SouthPark Mall owner Macerich has announced plans for a major facelift of the mall that could begin as soon as next month.
In November, News Eight first obtained preliminary renderings of the new concept for the mall, which includes tearing down the former Sears store.
This will significantly downsize the mall, which Moline Planning and Development Director Ray Forsythe said was overbuilt for the market. The nearly 40-year-old SouthPark will become a partial indoor-outdoor mall, with more outdoor entrances to individual stores.
The food court will also be demolished, and restaurant and food options will instead be incorporated into the mall itself.
“The demolition, the new landscape, all the new signage, and parking lot improvements are going to hopefully attract some more tenants to the mall,” said Forsythe.
The Illinois Department of Transportation has also given preliminary approval for a new right-in, right-out mall entrance off John Deere Road. The entrance would be located between DHCU Community Credit Union and Gordman’s, and it would give visibility to the face of the mall on John Deere Road.
On Tuesday, city staff will present the plans and a development agreement to the Moline City Council. If approved, Macerich hopes to begin demolition in March or April, and have all the changes completed by November of 2014.
City leaders say it’s exciting to finally reach this point in the process.
“It’s great because it’s been a long time coming. We worked for years with Simon, trying to get them to do something. Once Macerich took control of the property, we’ve really been talking since the week after they closed on the deal,” said Forsythe.
