'Ghost Mall' No More! Reboot of Evergreen Plaza Gets Underway

Historic photo of the Evergreen Plaza at 95th Street and Western Avenue, and the “ghost mall” of today.

After years of being a ghost mall, the Evergreen Plaza is finally headed for a fresh reboot with demolition and construction already underway.

A groundbreaking -- and wrecking -- ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at the intersection of 95th Street and Western Avenue in Evergreen Park.

“This groundbreaking marks the rebirth of a commerce center that has played a significant role in our village, both historically and economically,” Mayor Jim Sexton said. “The ‘new’ Evergreen Park Plaza promises a bright future for Evergreen Park residents and surrounding communities for decades to come.”

Once a Mecca for Southland shoppers, the 1952-era shopping center had fallen on hard times and became a shell of its former greatness.

Plans call for a 425,000-square-foot, open air retail center on the 32-acre parcel of the former Plaza, that will include 30 to 40 stores targeted to open in late 2017.

Carson’s has also announced that it will be staying, with a new store to anchor the redevelopment. The existing Carson’s store will remain open during the construction and demolition at a smaller, temporary site until the new store is complete slated for a late 2016 opening.

Tampa, FL-based DeBartolo Development LLC, the inventor of enclosed regional shopping center, floated a plan to purchase the Evergreen Plaza before the village board in 2013.

DeBartolo, along with Bloomfield, MI-based developer Lormax Stern Development, purchased the property and are currently negotiating leases. This is the tenth redevelopment of a major retail mall undertaken by Lormax Stern.

“The cooperation between the village and the local community has been amazing,” said partner Daniel Stern in a company news release. “Evergreen Park is great community; the village offices and local community have been instrumental in this progress.”

Sexton said that many major national retailers expressed interest in coming into the Plaza.

“We cannot disclose any other retailer names just yet,” Sexton said in a news release. “Let’s just say that Lormax Stern Development is finalizing a dozen new leases with popular national retailers, including an upscale food store.”