Evergreen Plaza to be Razed

It’s the day many residents might have known was coming: The Plaza will be razed. Once a shopping palace in its day the aged, mostly vacant, structure will be demolished to make space for an outdoor mall featuring 30 to 40 stores.

A development company from Detroit ha joined with one from Tampa to create Evergreen Park Developers, which has taken on the task of building the Evergreen Park Marketplace. Village trustees this week unanimously signed off on a memorandum of understanding with Evergreen Park Developers that gives it 45 days in which to have contracts in place for the project.

Visions include stores along the west side of the property facing Western Avenue, with four outlots intended for restaurants, reports Daily Southtown.

“It’s finally right at our fingertips,” Evergreen Park Mayor Jim Sexton said, according to The Reporter. “We’re a huge step closer to getting the Plaza done. It will be a grand slam, not a home run.”

Demolition companies took a look at the property as recently as Wednesday.

Retailers interested include Dick’s Sporting Goods and Whole Foods. Planet Fitness, Applebee’s, and Carson’s all plan to stay.

Work could begin as early as this summer.

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