PORTAGE, Mich. — The Crossroads Mall has filed a lawsuit against the Kalamazoo County Transportation Authority, Kalamazoo County, the City of Portage, and the Central County Transportation Authority.
According to court documents, Crossroads Mall reported that in 2006, Kalamazoo Transit installed a bus stop on the property, without an easement, license, or written agreement with the property. Kalamazoo Transit later moved the bus stop to another location within the property from 2011-2014.
As of when the lawsuit was filed, no easement, license, or written agreement authorizing use of the mall’s property has been executed by both parties.
The mall says that the Kalamazoo Transit and Central Transit expanding the routes for their buses have led to tens of thousands of bus trips to the mall’s property per year. About 3,136 buses go through the property each month.
Crossroads Mall also says that the bus trips have caused damage to private roadways, parking lots, landscaping, underground drainage systems, fixtures, and appurtenances. Crossroads also says that the damage has severely impacted the business of the mall. Several visitors to the mall have damaged their vehicles while traveling on the property’s roads.
The court documents also said that several news articles have been published about the condition of the mall’s roads, which has tarnished the property’s reputation. This has caused business loss and less visitors.
Crossroads Mall reported that they have contacted the defendants multiple times about having the damage repaired. However, the defendants have reportedly denied all requests.
The mall is looking for more than $2 million to repair the damage.
