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MILWAUKEE The city of Milwaukee has picked an engineering consultant to help plan for the replacement of the former Northridge Mall.

The citys Redevelopment Authority on Wednesday chose Milwaukee-based GRAEF to enter a contract for planning, urban design and market analysis services of the 53-acre mall site, according to an agenda.

The contract was worth $125,000 and most of the money comes from a Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. grant. The money is meant for advancing market interviews, engaging with the community and researching the existing conditions of the project area.

GRAEFs work with the city will piggyback off the Department of Public Works existing master engineering and related consultant services contracts with the company, the agenda showed.

The city expressed interest in redeveloping the mall since it took over the property near North 76th Street and West Brown Deer Road in January. Its not clear yet what redevelopment will look like, but city officials said they were taking suggestions online and wanted the area to be an asset to local residents and business.

In January, the city took ownership of three buildings that made up the former mall through tax foreclosure following a years-long battle with its owner. The mall has been closed since 2003 and over the past several years it has been targeted by vandals and trespassers. After gaining ownership, the city contracted Veit & Company to remove asbestos and completely tear down the buildings.

Veit & Company won the low bid for nearly $11 million, according to the Department of City Development. The city expects the asbestos abatement and interior cleanup to take four to six months.

The city expects mechanical demolition to start in the fall or winter of 2024 and wrap up in summer 2025 as an eight- to 10-month process. After demolition, around 53 acres of land will be open for development.

The mall first closed in 2003 and was bought by China-based U.S. Black Spruce Enterprise Group in 2008. The owner promised plans for an Asian market, but those plans never moved forward. The city enacted a raze order for the crumbling mall in 2019, but the owners disputed it.

In 2017, the city took ownership of an attached Boston Store through the owner of Penzeys Spices. The city hired HM Brandt to tear down the 7.6-acre property.

Gov. Tony Evers allocated $15 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to demolish and redevelop the former Northridge Mall.

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Engineering firm to help plan for Milwaukees Northridge Mall redevelopment - Finance and Commerce