By JAMES MITCHELL
Sunday Times Newspapers
SOUTHGATE — Months and years in the making, the city took another step forward last month in its journey toward a revitalized business district and cultural center.
Among other developments, a state grant of nearly $64,000 was confirmed last month that will go toward construction of a terraced amphitheater at the site of the old Montgomery Ward store in the Southgate Shopping Center at Eureka and Trenton roads. The landmark department store had been closed and sat vacant since the late 1990s before finally being demolished in 2012.
Mayor Joseph Kuspa said tearing down the building paved the way for additional investment in the shopping complex and nearby sites, including expansion of MJR Cinema slated for this year. City officials made plans for a rejuvenated center, a destination featuring shopping, outdoor pavilions, live music and other attractions.
In October city officials applied for a Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs grant to be used for construction of an amphitheater at the site. State Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D-Taylor) and state Rep. Andrew J. Kandrevas (D-Southgate) announced last month a $63,572 grant to the city for that purpose. The facility will be used for outdoor concerts, plays and other community events.
“We know the arts and culture are essential for vibrant communities,” Hopgood said in a statement last month. “The attraction that this unique community entertainment venue offers has the potential to spur even greater private development.”
The Ward property had been gifted to the city by developer Mickey Sissking, who for years attempted to lure a comparable anchor store to the complex. A highly-anticipated contract with Wal-Mart dissolved when the mega-retailer instead opened a new store on Dix, and Sissking agreed to absorb the cost of demolition in addition to turning the property title over to Southgate, provided the acreage be used for public purposes.
(James Mitchell can be reached at [email protected])