This new sign at the entrance to Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights is one of the improvements being implemented this summer at the shopping district. Plans courtesy of the city of Sterling Heights.

Of the 45 properties within the Lakeside shopping district, which includes the mall and the businesses surrounding it, 39 are being assessed to pay for the nearly $3.4 million project over a 20-year period. The assessments are different for each company, based on the property’s square footage and the use of the property.

Following a public hearing during the city council meeting May 20, the council approved the assessments and awarded a construction contract. However, three retailers expressed their displeasure and filed formal objections with the Michigan Tax Tribunal.

Alan Greene, an attorney from Dykema Gossett Law Firm representing Sears, spoke at the hearing on behalf of the store’s disappointment with the size of the assessment. “We’re not trying to hurt the city,” Greene said. Sears’ complaint, he said, is that despite the benefit to the general public, the updates bring no specific benefit to Sears. In addition, he said the assessments are disproportionate and the length of the lien would outlive the products the assessments would pay for. “We feel bad having to do this,” Greene said.

According to Sterling Heights Economic Development Manager Luke Bonner, the city has already worked with Sears to come to a compromise. “They had voiced their concerns,” Bonner said. “We tried to work with their concerns, but it didn’t work.”

Ellen Berkshire, an attorney from Verros, Lafakis and Berkshire representing Lord & Taylor, told the city council during the hearing that the retailer was also filing a letter of complaint for the same reasons as Sears.

JCPenney has also filed an objection with the Michigan Tax Tribunal.

“Macy’s and the mall itself did not object, nor did the other property owners,” Bonner said. “I think that is a good snapshot of the way people feel about the project.”

Indeed, the Sterling Heights Area Chamber of Commerce backs the mall beautification project. “We support it wholeheartedly,” Chamber President Wayne Oehmke said during the hearing. He said the chamber’s 2,000 members support the plan to brighten up the area because of the importance of how people perceive the area.

“I think the whole goal was to benefit the mall area,” Bonner said. “It’s a 30-year-old mall. There haven’t been many developments to the road since then.”

The main objectives are to separate Lakeside Mall from other shopping on Hall Road; to solidify the area, heighten awareness and create a buzz through the improvements.

Even though three of the mall’s anchor stores have objected to the plan because of their assessments, Bonner said the project will still continue on time and that it’s not uncommon for the city to deal with the Michigan Tax Tribunal.

City Engineer Sal Conigliaro said the project will most likely begin construction in July and continue to completion sometime in the fall. Scheduled improvements include adding pedestrian lighting, landscaping and irrigation systems, and resurfacing the pavement, repairing curbs and using stamped concrete for crosswalks.

“A big part of the project is that we’re looking to put in signage,” Conigliaro said. That includes more detailed signs at intersections on Lakeside Circle, the inner road circling the mall, that have arrows leading the way to certain businesses.

In addition, plans include removing the medians in the feeder roads so motorists would be able to make left-hand turns out of businesses without having to drive around Lakeside Circle.