TEMPLE, Texas — The Temple Chamber of Commerce officials spoke to Temple Mall business owners Monday about their options following the temporary closure to the mall.
Business owners and their employees are eligible for unemployment benefits since they lost their jobs at no fault of their own, according to the chamber of commerce.
Both the city and the chamber of commerce can only allocate resources to business owners. They displayed a number of properties around Temple that are available for rent and helped business owners explore their options.
When it comes to getting the mall up to code, that is between the property owners and the fire marshal.
The city closed the mall after safety concerns were not addressed after an inspection last week and including fire code violations, plumbing, electrical and other building violations. Temple Fire Marshal Larry Setzer outlined the specific fire code violations at the meeting:
- Pump sprinkler risers and fire alarm issues
- Alarm system was completely off
- Fire Pump system does not work
- Fire department would not get a signal if there was ever a fire
"We get told by the manager there that things are gonna happen that they don't, Setzer explained. "This is a big enough problem that it could affect the life of the mall itself and the persons in the mall."
According to Setzer the mall owners, Kohan Retail Investment Group (KRIG), were aware that the mall had a number of code violations since April but failed to act upon fixing them.
Setzer added that getting the fire pump fixed is the top priority.
"I think after that once we figure out those sprinkler alarms and everything are monitored, then we can start talking about getting some folks uh back in there."
Some business owners brought up the idea to collectively pay for a contractor to get the fire pumps working out of pocket. Setzer said that process isn't as easy as it sounds as there are specific state requirements a contractor must have.
KRIG also owns the Killeen Mall. The company has a history of failing to pay utility bills, property taxes and mortgage according to a number of other publications.
6 News reached out to KRIG owner Mike Kohan for comment on the Temple Mall's future, He did not get back to us. We then got in contact with the KRIG spokesperson who provided us with this statement:
"We are aware of the concerns regarding Temple Mall and are actively working to address the specific challenges. We want to assure you that we are dedicated to the health and safety of our Temple Mall community. We are committed to maximizing the center's potential for our tenants and guests, and we appreciate your trust and patience."
Business owners are still able to go in and out of their business for items they may need. However, Setzer declined the idea of setting up their business outside of the mall due to safety precautions.
The only two businesses that remain open are Extreme Jump and Dillard's because both those businesses are separately owned. They have at least two weeks until they will be closed as well. says Setzer. He also told business owners both companies have offered to fund the cost of getting the fire pump up to code.
A Code of Compliance representative also added that while the mall is currently not operating, there is no reason to condemn the building.
6 News will continue to follow this story as more details develop.