The owners of Orchards Mall have paid for a deterrent system to chase away the thousands of gulls currently roosting on their property, but will they craft a plan to bring businesses back in?
A lot is riding on May 26 for the owner of the Orchards Mall. That’s the agreed upon deadline between the mall operators and Berrien County Commissioner Chokwe Pitchford for when a plan will be delivered to him, outlining how mall owners plan to revive what has become a community eyesore in Benton Charter Township.
As heard on The Morning Show on WSJM, Commissioner Pitchford says he knows there have been a lot of false starts, but he’s confident all parties want to find a path forward that serves the community.
“This plan that they are going to get to me on the 26th is a detailed proposal on what they want to do with the property, how much money they want to invest in the property, and it gives the building and grounds inspector of the township something to look at to see if the zoning is correct,” said Pitchford.
Pitchford says once he receives the proposal he will share it with stakeholders for review and discussion.
Depending on what’s contained in the proposal, Pitchford said it might require zoning reviews and create opportunities for additional monies from public sources.
