The owner of the Bangor Mall must pay the city more than $1.1 million, a judge ruled Tuesday, even as the building continues to deteriorate.
The mall’s owner, Namdar Realty Group, has 45 days to reach a settlement with Bangor or it must pay $1.15 million, a ruling from Penobscot County Superior Court Judge Bruce Mallonee said.
The city filed two lawsuits in late 2024 against Bangor Mall Realty LLC, a subsidiary of Namdar. Namdar also has 45 days to submit a plan to fix the remaining code violations along with a plan to make sure maintenance prevents the problems from reoccurring, the ruling said.
The ruling comes days after the city condemned the portion of the mall that once held a Sears. The city also cut the power to that same wing, forcing several businesses to either relocate or temporarily close.
The $1.1 million penalty stems from daily violations, with the longest running violation — leaking roof issues — happening for about a year and a half, the ruling said. That daily penalty alone cost Namdar $120,825.
Other penalties, such as a sewer leak, happened just once but cost $25,000.
There is an “untenable financial dynamic” in the case, as the city likely wanted $5 million in penalties assessed for a property worth about double that, Mallonee said. A payment from Namdar of that amount seems unlikely, the ruling said.
Namdar does deserve credit for the hundreds of thousands it has spent on repairs after the court order, but that magnitude of repairs shows the extent the property was allowed to degrade, Mallonee said.
The city will not comment on the ruling, city spokesperson David Warren said.
The city paid $38,966 to fix a broken sewer line at the mall in August 2024 after Namdar allowed the pipe to continue spilling untreated sewage. Namdar must pay the city that money within 30 days, no matter what, if any, settlement is reached, Mallonee’s ruling said.
All “meaningful repairs” at the mall must be done by June 15, the ruling said.
About two weeks before the ruling, Namdar said settlement talks had stalled and the city’s lawyer submitted a letter to Mallonee, pleading for his decision.
Namdar did not provide comment about the court ruling.
The empty Sears was “deemed unfit for human habitation or use” on Jan. 30, according to a condemnation placard attached to a door. The store had been previously condemned in January 2022.
Power to that wing of the Bangor Mall has also been shut off, ranging from the center of the mall to the former Sears, Warren said.
The city said roof repairs must be done by Jan. 30, despite the foot of snow on the roof, Namdar said in a statement Tuesday. A roofing contractor is hired to complete the repairs and work is happening, the mall owner said.
Bangor is threatening to close the mall in two weeks if the roof repairs are not complete, Namdar said.
Multiple stores have relocated from that wing, including an engraving store. One store in the wing, the Shoe Dept., was closed Tuesday. A security guard said the shop would be moving to another storefront.
Another store, Cat Life Maine Inc., posted on Facebook that it is trying to get written answers from the mall management about safety and next steps.
There was frequent communication between the city and the mall about the health and safety issues in the building, Warren said.
“In the absence of progress, the city was left with no choice but to direct that electrical service be shut off in certain portions of the Bangor Mall due to significant concerns related to health and safety,” Warren said.
Shutting off power will create issues for the remaining businesses in that wing, but it was necessary for safety of employees and visitors, Warren said.
The mall’s bathrooms are in the wing without power. A sign on Jan. 12 directed people to public bathrooms in Dicks and JCPenney. The furniture store, which is not owned by the mall, had signs Tuesday saying there were no public bathrooms.
The Zales and Kay Jewelers in the mall are temporarily closed, according to signs on their doors. The American Eagle in the mall recently closed permanently.
Bangor can renew the court action against Namdar if it does not complete the repairs, the ruling said.
Visible repairs happened at the mall property nearly a year after Bangor initially sued Namdar because of numerous code violations. The road around the mall has been paved and crews repaired a broken sewer main that caused a leak in August 2024.
The dilapidated sign at the corner of Hogan Road and Bangor Mall Boulevard was demolished Oct. 13, 2025.
