Stuff We Missed: The end of sneaking into Northridge Mall?

Every Friday, Stuff We Missed looks to other Milwaukee publications (and beyond) for, well, stuff we missed throughout the week.

• Northridge Mall has been closed since 2003—that’s 20 years!—but the still-standing retail husk remains remarkably busy. YouTubers, vandals, ruffians, ne’er-do-wells, and even professional skateboarders seem to sneak into the mall on a daily basis. But all those videos, fires, and railslides down the old escalator may be in danger thanks to something the mall apparently hasn’t had in a while: security.

“Camera towers installed outside Northridge Mall on Milwaukee’s northwest side are sending video feeds to a control center in western New York State,” reports the Milwaukee Business Journal, “where a security team stands ready to call either on-site private security, or 911, when its motion detectors or thermal imaging equipment picks up trespassers.”

The new security system is the work of local real estate firm Phoenix Investors, which is attempting to purchase the mall from current owner U.S. Black Spruce Enterprise Group (for a mere $3 million). Phoenix wants to redevelop the mall into a giant industrial storage and warehousing space. The City of Milwaukee opposes that plan, and still wants to demolish the thing—something it has wanted to do since it issued a raze order four years ago, in 2019. The whole mess is currently tied up in court, and may or may not drag on for another four years. [Milwaukee Business Journal]

• This week in Food Hall Musical Chairs, pt. 1: Plant-based restaurant Plant Joy is coming soon to the North Avenue Market. [Urban Milwaukee]

• This week in Food Hall Musical Chairs, pt. 2: The former Triciclo Peru space in the corner of Crossroads Collective is now a short-term pop-up space called, well, Corner Pop-Up. The space will host vendors for two to six weeks, “providing equipment, support and camaraderie from fellow entrepreneurs for the duration of the short-term stay.” Mother-daughter tater tot company Tots On The Street is in the Corner Pop-Up space now, through April 29. [Urban Milwaukee]

• Because of complaints ranging from excessive litter to customers pissing between parked cars, food trucks have been banned on Water Street through May 31. [OnMilwaukee]

• OR HAVE THEY? [Twitter]

The death and life of Water Street food trucks pic.twitter.com/5diBq1tQHw

— Jeramey Jannene (@compujeramey) April 21, 2023

• The Big Beat MKE producer battle will take over Jackalope Lounj every Thursday night from April 27 through June 15. [OnMilwaukee]

• Fun fact #1: Milwaukee is the birthplace of the QWERTY typewriter. Fun fact #2: Milwaukee is throwing a QWERTYFEST June 23-25! [OnMilwaukee]

• Potawatomi opened its temporary-location sportsbook last month, and it has already ordered a bunch of additional kiosks to keep up with the high sports betting demand. [Milwaukee Business Journal]

• Estabrook Beer Garden opens today at 6 p.m.! [Urban Milwaukee]

• The Pfister Hotel is renovating! No, it’s not overhauling its lobby or exorcising its ghosts, it’s just spiffing up its meeting/event space. [Milwaukee Business Journal]

• Have a great weekend, Milwaukee!