Enfield Mall’s Latest Problem Comes Courtesy Of The Cold

ENFIELD, CT — Parts of Enfield Square Mall have been temporarily closed after cold weather caused damage inside the building, leading town inspectors to block off certain areas until repairs are finished.

The Town of Enfield Division of Building Inspection issued a Notice of Unsafe Structure on Feb. 2 after an inspection found several safety problems tied to the recent cold snap. Inspectors reported frozen and broken fire sprinkler pipes, heating system failures that help keep sprinkler systems from freezing, and water damage in parts of the mall.

In an email to Patch, the property's representatives said the mall is not fully closed and that Target remains open, contrary to an earlier report by a local television station that indicated the entire mall had been shut down.

Officials said only specific sections of the mall have been ordered closed while repairs are underway.

According to the property’s representatives, a sprinkler head burst inside an empty store, creating an immediate safety concern. Frozen pipes were also found in the former movie theater area, which has been closed to shoppers since 2023, causing additional water damage. They also said collapsed ceiling sections were found in at least one area and that portions of the fire alarm system were not working properly or were overdue for inspection.

Because of those conditions, the building department ordered the affected areas to remain closed until all violations are corrected and approved by inspectors.

Officials said fire sprinkler repairs are scheduled first, followed by work in the mall’s mechanical rooms to restore heat to areas that protect the sprinkler system. An HVAC technician is expected to replace a failed motor that helps keep those systems warm.

Patch has requested additional information from the Town of Enfield Division of Building Inspection regarding the scope of the closures and the inspection process.

Those overseeing the property said they are pushing to reopen the closed sections as soon as safety officials give the all-clear. Town officials have not provided a timeline for reopening, saying access will remain restricted until all unsafe conditions are fixed and reinspected.

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Redevelopment Context: State Cleanup Funding Is Laying Groundwork For The Mall’s Future

The temporary closures come as Enfield Square Mall remains the focus of a broader, long-term redevelopment effort backed by state funding.

The Town of Enfield is set to receive $4 million through the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s Brownfield Remediation and Development Program to pay for hazardous materials cleanup and demolition at the mall property at 90 Elm Street. The 73.26-acre site must undergo environmental remediation before any large-scale construction can begin, officials have said.

State officials have described brownfield grants as a key tool for reviving abandoned or underused properties, noting that redevelopment plans often stall when contamination and cleanup costs make projects financially unworkable.

Enfield Square Mall opened in 1972 and remains open today, though many storefronts have closed in recent years as retail activity at the site has declined. At its peak, the mall was anchored by major national retailers including Sears, JCPenney, and Macy’s, according to town planning records.

While the brownfield grant is limited to environmental cleanup, additional steps toward redevelopment are already underway. In November, the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved a zone change intended to help move a proposed redevelopment forward.

Woodsonia Acquisitions LLC, a Nebraska-based development firm, has said it is in the process of purchasing and redeveloping the Enfield Square Mall site. Property records show the mall is still owned by Namdar Realty Group, but Woodsonia has previously said it has an agreement in place to purchase the property, contingent on receiving the necessary redevelopment approvals.

Woodsonia is proposing a mixed-use project known as Enfield Marketplace, which would redevelop the site with commercial space and roughly 465 residential units, with the potential to include a hotel. Developers have said infrastructure and site work could begin once final approvals are secured, with demolition and utility work expected to take 12 to 18 months.

State and local officials have said the brownfield funding represents a necessary first step, addressing environmental conditions that must be resolved before redevelopment of the Enfield Square Mall site can move forward.