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Judge Orders Ford City Mall to Close June 22 Over Safety Risks

City lawyers said a failed sprinkler system created unsafe conditions for shoppers.

Overview

  • Ford City Mall was ordered Friday to close its main building by noon on June 22.
  • City filings say the sprinkler system has leaked and failed for two years, raising fire risks and even the chance of a sinkhole, with flooding and exposed wiring also documented.
  • A separate sprinkler loop keeps the North Mall, nearby outbuildings and the AMC theater open for now under a court mandate.
  • About two dozen stores must vacate, and JCPenney says it will close this site by June 21 as it looks for a new nearby location.
  • The case continues with a hearing set for June 29, as a proposal to replace the mall with a roughly $200 million warehouse campus remains under discussion.