased by private-sector developers.
The city purchased the property last year and is looking to sell it off in parcels once the demolition of Northland is complete. The city is expected to issue a request for proposals for prospective developers in the near future.
As currently envisioned, the master plan presents some stunning possibilities. Here are some of the highlights of what the city of Southfield and OHM have come up with.
● A new 8 to 10-acre public park with pond.
● 850 residential units, from apartments to townhouses to student housing
● A 125-room hotel.
● 185,000 square feet of new retail space
● 170,000 square feet of medical office space.
● An additional 200,000 square feet of versatile space, including research and development uses.
● A 100-room assisted living center.
The plans sound quite ambitious, but the project is sorely needed for the area. Perhaps the transformation of Northland will spark a bit of a revitalization in the surrounding communities, and the master plan can serve as a guidebook for other mall properties that have gone by the wayside in economically depressed areas.
