Leaders for the city of Sterling Heights will travel to Colorado next week in an effort to find the best way to redevelop Lakeside Mall for the future.
The plan, according to the city, includes working with consultants to prepare what is called an Urban Design Plan.
That Urban Design Plan will be a key part of forming the planned unit development which would be the redevelopment of Lakeside Mall.
After working with Wade Trim Associates and Archive DS for a sustainability assessment for the mall, they came up with two concept plans for redevelopment. The first will retain the mall in its current form and use the parking areas for more commercial, office and residential space. The second will be a complete redevelopment that retains anchor stores but supplements them with a mix of different uses.
When the leaders travel to Colorado, they will visit a mixed-use urban development, the Belmar Shopping and Dining District, to learn about it and how its been successful.
"Sterling Heights leadership hopes to glean insight into how key stakeholders worked together to transform a failing traditional retail mall into a vibrant city center focused on walkability, placemaking and community," the press release said.
The tour of the Belmar Shopping and Dining District will focus on design elements, parking options, mixed-use structures, green space and much more.
"This learning experience will help prepare Sterling Heights leadership to position Lakeside for future prosperity and success," Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor said in a release. "We're being proactive in seeking redevelopment solutions that support our Visioning 2030 plan as well as the future of retail."
