West Ridge: City Councilman says NY company bought mall

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - New York-based Kohan Retail Investment Group is the apparent buyer of the West Ridge Mall.

District 9 Topeka City Councilman Mike Lesser told 13 NEWS Wednesday he learned the news from his connections in the real estate and development community.

The company is based out of Long Island.

According to the company’s website, its real estate portfolio mostly includes malls throughout the country.

The website describes Kohan as a company that works with local employees to revitalize the malls and plan for a new future for them.

One of the malls Kohan owns is the Towne West Square Mall in Wichita.

According to our sister station, KWCH, Kohan wanted to change the perception of Towne West including updating signage.

KWCH said Towne West used to be a big shopping destination on Wichita’s West side but over the years traffic has moved to the northwest.

Topeka Mayor-Elect Mike Padilla considered what might work for the future of the mall.

“You might have a senior citizen community in there you might they have their own facilities for walking, training and medical facilities,” he said.

“So it becomes a ‘one-stop shop’ for residents, that might be a possibility it’s all about feasibility.”

He added, “here in Topeka we have a need for housing across the board”.

In a statement, Lesser said “I look forward to seeing what they can do to rehabilitate and make a productive property for the city,” he said.

" I have some concerns about other properties they own but Topekans can rest assured that myself, other members of the council and the Interim City Manager won’t let West Ridge have the same fate as White Lakes Mall.”

The Greater Topeka Partnership (GTP) said they planned on holding comments until the buyer can comment.

They did not confirm or deny Kohan as the buyer.

In a statement, GTP CEO Matt Pivarnik said, “We look forward to working with the new ownership group on plans to advance this critical asset. West Ridge Mall has played a vital role in the success of the Wanamaker Road commercial corridor and is still home to many local businesses.”

Kohan did not return request for comment or messages from 13 NEWS.

The sale of the mall is set to be finalized January 18th,

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