STERLING HEIGHTS (WWJ) – The mall was a great place to hang out “back in the day.” For people of a certain age, it was the go-to gathering spot. But lately? Not so much.
Since 1976 Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights has served as a shopping hub for Metro Detroit, but like many other malls, it’s seen a steep decline in recent years.
On Tuesday night Sterling Heights City Council approved plans to redevelop the site of the mall, turning it into a “downtown” area of sorts. On a new Daily J, WWJ’s Zach Clark takes a look at how “Lakeside 2.0” will operate.
City officials approved Miami-based Lionheart Capital’s plans for a mixed-use city center that will include housing, parks and green space, hotel rooms, offices, retail, dining and more at the 110-acre site. Officials expect the development will bring $1 billion in economic impact over the next decade.
At Hall and Schoenherr Roads, Lakeside is one of the biggest malls in Michigan, with more than 1.5 million square-feet. In its heyday it was “a prime example of the enclosed suburban mall culture.”
But over the years, consumers have moved away from the mall culture. When Lionheart subsidiary Out of the Box Ventures purchased the mall in 2019 they began talks with the city to give the beloved site new life and create a new version of that "mall culture."
The new project will have more than 2,800 multi-family apartments – including 750 senior housing units – and nearly 150,000 square-feet of new retail and dining space in addition to the existing 400,000 square feet.
Plans also call for 60,000 square-feet of office space and a 120-room hotel.
About 30 acres will be donated to the public realm for a park system, street space and infrastructure.
Officials say Macy’s and JCPenney will continue to operate at Lakeside City Center during and after construction.
Renderings of the project show a mile-and-a-half parkway encircling shops, offices, coffee houses and restaurants. It will be known as the “Lyrical Loop.”
More information on the project is available here.
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