STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. – A closing date was announced this week for the once-bustling Lakeside Mall in Macomb County that has been slated for redevelopment for years.
Many storefronts have already moved out of the indoor shopping center over the last few years, some due to the COVID pandemic and others because of plans to redevelop the space. The mall will permanently close, however, on July 1, 2024, according to those behind the redevelopment plans.
Efforts to vacate the mall’s remaining stores and vendors were underway as of Wednesday, May 1, officials said.
Plans to reimagine the massive space on which the mall resides have been in the works for years. Those plans were about a year behind schedule, officials told Local 4 in April.
---> Why Lakeside Mall redevelopment is delayed in Sterling Heights
With the mall officially closing this summer, the groundbreaking for the redevelopment project is scheduled for “late 2025.” Lakeside Mall will get demolished to make room for a mixed-use city center that will include “residences, parks, a hotel, office spaces, retail outlets, dining establishments and more,” officials said.
“Within this dynamic environment, Lakeside’s vibrant Town Center will be bustling with shops, offices, coffee houses, and restaurants, creating a lively atmosphere for residents and visitors alike,” Lionheart Capital and Out of the Box Ventures said Wednesday in a press release. “A spacious central park, featuring restaurants and outdoor seating, will serve as a focal point for community gatherings, music, art, and events. Anchoring this park, a two-story community center will provide recreational amenities such as pools, fitness facilities, and lending libraries.”
See a rendering of the redeveloped space in the video down below.
Before the COVID pandemic, the mall was purchased by Out of the Box Ventures, a subsidiary of Lionheart Capital. There were fun plans in the works for the mall then, including a synthetic ice skating rink -- but that all changed with the pandemic.
In late 2022, the city of Sterling Heights approved Out of the Box Ventures’ plan to demolish the mall and redevelop it into a mixed-use city center. The plan hasn’t made much progress since then, though.
Officials said in April that the project’s delay was caused by Lord & Taylor and Sears: two major department stores that are holding out on selling their storefronts. The other two department store spaces, Macy’s and JCPenny, had already agreed to a deal with Out of the Box Ventures.
The Sterling Heights City Council voted this year to use $3 million of grant money to purchase the department stores and speed up the process.
The redevelopment project will take about 10 years to complete once demolition and construction begin.
Rendering: What’s taking over Lakeside Mall
Below is a video of a rendering for the new Sterling Heights city center, shared by Out of the Box Ventures and Lionheart Capital.
---> From 2022: What’s next for $1B redevelopment plan for Lakeside Mall in Macomb County