STERLING HEIGHTS (WWJ) -- Want to own a little piece of Macomb County's cultural history?
Plans have been revealed for a public sale of Lakeside Mall’s interior fixtures, furniture and equipment after the much-loved Sterling Heights shopping center closes for good this Sunday.
In a news release out Wednesday, developers said proceeds from the sale of these items will benefit a local charitable organization which will directly contribute to the community and the City of Sterling Heights.
Timing details of the sale will be confirmed later this year.
“We have been deeply moved by how much Lakeside Mall has meant to the Sterling Heights community for nearly 50 years," said Allison Greenfield, Principal of Leviathan Development and Chief Development Officer of Lionheart Capital.
"This inspired us to create plans for repurposing the existing public art within the reimagined Lakeside. One of Lionheart’s main pillars is to reduce waste and facilitate reuse of serviceable materials and items, when possible, in the redevelopment process. This has led us to offer end users the opportunity to purchase FFE (furniture, fixture, and equipment) from Lakeside, with proceeds being returned to the community of Sterling Heights.
If you have your heart set on taking home that big, funky, red art thingie, however, you're out of luck.
Several initiatives are planned to "upcycle elements of the old mall and to repurpose the existing Lakeside Mall public art within the landscape of the new Lakeside Town Center," according to the news release.
Out of the Box Ventures said this will include the three "monumental sculptures" by artists Bruce Beasley, Buky Schwartz, and Fletcher Benton. The sculptures are to be "repurposed and rededicated" within the newly reimagined public spaces on the Lakeside property, which will feature residences, parks, a hotel, office spaces, retail, dining, and more.
The news release states: "Approximately 30 acres will be dedicated to the new public spaces, incorporating these repurposed sculptures from Lakeside Mall. This thoughtful integration will enhance the community's cultural landscape and preserve the artistic legacy of Lakeside."
All this comes a couple of weeks after reports of people stealing plants from inside the 1.5-million-square-foot mall; and a warning from police that these items are not free for the taking.
While announcing the fixture sale (on a date TBD), Out Of the Box also said it will sponsor of come upcoming community events, including Sterlingfest (July 25-27), which will include interactive polling stations for a "Name Our Bike Path" contest, and a chance share nostalgic images of Lakeside to be part of new Town Center imagery.
“We are grateful to have a developer that is as engaged with our local community as Lionheart Capital/Out of the Box Ventures,” said Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor. “They truly understand the emotional connection our community has with Lakeside Mall, and they are taking great care to preserve that legacy while planning for this transformational Lakeside Town Center. Whether it’s in the form of community event support, public engagement on aspects of the development or public art preservation, they have been an exceptional partner in what will be the largest development in our City’s history.”
For those who'd like to say goodbye, the last day you can visit the mall will be Sunday, June 30. The mall, at M-59 (Hall Road) and Schoenherr, will be closed to the public beginning July 1.
Soon, a majority of the building will be demolished to make way for the new mixed-use development.
The groundbreaking for Lakeside Town Center is scheduled for late 2025.