Marr has said it will cost $50 million and a new direction to bring completely bring back the 42-year-old mall at Elizabeth Lake and Telegraph roads.

"We're in the process of a redevelopment program," Marr says. "It's just a matter of when we'll be able to grow up."

The new development plan should be ready in the next 30 to 45 days, Marr adds.

The current anchors include Sears, Marshall Fields, JCPenney and Kohl's.

One of the new ideas that's been approved is building a $500,000 playground in the center of the mall.

"It's going to be 56 feet wide, 100 feet long and 30 feet tall. That's pretty big for a mall," Marr says.

The area, with large slides and other play areas, will be shaped like an automotive manufacturing plant.

"We felt that design is appropriate to the Motor City," Marr says. "It should be open by Thanksgiving."

The company is also redoing a 25,000-sf portion of the mall, a section attached to Marshall Fields, to see what redevelopment efforts would look like, Marr says. This redevelopment will cost about $1.5 million.

The company has torn down a three-screen theater outside the mall, and plans to tear down another out-building soon.

The mall will stay an indoor mall, as opposed to others that have changed to "lifestyle centers" by changing to an outdoor setting, Marr says.

"Things are going well. It takes time to get all the components together. It's like turning a battleship. You have to do it slowly and carefully," Marr says. "We'll bring occupancy to 90%."

Plans for a swimming pool area in the mall have been ruled "not financially feasible," Marr says, but an ice skating rink is still being considered.

Namco is a 22-year-old real estate firm with 70 employees that specializes in commercial and retail properties.

Instant Insights /

New Playground, Redevelopment Planned for Mall

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