Police Still Called To Bannister Mall Site

Bannister Mall might be closed but the locked doors aren't keeping everyone away.

Since the mall shut down in June, police have been there 52 times and the fire department has been there 11 times, KMBC's Chris Nagus reported. Calls have included burglary, vandalism and suspicious people on the premises.

"Every once in a while you see headlights over there at night and wonder," said Rupert Thomas, who runs the Tropical Palms restaurant, which is across the street from the abandoned mall.
"We want to be one of the first businesses to come and revitalize this area," Thomas said. "It's been that way for a quite a bit of time. It's time for something to be done."

"When you talk about blight, this is blight," former Mayor Pro Tem Alvin Brooks said.

Brooks said he's unhappy with the building's appearance and it's ability to attract unwanted visitors.

"I suspect there are those who are scavenging whatever they think is left in there," Brooks said.

"It's frustrating. You don't want it to come and damage your property and things you are trying to do," Thomas said.

He said he hopes a multimillion-dollar plan to level the building to build a massive soccer complex moves forward.

"We believe if something is done over there it will bring people and foot traffic back," Thomas said.

One group wants to save Bannister Mall instead of building the soccer stadium. Petitioners need 8,000 signatures by Jan. 22 to get the issue on the ballot.

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