Jun. 9--Demolition of the Wonderland Mall in Livonia began Thursday, making way for a 500,000-square-foot shopping center.
A crew started work by knocking down what once was a Kmart garage.
The demolition of the 74-acre site at Plymouth and Middlebelt is expected to take up to four months, according to Schostak Bros. spokeswoman Linda Busse.
The $100-million Wonderland Village -- including a Wal-Mart, Target and a third not-yet-named big-box store, plus 40 shops and restaurants -- should be ready to open next spring.
The project is expected to bring 500 to 1,000 full- and part-time jobs to Livonia.
Wonderland's redevelopment saga has taken years, because of city meetings that lasted as long as 6 1/2 hours, racially charged public get-togethers, a lawsuit between Target and the Southfield-based developer, and multiple site-plan drafts.
Mall neighbors fought a 24-hour Wal-Mart Supercenter for months.
In November, the City Council approved a plan that allowed the store to stay open from 6 a.m. to midnight.
Some residents who live near Wonderland worried about increased traffic and crime, parking, and whether Schostak Bros. would be able to lease the space.
Contact ZLATI MEYER at 248-351-3291 or [email protected].