Another anchor building, Cherryland Center, is being renovated following the conversion of the former Kmart building into a new curling center. Ulysses Walls, a Northern Michigan cardiologist, has purchased the former Sears building and plans to open an indoor K1 Speed go-kart center with restaurants, arcades and, in the future, home entertainment plans including laser tag. , clubs – putt golf and a possible trampoline park.
The walls of the 100,000-square-foot Sears building, which has been vacant since the retail store closed in 2018, closed in October. He will appear on the agenda of the Garfield City Planning Commission on December 14 to review his plans to open a K1 Mall Speed franchise in the front half of the building. K1 Speed is an indoor kart racing company with over 60 locations worldwide, including in Oxford, Michigan. K1 Speed focuses on 20hp electric karts capable of 45mph for adult riders and 20mph for beginner riders.
Walls, who practices at the Northern Michigan Heart Center in Alpen and has two children who attend Montessori TCAPS at Glenn Loomis, said he didn’t consider buying the Sears building until he and his family visited K1 Speed in California. “We all fell in love with him,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun. These are high-performance lithium karts with race-style five-point harnesses.” at the Sears Tower. “My idea is to use the front of the building for K1 and the other half for something like (trampoline park franchise) Sky Zone,” he said. “But first and foremost we will focus on karting.”
Walls has begun work on the construction site, including an environmental assessment and internal work, to bring it up to white box standards and prepare it for new use. “We are working hard to open by June 2023,” he said. “We hope to open in time for National Cherry Day.” In addition to the go-kart track, the facility will have a video arcade (to offer young visitors who don’t fit the 48-inch height requirement a fun go-kart experience) and a park called the Go-Kart Restaurant/Bar in the Paddock Lounge.
According to K1 Speed, the establishment is “not your typical go-kart stall, but a complete restaurant-style lounge where riders can recharge before, during or after a race.” Friendly selections include pizza, wings, sausages, burritos, nachos, burgers and fries. Walls is working on getting a cafe liquor license to sell beer and wine, though K1 Speed points out that its establishments have a “strict anti-drunk driving policy” – kart drivers are only allowed to order alcohol. after they have finished drinking. Finished the game in one day.
The complex will have meeting and birthday rooms for corporate team building, birthday parties and other group events. Senior leagues, women’s leagues and competitions are also in development, Walls said. K1 Speed places an emphasis on the safety of its facility: adults and youth race separately, all riders go through detailed safety instructions and must wear helmets, and staff can remotely slow down or turn off karts if the driver is operating unsafely. While track layouts vary by location, K1 Speed says “most of our tracks are about a quarter mile long”, with most races taking up to 12 laps around the track.
Walls plans to introduce other family entertainment options at the facility, including laser tag and golf. “It could happen in the winter of 2023,” he said. He expressed optimism that the facility would be a success, noting that he had heard comments of support from city officials as well as community members he spoke to about the project. “Traverse City has a deep car culture and all the Autobot friends I hang out with are very passionate about it,” he laughs. “It’s amazing how adults are so passionate about karting.”
Walls also believes the karting center will help transform Cherryland Center into a new family-friendly destination, with the return of Traverse City Curling Club and its recently acquired Kmart building, which is scheduled to open in January as a new five-board. The curling center is open.
“These big buildings – something needs to be done about them,” Walls said. “The mall has been closed for a long time and no longer needs that much retail space. What do you do with something like this? Recreational and indoor activities make the most sense. Our use is perfect for curling clubs. the whole (mall)) can become a family entertainment center.”
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Post time: Dec-28-2022