Hoping to keep
Southridge Mall a vibrant destination amid the decline of regional mall popularity, the Village of Greendale is tapping a local firm to explore adaptive reuse concepts for the mall property.
The village is pursuing a contract with Milwaukee-based architecture and planning firm
RINKA to develop a master plan for the nearly 100-acre area surrounding Southridge Mall, which is in foreclosure and located at 5300 S. 76th St.
While no plans have been made yet — and the village is far from any actual development proposals to bring these concepts to fruition — the masterplan will study concepts for the mall's parking lots and the mall itself, and will incorporate the
mixed-use Boston Store redevelopment concept that Barrett Lo Visionary Development is planning.
Some of the things RINKA envisions at the Southridge site include active and better connected streetscapes, high and medium density multi-family housing, greenscapes, programmed activity spaces, food and beverage retailers and community engagement programming, among others.
"The village's overarching goal for the Southridge area is to ensure it remains a strong contributor to our local tax base and a vibrant destination," said village manager Mike Hawes.
RINKA, which was selected out of three firms for the project, previously created a master plan for Towne Mall in Middletown, Ohio. Those plans were included in a submittal to the the Village of Greendale Board of Trustees.
At Towne Mall, RINKA proposed cutting out sections of the mall core to make way for more outdoor-facing retail and public plazas.
"Southridge is still a popular and vibrant mall but we believe it will be important to plan for multiple scenarios for the future of the mall property," Hawes said when asked if demolition of some or all of Southridge Mall was a possibility.
[caption id="attachment_610831" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]
RINKA's concept for Towne Mall in Middletown, Ohio.[/caption]
RINKA also submitted renderings and photos of Drexel Town Square in Oak Creek, 84South in Greenfield and Deer District in Milwaukee as examples of what could be done at Southridge.
More immediately, the village is working to enter into a contract with RINKA for master planning services. The village's Board of Trustees will discuss the contract at a meeting on Tuesday.
Hawes said the village is hoping to enter the contract as soon as possible and complete the master planning process by the end of the year.
"
The purpose of pursuing a master plan is twofold: to gather meaningful input from the community and to draw on the expertise of professional planners in shaping a cohesive vision for the campus," Hawes said. "This includes identifying the types of uses, amenities, and aesthetics that will best serve both current and future residents, businesses and visitors. Ultimately, our aim is to position the Southridge area for long-term vitality and success."
In village documents, village staff said this is a project that has been contemplated for several years, but was put on the hold until redevelopment plans for the Boston Store property came into focus.
Last year, Milwaukee-based Barrett Lo Visionary Development unveiled plans for up to 675 apartments and 20,000 square feet of new retail space at the former Boston Store site. Hawes told BizTimes in March that the village expects detailed plans for that project
to be submitted sometime in 2025.
Southridge has lost two of its anchor stores in the last decade with Boston Store closing in 2018 and Sears in 2017. The former Sears has since been redeveloped as a Dick's Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy and T.J. Maxx.
Then, in 2021, the core of Southridge Mall fell into foreclosure and has yet to be sold to a new owner. Last week, the sale deadline was extended for a third time, this time until the end of 2025, according to court documents.
RINKA declined to comment for this report.
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