ADRIAN — The City of Adrian has filed a lawsuit against the owners of the former Adrian Mall over blight, according to City Administrator Chad Baugh.
Baugh announced the existence of the lawsuit, which had been filed in August, during the Administrator Comments section of Monday’s City Commission meeting.
City Attorney Burke Castleberry confirmed during the meeting that the property owners missed the deadline of a demolition order filed in January of last year, which gave them until June 4th, 2026 to demolish sections of the building.
The north end of the building, which formerly housed a JCPenney store, as well as the space between Dunham’s Sports and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, had been condemned in 2020 due to water damage and mold caused by a roof leak.
The mall’s primary owners are Adrian Development Group LLC, who are associated with the New York-based firm Kohan Retail Investment Group.