Machesney mall rehab taking small steps until more retailers sign on

By Sean F. Driscoll

BusinessRockford.com

Some interior demolition work has begun at the Machesney Park Mall, but the planned full-scale revamp of the underused shopping center won’t start until more tenants sign on.

The 8750 N. Second St. shopping center, which is anchored by a JC Penney outlet and Bergner’s but is largely barren otherwise, has long been the target of redevelopment. Rubloff Development Group, working with the village, has plans to turn it into an outdoor shopping center but hasn’t secured enough interested tenants to move forward.

Rubloff officials didn’t return calls for comment, but Karen Lemmons, Machesney Park’s director of community development, said there’s no rush to start major construction.

“This is a long-term project. We’re looking at it being the cornerstone of the village,” Lemmons said. “We are taking our time to make sure we’re doing it properly and getting the highest return on our investment we can.”

Lemmons said a few retailers had signed on to locate at the mall, but at least one of them backed out because of economic concerns.

“We’ve gone forward and backward,” she said. “Before Rubloff wants to actually start investing dollars, they want to make sure they’ve got the retailers signed up.”

Lemmons said there’s been no agreement on how much money the village will spend to help rehab the mall, which is more than 229,000 square feet and has about half a dozen outlots that can also be developed.

Reach staff writer Sean F. Driscoll at 815-987-1346 or sdriscoll@rrstar.com.