Overview
- A Cook County judge signed an order to vacate and close the mall’s main enclosed building, and the mall was shut when its doors were locked on Monday following the court directive.
- City filings and inspectors said the mall’s fire‑suppression system had been riddled with leaks and largely nonfunctional for about two years while basement leaks sent large volumes of water under the structure.
- JCPenney, the last anchor inside the enclosed mall, has closed its store and tenants were told to leave while exterior businesses such as the AMC theater, Planet Fitness and IHOP remain open.
- Court records require Namdar Realty Group, the 2019 purchaser, to maintain the fire‑suppression system until further order, and Ald. Derrick Curtis is meeting with city officials and prospective buyers about redevelopment plans.
- A proposal from Kurv Industrial would demolish the mall to build roughly 900,000+ square feet of warehouses that backers say would bring jobs while many neighbors have launched petitions and public meetings to push for mixed‑use, housing or green space instead.