Chicago Suburb-Owned Mall’s Demolition Clears Mixed-Use Path

With demolition at Spring Hill Mall nearly wrapped, West Dundee officials are turning their attention from teardown to transformation.

Demolition is expected to finish by the end of the month, marking a clean slate for nearly 70 acres in the heart of the northwest suburban village, the Daily Herald reported. The only holdout is the Cinemark Theater, which is open and untouched by the wrecking crews.

“There’s really a blank slate for the nearly 70 acres in the center of West Dundee, and we’re excited about what the future may bring for that acreage,” Village Manager Joe Cavallaro told the outlet.

Chicago-based planning firm Houseal Lavigne is expected to deliver conceptual designs by year’s end to guide redevelopment of the mall property, which opened in 1980 and shuttered in March 2024. Village President Chris Nelson said the municipality plans to start marketing the site early next year with an eye toward a mixed-use plan blending housing, retail and entertainment.

A recent feasibility study suggests the area within the mall’s ring road — plus 32 adjacent acres — could support 1,500 residential units and 325,000 square feet of commercial development.

West Dundee began acquiring portions of the dead mall in 2023, buying the former Sears and Macy’s stores for $2 million and $1.25 million, respectively. Last year, the village paid another $7 million to purchase the mall’s core, including the old Carson Pirie Scott store, after New York-based Kohan Retail Investment agreed to sell off its remaining stake in the mall.

Officials said public ownership was the only way to pave the path for a full-scale redevelopment.

About 20 percent of the property, including the former Carson’s and Kohl’s sites, sits within neighboring Carpentersville. Earlier this year, Carpentersville agreed to buy the Kohl’s building for $2 million, giving it control over the site’s future. West Dundee will oversee most of the redevelopment, but Carpentersville will retain final approval on its portion.

Demolition, originally expected to cost $3.8 million and run through November, is finishing ahead of schedule — a milestone Nelson said “sets the table for a complete revamp rather than trying to reuse old buildings that were not necessarily useful in 2025 and beyond.”

Cavallaro added that legal and logistical “spaghetti,” including access covenants, still need to be sorted out before redevelopment can begin.

— Eric Weilbacher