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What is the future of Summit Place Mall?

Posted at 4:18 PM, Apr 13, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-13 16:18:45-04

It was once a thriving mall, now it looks like a back drop for a zombie apocalypse movie.

Summit Place Mall in Pontiac has been vacant for years.

Waterford Township officials want the owners to do something about it, calling it a safety hazard.

"That is our proverbial stone in our shoe," said Township Supervisor Gary Wall.

Township officials say what's left of the mall is not just an eye sore, it's unsafe.

They presented a never-before-released video of the inside of Summit Place Mall.

It shows leaks, mold and broken ceilings and floors.

A township hearing was held Wednesday with the owners of the property, which is a California based company.

Something needs to be done," Wall said. "We are going on seven years of vacancy, total vacancy, something needs to be done with it. We owe that to our community."

Officials say scrappers, homeless people and curious children have checked out the building.

Township supervisor Gary Wall says the property is unsafe inside and out.

"Uncovered manholes, collapsed storm sewers, where people could walk along fall, there is jagged concrete, jagged asphalt, structurally steel from the structure could come down fall hit your head on that. That could be a fatality."

Wall says it could cost the owners around $4 million to demolish it, but could cost up to $100 million to fix it.

"No matter who looks at it, the cost to rehabilitate it is greater than what anybody wants to spend."

Police and firefighters have a "do not enter" rule unless they know someone's life is in danger.

Waterford Regional Fire Department Deputy Chief Matt Covey explained, "People try to break-in buildings just to see what it looks like and someone comes in contact that we lose somebody's life over something so stupid as an open electrical box."

The owners of the property declined an interview with WXYZ.

Township officials will now wait for the owners to review the findings and respond to their requests to demolish or fix the structure.