ADRIAN — The owner of the Adrian Mall property has been given until June 4 to demolish the portion of the mall that’s in the worst shape.

Jay Marks, director of the city’s Main Street program, reported on the mall property at the March 3 Adrian City Commission meeting. He said the demolition order covers the portion of the building that extends from the now-abandoned main entrance down to Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, which is on the south side of the mall next to Hobby Lobby.

Marks said the city’s Community Development Department issued a demolition order in January for the entire portion of the mall between Ollie’s and Dunham’s Sports, plus the former JC Penney building. The owner, New York-based Kohan Retail Investment Group, which is doing business locally as Adrian Development Group, appealed the order. They provided a report from a local engineer saying that part of the area covered by the order was dry and structurally sound. The city’s building official and code enforcement officer agreed, and the scope of the demolition order was reduced.

The problems with the area ordered to be demolished include a leaking roof, mold, and deterioration of the walls — “all the things that happen with water infiltration,” Marks said.

“They have until June to demolish that section,” he said.

The main Adrian Mall building was condemned by the city in 2020. In 2022, the Adrian City Planning Commission gave its blessing to a redevelopment plan, and in January 2023, the planning commission approved site plans for a church and a planned Dairy Queen. The first part of the plan was successful and NewLife Church is currently operating there, but all other development has stalled.