Overview
- The City of Chicago filed an emergency motion to vacate Ford City Mall, citing a nonworking, leak‑riddled fire suppression system that officials say creates an imminent danger.
- A Cook County judge continued the case, ordered the city to notify roughly 16 remaining tenants, and set a deadline for owner Namdar Realty Group to answer the motion.
- City statements warn leaks in the sprinkler piping could wash out soil under the building and cause a sinkhole or partial collapse during a fire or even without one.
- Inspectors and court filings describe widespread deterioration, including flooding, exposed wiring, holes in ceilings, poor lighting, and deeply potholed parking lots.
- The mall still houses tenants such as JCPenney and AMC, and JCPenney says it recently extended its lease, so a shutdown would disrupt workers and force shoppers to travel farther for everyday needs.
- Separately, Kurv Industrial has proposed demolishing the site for a nearly $200 million warehouse campus, a plan backed by Ald. Derrick Curtis and opposed by some neighbors concerned about losing retail.