For the past year, the old Sunrise Mall has sat with exposed steel and no clear timeline for when demolition work will resume, and neighbors say it has become more than just an eyesore.
Marianne Gill passes the site several times a week while walking from the Shoppes at La Palmera toward Airline.
"It's kind of an eyesore, to be honest," Gill said.
She says what she sees raises safety concerns beyond appearances.
"When you see that area where it's like, it looks like it was like kind of had been bombed, that can't be safe outside or inside at all," Gill said.
City officials say the property owner has finished several stages of demolition and is now working out an easement agreement with neighboring property owners before work can move forward. The city also says an architectural firm representing the owner reached out last week, confirming plans to pursue rezoning for apartments and other multifamily housing.
Gill says the condition of the site sends a message that extends beyond the property itself.
"It doesn't just reflect that particular space. It begins to reflect on the rest of the area. It says that this area is not doing well, and I don't think that you can put out that message and expect positive growth," Gill said.
The city also confirms code compliance has open violation cases against the property for maintenance issues, and inspections are ongoing.
Leslie Walberg has watched the site longer than most. He has owned Objets d'Art since 1982, and his store once operated inside Sunrise Mall before he moved it across town and eventually back to the same corner.
"It really looks like a war zone over there right now. I don't know why they stopped demolition. All I know is for the last year, it's sat with metal parts hanging, and they need to start back up, in my opinion," Walberg said.
Walberg says the solution is straightforward.
"Somebody ought to call code enforcement, have them come out, write whoever owns it a ticket, and then, you know, most people, they don't want to pay fines, so they'll probably start the demolition again instead of letting fines rack up," Walberg said.
Until then, Walberg says an empty lot would be preferable to what is there now.
"It'd be better to have an empty parking lot over there than something that looks like a war zone," Walberg said.
The city says the paperwork is moving, but until demolition continues, the site will remain as is.
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