Westland Shopping Center may be on the brink of change as city leaders say the mall is up for sale and drawing interest from potential developers – even as its owner stops short of confirming the property is on the market.
Either way, a new beginning could be on the horizon for the struggling 55-acre site commonly known as Westland Mall.
“I’m optimistic we’ll see a mixed-use development there in the next few years for sure,” said Westland Mayor Kevin Coleman, a longtime advocate of redeveloping the property. “I see the interest, and there’s a buzz around it.”
Coleman said the city envisions a combination of retail, housing and entertainment on the site and would consider awarding incentives to a developer with a similar vision.
“Westland Mall has
obviously seen better days,” he said. “The city’s had a resurgence and a lot of interest … but the mall is still a little bit of an energy drain, and I think a big development there would be a huge boost for our economic climate."
Coleman said he believes the mall’s owners are motivated to make a deal, noting the asking price has been lowered.
“They were at $30 million last year, and now they’ve come down to $18 million,” he said. “That’s a heck of a price drop.”
Is Westland Mall really for sale?
Westland Shopping Center was developed by the J.L. Hudson Corp. and opened in 1965 with a four-story Hudson’s department store as its anchor. The mall expanded – and changed hands – several times over the decades.
Today, the mall is owned by New York-based Namdar Realty Group, which did not confirm whether the property is or is not for sale, only that it is not publicly listed.
“Westland Mall is not publicly listed for sale, either in full or in part,” Namdar said in a statement. “However, the city has demonstrated it is eager to see the redevelopment of the former Sears and Macy’s anchors on the mall’s north side for residential use. Ownership has remained open to those conversations.”
Macy’s closed in 2017, followed by Sears in 2021. Both remain vacant.
Alex Garza, Westland’s chief business development officer, agreed the city is eager to see the property redeveloped, and confirmed the mall is for sale, currently listed privately through commercial real estate firm CBRE.
The $18 million listing, shared with the Free Press, describes the property as available for sale or joint venture and says a “majority of the inline mall is clearable for redevelopment,” noting the former Macy’s and Sears are included.
It’s not clear what the future might hold for the JCPenney and Kohl’s currently operating at the mall.
Garza said any redevelopment would have to account for those businesses, since Kohl’s owns its building and property separately, while JCPenney has a separate lease.
The listing says the mall is 45% occupied, but Garza says that number is now lower.
“The Westland Mall has been in decline for many, many years, like many malls across the country,” he said. “And we've seen occupancy go to about 33% today. So it’s two-thirds vacant at this time, only a third occupied by businesses.”
Garza agrees with Coleman, saying potential investors are taking note, touring the mall and meeting with city officials to float ideas.
“There’s definitely a lot of interest around the site currently,” Garza said. “I think the biggest thing I saw happen this year was the mall being put up for sale. Folks might think, ‘Well, how is that positive?’ It’s positive because we’ve only seen a decline over the years.”
The mall also appears on Toman & Co.’s website as “For Lease, For Sale.” Toman did not respond to a request for comment.
What could replace Westland Mall?
Whatever happens next, redevelopment of the mall site would require city approvals, giving Westland leaders a say in what ultimately gets built.
At city hall, planners have been preparing for a different future for the mall for years.
Westland’s 2050 Transformation Plan, adopted in 2020, identifies the Westland Shopping Center and neighboring commercial plazas as sites that could “potentially act as catalysts for the entire District’s economic revitalization.”
The plan envisions a mixed-use future for the area, with housing – apartments and condominiums, for example – retail, office space and other uses.
“We’re excited about the possibilities,” Garza said. “There’s a ton of potential on what could happen on the site.”
The city also has invested in the area surrounding the mall. Garza pointed to Westland’s new amphitheater on the nearby former Service Merchandise property, a $12 million investment he said was made in part to encourage private investment and redevelopment nearby.
“This is 55 acres of land the Westland Mall sits on, and this is a big, big, important thing for the city,” Garza said. “We have to get it right in order for the future of our city to be successful. It’s a huge part of our identity.”
Garza said he believes new ownership could give the property an opportunity to move in a different direction.
“Ownership has realized that we really need someone else to take this baton and realize something different here,” he said. “I think they’re absolutely correct in thinking that the future of that site needs to go in a different direction and we have to see what’s possible for that site.”
Westland Mall shoppers chime in
Inside, the mall is something of a paradox, with long stretches of dark, empty storefronts punctuated by brightly lit, fully stocked national retailers operating as they would in any thriving mall. Shoppers are sparse, but present.
Outside the mall Tuesday, Sept. 29, some of those shoppers had their own ideas about what should come next.
Westland resident Marquetta Wright remembers when the mall was full and said she would like to see it restored, but is also open to adding housing and other uses.
“It’s sad to see it empty like this,” Wright said, noting she frequently shops at the mall and hopes longtime retailers like Kohl’s, JCPenney, Victoria’s Secret and the mall’s many shoe stores, will remain. “I want to see it get built back up.”
Others saw less reason to preserve the mall.
Livonia resident Peggy Henwood said online shopping has changed how people shop and questioned the need for more retail, though she noted one exception at Westland Mall.
“It’s funny because the whole mall seems to be shut down, but we love our Kohl’s," she said. "Look at it. It’s always busy.”
Douglas Tumpkins of Inkster, who formerly lived in Westland, said he now visits the mall mainly for LensCrafters and Kohl’s.
“Otherwise, I don’t see any reason to come here,” he said, noting he hopes to move back to Westland one day. "Westland, to me, it's a nice city."
Contact reporter Laura Colvin: lcolvin@hometownlife.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: What's happening at Westland Mall? City says developers are knocking
